topic Re: How to compare two similar complex structures generically? in Application Development and Automation Discussions

How to compare two similar complex structures generically?

Former Member — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 06:28:56 GMT

Hi all,

I have a problem. I want to write a function module (or method) which imports two similar complex structures. Inside the module, I want to compare every field of every sub-structure and fill some table. How can I do this generically(meaning I do not know the type of the complex structure imported into the module)?

e.g. the module imports bus_ei_extern1 and bus_ei_extern2 structures. These structures have sub-structures like central_data, address etc. These sub-structures have fields inside that i want to compare.

Thanks in advance for your help

Re: How to compare two similar complex structures generically?

former_member186741 — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 06:48:20 GMT

have a look at abap RADVVTB2 which is used by the dictionary 'compare versions' utility.

Re: How to compare two similar complex structures generically?

Former Member — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 06:59:54 GMT

Hi Neil,

I do not want to compare the structures themselves (because they will be same for sure), but the values of the fields in the sub-structures.

eg. consider two complex structures st1 and st2

they both have sub-structure 'central' which has fields name1, name2 and name3.

st1

central

name1 = 'abc'

name2 = 'xyz'

name3 = 'pqr'

st2

central

name1 = 'abc'

name2 = 'mno'

name3 = 'pqr'

in the above two structure, name2 field is unequal. I somehow first want to find out the sub-structures of st1 and st2 (which is central) and fields in the substructure and finally compare them.

Message was edited by: Vikram Nagendra

Re: How to compare two similar complex structures generically?

former_member186741 — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 07:49:21 GMT

you can discover the fields belonging to a structure by using a variant of describe:

eg,

data td TYPE sydes_desc.

*.. get attributes of component field

DESCRIBE FIELD <field> INTO td.

The structure is quite complex but have a play around in debug and it may become clear.

Then you'd need to loop at the components of the structures and make comparisons.

something like:

DO.

*... work through all structure's components...

ASSIGN COMPONENT sy-index OF STRUCTURE <in_content> TO <field>.

IF sy-subrc <> 0.

*... exit when reaching the end of components

EXIT.

ENDIF.

enddo.