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SAP REF TYPES OBJECTS GUIDL documentation, setup help and example usage
GUIDELINE 6.6
Reference to Data Types or Data Objects
ABAP_BACKGROUND
As well as using data types for declarations and typings with the addition TYPE , you can use the alternative addition LIKE of the corresponding statements to directly reference the data type of one of the data objects visible at this position. This includes references to data objects of the same program, interface parameters of the current procedure, attributes of global classes and interfaces, and constants in type groups.
ABAP_RULE
If a data object directly depends on another data object, refer to it directly using LIKE for the declaration. In all other cases, use TYPE to refer to a standalone data type.
ABAP_DETAILS
For example, if a helper variable of the type of an input parameter is required within a procedure (
method ), you should not declare it with reference to the type of the parameter using TYPE but with reference to the parameter itself using LIKE . You can also declare work areas using LIKE LINE OF if the parameter is an internal table. In the case of typing with LIKE , you can retroactively change the type of the parameter without always having to adapt the procedure implementation.
However, if no close reference to another data object exists, it is usually more useful to declare data objects with reference to a standalone data type by using TYPE .
Latest notes:
You should never implement an obsolete reference to flat structures or database tables or views of the ABAP Dictionary with LIKE .
Bad example
The following source code shows the declaration of a helper variable in a method that is supposed to be of the same data type as an interface parameter. The TYPE reference to the data type requires a manual implementation of any type changes.
PUBLIC SECTION.
METHODS some_method
CHANGING some_parameter TYPE some_type.
...
ENDCLASS.
CLASS some_class IMPLEMENTATION.
METHOD some_method.
DATA save_parameter TYPE some_type.
save_parameter = some_parameter.
...
ENDMETHOD.
...
ENDCLASS.
Good example
The following source code shows the improved declaration of the helper variable that now directly refers to the interface parameter with
LIKE , so that possible type changes are automatically accepted.
METHOD some_method.
DATA save_parameter LIKE some_parameter.
save_parameter = some_parameter.
...
ENDMETHOD.
...
Documentation extract taken from SAP system, � Copyright SAP AG. All rights reserved
