How to change a field of type CHAR of a database table to DATS

Question

Dear ABAP experts,
I have a database table: ZLT_aztnew with fields M1, M2, K1, K2, A1, A2, P1, P2, S2, D1, D2,  STD, BES. All these fields are of type 'Character'.  except D2 which is of type DATS. The field D1 is date and is in format DD.MM.YYYY.
I want to convert this field D1 to type DATS so that I can use a date range through 'selection option' to select other  data of other fields (M1, M2, K1, K2, A1, A2, P1, P2, S2, D1, STD, BES.) related to field D1 from the database table Zlt_aztnew.
How should I introduce this change (CONVERSION OF D1 CHAR to DATS in the .AZT file upload code itself.
Problem: If I define D1 as Type  DATS in database table ZLT_AZTNEW then the UPLOAD fails.
The AZT file upload code is:
Data  it_string   type stringtab.
Data  lv_string    type string.
DATA:  itab  TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF zlt_aztnew.
DATA:  wa_tab    TYPE zlt_aztnew.
DATA: file_str1 type string.
Data: it_tab TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF file_table,
        lw_file LIKE LINE OF it_tab,
        gd_subrc TYPE i.
SELECTION-SCREEN begin of block blk with frame title text-100.
  SELECTION-SCREEN SKIP 2.
    parameters : p_file like rlgrap-filename .
SELECTION-SCREEN end of block blk.
AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON VALUE-REQUEST FOR p_file.
CALL METHOD cl_gui_frontend_services=>file_open_dialog
    EXPORTING
    window_title = 'Select only Text File'
    default_filename = '.azt'
    multiselection = 'X'
    CHANGING
    file_table = it_tab
    rc = gd_subrc.
READ TABLE it_tab INTO lw_file INDEX 1.
   p_file = lw_file-FILENAME.
Start-of-Selection.
  file_str1 = P_file.
CALL FUNCTION 'GUI_UPLOAD'
  EXPORTING
    filename                      = file_str1
*    filename                      = '\\10.10.1.92\Volume_1\_projekte\Zeiterfassung-SAP\test.azt'
  tables
    data_tab                      = it_string
IF sy-subrc <> 0.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
ENDIF.
LOOP AT it_string  INTO lv_string.
clear wa_tab.
SPLIT lv_string AT ';' INTO  wa_tab-M2   wa_tab-k2   wa_tab-A2   wa_tab-P2  wa_tab-S2   wa_tab-D1  wa_tab-STD  wa_tab-BES.
Append wa_tab to itab.
Write: sy-uline(120),
          / sy-vline,
            2 wa_tab-M2,
           11 sy-vline,
           13 wa_tab-k2,
           25 sy-vline,
           27 wa_tab-A2,
           32 sy-vline,
           34 wa_tab-P2,
           39 sy-vline,
           41 wa_tab-S2,
           46 sy-vline,
           48 wa_tab-D1,
           60 sy-vline,
           62 wa_tab-STD,
           72 sy-vline,
           74 wa_tab-BES,
          120 sy-vline.
ENDLOOP.
DATA: Answer.
UPDATE zlt_aztnew From Table itab.
* INSERT ZLT_aztnew From Table itab accepting duplicate keys.
If sy-subrc NE 0.
CALL FUNCTION 'POPUP_TO_CONFIRM'
  EXPORTING
   TITLEBAR                    = 'TITLE '
*   DIAGNOSE_OBJECT             = ' '
    text_question               = 'Wollen Sie die vorhandenen Inhalte ändern'
   TEXT_BUTTON_1               = 'Ja'(001)
*   ICON_BUTTON_1               = ' '
   TEXT_BUTTON_2               = 'Nein'(002)
*   ICON_BUTTON_2               = ' '
   DEFAULT_BUTTON              = '1'
   DISPLAY_CANCEL_BUTTON       = 'X'
*   USERDEFINED_F1_HELP         = ' '
*   START_COLUMN                = 25
*   START_ROW                   = 6
*   POPUP_TYPE                  =
*   IV_QUICKINFO_BUTTON_1       = ' '
*   IV_QUICKINFO_BUTTON_2       = ' '
IMPORTING
   answer                      = answer
* TABLES
*   PARAMETER                   =
EXCEPTIONS
   TEXT_NOT_FOUND              = 1
   OTHERS                      = 2
*IF sy-subrc <> 0.
** MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
**         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
*ENDIF.
IF Answer = '1'.
WRITE: / 'Die vorhandenen Inhalte war geändernt'.
MODIFY zlt_aztnew From Table itab.
ENDIF.
ENDIF.
TO introduce a date range and pull data from the database table Zlt_AZTNEW--> I wrote the BELOW code SEPARATELY,
but after execution, the error I am getting is: Enter a valid Date (for example, 31.03.2014).
TABLES:   ZLT_aztnew.
TYPES:  Begin OF ty_AZTN,
         M2   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-M2,
         K2   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-K2,
         A2   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-A2,
         P2   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-P2,
         S2   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-S2,
         D1   TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-D1,
         STD  TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-STD,
         BES  TYPE Zlt_AZTNEW-BES,
       END OF ty_AZTN.
DATA:   gv_datum  TYPE d.
DATA:   it_aztn TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_aztn with  header line.
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL'
  EXPORTING
    date_external                  = zlt_aztnew-D1
*   ACCEPT_INITIAL_DATE            =
IMPORTING
   DATE_INTERNAL                  = gv_datum
* EXCEPTIONS
*   DATE_EXTERNAL_IS_INVALID       = 1
*   OTHERS                         = 2
IF sy-subrc <> 0.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
ENDIF.
       SELECT-OPTIONS: s_datum FOR gv_datum.
      INITIALIZATION.
        s_datum-low  = sy-datum.
        s_datum-high  = sy-datum.
        APPEND s_datum.
********** After this further code follows with "SELECT"  wherein I want to use the gv_datum as Where condition.
SELECT   M2
                  K2
                  A2
                  P2
                  S2
                  D1
                  STD
                  BES
         FROM     ZLt_AZTNEW
         INTO     TABLE it_AZTN
         Where    D1 = gv_datum.
Please provide me your valuable suggestion to correct any flaw in my code above.
Looking forward for your reply.
Best regards
Chandan Kumar

