Search Help for Parameters

A search help is an ABAP Dictionary object used to define possible values (F4) help ( see Input Help in the ABAP Dictionary ). You can link a search help to a parameter as follows:

PARAMETERS p ... MATCHCODE OBJECT search_help.

The search help search_help must be defined in the ABAP Dictionary. The system now automatically displays the input help button for the field on the screen and activates the F4 key for it. When the user requests input help, the hit list of the search help appears, and when he or she selects an entry, the corresponding export parameter is placed in the input field.

The predecessors of search helps in the ABAP Dictionary were called matchcode objects, hence the name of the addition, MATCHCODE OBJECT in the PARAMETERS statement. Existing matchcode objects are still supported.

        
REPORT demo_sel_screen_parameters_mco.
        
PARAMETERS p_carrid TYPE s_carr_id
        
MATCHCODE OBJECT demo_f4_de.
         

The selection screen looks as follows:

The search help DEMO_F4_DE is defined in the ABAP Dictionary. The search help reads the columns CARRID and CARRNAME from the database table SCARR. Only CARRNAME is listed, but CARRID is flagged as an export parameter. When you choose a line, the airline code CARRID is placed in the input field.