field symbols : syntax error

[Former Member]

TYPES: BEGIN OF NAME,

FIRSTNAME(10),

LASTNAME(10),

END OF NAME.

data : person1 type standard table of name with header line.

start-of-selection.

person1-firstname = 'Shiv'.

person1-lastname = 'Kasthala'.

append person1.

clear person1.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> TYPE table.

assign person1 to <fs>.

This sample code gives me a syntax error that person1 and <fs> are in-compatible. Can anybody please suggest me the reason why?

Also, can some body guide me to some documentation where I can use dynamic programming in daily ABAP.

[Former Member]

try this code

data: BEGIN OF person1 occurs 0,

FIRSTNAME(10),

LASTNAME(10),

END OF person1.

start-of-selection.

person1-firstname = 'Shiv'.

person1-lastname = 'Kasthala'.

append person1.

clear person1.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> TYPE any table.

assign person1[] to <fs>.

In your code person1 is assigned to field symbol which has only work area not entire table.

[Former Member]

hi, no need to do any change, only replace one line as following:

replace

ASSIGN PERSON1 TO <FS>.

with

ASSIGN person1[] to <fs>.

the compile failure due to person1 has header line.

<FS> is table type.

So compiler treat 'assign person1 to <fs>.' as header line assigned to a table type field symbol.

So it failed.

thanks

[Former Member]

hi,

person1 is of type standard table,

define

field-symbol <fs> type standard table of name.

try this, may be this will work.

regards,

manohar.

[Former Member]

Ok. So, now how can I get the contents of a field symbol on the screen if the field symbol is of type "standard table".

[Former Member]

see below code, its the same code but I have added one more workarea called person and I assigned from field symbol and printed.

data: BEGIN OF person1 occurs 0,

FIRSTNAME(10),

LASTNAME(10),

END OF person1.

data: BEGIN OF person,

FIRSTNAME(10),

LASTNAME(10),

END OF person.

start-of-selection.

person1-firstname = 'Shiv'.

person1-lastname = 'Kasthala'.

append person1.

clear person1.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> TYPE any table.

assign person1[] to <fs>.

loop at <fs> into person.

write : / person-firstname, person-lastname.

endloop.

[Former Member]

Thanks Satyanarayana, I have awardded you points for that. Just one more thing:

1. Can you tell me how & where can i use field symbols in daily ABAP programming. As such I m not able to find any use to it.

Example: Can it be used to display the internal table contents of any internal table declared in a program irrespective of its structure.

[RichHeilman]

Yes, there are a couple uses for field symbols. One that comes to mind, is when working with dynamic internal tables and structures.

Check out this weblog.

/people/rich.heilman2/blog/2005/07/27/dynamic-internal-tables-and-structures--abap

Regards,

Rich Heilman