Newbie Question - How to Return a Table Structure from a Function

[Former Member]

Hello All,

I have defined a table structure ni the Data Dictionary, and would like to create a function which returns "TABLE OF my_structure". How do I do this?

Thanks,

Walter (ABAP newbie)

[Former Member]

Try FM 'GET_FIELDTAB'

REPORT ZEXAMPLE.

DATA: BEGIN OF FIELDINFO OCCURS 0.

INCLUDE STRUCTURE DFIES.

DATA: END OF FIELDINFO.

PARAMETERS TABNAME LIKE SUBDFIES-TABNAME.

CALL FUNCTION 'GET_FIELDTAB'

EXPORTING

TABNAME = TABNAME

TABLES

FIELDTAB = FIELDINFO

EXCEPTIONS

INTERNAL_ERROR = 1

NO_TEXTS_FOUND = 2

TABLE_HAS_NO_FIELDS = 3

TABLE_NOT_ACTIV = 4

OTHERS = 5.

IF SY-SUBRC EQ 0.

WRITE:/ 'Structure of', TABNAME,

/ 'Field Name', 20 'Field Type', 40 'Field Size'.

ULINE.

LOOP AT FIELDINFO.

WRITE:/ FIELDINFO-FIELDNAME, 20 FIELDINFO-INTTYPE, 40 FIELDINFO-LENG.

ENDLOOP.

ELSE.

WRITE:/ 'Error retrieving field data'.

ENDIF.

[Former Member]

Hi Joyjit,

Thanks for your quick response, but there is something I don't understand. When I create a new function, I have options of adding parameters of type "importing", "exporting", or "return". I do not see a parameter of type "table" - so I don't understand how you use the "TABLE" parameter in your example code.

Can you please explain further?

Thanks,

Walter

[Former Member]

I think u r creating a function module..right? in SE37 goto import tab and define the TABNAME field like:

TABNAME LIKE SUBDFIES-TABNAME

Then goto Tables tab and define the table FIELDINFO.

Ans in Source code section call the FM

CALL FUNCTION 'GET_FIELDTAB'

EXPORTING

TABNAME = TABNAME

TABLES

FIELDTAB = FIELDINFO

EXCEPTIONS

INTERNAL_ERROR = 1

NO_TEXTS_FOUND = 2

TABLE_HAS_NO_FIELDS = 3

TABLE_NOT_ACTIV = 4

OTHERS = 5.

[Former Member]

To clarify - this is not part of a function module, I have created a class, and want to add a function to the class which returns a table of something. I want to create the table inside the function, and pass it to the calling code.