ABAP Select data from SAP table ICHARACTERISTIC into internal table

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Below is a number of ABAP code snippets to demonstrate how to select data from SAP ICHARACTERISTIC table and store it within an internal table, including using the newer @DATA inline declaration methods. It also shows you various ways to process this data using ABAP work area, inline declaration or field symbols including executing all the relevant CONVERSION_EXIT routines specific to ICHARACTERISTIC. See here for more generic Select statement tips.

Sometimes data within SAP is stored within the database table in a different format to what it is displayed to the user. These input/output conversation FM routines are what translates the data between the two formats.

There is also a full declaration of the ICHARACTERISTIC table where each field has a char/string type for you to simply copy and paste. This allows you to use processing that is only available to these field types such as the CONCATENATE statement.

DATA: IT_ICHARACTERISTIC TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ICHARACTERISTIC,
      WA_ICHARACTERISTIC TYPE ICHARACTERISTIC,
      GD_STR TYPE STRING.

DATA: lo_typedescr type REF TO cl_abap_typedescr.
DATA: lv_fieldname type fieldname.

FIELD-SYMBOLS: <FIELD> TYPE any.
FIELD-SYMBOLS: <ICHARACTERISTIC> TYPE ICHARACTERISTIC.

*Process all fields in table header/work area as string values
  PERFORM process_as_string_field_values CHANGING wa_ICHARACTERISTIC.

SELECT *
*restrict ABAP select to first 10 rows
 UP TO 10 ROWS      
  FROM ICHARACTERISTIC
  INTO TABLE IT_ICHARACTERISTIC.

*Select data and declare internal table using in-line method @DATA
*SELECT *
*  FROM ICHARACTERISTIC
*  INTO TABLE @DATA(IT_ICHARACTERISTIC2).
*--Further methods of using ABAP code to  select data from SAP database tables

*You can also declare the header/work area using the in-line DATA declaration method
READ TABLE IT_ICHARACTERISTIC INDEX 1 INTO DATA(WA_ICHARACTERISTIC2).


*Demonstrate how to loop at an internal table and update values using a FIELD-SYMBOL
LOOP AT IT_ICHARACTERISTIC ASSIGNING <ICHARACTERISTIC>.

*To update a field value using a field symbol simply change the value via the field symbol pointer
<ICHARACTERISTIC>-MANDT = 1.
<ICHARACTERISTIC>-CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID = 1.
<ICHARACTERISTIC>-VALIDITYSTARTDATE = 1.
<ICHARACTERISTIC>-CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER = 1.
<ICHARACTERISTIC>-CHARACTERISTIC = 1.

ENDLOOP.

LOOP AT IT_ICHARACTERISTIC INTO WA_ICHARACTERISTIC.
*Write horizonal line to screen report.
  WRITE:/ sy-uline.

*Write selected data to screen/report before conversion.
  WRITE:/ sy-vline,   WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICISDELETED, sy-vline,
  WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT, sy-vline,
  WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-DOCUMENTTYPE, sy-vline,
  WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-DOCUMENTVERSION, sy-vline,
  WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-DOCUMENTPART, sy-vline,
ENDLOOP.
   
*Add any further fields from structure WA_ICHARACTERISTIC you want to display...

  WRITE:/ sy-uline.
* Aternatively use generic code to Write field values (and NAME) to screen report
  DO.
    ASSIGN COMPONENT sy-index OF STRUCTURE wa_ICHARACTERISTIC TO <field>.
    IF sy-subrc <> 0. EXIT. ENDIF.
    WRITE:/ 'Field Value', <field>, sy-vline.
    gd_str = <field> .
    lo_typedescr ?= CL_ABAP_DATADESCR=>DESCRIBE_BY_DATA( <field> ).
    lv_fieldname = lo_typedescr->GET_RELATIVE_NAME( ).
    WRITE:/ 'Field Name', lv_fieldname.
  ENDDO.

  
*Redo loop but convert all fields from internal to out value  
LOOP AT IT_ICHARACTERISTIC INTO WA_ICHARACTERISTIC.


*Write horizonal line to screen report.
  WRITE:/ sy-uline.

*Convert all fields to display/output versions using conversion routines
  PERFORM convert_all_field_values CHANGING wa_EKKO.
	 
ENDLOOP.

  
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form convert_all_field_values
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM convert_all_field_values CHANGING p_EKKO LIKE wa_EKKO.
DATA: ld_input(1000) TYPE c, ld_output(1000) TYPE C.

*Conversion exit ATINN, internal->external for field CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ATINN_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit ALPHA, internal->external for field CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit CUNIT, internal->external for field CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_CUNIT_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ICHARACTERISTIC-CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.
ENDFORM. 

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form process_as_string_field_values
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM process_as_string_field_values CHANGING p_EKKO LIKE wa_EKKO.

TYPES: BEGIN OF T_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR, 
MANDT TYPE STRING,
CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID TYPE STRING,
VALIDITYSTARTDATE TYPE STRING,
CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER TYPE STRING,
CHARACTERISTIC TYPE STRING,
CHARACTERISTICISDELETED TYPE STRING,
CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT TYPE STRING,
DOCUMENTTYPE TYPE STRING,
DOCUMENTVERSION TYPE STRING,
DOCUMENTPART TYPE STRING,END OF T_EKKO_STR.
DATA: WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR type T_EKKO_STR.

DATA: ld_text TYPE string.

LOOP AT IT_EKKO INTO WA_EKKO.
  MOVE-CORRESPONDING wa_EKKO TO WA_EKKO_STR.
  CONCATENATE: sy-vline
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-MANDT sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-CHARACTERISTICINTERNALID sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-VALIDITYSTARTDATE sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-CHARACTERISTICCHANGENUMBER sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-CHARACTERISTIC sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-CHARACTERISTICISDELETED sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-CHARACTERISTICBASEUNIT sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-DOCUMENTTYPE sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-DOCUMENTVERSION sy-vline 
WA_ICHARACTERISTIC_STR-DOCUMENTPART sy-vline      INTO ld_text SEPARATED BY SPACE.

*Add any further fields from structure WA_EKKO_STR you want to CONCATENATE...
ENDLOOP.
ENDFORM.