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SAP List Viewer (ALV)Locate this document in the navigation structure

Use

The SAP List Viewer (ALV) is an integrated element of the ABAP Objects programming environment . It allows application developers to quickly implement the display of structured datasets by providing three different ALV tools, one each for the display of:

  • Simple and two-dimensional tables

  • Hierarchical-sequential lists

  • Tree structures

The SAP List Viewer provides application developers with:

  • A unified, object-oriented API for all ALV tools wherever possible

  • A coherent API

  • Earliest possible error detection during programming (for example, exceptions indicate when methods are not possible in specific situations)

  • Functions for accessibility are integrated into ALV, which means that you do not have to provide these functions yourself using your application

With the ALV, you can use almost uniform programming techniques independent of the ALV tool in order to display various lists, tables, or tree structures. The methods, parameters, or classes only vary where tool-specific functions require a special procedure.

This documentation is aimed at application developers who want to display table-type structures as tables, lists, or tree structures in their applications by using one of the three ALV tools. It provides an overview of how ALV works, and outlines the options for changing the appearance and functions of the ALV output from within your application.

Recommendation

More information about the classes and methods, in particular their parameters, is available in the relevant system documentation. You can find all classes for the object model in package SALV and its subpackages.

Caution

For new programming projects, we strongly recommend that you use the SAP List Viewer object model. The SAP List Viewer is also still supported for a non-object-oriented programming environment. The SAP Library therefore also provides the associated documentation:

ALV Grid Control .

The ALV is also available to you for programming projects that use Web Dynpro for ABAP as the presentation technology. More information:

SAP List Viewer in Web Dynpro ABAP .

Documentation for end users explaining the operation of ALV elements is available in the section:

Working with Lists