SAP ABAP: Check if String Begins With (Methods & Examples)

In SAP ABAP, you can check if a string begins with a specific substring using various methods:

1. Using `STRLEN` + `IF` Condition

DATA: lv_string TYPE string VALUE 'ABAP Programming',
      lv_prefix TYPE string VALUE 'ABAP',
      lv_length TYPE i.

lv_length = STRLEN( lv_prefix ).

IF lv_string( lv_length ) = lv_prefix.
  WRITE: 'String begins with ABAP'.
ELSE.
  WRITE: 'String does not begin with ABAP'.
ENDIF.

Extracts the first lv_length characters and compares them to lv_prefix.

2. Using `CS` (Contains String) Operator with `OFFSET` (ABAP 7.40+)

DATA: lv_string TYPE string VALUE 'ABAP Programming'.

IF lv_string+0(* ) CS 'ABAP'.
  WRITE: 'String begins with ABAP'.
ELSE.
  WRITE: 'String does not begin with ABAP'.
ENDIF.

This checks whether 'ABAP' appears at the beginning.

3. Using `MATCHES` with Regular Expressions (ABAP 7.40+)

DATA: lv_string TYPE string VALUE 'ABAP Programming'.

IF lv_string MATCHES '^ABAP.*'.
  WRITE: 'String begins with ABAP'.
ELSE.
  WRITE: 'String does not begin with ABAP'.
ENDIF.

^ABAP ensures that the string starts with “ABAP”.

4. Using `FIND` Statement

DATA: lv_string TYPE string VALUE 'ABAP Programming'.

FIND 'ABAP' IN lv_string POSITION sy-fdpos.
IF sy-fdpos = 0.
  WRITE: 'String begins with ABAP'.
ELSE.
  WRITE: 'String does not begin with ABAP'.
ENDIF.

Checks if “ABAP” is found at position 0.

Best Practice

Use lv_string( lv_length ) = lv_prefix for older ABAP versions.
Use MATCHES for flexible and powerful pattern matching (ABAP 7.40+).

1. Using STRLEN + IF Condition

2. Using CS (Contains String) Operator with OFFSET (ABAP 7.40+)

3. Using MATCHES with Regular Expressions (ABAP 7.40+)

4. Using FIND Statement

Best Practice

1. Using `STRLEN` + `IF` Condition

2. Using `CS` (Contains String) Operator with `OFFSET` (ABAP 7.40+)

3. Using `MATCHES` with Regular Expressions (ABAP 7.40+)

4. Using `FIND` Statement