ABAP Long Text

There are times that you need to store a lot of text with huge number of characters. Sometimes defining it in a custom field and custom domain is not the solution. This is where the Text Table comes in handy. You can use this Table to store your text and “connect” it to another table using some sort of key. This key can be just the combination of multiple field value from another table. Here are the steps to create it:

Configurational Step

1. Go to Transaction Code SE75: Text Objects and IDs -> Change -> Create New
2. Fill the field like so, then continue:
   Editor Application = TX
   Line Width = 132
   Text Object = (Anything up to 10 digit characters)
   Save Mode = Update
3. Double Click on the newly added Text Object -> Create New
4. Fill the field like so, then Continue:
   Text ID = (Anything up to 4 characters)
   Display in title = (Checked)
5. Save it

Storing The Text

DATA header_param       TYPE thead.
TYPES longtext_type TYPE TABLE OF tline WITH EMPTY KEY.
 
CONSTANTS key          TYPE tdobname VALUE `abc123`. 
CONSTANTS text_object  TYPE tdobject VALUE `ZOBJECT`. "Text Object as configured in step 2 above
 CONSTANTS text_id      TYPE tdid VALUE `ZID`. "Text ID as configured in step 4 above
 
 
 header_param =  VALUE #( tdname = key
                 tdobject = text_object
                 tdid = text_id
                 tdspras = sy-langu ).
 
 DATA(longtexts) = VALUE longtext_type( ( tdformat = '/' tdline = 'This is the first line' )
                                        ( tdformat = '/' tdline = 'This is still the first line' )
                                        ( tdformat = '*' tdline = 'This will be on the next line' ) ).
 
 
 CALL FUNCTION 'SAVE_TEXT'
   EXPORTING
     header          = header_param
     savemode_direct = 'X'
   TABLES
     lines           = longtexts "The Text
   EXCEPTIONS
     id              = 1
     language        = 2
     name            = 3
     object          = 4
     OTHERS          = 5.
 IF sy-subrc <> 0.
   MESSAGE ID sy-msgid TYPE sy-msgty NUMBER sy-msgno  
    WITH sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4.
 ELSE.
   WRITE:/ 'Successfully stored'.
 ENDIF.

Retrieving The Text

DATA header_param       TYPE thead.
 DATA longtexts TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF tline.
 
 CONSTANTS key          TYPE tdobname VALUE `abc123`. "This just an example of key
 CONSTANTS text_object  TYPE tdobject VALUE `ZOBJECT`. "Text Object as configured in step 2 above
 CONSTANTS text_id      TYPE tdid VALUE `ZID`. "Text ID as configured in step 4 above
 
 
 
 CALL FUNCTION 'READ_TEXT'
   EXPORTING
     id                      = text_id
     language                = sy-langu
     name                    = key
     object                  = text_object
   TABLES
     lines                   = longtexts "The Text Retrieved
   EXCEPTIONS
     id                      = 1
     language                = 2
     name                    = 3
     not_found               = 4
     object                  = 5
     reference_check         = 6
     wrong_access_to_archive = 7
     OTHERS                  = 8.
 IF sy-subrc <> 0.
   MESSAGE ID sy-msgid TYPE sy-msgty NUMBER sy-msgno  
    WITH sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4.
 ELSE.
   "Proceed with text data from internal table longtext
 ENDIF.

I hope you find this useful in any way.