Types in SAP ABAP Data Dictionary

Types in SAP ABAP Data Dictionary

Custom defined data types can be stored for all programs in the ABAP Dictionary. This central definition of types which are used more than once in the ABAP Dictionary allows them to be changed centrally. ABAP Dictionary ensures that such changes are made at all the corresponding locations. Custom defined types provides us the same functionality as the local types that can be defined in ABAP programs with TYPES statement.

What is the use of types, types defined globally in the ABAP Dictionary can be accessed in ABAP programs with TYPE statement. We can also refer to the types defined in the ABAP Dictionary when creating the type of a function module interface. 

If we modify a type definition in the ABAP Dictionary, the system adjusts all ABAP programs connected with this type automatically to this change when they are recreated.

There are three different types: 

Data elements :elementary types and reference types.

Structures: structured types.A structure consists of components that also have a type, that is they refer to a type.

Table types:A table type describes the structure and functional attributes of an internal table.

For example:

TYPES: BEGIN OF struct,

  name TYPE char,

  address TYPE char,

  END OF struct.