topic SAP ABAP in Application Development and Automation Discussions

SAP ABAP

Former Member — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:42:38 GMT

WHAT ARE THE SYSTEM SYMBOLS? TEXT SYMBOLS? STANDARD SYMBOLS? PROGRAM SYMBOLS?

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:53:23 GMT

Text Symbols

A text symbol is a named data object that is generated when you start the program from the texts in the text pool of the ABAP program. It always has the data type C. Its field length is that of the text in the text pool.

Text symbols, along with the program title, list headings, and selection texts, belong to the text elements of a program. Text elements allow you to create language-independent programs. Any text that the program sends to the screen can be stored as a text element in a text pool. Different text pools can be created for different languages. When a text element is changed or translated, there is no need to change the actual program code. Text elements in an ABAP program are stored in the ABAP Editor (see Text Element Maintenance).

In the text pool, each text symbol is identified by a three-character ID. Text symbols have a content, an occupied length, and a maximum length.

Examples for text symbols in an ABAP program:

Contents

Occupied length

Maximum length

010

Text symbol 010

132

030

Text symbol 030

100

AAA

Text symbol AAA

In the program, you can address text symbols using the following form:

TEXT-<idt>

Kevin

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:54:39 GMT

Hi,

SAPscript offers four types of symbols that draw their values from different sources. These symbols are system symbols, program symbols, standard SAPscript symbols, and local text symbols. You access each type of symbol by way of a different Include submenu.

Here is more information on each type of symbol:

-->System symbols draw their values from global SAP System variables.

System symbol Contains

DATE current date

day day from current date

DEVICE--output device: PRINTER, SCREEN, TELEX, FAX

HOURS hours from time of day

MINUTES minutes from time of day

MONTH month from current date

NAME_OF_MONTH name of the month from current date

NEXTPAGE page number of the next page

PAGE page number of a SAPscript text

SECONDS seconds from time of day

SPACE blank

TIME time of day

ULINE underline

VLINE vertical line

YEAR year from current date

-->Program symbols draw data from tables in the program that you need to retrieve the data for the SAPscript document you want to print. In addition, you can include all globally defined data as program symbols. Therefore, the tables must be defined in the ABAP Dictionary. This type of symbol is used to make data from the SAP applications available in such SAPscript documents as checks and correspondence.

To access these symbols, choose Include ® Symbols ® Program.

-->Standard symbols are maintained centrally in SAPscript (table TTDTG) and are available in all SAPscript documents. They generally contain static texts. For example, symbol &SGDH& is defined with the text "Dear Ladies and Gentlemen."

Standard symbols are language-dependent. If a symbol has been translated, then it is inserted in your document in the language that you have chosen for the document.

To access these symbols, choose Include ® Symbols ® Standard.

-->Text symbols are defined locally in your own document and are usable only in the document in which they are defined.

You can, for example, define a standard term or text passage once in your document and then include it where it is needed by way of its symbol name.

Define a text symbol with the DEFINE command:

/: DEFINE ='Symbol text'

regards,

vineela.

Edited by: Radha Vineela Aepuru on Mar 14, 2008 6:55 AM

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:02:28 GMT

hi,

Text symbols are another kind of text element. Text symbols are text literals that can be translated and which are assigned to the program. Text symbols allow you to create lists independent of language.

You can write text symbols into your program in either of the following ways:

- TEXT-<xxx> (where xxx is a three-character sequence)

- '<Text>'(<xxx>) (where xxx is a three-character sequence).

You can display texts in the Editor by choosing Goto -> Text elements-> Text symbols or by doubleclicking

the number of a text symbol.

A variable in SAPscript is called a symbol. There are the following types.

• System symbol (e.g. the number of the current page)

• Standard symbol (usable in any document)

• Program symbol (value from the print program)

• Text symbol (“local variable”)

System symbols

System symbols in a SAPscript form are comparable to system fields like SY-UZEIT in an ABAP program, and include these. The graphical editor offers three types of system symbol.

1. General system symbols

See the table TTSXY. PAGE is the most widely used. The list given in our BC460 training manuals is out of date.

2. SAPscript system symbols

See the dictionary structure SAPSCRIPT. SAPSCRIPT-FORMPAGES is the most widely used.

3. ABAP system symbols

For the ABAP system field SY-UNAME, say, the symbol is SYST-UNAME. SYST is the dictionary structure for ABAP system fields.

Standard symbols

Standard symbols are maintained centrally (in the table TTDTG via transaction SE75) for use in any document. Menu path:

Tools

Form Printout

Administration

Settings

Some standard symbols are SAP-standard and others are custom. Curiously, table TTDTG is cross-client although SAPscript forms are not.

The value of a standard symbol has to be defined for each language used. This gives a way to make a single SAPscript form multi-lingual.

We can take advantage to an extent of the central maintenance, though there is no guarantee that the available standard symbols will used in every appropriate context.

Standard symbols complicate searching a SAPscript form, since text like ‘Charity registration 211581’ may be hiding in a standard symbol.

Hopw this helps, Do reward.

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:07:30 GMT

For Symbols:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/4a/c8353c51aab32be10000000a114084/content.htm

Field Symobls:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/fc/eb387a358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:05:15 GMT

Symbols are constants used to save un nessessary work used in documentation

1. system symbols : example: &date& &time& etc

2. text symbols: they are defined using control statements

protect...endprotect, if endif, etc

3. standard symbols : all the messages are stored in TTDTG table

4. program symbols : used in abap program example: &i_mara-matnr& &i_mara-ernam&

Re: SAP ABAP

Former Member — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:29:35 GMT

Hi,

System symbols are supplied by SAP scripts. They can be used in all texts. Following are list of frequently used system symbols:

&DATE& = Current date

&DAY& = Day

&MONTH& = Month

&YEAR& = Year

&ULINE& = Underline

&VLINE& = Vertical line

&NAME_OF_MONTH& = Name of month

etc....

Standard symbols are maintained centrally in one table (TTDTG) for all SAP Script users.

Program symbols are place holders for values which come from the program that calls the layout set. The symbol has to be defined in the data dictionary and filled with values by the output program.

Ex. &kna1-name1& in the layout set will output the customer name.

Values of Text symbols are created by assignment via define statement.

Ex. /: DEFINE &CASENUM& = '1234'.

Regards,

Bhaskar