topic Re: Difference between with table name with * and without * in Application Development and Automation Discussions

Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:17:03 GMT

Hi..

I had seen some of the standard abap that the table name had *, like *ekpo. What is the meaning? What is the difference between with * and without * ?

Thanks and Regards,

Rishika

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:19:36 GMT

Hi rishika,

' * ' is a wildcard character which is frequently used in sap to search for abap objects,

Example,

In se11(database table) if you type *ekpo,it will give you all the tables that ends with 'EKPO' like EKPO,ZEKPO,TXW_S_EKPO,etc depending upon the tables which exists in your database.

Hope this clarifies your doubt.

Best of luck,

Bhumika

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:19:42 GMT

Nothing spl, it is just to declare a workarea.

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:22:17 GMT

Hi Rishika,

As far as my knowledge is concerned you cannot create a table with *. It says Table Name contains alpha numeric character. *ekpo displays all the tables that have ekpo string in them.

Regards,

Sai

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:24:00 GMT

Hi Subramanian,

Can you please give us some more knowledge on this..

Regards,

Sai

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:25:23 GMT

Hi rishika,

It just lets you use the table a second time. For example:

select single * from ekpo where ebeln = '12345' and ebelp = '1'.

select single * from *ekpo where ebeln = '67890' and ebelp = '1'.

You now have two separate records, one in ekpo and one in *ekpo.

Another way to do this is to simply use the 'into' argument in the 'select' statement to read the second ekpo record into some other field. The '*' format can be confusing, I think it may be left over from earlier releases, like 2.2.

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:27:48 GMT

it will act like a work area.

no difference between them

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:31:42 GMT

Hi Rishika.

I would like to suggest,

It does not really make a difference as it creates a work area with same structure.

I would like to suggest you a reference, it is quite the same as your case,

[SDN - Reference for Passing asterick with table name in program|;

Hope that's usefull.

Good Luck & Regards.

Harsh Dave

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:34:49 GMT

Hi,

please check this:

TABLES:
  sflight, *sflight.                   "workarea's
DATA:
  t_sflight TYPE TABLE OF sflight.

PARAMETERS:
  p_carr TYPE sflight-carrid.

SELECT *
  FROM sflight
  INTO TABLE t_sflight
 WHERE carrid = p_carr.

LOOP AT t_sflight INTO *sflight.
  WRITE:/
    *sflight-carrid,
    *sflight-connid.
ENDLOOP.

*LOOP AT t_sflight INTO sflight.
*  WRITE:/
*    sflight-carrid,
*    *sflight-connid.
*ENDLOOP.

Here both the loop are same , with* means workarea.

Regards

Adil

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:28:04 GMT

Hi rishika,

1. This is actually a facility provided in abap syntax.

2. It is usually checked while saving a record.

3. For eg.

If we have one variable

EKKO

and another *EKKO

(They both are same only, with same structure)

(but two different variables)

4. The functional meaning, for usage purpose,

of *EKKO is OLDEKKO.

5. While saving the transaction,

the data is saved only if there is any change

in the values.



IF EKKO <> *EKKO.
*--- SAVE
ELSE.
MESSAGE 'NO DATA CHANGED'
ENDIF.

6. We can aswell use any other variale

eg. oldekko

oekko

myekko

etc,

7. But for business meaning,

R/3 has the facility for *

*----

1. we can use almost everywhere.

2. just copy paste



report abc.

*--------------------------
TABLES : T001.
TABLES : *T001.

DATA : ITAB LIKE EKKO.
DATA : *ITAB LIKE EKKO.

DATA : NUM TYPE I.
DATA : *NUM TYPE I.

regards,

amit m.

Re: Difference between with table name with * and without *

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:34:50 GMT

hi,

It just creates a work area with same structure.

No other difference as such.

reward if useful

preet