WRITE - Output to a variable

Variants:

1. WRITE f TO g[+off][(len)].

2. WRITE f TO itab[+off][(len)] INDEX idx.

Variant 1

WRITE f TO g[+off][(len)].

Addition:

... option

Effect

Assigns the contents of the source field f to the target field g as a new value.

In contrast to MOVE, the format of the target field g is the same as when outputting to a list with WRITE. The field type C is always used, regardless of the actual data type.

As with list output, the settings in the user's master record for decimal point (period or comma) and date format are taken into account.

Other formatting options are also possible with list output.

Instead of specifying a static source field f, you can also specify a source field (name) dynamically. In this case, the content of the field name is interpreted as the source field name at runtime. The content of this named field is then formatted accordingly.

You can identify the target field g more precisely by specifying the offset and/or length in the form g+off(len). Both the offset and the length specifications off and len can also be dynamic.

In the WRITE name TO g variant, the return code is set as follows:
SY-SUBRC = 0:
Contents of name are valid, statement executed.
SY-SUBRC = 4:
Contents of name are invalid, statement could not be executed, and contents of g remain unchanged.


In other cases, the return code is undefined.

Example

WRITE ... TO with dynamic source field specification and dynamic offset and length specification for the target field:

DATA: NAME(5)  VALUE 'FIELD',
      FIELD(5) VALUE 'Harry',
      DEST(18) VALUE 'Robert James Smith',
      OFF      TYPE I,
      LEN      TYPE I.

OFF = 7.
LEN = 8.
WRITE (NAME) TO DEST+OFF(LEN).

The field DEST now contains the value "Robert Harry   ith".

Notes

1. Only values between 0 and the length of the target field g are allowed as offset specifications. Any other offset specifications result in a runtime error.
   
   
2. Only values >= 0 are allowed as length specifications. Negative length specifications result in a runtime error. Excessive length specifications are automatically truncated.
   
   
3. If you specify the field length as the offset or the value 0 as the length, the target field is blank. In this case, the statement has no effect.
   
   
   

Addition

... option

Effect

Modifies the output format with the aid of special formatting options.

Variant 2

WRITE f TO itab[+off][(len)] INDEX idx.


Additions like variant 1.

This variant is not allowed in an ABAP Objects context. See WRITE TO not allowed with internal tables.

Effect

Like variant 1, except that output is to the idx-th line of the internal table itab.

Any offset and/or length specifications refer to the table line used for output.

The Return Code is set as follows:

SY-SUBRC = 0:

Valid index specification, i.e. the internal table itab contains a line with the index idx.

SY-SUBRC = 4:

Index specification is too large, i.e. the internal table itab contains fewer than idx entries.

Note

Invalid index specifications, i.e. idx <= 0, result in a runtime error.

Note

The runtime of WRITE ... TO corresponds with that of the WRITE statement. However, considerable extra runtime is required if you specify the source field dynamically.

Specifying the target field using offset and length increases the runtime slightly.

Exceptions

Non-Catchable Exceptions

• Cause: Invalid index specification <= 0 in idx (only in variant 2).
  
  
  Runtime Error: TABLE_INVALID_INDEX
  
• Cause: Negative length specification in len.
  Runtime Error: WRITE_TO_LENGTH_NEGATIVE
  
• Cause: Negative offset specification in off.
  Runtime Error: WRITE_TO_OFFSET_NEGATIVE
  
• Cause: Offset specification in off is greater than field length.
  Runtime Error: WRITE_TO_OFFSET_TOOLARGE
  
  
  

Related

MOVE, WRITE

Additional help

Assigning Values Using WRITE TO