ASSIGN

Short Reference

Syntax

ASSIGN mem_area TO <fs> casting_spec range_spec.

Effect

This statement assigns the memory area specified using mem_area to the field symbol <fs>. You can assign a data object or a memory area calculated from the address of a data object. After the assignment, the field symbol refers to the assigned memory area and can be used in operand positions. When used in a statement, it behaves like a dereferenced data reference, meaning that the statement works with the content of the memory area.

The data type with which the assgigned memory area is treated, depends on the specifications in casting_spec. You can either execute an explicit casting or the field symbol takes on the data type of the data object specified in the assignment. A field symbol to which a memory area is assigned, has this data type after the assignment and behaves like a data object of this type.

The assigned memory area mem_area must be at least as long as the data type specified in casting_spec and must have the same alignment. If the data type determined in casting_spec is deep, the deep components with their type and position must appear in the assigned memory area exactly like this.

Use the specifications in range_spec to restrict the memory area that can be assigned to the field symbol.

System Fields

The return value is set only for the dynamic variants of mem_area.

After an unsuccessful dynamic assignment, the field symbol keeps its previous state.

Note

Obsolete Form: ASSIGN LOCAL COPY

Exceptions

Catchable Exceptions

CX_SY_ASSIGN_CAST_ILLEGAL_CAST

• Cause: The type of the source field and the target type do not exactly match in offset and type in those components that are strings, tables, or references.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CASTING_ILLEGAL_CAST (catchable)
  

CX_SY_ASSIGN_CAST_UNKNOWN_TYPE

• Cause: A type specified dynamically after CASTING is unknown.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CASTING_UNKNOWN_TYPE (catchable)
  

CX_SY_ASSIGN_OUT_OF_RANGE

• Cause: The data object in addition RANGE does not contain the assigned data object.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_FIELD_NOT_IN_RANGE (catchable)
  
  
  

Non-Catchable Exceptions

• Cause: The field symbol is structured and the assigned field is shorter than the structure.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_BASE_TOO_SHORT
  
• Cause: The alignment for field f is too short for the type of the field symbol.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_BASE_WRONG_ALIGNMENT
  
• Cause: For TYPE, you can specify only simple types.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CAST_COMPLEX_TYPE
  
• Cause: The source field is longer than 16 bytes and can, therefore, not be interpreted as a type P field.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CAST_P_TOO_LARGE
  
• Cause: The alignment of field f is too short for the type specified at TYPE.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CAST_WRONG_ALIGNMENT
  
• Cause: The length of field f does not match the type specified in TYPE.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CAST_WRONG_LENGTH
  
• Cause: The type specified at TYPE is unknown.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_CAST_WRONG_TYPE
  
• Cause: Only up to 14 decimal places are allowed.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_DECIMALS_TOO_HIGH
  
• Cause: Decimal places are allowed only for type P.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_DECIMALS_WRONG_TYPE
  
• Cause: For field f, a length of 0 was specified.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_LENGTH_0
  
• Cause: For field f, a length less than 0 was specified.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_LENGTH_NEGATIVE
  
• Cause: For field f, an offset less than 0 was specified.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_OFFSET_NEGATIVE
  
• Cause: For field f, offset or length was specified and the data type of the assigning field does not allow partial access. (This is the case for data types I, F, and P.)
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_OFFSET_NOTALLOWED
  
• Cause: The offset specified for field f exceeds the range of the ABAP variable.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_OFFSET_TOOLARGE
  
• Cause: In the area addressed in the offset and length specifications for field f, deep components exist (data references, object references, strings, internal tables), which may not be overwritten.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_OFF+LENGTH_ILLEGAL_CAST
  
• Cause: Offset and length specified for field f exceed the range of the ABAP variable.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_OFFSET+LENGTH_TOOLARGE
  
• Cause: Field f is not a data reference. However, a data reference was expected.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_REFERENCE_EXPECTED
  
• Cause: The type of the source field and the target type do not match exactly in offset and type in those components that are strings, tables, or references.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_STRUCTURE_ILLEGAL_CAST
  
• Cause: You cannot assign substrings to a field symbol.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_SUBSTRING_NOT_ALLOWED
  
• Cause: The field symbol is typed and the type of the assigned field is incompatible to it.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_TYPE_CONFLICT
  
• Cause: The type of the source field contains strings, tables, or references.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_TYPE_ILLEGAL_CAST
  
• Cause: The type of the source field is a structure and, under Unicode, not compatible to the target type.
  Runtime Error: ASSIGN_UC_STRUCT_CONFLICT