Summary of "20 - ALV - Sorting"

This video tutorial focuses on implementing sorting functionality in ALV (ABAP List Viewer) reports using the manual field catalog method and the grid display function module. The key points and methodology covered are as follows:

Main Ideas and Concepts

Preferred ALV Setup:
- Use the manual field catalog method for defining columns in ALV reports.
- Use the grid display function module (REUSE_ALV_GRID_DISPLAY) for output, as it is preferred by customers.
Sorting Requirement: Customers often want the ALV output to be automatically sorted by a specific column (e.g., creation date) in ascending or descending order without manually clicking the sort buttons on the ALV toolbar.
Default Behavior vs Customer Requirement:
- Default ALV allows sorting by clicking column headers (ascending/descending).
- Customer wants sorting to be applied automatically when the report runs.
Using the ID_SORT Parameter:
- The grid display function module has a parameter called ID_SORT which can be used to programmatically specify sorting criteria.
- ID_SORT expects an internal table of a specific structure that defines the sort order, field name, and direction.

Methodology / Step-by-Step Instructions to Implement Sorting

Create a Copy of Existing ALV Program
Keep the original intact and work on a copy to add sorting functionality step-by-step.
Understand the ID_SORT Parameter
ID_SORT is an importing parameter of type table, referring to a structure that contains sorting details. Explore the type by double-clicking in the ABAP editor to understand its fields.
Declare Internal Table and Work Area
Declare an internal table lt_sort of the same type as ID_SORT. Declare a work area ls_sort of the corresponding structure type.
Fill the Sorting Structure
Assign the field name on which to sort, e.g., 'ERDAT' for creation date. Specify the sort direction by setting the UP or DOWN field to 'X' (capital X):
- UP = 'X' means ascending order.
- DOWN = 'X' means descending order.
Append the Work Area to the Internal Table
Append ls_sort to lt_sort.
Pass the Sorting Table to the Grid Display Function Module
Pass lt_sort to the ID_SORT parameter of REUSE_ALV_GRID_DISPLAY.
Run and Test the Program
Execute the program to verify that the output is sorted automatically as per the specified order without manual intervention.

Summary of Learning

How to implement automatic sorting in ALV output using the ID_SORT parameter.
How to define the sorting criteria programmatically in ABAP.
The difference between default manual sorting and automated sorting as per customer requirements.

Speakers / Sources

Primary Speaker: The video appears to be presented by a single ABAP instructor or trainer explaining the concepts and demonstrating the coding process.
No other speakers or external sources are mentioned.

This summary captures the core lesson on how to programmatically control sorting in ALV reports using ABAP.