Expression Positions in ABAP Release 7.0, EhP2

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1. Using Functions and Calculation Expressions

2. Method Chainings

3. Access to Components of Structured Return Values

4. Built-In Functions with Multiple Arguments

Hint

The program DEMO_EXPRESSIONS shows examples of the enhanced expressions in ABAP release 7.0, EhP2.

Modification 1

Using Functions and Calculation Expressions

The usability of functions and expressions in operand positions has been substantially improved in ABAP release 7.0, EhP2:

Calculation expressions, built-in functions, and functional methods can be used in general expression positions.
Numeric expressions can be used in numeric expression positions.
String expressions can be used in character-like expression positions.
Functional methods can be used in functional operand positions.

From ABAP release 7.0, EhP2, the following general expression positions are available:

Operands of relational expressions
Example: a + b < oref->meth( )
Actual parameters for input parameters of methods
Example: oref1->meth1( oref2->meth2( ... ) )

Before ABAP release 7.0, EhP2, operand positions on the right side of assignments with = were the only general expression positions.

Hint

From EhP1, the character-like arguments of description functions are (with one exception) character-like expression positions. Before EhP1, they were character-like functional operand positions.

Modification 2

Method Chainings

As well as the previous chained names, operand positions that accept functional methods now also accept method chainings, that is chained method calls and chained attributes accesses.

Modification 3

Access to Components of Structured Return Values

If the result of a functional method or method chaining is structured, the call can (like the name of a structure) be written directly in front of the structure component selector to access a component of the result.

Modification 4

Built-In Functions with Multiple Arguments

ABAP release 7.0, EhP2 introduces new built-in functions that can now accept multiple arguments. A built-in function of this type is called in the same way as a functional method with multiple input parameters.

... func( p1 = arg1 p2 = arg2 ... ) ...

The new functions are include:

Rounding functions
Search, similarity, and processing functions for character strings
Logical functions