ABAP Development: ABAP News for 7.

40,
SP08 - Open SQL
Posted by Horst Keller 8 Oct, 2014
The most important news for Open SQL in ABAP 7.40, SP08 are as follows:

Inline Declarations after INTO

You might like this one. From 7.40, SP08 on you can place inline declarations with the declaration operator
DATA( ... ) that was introduced with 7.40, SP02 after INTO.
DATA id TYPE scarr-carrid.
cl_demo_input=>request( CHANGING field = id ).
SELECT SINGLE carrname AS name, carrid AS id
FROM scarr
WHERE carrid = @id
INTO @DATA(result).
cl_demo_output=>display( result ).
Or for a table
SELECT carrname AS name, carrid AS id
FROM scarr
INTO TABLE @DATA(result).
cl_demo_output=>display( result ).
Either an elementary data object, a structure, or an internal table is declared depending on the results set
defined in the SELECT list. See the documentation for details of the type construction.

SQL Expressions
The SQL expressions introduced with 7.40, SP05 into the SELECT list were enhanced with 7.40, SP08 as
follows:
You can use SQL expressions after GROUP BY
You can use SQL expressions together with aggregates

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You can use SQL expressions as argument of aggregates
You can use a seached CASE expression besides the simple CASE

Example for a searched case:

SELECT num1, num2,
CASE WHEN col1 < 50 AND col2 < 50 THEN @both_l
WHEN col1 >= 50 AND col2 >= 50 THEN @both_gt
ELSE @others
END AS group
FROM demo_expressions
ORDER BY group
INTO TABLE @DATA(results).

Column Specification
In the SELECT list, you can specify all columns of a data source using the syntax data_source~* from 7.40,
SP08 on. This can be handy when working with joins.
SELECT scarr~carrname, spfli~*, scarr~url
FROM scarr INNER JOIN spfli ON scarr~carrid = spfli~carrid
INTO TABLE @DATA(result).

Position of INTO
Did you realize the position of INTO in the above examples? I positioned it after the other clauses. This was not
possible before. From 7.40, SP08 on, the INTO clause can and should (haha) be used after the other clauses
of a SELECT statement. The additions UP TO n ROWS, BYPASSING BUFFER, and CONNECTION that are
not treated as clauses must then be placed after the INTO clause.
The rationale behind this change is, that the INTO clause is not part of standard SQL but defines the data
interface between SQL and ABAP. In order to enable future enhancements in the SQL part of Open SQL, e.g.
UNION, the INTO clause has to be removed from the SQL part.

Removal of Restrictions and New Restrictions

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Some restrictions have been removed. E.g. from 7.40, SP08 on you can place a minus sign in front of an
operator of an arithmetic expression in the SELECT list, you can carry out a simple CASE for aggregates, you
can use LIKE and IN (...) in join conditions after ON, you can specify a subquery after WHERE dynamically.
But if you use any of the new things listed here, as already for SP05, the syntax check for Open SQL is carried
out in a strict mode, where stricter syntax rules apply. E.g. you must use comma separated lists and the
escape symbol @ in front of host variables. By this, at least in Open SQL ABAP enforces a release dependent
deprecation concept in a downward compatible way. Now what do you think about that?
52622 Views

Horst Keller in response to Marco Bohmbach on page 3

25 May, 2016 5:37 PM
In fact there is a very good chance for SQL-functions UPPER and LOWER ...
Marco Bohmbach
25 May, 2016 5:07 PM
Is there a chance to get a case insensitive open sql search? It would be useful in association with odata.
Horst Keller in response to Aasim Khan on page 3
20 Apr, 2016 6:03 PM
Please, simply have look into the documentation, this restriction is clearly described there:
The expressions cannot contain any or ABAP literals as operands, with the exception of
statically identifiable constants or literals with the
data type i with any content, but not as an argument of the or of the function.
data type c with length 1 and the content "X" or a blank, but not as an argument of
the function.
Aasim Khan
20 Apr, 2016 12:27 PM
Hello Horst,
We're on 740/SP13 where the below SELECT statement with GROUP BY..CASE works perfectly fine.