Answer 1

Dear Rama,
Plz refer the following difference in naming conventions as compared to your suggestion:
it_flat_file --> itab, (internal table for AZT fiel upload and split)
ls_flat_file ---> wa_itab,
Ztable --> Zlt_aztnew2,    (Dbase file)
it_ztable ---> it_zlt_aztnew2, (internal table)
ls_ztable --> wa_aztnew2,
I wrote the following code but it is not working. Please also refer the attached screen shot of the database table : ZLT_AZTNEW2.
Data  it_string   type stringtab.
Data  lv_string   type string.
DATA: file_str1 type string.
Data: it_tab TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF file_table,
      lw_file LIKE LINE OF it_tab,
      gd_subrc TYPE i.
TYPES: Begin of Ty_itab,
        M2  TYPE Char7,
        K2  TYPE Char3,
        A2  TYPE Char3,
        P2  TYPE Char3,
        S2  TYPE Char3,
        D1  TYPE Char8,
        STD TYPE Char8,
        BES TYPE Char80,
       END OF ty_itab.
DATA: itab Type Standard Table of ty_itab,
      wa_itab Type ty_itab.
DATA: it_zlt_aztnew2 type standard table of Zlt_aztnew2,
      wa_aztnew2     TYPE Zlt_aztnew2.
SELECTION-SCREEN begin of block blk with frame title text-100.
  SELECTION-SCREEN SKIP 2.
    parameters : p_file like rlgrap-filename .
SELECTION-SCREEN end of block blk.
AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON VALUE-REQUEST FOR p_file.
  CALL METHOD cl_gui_frontend_services=>file_open_dialog
    EXPORTING
    window_title = 'Select only Text File'
    default_filename = '.azt'
    multiselection = 'X'
    CHANGING
    file_table = it_tab
    rc = gd_subrc.
  READ TABLE it_tab INTO lw_file INDEX 1.
  p_file = lw_file-FILENAME.
Start-of-Selection.
  file_str1 = P_file.
CALL FUNCTION 'GUI_UPLOAD'
  EXPORTING
    filename                      = file_str1
*    filename                      = '\\10.10.1.92\Volume_1\_projekte\Zeiterfassung-SAP\test.azt'
  tables
    data_tab                      = it_string
IF sy-subrc <> 0.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
ENDIF.
LOOP AT it_string  INTO lv_string.
  Clear wa_itab.
  SPLIT lv_string AT ';' INTO  wa_itab-M2   wa_itab-k2   wa_itab-A2   wa_itab-P2  wa_itab-S2         wa_itab-D1  wa_itab-STD  wa_itab-BES.
  append wa_itab to itab.
  Write: sy-uline(120),
          / sy-vline,
            2 wa_itab-M2,
           11 sy-vline,
           13 wa_itab-k2,
           25 sy-vline,
           27 wa_itab-A2,
           32 sy-vline,
           34 wa_itab-P2,
           39 sy-vline,
           41 wa_itab-S2,
           46 sy-vline,
           48 wa_itab-D1,
           60 sy-vline,
           62 wa_itab-STD,
           72 sy-vline,
           74 wa_itab-BES,
          120 sy-vline.
ENDLOOP.
LOOP at itab into wa_itab.
  CLEAR wa_aztnew2.
  wa_aztnew2-D1+0(4) = wa_itab+6(4).
  wa_aztnew2-D1+4(2) = wa_itab+3(2).
  wa_aztnew2-D1+6(2) = wa_itab+0(2).
Append wa_aztnew2 to it_zlt_aztnew2.
ENDLOOP.
MODIFY Zlt_aztnew2 from table it_zlt_aztnew2.
Looking forward for your suggestiojn.
Regards
Chandan