10/17/23, 2:14 PM SAP Library - ABAP Programming (BC-ABA)

SAP Documentation

ABAP Programming Internal Tables

(BC-ABA)
Internal tables provide a means of taking data from a fixed
Example structure and storing it in working memory in ABAP. The data is
Example stored line by line in memory, and each line has the same
structure. In ABAP, internal tables fulfill the function of arrays.
Example
Since they are dynamic data objects, they save the
Example programmer the task of dynamic memory management in his
or her programs. You should use internal tables whenever you
Example
want to process a dataset with a fixed structure within a
Linking ABAP program. A particularly important use for internal tables is for
Strings to Screen
Fields storing and formatting data from a database table within a
program. They are also a good way of including very
Example
complicated data structures in an ABAP program.
Overview Graphics
for Interfaces

Example Data Type of an Internal Table

The data type of an internal table is fully specified by its line
Top-Level Binding
type, key, and table type.
Introduction to ABAP

The ABAP Line Type

Programming
Language The line type of an internal table can be any data type. The
data type of an internal table is normally a structure. Each
ABAP Syntax
component of the structure is a column in the internal table.
Data Types and However, the line type may also be elementary or another
Data Objects
internal table.
Operations on
Data Objects
Key
Controlling the
Program Flow
The key identifies table rows. There are two kinds of key for
internal tables - the standard key and a user-defined key. You
Byte and can specify whether the key should be UNIQUE or NON-
Character String
Processing UNIQUE. Internal tables with a unique key cannot contain
Field Symbols and duplicate entries. The uniqueness depends on the table
Data References access method.
Internal Tables At tables with structured row type, the standard key is formed
and Extracts from all character-type columns of the internal table. If a table
has an elementary line type the default key is the entire line
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