topic Re: type and like in Application Development and Automation Discussions

type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:44:29 GMT

what is the difference between type and like?

give an example

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:46:48 GMT

You can use TYPE to refer pre defined data types like c, n, dats etc.

LIKE is used to refer to an item which is already declared(in the simplest way we can say).

For example:

We need to declare two variables name1 and name2 of character 30. We can do it in the following way.

data : name1(30) type c.

data: name2 like name1.

This means that name2 is having all the attributes of name1 as name1 is already declared.

Hope you get the idea.

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:49:38 GMT

Hi,

ABAP distinguishes between types and objects. Types are descriptions that do not occupy memory. Objects are instances of types, and do occupy their own memory space. A type describes the technical attributes of all of the objects with that type.

You can use the addition

TYPE <type>

to refer to any data type <type> that is already known at this point in the program.

DATA <f> TYPE <type>.

The data object <f> has a data type corresponding to the type <type>.

DATA <f> LIKE <obj>.

The data object <f> inherits all of the technical attributes of the data object <obj>.

Take an example :

types : begin of ty_tab,

name(30),

pwd(10),

end of ty_tab.

data : itab like ty_tab.

See here we declared the structure of ty_tab, which do not occupy memory. So if we run this, we will get compile time error like this : Field TY_TAB is unknown. It is neither in one of the specified tables nor defined by a DATA statement.

So in this case u need to correct the error with "TYPE" statement...like this.

types : begin of ty_tab,

name(30),

pwd(10),

end of ty_tab.

data : itab type ty_tab.

Refer these

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/fc/eb2ff3358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm

Refer this link

Re: LIKE & TYPE

Posted: Jul 23, 2007 6:18 AM in response to: Mohit Goel Reply

For TYPE

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_47x200/helpdata/en/d3/2e974d35c511d1829f0000e829fbfe/frameset.htm

For LIKE

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_47x200/helpdata/en/d3/2e974d35c511d1829f0000e829fbfe/frameset.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/fc/eb367a358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm

LIKE means the datatype of the variable is similar to the referenced variable.

TYPE means it is a predefined data type.

Eg:

DATA int TYPE i.

Here int is of integer data type.

DATA var LIKE int.

var IS a variable having same data type of int. which in turn is integer.

You can find these helpful when you reference database table variables... You need not know what is the datatype defined.

Also it adds to FLEXIBILITY.

Whenever you make changes to your database tables and fields,

that change is REFLECTED back to your program that is,

You need not change all your program code when you change your table fields...

2)Passing the table using the TABLES parameters in a function module is one solution. However, using the IMPORT or CHANGING parameters is a better solution. Just create in the Dictionary a table type like your internal table to be able to TYPE your parameters.

ex. DATA: l_vbeln TYPE vbak-vbelln.

DATA: g_vbeln LIKE l_VBELN.

rgds,

Chandru

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:50:39 GMT

Hi Joshi,

TYPE <type> to refer to any data type <type> that is already known at this point in the program.

LIKE <obj> can be used in the same ABAP statements as the TYPE addition to refer to any data object <obj> that is already visible at that point in the program.

Thanks,

Vinay

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:51:09 GMT

Hi Sir ,

Please have a look below .Hope it is suitable and simpler solution for your question.

Please do reward if useful.

Thankx.

You can use the addition

TYPE <type>

to refer to any data type <type> that is already known at this point in the program.

DATA <f> TYPE <type>.

The data object <f> has a data type corresponding to the type <type>.

DATA <f> LIKE <obj>.

The data object <f> inherits all of the technical attributes of the data object <obj>.

Take an example :

types : begin of ty_tab,

name(30),

pwd(10),

end of ty_tab.

data : itab like ty_tab.

So in this case u need to correct the error with "TYPE" statement...like this.

types : begin of ty_tab,

name(30),

pwd(10),

end of ty_tab.

data : itab type ty_tab.

Refer these

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/fc/eb2ff3358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:52:01 GMT

hi,

like is for declaring data objects

type is for declaring data types

memory will be allocated for data objects while memory is not allocated for data types

regards,

pavan t.

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:54:24 GMT

we use TYPE for pre defined datatypes.

data: var type c.

and LIKE is used for pre defined objects

data: itab like kna1.

Edited by: Jyothsna M on Feb 20, 2008 12:55 PM

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:54:26 GMT

Hi,

Please search in the forum, you have plenty of threads related to type and like.

THanks,

Sriram Ponna.

P.S. Before posting any thread first search in the forum, if you don't find any then post a new thread.

Re: type and like

Former Member — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:58:27 GMT

In the specification of a data type type or a data object dobj, the data type of the variable var is already fully defined before the declaration. The syntax and meaning of the additions TYPE and LIKE has exactly the same meaning as the definition of data types with TYPES, except that for DATA after TYPE a standard table type with a generic table key can be specified. In this case, a bound table type with a standard key is created.

Prior to Release 6.10, no VALUE addition was possible if the data type deep, specified using TYPE or LIKE, was a string, a reference type, a table type, or a structured type with deep components. As of Release 6.10, the VALUE addition can also be used for deep data types; however, with the limitation that a start value val can only be specified for the ABAP type string, and otherwise only IS INITIAL.

The statement DATA declares a variable of any data type. The declared data object is visible within the current context as of this position. Within the declaration part of a class or an interface, DATA declares an instance attribute whose validity is bound to an instance of a class.

The data type of arbitrary variables var, reference variables ref , and internal tables itab, rtab, is defined either using the TYPE addition and a type specification, or using the LIKE addition and the specification of a data object. There are different syntax variants for the definition of elementary data objects, reference variables, and internal tables. If neither TYPE nor LIKE is specified, a data object with the bound data type c of length 1 is created.

For the definition of a structure struc, arbitrary data declarations are included by two DATA statements with the additions BEGIN OF and END OF. Here a struc structure is declared that contains the enclosed data objects comp as a struc-comp component. Structure definitions can be nested.