0010 - Named Constants

[Rich]

Named Constants.

How many times have you seen code like this:

Code: Select all

FORM user_command_0200.
  CASE ok_code.
    WHEN 'TSCM'.
      PERFORM set_desired_start_screen   USING gc_screen_transports
                                      CHANGING gv_start_screen.
      PERFORM set_screen_number          USING gc_screen_transports
                                      CHANGING dv_dynnr
                                               maintabstrip-activetab.
    WHEN 'TSFF'.
      PERFORM set_desired_start_screen   USING gc_screen_piece_lists
                                      CHANGING gv_start_screen.
      PERFORM set_screen_number          USING gc_screen_piece_lists
                                      CHANGING dv_dynnr
                                               maintabstrip-activetab.
    WHEN 'TSMM'.
     PERFORM set_desired_start_screen   USING gc_screen_client_requests
                                         CHANGING gv_start_screen.
     PERFORM set_screen_number          USING gc_screen_client_requests
                                         CHANGING dv_dynnr
                                                 maintabstrip-activetab.
    WHEN 'TSPD'.
      PERFORM set_desired_start_screen   USING gc_screen_delivery
                                      CHANGING gv_start_screen.
      PERFORM set_screen_number          USING gc_screen_delivery
                                      CHANGING dv_dynnr
                                               maintabstrip-activetab.
    WHEN 'TSSN'.
      PERFORM set_desired_start_screen   USING gc_screen_single_request
                                      CHANGING gv_start_screen.
      PERFORM set_screen_number          USING gc_screen_single_request
                                      CHANGING dv_dynnr
                                               maintabstrip-activetab.

    WHEN 'TOGGLE'.
      CALL TRANSACTION 'SE09'.
      LEAVE PROGRAM.

    WHEN OTHERS.

The question I would ask is what do the 4 character OK codes mean ? This also applies to other code as well including function module calls, procedure calls and so on and so forth.

Would it not be easier to understand if it was coded something like this:

Code: Select all

Module User_Command_0100 input.
       Case sy-Ucomm.
            When c_Rollback.    Perform Check_Back_0100.
            When c_Save.        Perform Save_Data_0100 Changing w_Ok.
                                If w_Ok = True.
                                   Leave to screen 0.
                                EndIf.
            When c_Insert_Row.  Perform Insert_Line_0100.
            When c_Delete_Row.  Perform Delete_Line_0100.
            When c_TableTop.    Move 0 to g_Start.
            When c_Up_1_Page.   Subtract g_Max_Step_Loop from g_Start.
                                If g_Start < 0.
                                   Move 0 to g_Start.
                                EndIf.
            When c_Down_1_Page. 

Each of the Ok codes has been placed in a constant that gives a good idea of what the code is meant to do:

Code: Select all

Constants: c_Type_Menu    type Seu_Type    Value 'MENU', "For Node
           c_Type_Command type Seu_Type    Value 'CMND', "Types in the
           c_Type_Trans   type Seu_Type    Value 'TRAN', "RS Tree,
           c_Type_Title   type Seu_Type    Value 'TITL',
*
*          Colors for different parts of tree display
*
           c_Menu_Color   type i           Value 4,
           c_Cmnd_Color   type i           Value 5,
           c_Trans_Color  type i           Value 6,
           c_Title_Color  type i           Value 3,
*
*          Tree list function codes
*
           c_Add_Node     type syUcomm     Value 'ZRAD',
           c_Delete_Node  type syUcomm     Value 'ZRDL',
           c_Rename_Node  type syUcomm     Value 'ZRRN',
           c_Move_Node    type syUcomm     Value 'ZRMV',
           c_Mark_Node    type syUcomm     Value 'TRMK',
           c_Expand       type syUcomm     Value 'TREP',
           c_Collapse     type syUcomm     Value 'TRCM',
           c_Pos_Cursor   type syUcomm     Value 'TRTO',

As you can see, I tend to place a large number of values into constants, and then use that constant where ever I need that value.

This also decreases the maintenance effort required for a program as should a value need to be changed, it only needs to be changed in one place - in the constant definition.

Also, a suggestion from Rob D, which also highlights maintainability:

If in a select statement I have to retrieve all the entries of a transparent table where a certain field contains initial values, I use a constant.

Code: Select all

tables: T5NDK. 

CONSTANTS: c_init_bunum LIKE t5ndk-bunum VALUE IS INITIAL. 

DATA : i_t5ndk LIKE STANDARD TABLE OF t5ndk, 
           wa_t5ndk LIKE LINE OF i_t5ndk. 

select  * from t5ndk into table i_t5ndk where bunum eq c_init_bunum. 

Again, it's making the code easier to read and initialises the value correctly without typing loads of zeroes.