SAP READ TABLE KEY ABAP Statements

Get Example source ABAP code based on a different SAP table
  



READ TABLE - table_key

Short Reference


ABAP Syntax ... { FROM wa [USING KEY keyname
] }
| { WITH TABLE KEY [keyname COMPONENTS]
{comp_name1|(name1)} = operand1
{comp_name2|(name2)} = operand2
... } ... .

ABAP_ALTERNATIVES:
1 ... FROM wa [USING KEY keyname]
2 ... WITH TABLE KEY [keyname COMPONENTS] ...
ABAP Code Snippet

What does it do? Specifying a Table Key as a Search Key Either the primary table key or a secondary table key can be specified. The values can be declared either implicitly in a work area wa behind FROM or by listing the components of the table key explicitly behind TABLE KEY.

When the primary table key is used, the table categories are accessed as follows: Standard tables are searched in a linear fashion.
Binary scans are used for sorted tables .
The hash algorithm is used for hashed tables.

When the secondary table key is used, a binary scan is used in the sorted key case and a hash algorithm is used in the hash key case.
ABAP Code Snippet
ABAP Code Snippet



Latest notes:

Note that the sy-tabix system field is always set in relation to the used table key. If the value of sy-tabix is used as an index specification following the execution of the READ statement in another processing statement for the internal table, the same table key should be used there, whereby it is important to note that the primary index is always addressed if there is no explicit key specification.
ABAP Code Snippet
• FROM READ TABLE itab
• USING KEY READ TABLE itab FROM

ABAP Alternative 1 ... FROM wa [USING KEY keyname]
ABAP Code Snippet

What does it do? For wa, a work area compatible to the row type of the internal table must be specified. This concerns functional operand positions. The first row of the internal table found, whose values in the columns of the table key used match those of the corresponding components of wa , is processed. If the key fields in wa are empty, no entries are processed.

If the USING KEY addition is not specified, the primary table key is used. If the USING KEY addition is specified, the table key specified in keyname is used.
ABAP Code Snippet

If the primary table key is used to access a standard table and the key is empty, then the first row of the internal table is read. If this is statically identifiable, the syntax check produces a warning.

Latest notes:When using the primary table key, note that this key can be the standard key, which can also have unexpected consequences:
For structured row types, the standard key covers all character-like and byte-like components.
The standard key of a standard table can be empty.
Apart from classes, the FROM wa declaration can be left out if the internal table has an itab header line with the same name. The statement then does not evaluate the content of the primary table key in the header line; instead, it evalu ates the content of the standard key; initial fields are subject to special handling (see READ TABLE - obsolete_key ).
• COMPONENTS READ TABLE itab WITH TABLE KEY
• WITH TABLE KEY READ TABLE itab

ABAP Alternative 2 ... WITH TABLE KEY [keyname COMPONENTS] ...
ABAP Code Snippet

What does it do? Each component of the table key used must be listed either directly as comp_name1 comp_name2 ... or as a parenthesized character-like data object name1 name2 ..., which contains the name of the component when the statement is executed. name is not case-sensitive. If name only contains blanks, this specified component is ignored when the statement is executed. An operand operand1 operand2 ... compatible with the data type of the component or convertible to it must be assigned to every component. The first row of the internal table found, whose values in the column of the table key used correspond with the values in the operands operand1 operand2 ... assigned, is processed. Duplicate or overlapping keys cannot be specified, nor can columns be specified that are not components of the table key.

operand1 operand2 ... are general expression positions. If necessary, the content of the operands is converted to the data type of the components before the comparison. If an arithmetic expression is specified, the calculation type is determined from its operands and the data type of the component and the result, if necessary, is converted to the data type of the component.

If the addition COMPONENTS is not specified, the primary table key is used. If the addition COMPONENTS is specified, the table key specified in keyname is used.

Latest notes:The pseudo component table_line can be specified as a component for tables with an unstructured row type, if their whole table entry is defined as a table key.
If WITH TABLE KEY is used, note that the values of incompatible operands operand1 operand2 ... are converted to the data type of the columns before the comparison. This means that the comparison rules do not apply to incompatible data types. If a WHERE condition is used in the statements LOOP, MODIFY, and DELETE, however, the comparison rules do apply, which can produce differing results.
To avoid unexpected results after a conversion, operand1 operand2 ... must be compatible with the data type of the component.
ABAP Code Snippet must not be specified as a component if it is empty.
ABAP Code Snippet Table expressions enable reads to be performed in operand positions too. A table key is used whenever it is specified explicitly using key .



Example ABAP Coding
For different key inputs, see
Key Access.



Example ABAP Coding
Reads rows of the internal table spfli_tab using
the primary table key and a secondary table key. The first READ statement evaluates the work area spfli_key; the second READ statement specifies the components of the secondary table key city_key explicitly. DATA: spfli_tab TYPE SORTED TABLE OF spfli
WITH UNIQUE KEY carrid connid
WITH NON-UNIQUE SORTED KEY city_key
COMPONENTS cityfrom cityto,
spfli_key LIKE LINE OF spfli_tab.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <(><<)>spfli> TYPE spfli.

...

spfli_key-carrid = 'LH'.
spfli_key-connid = '0400'.
READ TABLE spfli_tab FROM spfli_key ASSIGNING <(><<)>spfli>.

IF sy-subrc = 0.
...
ENDIF.

...

READ TABLE spfli_tab
WITH TABLE KEY city_key
COMPONENTS cityfrom = 'LH' cityto = '2402'
ASSIGNING <(><<)>spfli>.

IF sy-subrc = 0.
...
ENDIF.

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