Data Display with the ALV

The ALV is used in various standard reports and reporting tools, such as SAP Query. ABAP programmers can use it in their own programs.

The ALV has several interactive standard functions, such as Print, that end users can use. As a programmer, you can hide, adjust, or extend these standard functions.

The ALV Object Model (ALV OM) was introduced for SAP NetWeaver 2004.

The ALV OM offers the following output forms for nonhierarchical lists:

• Full screen
• Embedded in a container (filling only a part of a subscreen container)
• Classic ABAP list

The ALV is embedded in a container in the ALV grid control version that was introduced for SAP R/3 4.6. In many respects, you operate it in a similar way.

ALV Screen Layout in a Container

The screen layout of the ALV container is composed of the following areas:

• Toolbar
  The toolbar is displayed in the header area. The calling program can hide individual functions or the entire toolbar.
• List header
  The calling program can display a single-line list header under the toolbar.
• Data area
  The data area is below the header. The data area has a structure of its own.

Data Area Layout

The data is passed from the calling program as an internal table.

If the data table contains more rows and columns than can be displayed in the control area, horizontal and vertical scroll bars appear automatically.

You can divide the columns into lead and non-lead columns.

Lead columns have the following features:

• They are different in color to non-lead columns
• They have a fixed position and do not move when the user scrolls horizontally through the list

In your program, you can make any column of your data table a lead column.

Standard Functions

Some standard functions are included in the application toolbar so that you do not need to implement them yourself.

These standard functions are as follows:

• Details
  The Details function displays the data for the selected row in a modal dialog box.
• Sort ascending or descending
  The Sort ascending or Sort descending function displays the content of the list sorted by the columns that the user selects. In the dialog box, user can specify multiple columns, in the order in which the columns are used for sorting.
• Search
  The Search function helps users to specify search terms and the search order (columns or rows).
• Set filter
  The Set filter function restricts the dataset display based on any filter criteria the user chooses.
• Total
  The Total function helps users display the total, the arithmetic mean, the maximum value, or the minimum value for the numeric columns they select.
• Subtotal
  The Subtotal function displays subtotals for a data group, which the users define by selecting a nonnumeric column.
• Print
  The Print function opens the standard Print dialog box.
• Views: Output List
  The Views: Output List function displays a print preview.
• Export
  The Export function allows users to open other installed applications with the data.
• Layout
  The Layout function allows the user to change the current configuration of the display.
• Graphic
  The Graphic function opens a graphic editor with the data from the list. Users can choose other processing options by double-clicking them.

Use of the Mouse

The right mouse button (context menu) performs the following functions:

• You can hide selected columns for a clearer layout. You can choose the Show column header, to display the required columns again in a dialog box.
• You can choose the Optimum Width function to adjust the columns that are displayed to their optimum widths automatically.
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