Working with Files on the Application Server 

 

In ABAP, there is a range of statements for processing data that is stored in sequential files on the application server instead of the database.

 

·        OPEN DATASET opens a file for a particular type of access and storage.

·        TRANSFER transfers the contents of a data object to a file.

·        READ DATASET transfers data from a file to a data object.

·        GET DATASET using the addition POSITION the current position of the file pointer in a file is ascertained. Using the addition ATTRIBUTES further characteristics of the file are obtained.

·        SET DATASET using the addition POSITION the position of the file pointer is specified. Using the addition ATTRIBUTES further characteristics of the file can be specified.

·        TRUNCATE DATASET sets the end of a file to a specified value, thereby changing the size of the file.

·        CLOSE DATASET closes a file.

·        DELETE DATASET deletes a file.

 

For further details about these statements and their additions, see the keyword documentation.

 

During sequential file operations, the system performs a range of automatic checks, some of which may lead to runtime errors.

Refer also to the chapter:
Automatic Checks in File Operations.