Various ways to build an ALV Fieldcatalog within SAP

There are many ways in which to build a field catalog, some of which can be found below:
* * * * * Building a fieldcatalog based on a dictionary structure/table This Method requires you to create a dictionary structure via SE11 and pass that in the 'I_STRUCTURE_NAME' parameter. The below example will be for all of EKKO but you could create a new structure containing only the fields you require.

*For Function module ALV (report) DATA: it_fieldcat TYPE slis_t_fieldcat_alv, wa_fieldcat LIKE LINE OF it_fieldcat. CALL FUNCTION 'REUSE_ALV_FIELDCATALOG_MERGE' EXPORTING i_structure_name = 'EKKO' CHANGING ct_fieldcat = it_fieldcat EXCEPTIONS inconsistent_interface = 1 program_error = 2 OTHERS = 3. IF sy-subrc <> 0. MESSAGE ID sy-msgid TYPE sy-msgty NUMBER sy-msgno WITH sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4. ENDIF.

*For object ALV (Screen) DATA: gd_fieldcat2 type LVC_T_FCAT. CALL FUNCTION 'LVC_FIELDCATALOG_MERGE' EXPORTING * I_BUFFER_ACTIVE = I_STRUCTURE_NAME = 'EKKO' * I_CLIENT_NEVER_DISPLAY = 'X' * I_BYPASSING_BUFFER = CHANGING ct_fieldcat = gd_fieldcat2 EXCEPTIONS INCONSISTENT_INTERFACE = 1 PROGRAM_ERROR = 2 OTHERS = 3.

* Building a fieldcatalog based on an internal table * This method relies on the internal table(IT_EKKO) having been

* declared within an include(i.e. ZDEMO_ALVGRID_STRUCTURE) using * version 4.0 method of declaration: * data: begin of it_ekko occurs 0, * ebeln like ekko-ebeln, * ... * end of it_ekko. data: gd_fieldcat type slis_fieldcat_alv occurs 0. * Include to store internal table structure required for FM * 'REUSE_ALV_FIELDCATALOG_MERGE'. include: ZDEMO_ALVGRID_STRUCTURE. ----------------------------call function 'REUSE_ALV_FIELDCATALOG_MERGE' exporting i_program_name = 'ZDEMO_ALVGRID' i_internal_tabname = 'IT_EKKO_ALT' i_inclname = 'ZDEMO_ALVGRID_STRUCTURE' changing ct_fieldcat = gd_fieldcat exceptions inconsistent_interface = 1 program_error = 2 others = 3.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Another way is to build the fieldcatalog manualy by populating the internal table fields individually and then appending the rows. This method can be the most time consuming but can also allow you more control of the final product. Beware though, there are many fields that can be populated and you need to ensure that those fields required are populated. When using some of functionality available via ALV such as total. You may need to provide more information than if you were simply displaying the result I.e. Field type may be required in-order for the total function to work.

data: fieldcatalog type slis_t_fieldcat_alv with header line. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'EBELN'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Purchase Order'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 0. fieldcatalog-outputlen = 10. fieldcatalog-emphasize = 'X'. fieldcatalog-key = 'X'. * fieldcatalog-do_sum = 'X'. * fieldcatalog-no_zero = 'X'. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'EBELP'.

fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'PO Item'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 1. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'STATU'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Status'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 2. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'AEDAT'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Item change date'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 3. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'MATNR'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Material Number'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 4. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'MENGE'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'PO quantity'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 5. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'MEINS'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Order Unit'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 6. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'NETPR'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Net Price'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 7. fieldcatalog-outputlen = 15. fieldcatalog-datatype = 'CURR'. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog. fieldcatalog-fieldname = 'PEINH'. fieldcatalog-seltext_m = 'Price Unit'. fieldcatalog-col_pos = 8. append fieldcatalog to fieldcatalog. clear fieldcatalog.