SAP ABAP Eclipse: How to Use Pretty Printer for Code Formatting

ABAP Pretty Printer in Eclipse (ADT)

The Pretty Printer in SAP ABAP Development Tools (ADT) for Eclipse helps format your ABAP code for better readability and consistency. Unlike the SAP GUI version, Eclipse automatically applies formatting rules based on your preferences.

1️⃣ How to Use the Pretty Printer in Eclipse (ADT)

Option 1: Use the Keyboard Shortcut

Press Shift + F1 to format the currently open ABAP code.

Open your ABAP class, program, or function module.
Right-click inside the editor.
Select “Format” (which acts as the Pretty Printer).

Option 3: Auto-Format on Save

Go to Preferences (Window → Preferences).
Navigate to ABAP Development → Editors → Source Code Editors → Formatting.
Enable Auto-Format on Save to automatically apply formatting when saving (Ctrl + S).

2️⃣ Pretty Printer vs. ABAP Cleaner

Pretty Printer (Shift + F1) → Focuses on basic indentation & spacing.
ABAP Cleaner (Ctrl + Shift + 2) → Does more advanced cleanup, such as:
Removing unused variables.
Converting old ABAP syntax to modern syntax.
Optimizing IF conditions and loop structures.

3️⃣ Customizing Pretty Printer Formatting

You can adjust formatting rules in Preferences: 📌 Window → Preferences → ABAP Development → Editors → Source Code Editors → Formatting Here, you can:

Define indentation size (spaces/tabs).
Control spacing before/after keywords.
Enable/disable auto-format on specific rules.

4️⃣ Pro Tip 🚀

Combine Pretty Printer (Shift + F1) and ABAP Cleaner (Ctrl + Shift + 2) to get well-structured and optimized code!

Would you like help with specific formatting settings? 😊