Basic Types in ABAP Dictionary

The basic types in the ABAP Data Dictionary (DDIC) are the fundamental data types that are used to define the structure and organization of the database objects in the SAP system. These basic types include:

1. Character Strings

Character strings are used to represent text or alphanumeric data in the SAP system. In the DDIC, character strings are defined by a data type called “Character” or “String”. The “Character” type is a fixed-length string, while the “String” type is a variable-length string. The “Character” type is defined with a specific length, such as 10 characters, while the “String” type is defined with a maximum length, such as 255 characters.

2. Integers

Integers are used to represent whole numbers in the SAP system. In the DDIC, integers are defined by a data type called “Integer”. The “Integer” type is a signed or unsigned whole number and is defined with a specific length, such as 4 bytes or 8 bytes.

3. Floating Point Numbers

Floating point numbers are used to represent decimal numbers in the SAP system. In the DDIC, floating point numbers are defined by a data type called “Floating Point Number” or “Real”. The “Floating Point Number” type is a signed or unsigned decimal number and is defined with a specific length, such as 4 bytes or 8 bytes. The “Real” type is a single-precision floating-point number, with a length of 4 bytes.

4. Dates

Dates are used to represent dates in the SAP system. In the DDIC, dates are defined by a data type called “Date”. The “Date” type is a date representation that includes the year, month, and day, and is stored as a 4-byte binary value.

5. Time Stamps

Time stamps are used to represent dates and times in the SAP system. In the DDIC, time stamps are defined by a data type called “Time Stamp”. The “Time Stamp” type is a date and time representation that includes the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, and is stored as an 8-byte binary value.

6. Currency Amounts

Currency amounts are used to represent monetary values in the SAP system. In the DDIC, currency amounts are defined by a data type called “Currency”. The “Currency” type is a signed or unsigned decimal number that is used to represent monetary values and is defined with a specific length and number of decimal places, such as 13 bytes with 2 decimal places.

These basic types provide the foundation for defining the structure and organization of the database objects in the SAP system. By using these basic types, you can define the individual data elements, such as fields in a database table, and the underlying data representation for these elements.

DDIC is the central storage area that allows users to maintain the repository of objects related to the particular database and contains the central description of all the data used in the SAP system without any redundancy. The data in the DDIC is integrated, consistent, and secured.