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12 - SAP ABAP - Dictionary

The document provides an overview of SAP ABAP Dictionary, which handles the DDL part of SQL and serves as metadata for data definitions in the SAP database. It describes basic types in the Dictionary, including data elements, structures, and table types, and explains how these objects are referenced in ABAP programs. Additionally, it outlines the Dictionary's role in enforcing data integrity, managing data definitions, and integrating with the ABAP development workbench.

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9 views3 pages

12 - SAP ABAP - Dictionary

The document provides an overview of SAP ABAP Dictionary, which handles the DDL part of SQL and serves as metadata for data definitions in the SAP database. It describes basic types in the Dictionary, including data elements, structures, and table types, and explains how these objects are referenced in ABAP programs. Additionally, it outlines the Dictionary's role in enforcing data integrity, managing data definitions, and integrating with the ABAP development workbench.

Uploaded by

suraya1222t
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SAP ABAP - Dictionary


As you are aware, SQL can be divided into two parts −

DML (Data Manipulation Language)

DDL (Data Definition Language)

DML part consists of query and update commands such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE,
DELETE, etc. and ABAP programs handle the DML part of SQL. DDL part consists of
commands such as CREATE TABLE, CREATE INDEX, DROP TABLE, ALTER TABLE, etc. and
ABAP Dictionary handles the DDL part of SQL.

ABAP Dictionary can be viewed as metadata (i.e. data about data) that resides in the
SAP database along with the metadata maintained by the database. The Dictionary is
used to create and manage data definitions and to create Tables, Data Elements,
Domains, Views and Types.

Basic Types in ABAP Dictionary


The basic types in ABAP Dictionary are as follows −

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Data elements describe an elementary type by defining the data type, length
and possibly decimal places.

Structures with components that can have any type.

Table types describe the structure of an internal table.

Various objects in the Dictionary environment can be referenced in ABAP programs. The
Dictionary is known as the global area. The objects in the Dictionary are global to all
ABAP programs and the data in ABAP programs can be declared by reference to these
Dictionary global objects.

The Dictionary supports the definition of user-defined types and these types are used in
ABAP programs. They also define the structure of database objects such as tables, views
and indexes. These objects are created automatically in the underlying database in their
Dictionary definitions when the objects are activated. The Dictionary also provides
editing tools like Search Help and locking tool like Lock Objects.

Dictionary Tasks
ABAP Dictionary achieves the following −

Enforces data integrity.

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Manages data definitions without redundancy.

Integrates tightly with rest of the ABAP development workbench.

Example

Any complex user-defined type can be built from the 3 basic types in the Dictionary.
Customer data is stored in a structure ‘Customer’ with the components Name, Address
and Telephone as depicted in the following image. Name is also a structure with
components, First name and Last name. Both of these components are elementary
because their type is defined by a data element.

The type of component Address is defined by a structure whose components are also
structures, and the Telephone component is defined by a table type because a customer
can have more than one telephone number. Types are used in ABAP programs and also
to define the types of interface parameters of function modules.

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