ABAP Select data from SAP table COMTEXT into internal table

Get Example source ABAP code based on a different SAP table
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Below is a number of ABAP code snippets to demonstrate how to select data from SAP COMTEXT table and store it within an internal table, including using the newer @DATA inline declaration methods. It also shows you various ways to process this data using ABAP work area, inline declaration or field symbols including executing all the relevant CONVERSION_EXIT routines specific to COMTEXT. See here for more generic Select statement tips.

Sometimes data within SAP is stored within the database table in a different format to what it is displayed to the user. These input/output conversation FM routines are what translates the data between the two formats.

There is also a full declaration of the COMTEXT table where each field has a char/string type for you to simply copy and paste. This allows you to use processing that is only available to these field types such as the CONCATENATE statement.

DATA: IT_COMTEXT TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF COMTEXT,
      WA_COMTEXT TYPE COMTEXT,
      GD_STR TYPE STRING.

DATA: lo_typedescr type REF TO cl_abap_typedescr.
DATA: lv_fieldname type fieldname.

FIELD-SYMBOLS: <FIELD> TYPE any.
FIELD-SYMBOLS: <COMTEXT> TYPE COMTEXT.

*Process all fields in table header/work area as string values
  PERFORM process_as_string_field_values CHANGING wa_COMTEXT.

SELECT *
*restrict ABAP select to first 10 rows
 UP TO 10 ROWS      
  FROM COMTEXT
  INTO TABLE IT_COMTEXT.

*Select data and declare internal table using in-line method @DATA
*SELECT *
*  FROM COMTEXT
*  INTO TABLE @DATA(IT_COMTEXT2).
*--Further methods of using ABAP code to  select data from SAP database tables

*You can also declare the header/work area using the in-line DATA declaration method
READ TABLE IT_COMTEXT INDEX 1 INTO DATA(WA_COMTEXT2).


*Demonstrate how to loop at an internal table and update values using a FIELD-SYMBOL
LOOP AT IT_COMTEXT ASSIGNING <COMTEXT>.

*To update a field value using a field symbol simply change the value via the field symbol pointer
<COMTEXT>-MANDT = 1.
<COMTEXT>-FORMTEMPLATETEXTNAME = 1.
<COMTEXT>-TEXTDESCRIPTION = 1.
<COMTEXT>-LASTCHANGEDATETIME = 1.
<COMTEXT>-LASTCHANGEDATE = 1.

ENDLOOP.

LOOP AT IT_COMTEXT INTO WA_COMTEXT.
*Write horizonal line to screen report.
  WRITE:/ sy-uline.

*Write selected data to screen/report before conversion.
  WRITE:/ sy-vline,   WA_COMTEXT-LASTCHANGEDBYUSER, sy-vline,
  WA_COMTEXT-LASTCHANGEDBYUSERDESCRIPTION, sy-vline,
  WA_COMTEXT-LASTCHANGEDBYUSERFULLNAME, sy-vline,
  WA_COMTEXT-NUMBEROFRELATEDFORMS, sy-vline,
  WA_COMTEXT-TEXTTYPE, sy-vline,
  WA_COMTEXT-LISTOFTEXTLANGUAGECODES, sy-vline.
ENDLOOP.
   
*Add any further fields from structure WA_COMTEXT you want to display...

  WRITE:/ sy-uline.
* Aternatively use generic code to Write field values (and NAME) to screen report
  DO.
    ASSIGN COMPONENT sy-index OF STRUCTURE wa_COMTEXT TO <field>.
    IF sy-subrc <> 0. EXIT. ENDIF.
    WRITE:/ 'Field Value', <field>, sy-vline.
    gd_str = <field> .
    lo_typedescr ?= CL_ABAP_DATADESCR=>DESCRIBE_BY_DATA( <field> ).
    lv_fieldname = lo_typedescr->GET_RELATIVE_NAME( ).
    WRITE:/ 'Field Name', lv_fieldname.
  ENDDO.

  
*Redo loop but convert all fields from internal to out value  
LOOP AT IT_COMTEXT INTO WA_COMTEXT.


*Write horizonal line to screen report.
  WRITE:/ sy-uline.

*Convert all fields to display/output versions using conversion routines
  PERFORM convert_all_field_values CHANGING wa_EKKO.
	 
ENDLOOP.

  
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form convert_all_field_values
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM convert_all_field_values CHANGING p_EKKO LIKE wa_EKKO.
DATA: ld_input(1000) TYPE c, ld_output(1000) TYPE C.
ENDFORM. 

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form process_as_string_field_values
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM process_as_string_field_values CHANGING p_EKKO LIKE wa_EKKO.

TYPES: BEGIN OF T_COMTEXT_STR, 
MANDT TYPE STRING,
FORMTEMPLATETEXTNAME TYPE STRING,
TEXTDESCRIPTION TYPE STRING,
LASTCHANGEDATETIME TYPE STRING,
LASTCHANGEDATE TYPE STRING,
LASTCHANGEDBYUSER TYPE STRING,
LASTCHANGEDBYUSERDESCRIPTION TYPE STRING,
LASTCHANGEDBYUSERFULLNAME TYPE STRING,
NUMBEROFRELATEDFORMS TYPE STRING,
TEXTTYPE TYPE STRING,
LISTOFTEXTLANGUAGECODES TYPE STRING,
TEXTCREATIONDATETIME TYPE STRING,
TEXTCREATIONDATE TYPE STRING,
CREATEDBYUSER TYPE STRING,
CREATEDBYUSERDESCRIPTION TYPE STRING,
CREATEDBYUSERFULLNAME TYPE STRING,END OF T_EKKO_STR.
DATA: WA_COMTEXT_STR type T_EKKO_STR.

DATA: ld_text TYPE string.

LOOP AT IT_EKKO INTO WA_EKKO.
  MOVE-CORRESPONDING wa_EKKO TO WA_EKKO_STR.
  CONCATENATE: sy-vline
WA_COMTEXT_STR-MANDT sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-FORMTEMPLATETEXTNAME sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-TEXTDESCRIPTION sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LASTCHANGEDATETIME sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LASTCHANGEDATE sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LASTCHANGEDBYUSER sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LASTCHANGEDBYUSERDESCRIPTION sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LASTCHANGEDBYUSERFULLNAME sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-NUMBEROFRELATEDFORMS sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-TEXTTYPE sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-LISTOFTEXTLANGUAGECODES sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-TEXTCREATIONDATETIME sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-TEXTCREATIONDATE sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-CREATEDBYUSER sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-CREATEDBYUSERDESCRIPTION sy-vline 
WA_COMTEXT_STR-CREATEDBYUSERFULLNAME sy-vline      INTO ld_text SEPARATED BY SPACE.

*Add any further fields from structure WA_EKKO_STR you want to CONCATENATE...
ENDLOOP.
ENDFORM.