Skip to main content

Module 16: ABAP 7.4 / 7.5 Syntax Enhancements

ABAP 7.4 and 7.5 introduced expression-oriented, concise, and readable syntax.
These enhancements shift ABAP from procedural-heavy code to Clean, functional-style ABAP.

1. Inline DATA Declarations​

Inline declarations allow declaring variables at the point of use.

Legacy​

DATA lv_sum TYPE i.
lv_sum = lv_a + lv_b.

Modern (7.4+):​

DATA(lv_sum) = lv_a + lv_b.

Inline in SELECT​

SELECT * FROM spfli
  INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_spfli).
Clean ABAP Rule

Declare variables as late as possible, as close as possible to their usage.

2. Constructor Expressions​

Constructor expressions allow creating data without procedural statements.

2.1 VALUE – Create Structures & Internal Tables​

Structure​

DATA(ls_emp) = VALUE ty_employee(
  emp_id = 1001
  name   = 'Developer'
).

Internal Table​

DATA(lt_numbers) = VALUE i_tab( ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ).
Why VALUE Matters

Eliminates multiple APPEND / CLEAR statements.

2.2 NEW – Create Objects​

DATA(lo_emp) = NEW zcl_employee(
  iv_name = 'Yogesh'
).
Best Practice

Always use NEW instead of CREATE OBJECT in modern ABAP.

3. Table Expressions (Extremely Important)​

Table expressions allow direct access to internal table rows.

Legacy​

READ TABLE gt_emp INTO gs_emp
  WITH KEY emp_id = lv_id.
IF sy-subrc = 0.
  ...
ENDIF.

Modern (7.4+)​

DATA(gs_emp) = gt_emp[ emp_id = lv_id ].

Safe Access​

DATA(gs_emp) = gt_emp[ emp_id = lv_id ] OPTIONAL.
Runtime Risk

Without OPTIONAL, a missing entry raises an exception.

4. COND – Conditional Expression​

Replaces multi-line IF/ELSE assignments.

Legacy​

IF lv_score >= 60.
  lv_status = 'PASS'.
ELSE.
  lv_status = 'FAIL'.
ENDIF.

Modern​

DATA(lv_status) = COND string(
  WHEN lv_score >= 60 THEN 'PASS'
  ELSE 'FAIL'
).
When to Use

Use COND for value assignment, not for complex control flow.

5. SWITCH – Multi-Branch Expression​

Replaces CASE when assigning values.

DATA(lv_text) = SWITCH string( lv_grade
  WHEN 'A' THEN 'Excellent'
  WHEN 'B' THEN 'Good'
  WHEN 'C' THEN 'Average'
  ELSE 'Unknown'
).
Difference from CASE

  • CASE → control flow

  • SWITCH → expression/value

6. REDUCE – Aggregation Expression​

Used to reduce internal tables to single values.

Example: Sum of Values​

DATA(lv_total) = REDUCE i(
  INIT sum = 0
  FOR lv_num IN lt_numbers
  NEXT sum = sum + lv_num
).
Real Use Cases

  • Totals

  • Counters

  • Accumulators

7. FOR Expressions​

FOR expressions replace LOOP + APPEND patterns.

7.1 FOR in VALUE (Table Construction)​

DATA(lt_even) = VALUE i_tab(
  FOR lv_num IN lt_numbers
  WHERE ( lv_num MOD 2 = 0 )
  ( lv_num )
).
Functional Style

This is similar to map/filter in other languages.

7.2 FOR with Index​

DATA(lt_indexed) = VALUE string_tab(
  FOR idx = 1 THEN idx + 1 UNTIL idx > 5
  ( |Row { idx }| )
).

8. LET Expressions​

LET allows defining local helper variables inside expressions.

DATA(lv_result) = LET lv_tax = 18
                  lv_price = 100
                  IN lv_price + ( lv_price * lv_tax / 100 ).
Why LET Exists

Avoids cluttering the outer scope with temporary variables.

9. Combining Expressions (Realistic Example)​

DATA(lv_final_amount) =
  REDUCE p(
    INIT total = 0
    FOR ls_item IN lt_items
    NEXT total = total +
      COND p(
        WHEN ls_item-active = abap_true
        THEN ls_item-amount
        ELSE 0
      )
  ).
Interview Signal

This kind of code clearly signals modern ABAP expertise.

10. What NOT to Overdo​

Overuse Warning

  • Do not create unreadable one-liners

  • Prefer clarity over cleverness

  • Use expressions where they improve readability

11. Summary​

  • Inline DATA reduces boilerplate

  • VALUE & NEW simplify construction

  • Table expressions replace READ TABLE

  • COND / SWITCH replace IF / CASE assignments

  • REDUCE aggregates data

  • FOR replaces LOOP + APPEND

  • LET scopes helper variables cleanly

12. Practice Exercises​

  • Replace READ TABLE with table expressions.

  • Convert LOOP + APPEND to FOR expression.

  • Replace IF assignment with COND.

  • Use REDUCE to calculate totals.

  • Combine FOR + COND + LET in one example.

13. What’s Next?​

➡️ Module 17: Advanced Open SQL (HANA Optimized)

Learning Tip

If you master this module, your ABAP code will immediately look senior-level.