Top SAP Internal Tables Interview Questions & Answers:

1. What is the difference between internal table and structure?

There are there types of structure:-
1. Flat structure( elementary fields)
2. Nested structure ( type reference to other structure)
3. deep structure ( type reference to database tables)

2. Can any one give me brief explanation about internal tables, and work area?

*An internal table is a run time instance. It get created when program starts execution. *It get destroyed when program terminates. It has two different parts: HeaderLine(optional) and Body(Compulsory). *Any value that comes to or goes from interanal table, that travels through headerline.

3. What is Size of the internal tables?

The size of the internal tables are set using the 'occurs n' clause. Here n refers to a integer number that specifies the size. Usually its given as 'occurs 0' which creates an itab with the memmory space of 8kb.

4. Explain row type and line type concept?

ine type refers to the structure of an internal table,whereas row type is the actual part that contains the data and it refers to the table body.creating internal table using line type and row type concept is for reusability purpose.Line type and Row type are defined at DDIC LEVEL.

5. Explain Hashed tables in SAP Internal Tables?

This is the most appropriate type for any table where the main operation is key access. You cannot access a hashed table using its index. The response time for key access remains constant, regardless of the number of table entries. Like database tables, hashed tables always have a unique key. Hashed tables are useful if you want to construct and use an internal table which resembles a database table or for processing large amounts of data.

6. Explain Sorted tables in SAP Internal Tables?

This is the most appropriate type if you need a table which is sorted as you fill it. You fill sorted tables using the INSERT statement. Entries are inserted according to the sort sequence defined through the table key. Any illegal entries are recognized as soon as you try to add them to the table. The response time for key access is logarithmically proportional to the number of table entries, since the system always uses a binary search. Sorted tables are particularly useful for partially sequential processing in a LOOP if you specify the beginning of the table key in the WHERE condition.

7. Explain Standard tables in SAP Internal Tables?

This is the most appropriate type if you are going to address the individual table entries using the index. Index access is the quickest possible access. You should fill a standard table by appending lines (ABAP APPEND statement), and read, modify and delete entries by specifying the index (INDEX option with the relevant ABAP command). The access time for a standard table increases in a linear relationship with the number of table entries. If you need key access, standard tables are particularly useful if you can fill and process the table in separate steps. For example, you could fill the table by appending entries, and then sort it. If you use the binary search option with key access, the response time is logarithmically proportional to the number of table entries.

8. Explain Choosing a Table Type in SAP Internal Tables?

The table type (and particularly the access method) that you will use depends on how the typical internal table operations will be most frequently executed.

9. Internal Tables as Dynamic Data Objects?

Data objects that are defined either with the data type of an internal table, or directly as an internal table, are always fully defined in respect of their line type, key and access method. However, the number of lines is not fixed. Thus internal tables are dynamic data objects, since they can contain any number of lines of a particular type. The only restriction on the number of lines an internal table may contain are the limits of your system installation. The maximum memory that can be occupied by an internal table (including its internal administration) is 2 gigabytes. A more realistic figure is up to 500 megabytes. An additional restriction for hashed tables is that they may not contain more than 2 million entries. The line types of internal tables can be any ABAP data types - elementary, structured, or internal tables. The individual lines of an internal table are called table lines or table entries. Each component of a structured line is called a column in the internal table.

10. What is Generic Internal Tables?

Unlike other local data types in programs, we do not have to specify the data type of an internal table fully. Instead, we can specify a generic construction, that is, the key or key and line type of an internal table data type may remain unspecified. We can use generic internal tables to specify the types of field symbols and the interface parameters of procedures . We cannot use them to declare data objects.