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Object creation

The create command family covers 21 ABAP object types. Each command runs a validate → transport check / auto-select → create workflow, with a package-specific creation path. All create commands accept --dry-run.

The basic pattern​

Create a shell object, optionally with content and activation in one shot.

abapctl create class ZCL_FOO --description 'Posting helper' --package ZFINANCE
abapctl create interface ZIF_BAR --package ZFINANCE
abapctl create program ZPROG_BAZ --package ZFINANCE

When the package requires a transport, the workflow auto-selects a suitable open request; pass --transport K9A123 to pin a specific one. Use --dry-run to validate parameters and preview without writing.

One-shot create from a source file​

Most source-bearing and XML-bodied types accept --source <path> to create the shell, write the body, and activate in a single command. 14 of the 21 types support it, across two channels:

  • Source-bearing (ABAP/CDS text): program, interface, include, function-module, function-group-include, ddl-source, service-definition, access-control, metadata-extension.
  • XML-bodied DDIC: message-class, auth-field, auth-object, domain, data-element.
abapctl create program ZPROG_BAZ --package ZFINANCE --source zprog_baz.prog.abap
abapctl create ddl-source ZI_FOO --package ZFINANCE --source zi_foo.ddls.asddls
abapctl create program ZPROG_BAZ --package ZFINANCE --source zprog_baz.prog.abap --no-activate

function-module and function-group-include additionally require --group <name> (the parent function group must already exist). If activation fails, the shell is left behind so you can clean it up with object delete. For DDIC types, --source is mutually exclusive with the typed flags below.

Typed flags for domains and data elements​

domain and data-element can be built from explicit flags instead of a raw XML body.

# Domain with a fixed-value list
abapctl create domain ZDO_STATUS --package ZFINANCE \
  --data-type CHAR --length 1 \
  --fixed-value 'A::Active' --fixed-value 'I::Inactive'

# Domain backed by a value table
abapctl create domain ZDO_BUKRS --package ZFINANCE \
  --data-type CHAR --length 4 --value-table T001

# Data element typed by a domain
abapctl create data-element ZDE_STATUS --package ZFINANCE \
  --type domain --domain ZDO_STATUS --label-short Status --label-long 'Posting status'

# Data element with a predefined ABAP type
abapctl create data-element ZDE_AMOUNT --package ZFINANCE \
  --type predefinedAbapType --data-type CURR --length 15 --decimals 2

--fixed-value uses an explicit-empty-segment grammar: A (low only), 1:10: (low+high), A::Active (low+text), 1:10:R (full). --value-table and --fixed-value are mutually exclusive. For data elements, the type kind is inferred from --domain or --data-type if --type is omitted. Domains and data elements are capability-gated on older backends.

Multi-include create for classes and function groups​

create class and create function-group accept repeated --source flags; the filename suffix dispatches each file to the right slot or member, all written under one master lock with a single activation at the end.

Class slots:

abapctl create class ZCL_FOO --package ZFINANCE \
  --source zcl_foo.clas.abap \
  --source zcl_foo.clas.definitions.abap \
  --source zcl_foo.clas.implementations.abap \
  --source zcl_foo.clas.macros.abap \
  --source zcl_foo.clas.testclasses.abap

{name}.clas.abap is the main slot; the rest map to the definitions / implementations / macros / testclasses includes. If you pass a single --source whose filename doesn't match the pattern, abapctl treats it as the main source and warns.

Function-group members:

abapctl create function-group ZFG_FOO --package ZFINANCE \
  --source zfg_foo.fugr.abap \
  --source zfg_foo.fugr.z_do_thing.func.abap \
  --source zfg_foo.fugr.f01.reps.abap

{name}.fugr.abap is the TOP include; *.func.abap is a function module; *.reps.abap is a function-group include. Names are validated before any HTTP call (strict filename pattern, name-prefix match, no duplicate slots, required main for multi-source classes).

See also​