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However, when I use a string expression in GROUP BY..CASE, it gives me an error for the below SELECT
statement.

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Does this mean, GROUP BY..CASE works only for numeric expressions and not for string?
Michael Calekta in response to Horst Keller on page 5
25 Feb, 2016 5:33 PM
Thanks for clearing this point - should have remembered, that the documentation has been updated as well ...
silly me.
Horst Keller in response to Michael Calekta on page 5
25 Feb, 2016 5:26 PM
No need to assume, you can read it here
"INTO TABLE @DATA(itab) declares a itab ... with an ":
No exceptions from that rule.
Michael Calekta

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25 Feb, 2016 4:58 PM

Do I assume right, that when I code:
SELECT * FROM t001
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_t001).
that the resulting table is of the type STANDARD TABLE WITH EMPTY KEY, or does the table inherit the
primary keys of the database-table?
If I used the ORDER BY clause - would I then get a SORTED TABLE?
Stefan Schmcker in response to Horst Keller on page 6
22 Dec, 2015 10:37 AM
Hmm - the SAPGUI doesn't seem to be the problem. I installed the very latest GUI-Patch ( 7.40 Patch 6 ) wich
was released just in these days and the problem remains.
Since I get the same coloring using Eclipse maybe it's not a GUI-Problem at all. Any ideas what else might
cause this? It's quite annoying to see correct code being marked incorrect.
Horst Keller in response to Stefan Schmcker on page 6
20 Dec, 2015 4:43 PM
Yes, some new version should do it ...
Stefan Schmcker
19 Dec, 2015 7:11 PM
Hello Horst,
I am finally able to use the SP08 features. But even though the new position of the INTO-Clause works fine for
the syntaxchecker, the editor doesn't really seem to like it and marks it as faulty.

Do I need a newer SAPGUI version than 740, Patch 5?

Horst Keller in response to Johann Fleitner on page 6
17 Nov, 2015 10:26 AM
Hello Johann,
This is a known bug that came in with 7.40, SP08 (kernel 7.42) and is solved with note 2127182.
Horst

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Johann Fleitner
17 Nov, 2015 9:26 AM
Hello Horst,
we have Release 7.40 SP11. I wonder of the result of the following SQL Expression:
SELECT CASE WHEN type = '1' THEN 'A'
WHEN type = '2' THEN 'BBB'
ELSE 'CC'
END AS group,
partner,
partner_guid
FROM but000
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result)
ORDER BY group.
The first column of lt_result is a CHAR, length 2! (I would expect 3 because of the 'BBB':

If I remove the "ELSE" of CASE, then the column has the correct length of 3.
Is that correct?

Regards, Johann Fleitner

Horst Keller in response to Jacques Nomssi on page 8
13 Nov, 2015 1:17 PM
Sure, and documented too

Strict Mode in Release 7.40, SP08

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If the content of a host variable read in an operand position needs to be converted to the
target type, this is done using the rules for lossless assignments. If the assignment cannot
be lossless, an exception is raised.

And that is good, as your example shows ...

Jacques Nomssi
13 Nov, 2015 1:00 PM
Hello Horst,
is this a known issue?
PERFORM test1. " OK
PERFORM test2. " <-- SHORT DUMP SAPSQL_DATA_LOSS
FORM test1.
CONSTANTS c_langu TYPE char10 VALUE 'ENGLISH'.
DATA ls_t100 TYPE t100.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM t100 INTO ls_t100
WHERE sprsl = c_langu
AND arbgb = '06'
AND msgnr = '000'.
ENDFORM.
FORM test2.
CONSTANTS c_langu TYPE char10 VALUE 'ENGLISH'.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM t100
WHERE sprsl = @c_langu
AND arbgb = '06'
AND msgnr = '000'
INTO @DATA(ls_t100).
ENDFORM.

best regards,
JNN
Horst Keller in response to Daniel Rothmund on page 9
3 Jan, 2015 11:37 AM
There are indeed such plans. In the end, Open SQL should support the same functions and expressions as the
ABAP CDS - both are open and have the same code base.

