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Procedure documentationGenerating an SAP Data Structure for the Conversion Program

Procedure

You can use the ABAP Dictionary to generate data structures for ABAP Dictionary objects (tables, views and structures) in any of the following programming languages:

  • Cobol

  • PL/1

  • C

  • RPG

You can then incorporate these data structures in your conversion program.

For most of the SAP data transfer standard programs, SAP has also provided special data structure identifiers. With such an identifier, you can generate a listing of all of the table fields that are required by the data transfer program. You manage these programs in the Data Transfer Workbench.

If you have generated your own program to transfer data from an external file, the SAP data structure definition that you require is stored in the data declaration section of the program.

Conversion Programs in ABAP

If your conversion program is written in ABAP, you can use the information from the ABAP Dictionary directly to record the data structure of your tables.

The graphic below shows the structures of conversion programs in ABAP and as external programs written in other languages.

Procedure

To generate a data structure, proceed as follows:

  1. Choose Start of the navigation path Tools Next navigation step ABAP Workbench and then ABAP Dictionary End of the navigation path.

  2. In the ABAP Dictionary, select Start of the navigation path Environment Next navigation step Generate Table Description End of the navigation path.

    With this function, you can generate the structures of ABAP Dictionary objects in programming code. You can then add this code to your conversion program.

  3. Specify the programming language in which the structure should be generated and identify the tables to be included.

    If you wish to use a special structure identifier for a standard SAP batch input standard program, then enter the identifier in the Key in TSRCG field. Example: The identifier AM-ANLA generates the data structure required for data transfers for the asset management application.

  4. The system displays the data structure in list form, as in this example in PL/1 from the asset management application (AM-ANLA):

    Syntax Syntax

    1. ******************************************************************
* MEMBER GENERATED FROM SAP DATA DICTIONARY *
* T A B L E BALTD *
* DATE: 08.12.1995 TIME: 17:47:16 *
* PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE MANUALLY *
******************************************************************
*
01 BALTD.
*
* Client (Old Assets Data Takeover AM)
05 MANDT PIC X(3)
VALUE SPACE.
* Company code
05 BUKRS PIC X(4)
VALUE SPACE.
* Asset class
05 ANLKL PIC X(8)
VALUE SPACE.
    End of the code.

Choose Start of the navigation path System Next navigation step List Next navigation step Save Next navigation step to PC File End of the navigation path to download the data structure to your workstation or PC.