Type casting in ABAP

[Former Member]

Let's say I have the following code:

DATA idx TYPE i.

DATA msg TYPE string.

msg = "You are on index #".

CONCATENATE msg idx INTO msg.

WRITE msg.

This obviously won't work because idx isn't the right data type so my question is, how do I cast idx into a string-type? In C# you just did something like this:

(string)idx or idx.ToString()

[former_member194669]

Hi,

May be this way.

DATA idx TYPE i.
DATA msg TYPE string.
DATA v_idxt(50) type c.

msg = 'You are on index #'.
write : idx to v_idxt.

CONCATENATE msg v_idxt INTO msg.

WRITE msg.

aRs

[RichHeilman]

I'm not a big fan of moving something to another variable field simply because CONCATENATE can't handle it. I find it quite annoying so I would suggest doing the same like this instead.

DATA idx TYPE i.
DATA msg TYPE string.

* Simple move the value to the string field
msg = idx. 
condense idx no-gaps.

* Now add the literal text on the front.
CONCATENATE  'You are on index #' msg INTO msg.

WRITE msg.

Regards,

RIch Heilman

[uwe_schieferstein]

Hello Steve

It may look like overkill but this static method is quite useful to convert pieces of data into a C-container (string or character field).

TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_s_msg.
TYPES:  idx           TYPE i.
TYPES:  blank(1)    TYPE c.
TYPES:  msg         TYPE bapi_msg.  " or TYPE string
TYPES: END OF ty_s_msg.
DATA:
  ls_msg    TYPE ty_s_msg.

  ls_msg-idx = '<index>'.
  ls_msg-blank = space.
  ls_msg-msg  = 'You are on index #'.

  CALL METHOD cl_abap_container_utilities=>fill_container_c
    EXPORTING
      ex_value = ls_msg
    IMPORTING
      ex_container = ls_msg-msg.  " concatenated values

Regards

Uwe

[Former Member]

Thanks to all! This is a great forum!