Attribute

Description and Ergonomic Guidelines

Element type

Identifies a screen element type (for example, keyword or group box).

Name

Identifies an element. You use this name to address a field from a module pool. All input/output fields require a name. Text fields require a field name only if they are translated into another language.

An input/output field and the keyword that labels it can share the same field name. Otherwise, field names must be unique. Field names can not exceed 40 characters and must begin with a letter or an * (asterisk). The only special characters allowed are # (pound sign), / (forward slash), - (dash), _ (underscore) and $ (dollar sign).

If you enter a new field name or change an existing name so that it contains a - (dash), the system checks the ABAP Dictionary for information associated with the field. On the Field attributes screen, the system automatically copies any information into the field's attributes. On the Attributes screen, the system asks whether you want to use the Dictionary field and its attributes.

Note: With Release 6.10 the element name in the input/output field can refer to the following string types:

§         STRG      Character string of variable length

§         SSTR      Short character string of variable length

§         RSTR      Byte string of variable length (hexadecimal)

These string types correspond to the Dictionary types STRING, SSTRING and RAWSTRING and can be used wherever type CHAR used to be used.

Remember, though, that the maximum length of an input/output field on the screen is restricted to 255 characters. You can only define input/output fields in the Screen Painter that fit on a single line. Characters in a string that are longer than this are truncated.
The element in the ABAP program or ABAP Dictionary can, however, be of any length.

Text

Specifies a field's text. If you want to use an icon instead of text, leave this field blank.

Dropdown

This attribute can only be assigned to an input /output field and defines how the field should be visualized.

 Note: With Release 6.10 you can set a representation for dropdown listboxes that also shows the key value  in front of the description.

You can assign the following values:

§         No entry
Visualization as normal input/output field.

§         Listbox
Visualization as listbox in which a list of entries is displayed with one short description each.

§         Listbox with key
Visualization as listbox whose entries display both the key and the description.

The selected value cannot be changed at runtime.

The width of the list is determined by the VisLg (visible length) fields. The height is automatically set by the system. If the list box contains a large number of entries, vertical scrollbars automatically appear.

You assign a value list to the output field using the ValueID. The default value of this is the name of the input/output field (Name attribute).

How the value list is displayed depends on the entry in the Input help attribute. For further information, refer to the Input help section of Program Attributes.

You can trigger an event by selecting a value from the dropdown list. To do so you have to define a function code with attribute FctCode.

With icon

Sets an icon value. Only use this attribute for output fields.

For a list of all existing icons including length and quick info texts, refer to the table ICON (or Transaction ICON).

Icon name

Identifies an icon for a keyword. If you specify an icon that is not allowed for a field, the system returns an error message. To display only the icon without a label, leave the Field text empty. For templates, you set the Icon Name attribute at runtime.

Usability guideline: Icons do not need an explanatory text if the meaning of the icon describes the element exactly. The meaning of the icon is always available in the quick info text.

Quick info

Identifies an icon's info text. This text is visible when the user holds the cursor over an icon. The ICON table defines the default Quick Info value for each icon. To change this default text (or leave it blank), use the Quick Info field.

Usability guideline: All icons need a quick info text, since no icon is self-explanatory.

Scrollable

Sets the scroll function. Use this attribute if the DefLg value is greater than the VisLg value. When Scrollable is set, the system activates scrolling for the field.

If you use Dictionary or program fields that are too long for your screen, do not forget to set Scrollable and to reduce the field's visible length as needed.

Line

Specifies the line where the screen element appears. The system sets this attribute automatically.

Column

Identifies the column where the element begins. The system sets this attribute automatically.

Height

Specifies the height of an element in lines. Text labels and entry elements always have a height of 1.

DefLg

Defined length. Identifies the actual length of the field in the Dictionary or your program.

 Remark about Input/Output Fields:

You can only set and change the visible length and not the defined length for an input/output field of string type (STRG, SSTR, RSTR). This is because the entire length of the strings is always copied at runtime. Such input/output fields therefore can always be scrolled.

VisLg

The length of an element displayed on the screen. Set this attribute if you want the screen element to have a length different from its defined length.

You must set the attribute Scrollable if you want to make visible length less than the defined length. You can only change the visible length for input/output templates or for elements in table columns. In the latter case, VisLg may exceed DefLg. For all other elements (except elements containing icons and input/output fields having the Dropdown attribute), the visible length is the same as the defined length and cannot be changed.

For input/output fields having the Dropdown attribute and the Listbox entry this is the length of the element including the dropdown button. The visual length is then identical to the width of the dropdown list.

Groups

Modification groups This attribute allows you to update several elements at once. You can assign each field to up to four modification groups. To assign a field to a modification group, enter the three-character group name in the appropriate column.

FctCode

Function code: This attribute is only for pushbuttons and input/output fields with the Dropdown List box attribute. If a function code is assigned for this variant of input/output fields, it is displayed like an OK code entry when a selection is made in the list. The specified function code is sent to the server as an event.

If the user presses a pushbutton, the system sets the command field to the 20-character code you enter here.

This value is not checked against values you specify in the Menu Painter.

FctType

Specifies the event at which the field is processed (for example, AT EXIT-COMMAND).

Context Menu Form

Name extension for the callback routine ON_CTMENU_<NAME>. The name extension <NAME> can be chosen to suit your needs and is assigned either for the entire screen or for a screen element (input field, text field, box or table control).
The callback routine ON_CTMENU_<NAME> is needed to set up the context menu in the ABAP program. This routine connects the screen (elements) from the Screen Painter to the context menu of the program.