SELECT

Reference

Syntax

SELECT { { SINGLE [FOR UPDATE] }
       | { [DISTINCT] { }      } }
       { *
       | { {col1|aggregate( [DISTINCT] col1 )} [AS a1]
           {col2|aggregate( [DISTINCT] col2 )} [AS a2]  ... }
       | (column_syntax) }
       FROM { { {dbtab [AS tabalias]}
              | { [(] {dbtab_left [AS tabalias_left]} | join
                      {[INNER] JOIN}|{LEFT [OUTER] JOIN}
                      {dbtab_right [AS tabalias_right] ON join_cond} [)]}
              | (dbtab_syntax) [AS tabalias] }
              [UP TO n ROWS]
              [CLIENT SPECIFIED]
              [BYPASSING BUFFER] }
       { { INTO {[CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF] wa}|(dobj1, dobj2, ...) }
       | { INTO|APPENDING [CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF] TABLE itab
                          [PACKAGE SIZE n] } }
       [[FOR ALL ENTRIES IN itab] WHERE sql_cond]
       [GROUP BY {col1 col2 ...}|(column_syntax)]
       [HAVING sql_cond]
       [ORDER BY { {PRIMARY KEY}
                 |{{{col1|a1} [ASCENDING|DESCENDING]}
                   {{col2|a2} [ASCENDING|DESCENDING]}
                   ... }
                 | (column_syntax) }].
  ...
[ENDSELECT.].

Effect

This statement reads data from one or multiple database tables into data objects. If the result set is not assigned in one step, a loop is opened which is closed using ENDSELECT. This loop provides the results in the target fields.

Additions

Specification of the rows:

• SINGLE|{ } - Defines a single line or multiple line result set.
  
  
• FOR UPDATE - Sets an exclusive lock in the database.
  
  
• DISTINCT - Excludes duplicate rows from the result set.
  
  

Specification of the columns:

• * - Reads all columns.
  
  
• col1 ... col2 ... - Reads individual columns col1 col2 ....
  
  
• aggregate( [DISTINCT] col1 ) ... aggregate( [DISTINCT] col2 ) ... - Evaluates aggregate functions aggregate for columns col1, col2 .... Duplicate arguments can be excluded.
  
  
• AS a1 a2 ... - Defines alternative column names a1, a2, ...
  
  
• (column_syntax) - Specifies the columns as the content of column_syntax.
  
  

Specification of the database table(s):

• FROM dbtab [AS tabalias]
  Specifies a database table dbtab.
  
  
• FROM [(] {dbtab_left [AS tabalias_left]} | join
  {[INNER] JOIN}|{LEFT [OUTER] JOIN}
  {dbtab_right [AS tabalias_right] ON join_cond} [)]
  
  
• Links a database table dbtab_left or a join expression join with a database table dbtab_right to a join expression. You can create inner and outer joins with join conditions join_cond.
  
  
• (dbtab__syntax)
  Specifies the database tables as the content of source_syntax.
  
  
• AS tabalias
  Defines an alternative table name tabalias.
  
  
• UP TO n ROWS
  Restricts the number of rows read to n.
  
  
• CLIENT SPECIFIED
  Turns off the automatic client handling.
  
  
• BYPASSING BUFFER
  Bypasses the SAP buffering.
  
  

Specification of the target area:

• INTO wa|(dobj1, dobj2 ...)
  Specifies a work area wa or a list of data objects dobj1 dobj2 ... as the target fields.
  
  
• INTO|APPENDING TABLE itab [PACKAGE SIZE n]
  Specifies an internal table itab as the target area. The result set is read into or attached to the table as a whole or in packages.
  
  
• CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF
  Transports only the columns that have target fields with the same name.
  
  

Specification of a condition:

• FOR ALL ENTRIES IN itab
  Enables you to use a logical condition for all rows in an internal table itab after WHERE.
  
  
• WHERE sql_cond
  
  
• Restricts the result set using the condition sql_cond. The condition can consist of different logical expressions.
  
  

Specification of a grouping:

• GROUP BY { {col1 col2 ...} | (column_syntax) }
  
  
• Integrates groups of rows that have the same content in the columns col1, col2, ... into one row of the result, where you can specify the columns dynamically in column_syntax.
  
  
• HAVING sql_cond
  
  
• Restricts rows combined in groups in the result set using a condition sql_cond.
  
  

Specification of a sorting:

• ORDER BY
  {PRIMARY KEY}|{{{col1|a1} [ASCENDING|DESCENDING]} {{col2|a2} [ASCENDING|DESCENDING]} ...}|(column_syntax)
  
  
  
• Sorts the result set by primary key, statically specified columns col1, col2 ... or a1, a2, ... or dynamically specified colums in column_syntax. The sort direction can be specified for individual columns.