What does it do? This statement declares an additionaltable work area> *table_wa>, whose data type, like that of the regular TABLES> > statement with its flat> structured data type table_wa>, is taken from the ABAP Dictionary.
The additional table work area can be used just like the the regular table work area. This applies in particular to obsolete database accesses>.
Latest notes:The statement TABLES> cannot be used in classes. You can use the addition TYPE> to reference the data types in ABAP Dictionary and declare your own number of work areas.
Bad example
Declaration of a regular and additional table work area and their use in obsolete short forms of the SELECT> statement. TABLES: scarr, *scarr.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM scarr WHERE carrid = 'LH'.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM *scarr WHERE carrid = 'UA'.
Good example
Declares two work areas using DATA> and how they are used in theINTO> clause of the SELECT> statement. DATA: scarr1 TYPE scarr, scarr2 TYPE scarr.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM scarr INTO scarr1 WHERE carrid = 'LH'.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM scarr INTO scarr2 WHERE carrid = 'UA'.