Is PROVIDE-ENDPROVIDE statement obsolete ? Can I use it from now onwards?

Question

Hello Techies..
I am working on HR ABAP, I have used PNP LDB extensively.
I came to know from SAP help that Provide-Endprovide statement has been obsolete in newer version of
SAP. I am aware that it is obsolete in ABAP OO context. But does that mean - we should not use provide - endprovide in our report(type 1 program).
I would be glad if you can focus some light on this point.
My second doubt:
I am using PNP LDB, can I replace PNP by PNPCE (since PNP is replaced by PNPCE in newer version).
If I do so my existing functionality will be affected.
Can you give me a brief of added features of PNPCE?
Points will be rewarded to satisfying answer !!
Regards,
Mihir.

Answer 1

>
Mihir Nagar wrote:
> I came to know from SAP help that Provide-Endprovide statement has been obsolete in newer version of SAP. I am aware that it is obsolete in ABAP OO context.  
> Mihir.
Hello Mihir,
That is not correct. The syntax for PROVIDE statement has changed in the newer version as a result the old syntax has been declared obsolete by SAP but that is not to say that the PROVIDE statement itself has become obsolete, if I understand you correctly.
Here's the (old) syntax which has become obsolete:
PROVIDE {*|{comp1 comp2 ...}} FROM itab1
        {*|{comp1 comp2 ...}} FROM itab2
        BETWEEN extliml AND extlimu.
And here's the (new) syntax for the same PROVIDE statement which you should use in the newer SAP releases:
PROVIDE FIELDS {*|{comp1 comp2 ...}}
               FROM itab1 INTO wa1 VALID flag1
               BOUNDS intliml1 AND intlimu1
               [WHERE log_exp1]
        FIELDS {*|{comp1 comp2 ...}}
               FROM itab2 INTO wa2 VALID flag2
               BOUNDS intliml2 AND intlimu2
               [WHERE log_exp2]
        BETWEEN extliml AND extlimu
        [INCLUDING GAPS].
ENDPROVIDE.
Note the changes in the syntax. The new syntax can be used to evaluate and process records in an internal table the same way you used to with the old syntax depending on the options you are using from the new syntax. In summary, the new syntax is able to do exactly the same processing as the old but only difference in the new syntax is that the introduction of additional keywords like FIELDS, VALID and BOUNDS. You'll also notice that the new syntax requires a single workarea to read the record in the provide-endprovide loop unlike the old syntax where it did not require an explicit workarea.
>
Mihir Nagar wrote:
> My second doubt:
> I am using PNP LDB, can I replace PNP by PNPCE (since PNP is replaced by PNPCE in newer version). If I do so my
> existing functionality will be affected. Can you give me a brief
> of added features of PNPCE?
> Mihir.
It only makes sense to use PNPCE if your comany uses the SAP functionality of Concurrent Employment (CE) in HR - i.e. this feature is turned on (active) via the IMG. If CE is not active there's no problem continuing to use PNP as this is not declared obsolete or anything like that but SAP recommends that all new developments should use LDB PNPCE - I understand existing developements should be fine (as long they don't have to handle CE scenarios).
So let me know if CE is active and you need to replace all PNP reports with PNPCE and I'll be happy to send you an overview with code snippets etc.
Hope this helps and please don't forget to reward points.
Cheers,
Sougata.