ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP − Release-Specific Changes →  Changes in Release 7.40 → 

Internal Tables in Release 7.40


1. Table expressions


2. Predefined functions for internal tables


3. Explicit definition of an empty key


4. MOVE-CORRESPONDING for internal tables


5. Table sharing for boxed components


6. References in specified components


7. WHERE condition optimized


8. Expression for dynamic sorts



Modification 1

Table Expressions

The new table expressions permit reads to be performed on internal tables in operand positions.



Modification 2

Predefined Functions for Internal Tables

Modification 3

Explicit Definition of an Empty Key

The new addition EMPTY KEY of the statements TYPES, DATA, and so on can be used to define an empty table key explicitly for standard tables. Without this addition, empty table keys occur only if the standard key of a standard table does not contain any components suitable as key fields.



Modification 4

MOVE-CORRESPONDING for Internal Tables

This variant is not yet released and cannot be used.

From Release 7.40, the operands of the statement MOVE-CORRESPONDING can be internal tables, as well as structures. This has been enabled by a new variant of this statement, which assigns identically named components of internal tables row by row. The new addition EXPANDING NESTED TABLES enables tabular components of structures to be resolved. The addition KEEPING TARGET LINES adds rows to target tables instead of overwriting them.



Modification 5

Table Sharing for Boxed Components

Until now there was no table sharing if the row types contained boxed components. This restriction has now been lifted.



Modification 6

References in Dynamically Specified Components

Object component selectors can now be specified when components are specified dynamically (this was not previously the case). However, those specifications can be made that are statically possible. For example, when using ASSIGN attributes cannot be accessed that are not known statically. This is the case, for example, when using superclass references to access subclass components.



Modification 7

WHERE Condition Optimized

The rules described under Optimization of the WHERE Condition have been modified as follows:

There was no syntax error or exception in these cases. Instead, all rows of the internal table were checked linearly when the statement was executed or reads performed using the primary key. Optimized reads are guaranteed when using secondary keys, which is why the combinations above now produce syntax errors or raise exceptions. This represents an incompatible change.



Modification 8

Expression for Dynamic Sorts

In the statement SORT itab, the table (otab) can now be specified for dynamic sorts as the result of an expression or functional method call.