TYPES - tabkind

Syntax

... { {[STANDARD] TABLE}
    | {SORTED TABLE}
    | {HASHED TABLE}
    | {ANY TABLE}
    | {INDEX TABLE} } ... .

Effect

Definition of the table type in an internal table.

You can specify the non-generic table types standard table (STANDARD TABLE), sorted table (SORTED TABLE), and hashed table (HASHED TABLE), as well as the generic table types ANY TABLE and INDEX TABLE. The addition STANDARD is optional for standard tables.

The non-generic table types determine the internal administration and access type in the ABAP program for an internal table:

• Standard tables are managed system-internally by a table index. New rows are either attached to the table or added at certain positions. The table key or the index identify individual rows.
  
  
• Sorted tables are managed by a table index (like standard tables). The entries are listed in ascending order according to table key.
  
  
• Hashed tables are managed by a hash algorithm. There is no table index. The entries are not ordered in the memory. The position of a row is calculated by specifying a key using a hash function.
  
• The generic table types define a generic table type that can only be
  

used for typing formal parameters and field symbols:

ANY TABLE includes all table types.

• INDEX TABLE includes all standard tables and sorted tables.
  

Notes

• For non-generic table types, the definition of the table
  

key key determines whether the defined table type is generic.