ABAP Select data from SAP table ESH_L_SPEC into internal table

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Below is a number of ABAP code snippets to demonstrate how to select data from SAP ESH_L_SPEC 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 ESH_L_SPEC. 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 ESH_L_SPEC 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_ESH_L_SPEC TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ESH_L_SPEC,
      WA_ESH_L_SPEC TYPE ESH_L_SPEC,
      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: <ESH_L_SPEC> TYPE ESH_L_SPEC.

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

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

*Select data and declare internal table using in-line method @DATA
*SELECT *
*  FROM ESH_L_SPEC
*  INTO TABLE @DATA(IT_ESH_L_SPEC2).
*--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_ESH_L_SPEC INDEX 1 INTO DATA(WA_ESH_L_SPEC2).


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

*To update a field value using a field symbol simply change the value via the field symbol pointer
<ESH_L_SPEC>-MANDT = 1.
<ESH_L_SPEC>-SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID = 1.
<ESH_L_SPEC>-DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER = 1.
<ESH_L_SPEC>-LOGACCMCONTEXT = 1.
<ESH_L_SPEC>-LOGACCMOBJECTTYPE = 1.

ENDLOOP.

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

*Write selected data to screen/report before conversion.
  WRITE:/ sy-vline,   WA_ESH_L_SPEC-LOGACCMOBJECTTYPEISACTIVE, sy-vline,
  WA_ESH_L_SPEC-LOGACCMUSERAUTHZNOBJECT, sy-vline,
  WA_ESH_L_SPEC-MATERIAL, sy-vline,
  WA_ESH_L_SPEC-PLAINLONGTEXT, sy-vline,
  WA_ESH_L_SPEC-RCPFMLAITEMTYPE, sy-vline,
  WA_ESH_L_SPEC-RCPFMLAITEMUUID, sy-vline.
ENDLOOP.
   
*Add any further fields from structure WA_ESH_L_SPEC 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_ESH_L_SPEC 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_ESH_L_SPEC INTO WA_ESH_L_SPEC.


*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.

*Conversion exit ALPHA, internal->external for field SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit ALPHA, internal->external for field DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ESH_L_SPEC-DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ESH_L_SPEC-DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit MATN1, internal->external for field MATERIAL
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_MATN1_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ESH_L_SPEC-MATERIAL
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ESH_L_SPEC-MATERIAL.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit ISOLA, internal->external for field SPECIDFGDESCLANGUAGE
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ISOLA_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIDFGDESCLANGUAGE
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIDFGDESCLANGUAGE.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.

*Conversion exit ALPHA, internal->external for field SPECIFICATIONCHANGENUMBER
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_OUTPUT'
  EXPORTING
    input =                      WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIFICATIONCHANGENUMBER
  IMPORTING
    output =                     ld_input.
WRITE:/ 'Org Value:', WA_ESH_L_SPEC-SPECIFICATIONCHANGENUMBER.
WRITE:/ 'New Value:', ld_input.
ENDFORM. 

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

TYPES: BEGIN OF T_ESH_L_SPEC_STR, 
MANDT TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID TYPE STRING,
DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER TYPE STRING,
LOGACCMCONTEXT TYPE STRING,
LOGACCMOBJECTTYPE TYPE STRING,
LOGACCMOBJECTTYPEISACTIVE TYPE STRING,
LOGACCMUSERAUTHZNOBJECT TYPE STRING,
MATERIAL TYPE STRING,
PLAINLONGTEXT TYPE STRING,
RCPFMLAITEMTYPE TYPE STRING,
RCPFMLAITEMUUID TYPE STRING,
RCPFMLAUUID TYPE STRING,
SPECIDFGDESCCATEGORY TYPE STRING,
SPECIDFGDESCLANGUAGE TYPE STRING,
SPECIDFGDESCTEXT TYPE STRING,
SPECIDFGDESCTYPE TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATION TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONAUTHZNGROUP TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONAUTHZNGROUPDESC TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONCATEGORY TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONCHANGENUMBER TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONCREATIONDATE TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONHEADERSTATUS TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONHEADERSTATUSDESC TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONSUBSTANCENATR TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONTYPE TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONTYPEDESCRIPTION TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONVALIDITYENDDATE TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONVALIDITYSTARTDATE TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONCREATEDBYNAME TYPE STRING,
SPECIFICATIONCREATEDBYUSER TYPE STRING,END OF T_EKKO_STR.
DATA: WA_ESH_L_SPEC_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_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-MANDT sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONINTERNALID sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-DOCUMENTINFORECORDDOCNUMBER sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-LOGACCMCONTEXT sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-LOGACCMOBJECTTYPE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-LOGACCMOBJECTTYPEISACTIVE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-LOGACCMUSERAUTHZNOBJECT sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-MATERIAL sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-PLAINLONGTEXT sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-RCPFMLAITEMTYPE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-RCPFMLAITEMUUID sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-RCPFMLAUUID sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIDFGDESCCATEGORY sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIDFGDESCLANGUAGE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIDFGDESCTEXT sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIDFGDESCTYPE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATION sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONAUTHZNGROUP sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONAUTHZNGROUPDESC sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONCATEGORY sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONCHANGENUMBER sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONCREATIONDATE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONHEADERSTATUS sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONHEADERSTATUSDESC sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONSUBSTANCENATR sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONTYPE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONTYPEDESCRIPTION sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONVALIDITYENDDATE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONVALIDITYSTARTDATE sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONCREATEDBYNAME sy-vline 
WA_ESH_L_SPEC_STR-SPECIFICATIONCREATEDBYUSER sy-vline      INTO ld_text SEPARATED BY SPACE.

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