How to determine type and access of REF TO DATA

[Former Member]

Hello experts,

I have a structure with two fields, one string as name/ID and the second one REF TO DATA as placeholder for any value, so DATA can take for example another string or a numeric value or whatever. Ok, now I want to handle this DATA based on it's type, which is unknown at that point. So I first DESCRIBE the field (its type). If for example this type results in a string, I want to move this string data from REF TO DATA into a local string value. Then I want to reformat the string value and save it again to the REF TO DATA field.

So, in short, I have these tasks:

1. determine type of REF TO DATA

2a. if it's a string, then move the val. of the string into a local string variable

2b. or alternatively do something else, if it's not a string value

3. do something with the local string, then save it back to the REF TO DATA field

Any ideas?

Thank in advance for your help!

Kind regards, Matthias

[Former Member]

Hi,

U can use field symbols for doing this.It will help you solve this problem.

regards

Karthik.R

[Former Member]

Sorry, I don't understand how field symbols could solve my problem.

Can you please be a bit more specific, maybe with some sample code?

[former_member209703]

Take a look at this piece of code. I think it's quite easy to understand how this works.

REPORT  ztest.

DATA: data TYPE REF TO data,
      string TYPE string,
      i      TYPE i.

FIELD-SYMBOLS: <FS>.


TYPES: BEGIN OF tipo,
        string TYPE string,
        data  TYPE REF TO data.
TYPES: END OF tipo.

DATA: var TYPE tipo.

VAR-STRING = 'HOLA'.
STRING = 'ADIOS'.
GET REFERENCE OF STRING INTO DATA.
VAR-DATA = DATA.


*VAR-STRING = 'HOLA'.
*I = 12.
*GET REFERENCE OF I INTO DATA.
*VAR-DATA = DATA.


ASSIGN VAR-DATA->* TO <FS>.


DATA: peo_structdescr TYPE REF TO cl_abap_typedescr.
peo_structdescr ?= cl_abap_datadescr=>describe_by_data( <FS> ).
CASE peo_structdescr->type_kind.
  WHEN 'I'.

  WHEN 'C'.

  WHEN 'g'.

ENDCASE.

[Former Member]

Hello Jose,

that does not seem to work, as the following code gives me 'l' as output (where it should be 'g'):

  DATA lr_typedesc  TYPE REF TO cl_abap_typedescr.
  DATA ls_rec       TYPE zats_ano_field_name_value.

  FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> TYPE any.

  GET REFERENCE OF 'test' INTO ls_rec-value.
  ASSIGN ls_rec-value TO <fs>.
  lr_typedesc ?= cl_abap_datadescr=>describe_by_data( <fs> ).
  WRITE: / lr_typedesc->type_kind.

Any ideas?

[former_member209703]

Hi Matthias

I think you missed a little and very important detail here:

  ASSIGN ls_rec-value TO <fs>.

That's not what we want, instead you need to use:

  ASSIGN ls_rec-value->* TO <fs>.

That's why you are obtaining this type 'l' which is refering to a TYPE REF TO DATA itself. Doing it the right way your final type would be 'C' which corresponds with a character data type.

Best Regards

[Former Member]

Ahhh -- yes, thanks

[Former Member]

Hi

Actually by using field symbols u can refer to the data u want.

Follow this link:

[http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/fc/eb387a358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm]

Regards,

Karthik.R