Dereferencing Operator - ABAP Keyword Documentation

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Dereferencing Operator

The content of a data object pointed to by a data reference is accessed using the dereferencing operator:

dref->*

The dereferencing operator ->* can be specified after a data reference variable dref.

If the static type of the data reference variable is not generic, the expression dref->* can be specified at any operand position.
For data reference variables with the generic static type data, it can be specified at any operand position except for:
- Replacement parameters behind DEFAULT for methods, functions or events.
- Components of internal tables.
- Operand positions where a certain operand type, e.g. an internal table, is expected.

If the data reference variable contains the null reference, the uncatchable exception DATREF_NOT_ASSIGNED is raised when the dereferencing operator is used. The exception to this is the dereferencing in the statement ASSIGN.

Hint

The dereferencing operator uses the object component selector.

Example

Uses the dereferencing operator in a general operand position and in the statement ASSIGN. Only in ASSIGN can dref be initial without raising an uncatchable exception.

DATA dref TYPE REF TO data.
dref = NEW i( 111 ).

cl_demo_output=>write( |dref->* { dref->* }| ).

CLEAR dref.
ASSIGN dref->* TO FIELD-SYMBOL(<fs>).
cl_demo_output=>write( |sy-subrc { sy-subrc }| ).

cl_demo_output=>display( ).