Easily use ABAP range tables

• About ranges
• Convert internal tables to ranges
• Fill ranges directly from SELECT statements

About ranges

Ranges are internal tables with the same structure as a selection table. They are very useful for flexible reading of database data in ABAP. Range tables always consist of four columns:

Convert internal tables to ranges

Since ABAP 7.40 the FOR operator allows simple conversion from internal table to range table, without the need of directly looping over the table.

DATA(lt_matnr_range) = VALUE rsdsselopt_t(
  FOR ls_input_data IN it_input_data
    ( sign =  if_fsbp_const_range=>sign_include
      option = if_fsbp_const_range=>option_equal
      low = ls_input_data-matnr ) ).

To do the opposite and extract data from a range table, use CORRESPONDING together with MAPPING.

lt_data = CORRESPONDING #( lt_matnr_range MAPPING low = matnr ).

Fill ranges directly from SELECT statements

Gone are the days when it was necessary to first select data and then loop over it to fill a range. With the current syntax ranges can be filled directly in the SELECT statement.

SELECT 'I' AS sign, 
       'EQ' AS option, 
       matnr AS low, 
       matnr AS high
  INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_matnr_range)
  FROM mara.