Adding an Append Structure

The table in which you want to add an append structure must not contain a long field (data type VARC, LCHR or LRAW).

1. On the maintenance screen of the corresponding table, choose Goto → Append structure.

   Either a dialog box appears, in which you can enter the name of the append structure, or a list of all the append structures that were already created for the table appears.

2. If append structures already exist, you must choose  with the quick info text Create Append.

   A dialog box appears where you must enter the name of the new append structure.

3. Enter the append structure name and choose  with the quick info text Continue.

   The name must lie in the customer namespace.

   The field maintenance screen of the append structure appears.

4. Define the fields of the append structure.

   You can proceed as when creating a normal structure with two restrictions (for more information, see Creating Structures ):

   Caution

   The fields of an append structure must lie in the customer namespace, that is, the field names must begin with ZZ or YY. This prevents conflicts with fields inserted in the table by SAP.

   An append structure must be flat, that is, each field of the append structure must either refer to a data element or be directly assigned a data type, length, decimal places and short text.

5. If you want to create foreign keys or search help attachments for table fields that already exist, you can display these fields with Show Appending Objects. Proceed as if you want to create the foreign key or search help attachment in the underlying table (for more information, see Creating Tables ).
   Note

   If a foreign key or search help attachment is already defined for a field in the table, you cannot change this definition with the append structure.

6. Choose  with the quick info text Activate.

The system activates the table when you activate the append structure. The fields of the append structure are appended to the table in the database. Foreign keys or search help attachments for the fields that are already in the table and that were defined with the append structure are also activated.

You can display information about the activation process with Utilities → Activation log. Errors which occur when the append structure is activated are displayed directly in the activation log.

See also:

Append Structures