ABAP Keyword Documentation

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WRITE - Output Length

When data is written with a WRITE statement, the output is stored in the list buffer and accessed from there for display when the list is called.

Each time a data object is output with a WRITE statement, an output length is defined, either implicitly (according to the table below), or explicitly (if len is specified after the addition AT). The output length defines the following:

The number of positions (or memory spaces) available for characters in the list buffer,

The number of columns (or cells) available in the actual list.

Predefined Output Lengths

If the output length is not specified explicitly, it is set for predefined ABAP types as shown in the following tables:

Notes

With all data objects, except those of type string, and with text field literals, it is possible that fewer characters are displayed in the list than are stored in the list buffer when predefined output lengths are used. With data objects of data type string and text field literals it is assumed that all characters should be displayed. For this reason the implicit output length is calculated using the characters contained in the data object so that it corresponds to the number of columns needed in the list. Any empty spaces added in the list buffer are removed during the writing of the actual list.

For data objects whose data types are defined in reference to the ABAP Dictionary, a different output length can be specified in the corresponding domains. The output length specified there is used instead of the implicit output length from the table above.

Numeric Data Types

Data Type	Output length
b	3
s	5
i	11
p	2 x length of dobj (+ 1, if there is a decimal separator)
decfloat16	24
decfloat34	46
f	24

Note

The predefined output length specified in the table above for the type s is not sufficient to display the sign for a 5-digit number. With type i the length is sufficient for numbers without decimal separators.

Character-like data types

Data Type	Output Length
c	Length of dobj, maximum 255
string	In non-Unicode programs, the number of characters contained in dobj. In Unicode programs the number of columns needed in the list. If this is greater than the number of characters in dobj, the surplus positions are filled with empty spaces during writing in the list buffer. The filling takes place to the right of left-justified outputs, to the left of right-justified outputs and by turns to the right and to the left of centered outputs.
n	Length of dobj, maximum 255
d	8
t	6

The output lengths of text field literals in Unicode programs is set in the same way as those of data objects of the data type string. The actual data type (c) is only taken into account in non-Unicode programs.

Notes

The predefined output lengths given in the table above for the types d and t are not sufficient to display the correspnding separator.

For the data types SSTRING und STRING, it is not possible specify an output length in the ABAP Dictionary and the lengths given in the table above always apply.

Byte-Like Data Types

Data Type	Output Length
x	2 x length of dobj, maximum 255
xstring	2 x number of bytes contained

Note

For the data type RAWSTRING, it is not possible specify an output length in the ABAP Dictionary and the lengths given in the table above always apply.

Output Length in List Buffer

If the output length is shorter than the length of the data format specified for the data object or defined using int_format_options, the output is shortened in accordance with the cutoff behavior described in WRITE ... TO.

If the output length is greater than the length of a predefined or user-defined format, this output length is filled in the list buffer and output is arranged there according to the predefined or user-defined alignment. Space that is not required is filled with blanks.

Output Length in the List

When displaying or printing a list, the content stored in the list buffer is transferred to the list as follows:

In non-Unicode systems, each character requires the same amount of space in the list buffer as columns in the list. In single-byte systems, a character occupies one byte in the list buffer and one column in the list, while a character that occupies several bytes in the list buffer in multi-byte systems also occupies the same number of columns in the list. For this reason, all the characters stored in the list buffer are displayed in the list in non-Unicode systems.

In Unicode systems, each character usually occupies one position in the list buffer. However, a character can occupy more than one column in the list (this is particularly the case with East Asian characters). However, since the list only contains the same number of columns as there are positions in the list buffer, this means the list can only display fewer characters than are stored in the list buffer. The list output is then shortened during the transfer from the list buffer to the list, left-justified outputs are shortened from the right, right-justified outputs are shortened from the left. Centered outputs are shortened by the alternative removal of the first empty space from both sides, starting with the side with the most empty spaces, then other characters are removed from the right hand side. If characters are removed during the transfer from the list buffer to the list, this is indicated on the left hand side with the character < and on the right hand side by the character >. On a displayed list, you can choose System → List → Unicode Display to display the entire list content.

Class for Calculating Output Lengths

The methods of the system class CL_ABAP_LIST_UTILITIES can be used to calculate output lengths in the list buffer and in list display. The return values of these methods can be used to program a correct column alignment for ABAP lists, even if they contain characters that require more than one column.