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You will use the advanced view building capabilities of CDS in order to persist your model and Open SQL - well
as embedded SQL within ABAP programs.
As long as Open SQL does not offer the same functions and expressions as ABAP CDS, you can create a
CDS view that encapsulates your SELECT with a SUBSTRING function and select it with Open SQL as a
workaround.
Daniel Rothmund
2 Jan, 2015 12:10 PM
One question are there any plans for SUBSTR function or LEFT / RIGHT? I don't found any infos about it in
ABAP Keyword Documentation .
f.e.
select so_id , delivery_status from snwd_so WHERE SUBSTR(so_id,1,3)='123' into table
@DATA(lt_simple_case).

In the past we must select the data from the database and then do a loop and drop out the lines which doesn't
mach the abap substr in the loop.
Regards
Horst Keller in response to Uwe Fetzer on page 9
20 Oct, 2014 9:54 AM
Up to now, SQL expressions (literals and host variables in the SELECT list are a special case of SQL
expressions) cannot be used together with FOR ALL ENTRIES. Simply a question of workload on the
developer. But there are plans to tackle that too.
Uwe Fetzer
16 Oct, 2014 5:09 PM
Today I already wanted to use the new SQL syntax for a client report, but went into a problem.
The following two statements work (and no, this is not from the client report):
SELECT carrid,
connid,
fldate,
'X' AS test
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result)
FROM sflight
WHERE carrid = @carrid.

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and
SELECT carrid,
connid,
fldate
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result)
FROM sflight
FOR ALL ENTRIES IN @carrids
WHERE carrid = @carrids-carrid.
But if I want to combine them, I'm getting a syntax error.
SELECT carrid,
connid,
fldate
'X' AS test
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result)
FROM sflight
FOR ALL ENTRIES IN @carrids
WHERE carrid = @carrids-carrid.

Description

Resource

Path

Location

Type

Host variables
and literals are
not permitted
in expressions
together with the
addition FOR ALL
ENTRIES.

YSTSTF00
(Program)

[A4H] YSTSTF00

line 17

ABAP Syntax Check

Problem

I don't see any (good) reason why this shouldn't be allowed.

(and maybe the "together" should be placed directly after "literals" to make the message clearer because it
seems only the combination of both is not valid -> "Host variables and literals together are not permitted in
expressions with the addition FOR ALL ENTRIES.")
Christiano Jos Beltro Magalhes
9 Oct, 2014 9:27 PM
Great blog...
Thanks...
Daniel Rothmund in response to Horst Keller on page 11
9 Oct, 2014 1:31 PM

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Ok ,
then I misunderstood the sentence:
'You might like this one. You can place inline declarations with the declaration operator DATA( ... ) that was
introduced with 7.40, SP02 behind INTO now.'
sorry
Horst Keller in response to Daniel Rothmund on page 11
9 Oct, 2014 1:27 PM
um, the title of the blog says "ABAP News for 7.40, SP08".
Daniel Rothmund
9 Oct, 2014 1:22 PM
Hi Horst ,

i tried the :
SELECT carrname AS name, carrid AS id
FROM scarr
INTO TABLE @DATA(result).

on my 7.40 SPS7 system .

"I get a syntax error : The inline declaration "DATA(RESULT)" is not possible in this position"
Does I need SP 8 ?
Nikolay Evstigneev in response to Horst Keller on page 11
9 Oct, 2014 11:13 AM
Without you we would still have been in the dark about it.
Don't be overmodest
And of course, many thanks to the guys from Open SQL team.
New ABAP. M-m-m, I'm loving it (c)
Horst Keller in response to Nikolay Evstigneev on page 11
9 Oct, 2014 11:02 AM
Not I, but my Open SQL colleagues
Nikolay Evstigneev
9 Oct, 2014 10:49 AM
Horst, it's a tremendous update!!!
One of my fellows used to work with a non-SAP system which supported such features. And he was looking
forward to getting the possibility of writing SQL queries as he had accustomed to.

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And special thanks from me for

SELECT spfli~*
You made my day week!
Suhas Saha
8 Oct, 2014 4:02 PM
Now what do you think about that?

Horst (err, i meant ABAP) is getting cooler with every release

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