SAP ABAP Data Element APEL_PATH_EXPRESSION (Extraction Path)
Hierarchy
☛ SAP_ABA (Software Component) Cross-Application Component
   ⤷ CA-FS-ECH (Application Component) Error and Conflict Handler
     ⤷ FS_ECH_APEL_CORE (Package) ABAP Path Expression Language
Basic Data
Data Element APEL_PATH_EXPRESSION
Short Description Extraction Path  
Data Type
Category of Dictionary Type D   Domain
Type of Object Referenced     No Information
Domain / Name of Reference Type APEL_PATH_EXPRESSION    
Data Type STRG   Character String of Variable Length 
Length 0    
Decimal Places 0    
Output Length 0    
Value Table      
Further Characteristics
Search Help: Name    
Search Help: Parameters    
Parameter ID   
Default Component name    
Change document    
No Input History    
Basic direction is set to LTR    
No BIDI Filtering    
Field Label
  Length  Field Label  
Short 10 Extr. Path 
Medium 20 Extraction Path 
Long 30 Extraction Path 
Heading 30 Extraction Path 
Documentation

Definition

Localizes deep data structures in ABAP.

Use

Dependencies

The rules for building an expression in the ABAP Path Expression Language (APEL) are listed in enhanced Backus Naur Form (EBNF). The start symbol for the language is 'path'.

Symbol        Definition

Path    =    root, {tableLineExpression}, [componentExpression| refToComponent | refToData];

componentExpression    =    structureSeparator, componentName, {tableLineExpression}, [componentExpression| refToComponent | refToData];

refToData    =    referenceSeparator, referencedData, {tableLineExpression}, [refToComponent | refToData];

refToComponent    =    referenceSeparator, componentname, {tableLineExpression}, [componentExpression| refToComponent | refToData];

tableLineExpression    =    tableLineOpeningBracket, (tableLineIndex | tableLineFirstIndex | tableLineLastIndex | tableLineMassAccess), tableLineClosingBracket;

componentname    =    allowedCharacter, 29 *[allowedCharacter];

allowedCharacter    =    letter | digit |specialCharacter;

tableLineIndex    =    digit - "0", {digit};

letter    =    "A" | "B" | "C" | "D" | "E" | "F" | "G" | "H" | "I" | "J" | "K" | "L" | "M" | "N" | "O" | "P" | "Q" | "R" | "S" | "T" | "U" | "V" | "W" | "X" | "Y" | "Z";

digit    =    "0" | "1" | "2" | "3" | "4" | "5" | "6" | "7" | "8" | "9";

specialCharacter    =    "_" | "/" ;

tableLineOpeningBracket    =    "[";

tableLineClosingBracket    =    "]";

structureSeparator    =    "-";

referenceSeparator    =    "->"

referencedData    =    "*"

root    =    "root";

tableLineFirstIndex    =    "first";

tableLineLastIndex    =    "last";

tableLineMassAccess    =    "all";

Example

Valid APEL expression: "root-STRUC-TABLE[first]-REF->FIELD".

This expression specifies the following path:

  • A root structure with a STRUC field exists. This in turn, contains a deep structure.
  • This structure has a TABLE field. This structure contains a table, the first row of which is to be accessed.
  • The structure of the table has a REF field. This contains a data reference.
  • The data reference refers to a structure with a FIELD field.

History
Last changed by/on SAP  20110908 
SAP Release Created in 730