Defining Column Width

Use

You are able to change the width of the columns in the ALV output in different ways. Here you differentiate between columns in the content of the ALV output (represented by a COLUMN object) and other types of columns (such as Hierarchy Column of the Tree Structure, Column in Design Object).

Features

You are able to make the following settings for column width:

Set output width of a column (COLUMN object)
Set width of hierarchy column in the tree structure
Change width of a column in table-type layout of a design object
Adapt Width to Space Required by Values
Hide Column Completely (section called Settings Visibility of a Column)
Check size of the whole ALV output again before printing

Set Output Width

You are able to set the width of a column in the content of the ALV output no matter how large the field has been defined for the internal data table.

ALV Tool	Display type	Function available
Simple, Two-Dimensional Table	Classic ABAP List	Yes
Fullscreen	Yes
In the Container	Yes
Hierarchical-sequential list	Classic ABAP List	Yes
Tree structure	Fullscreen	Yes
In the Container	Yes

Function	Class	Method
Set column width	CL_SALV_COLUMN	SET_OUTPUT_LENGTH
Get column width	GET_OUTPUT_LENGTH
Get column width of the referenced data element	GET_DDIC_OUTPUTLEN

Set width of hierarchy column

You are able to choose whether you want to specify the width of the hierarchy column in the tree structure in pixels or in characters.

ALV Tool	Display type	Function available
Simple, Two-Dimensional Table	Classic ABAP List	No
Fullscreen	No
In the Container	No
Hierarchical-sequential list	Classic ABAP List	No
Tree structure	Fullscreen	Yes
In the Container	Yes

Function	Class	Method
Set whether the width of the hierarchy column is specified in characters or in pixels	CL_SALV_ TREE_SETTINGS	SET_HIERARCHY_SIZE_IN_PIXEL
Check whether the width of the hierarchy column is specified in characters or in pixels	IS_HIERARCHY_SIZE_IN_PIXEL
Set width of hierarchy column	SET_HIERARCHY_SIZE
Get width of hierarchy column	GET_HIERARCHY_SIZE

Width of a Column in Table-Type Layout of a Design Object

If you use a table-like layout in a design object, you can control the width of the columns and their contents there: The longer the text is in a cell, the wider the column.

Adapt Width to Space Required by Values

You are able to automatically set the width of columns so that all values are displayed completely by optimizing the column. You can make this setting for each column individually or for all columns simultaneously.

ALV Tool	Display type	Function available
Simple, Two-Dimensional Table	Classic ABAP List	Yes
Fullscreen	Yes
In the Container	Yes
Hierarchical-sequential list	Classic ABAP List	Yes
Tree structure	Fullscreen	Yes
In the Container	Yes

Function	Class	Method
Optimize individual column	CL_SALV_COLUMN	SET_OPTIMIZED
Check whether a column is optimized	IS_OPTIMIZED
Optimize all columns simultaneously	CL_SALV_COLUMNS	SET_OPTIMIZE
Check whether all columns are optimized	IS_OPTIMIZED

Note

In the printout, the columns that are output are exactly as wide as they are on the screen by default. In the full-screen display of a simple, two-dimensional table, you are able to determine that the column widths be optimized in the printout. To do this, use the method SET_COLUMN_OPTIMIZATION in the CL_SALV_PRINT class. With the IS_COLUMN_OPTIMIZATION you check whether the columns are optimized in the printout.