check-statement-position.md

code pal for ABAP > CHECK Statement Position Check

CHECK Statement Position Check

What is the Intent of the Check?

This check verifies whether the CHECK statement is the very first statement within a method, function-module or form-routine.

The Clean ABAP says:

Do not use CHECK outside of the initialization section of a method. The statement behaves differently in different positions and may lead to unclear, unexpected effects.

REMARKS:

1. CHECK statement inside of LOOPs will be disregard by check (for that, refer to: CHECK_IN_LOOP).
2. The usage of CLEAR statement prior to CHECK statement is considered to be a bad coding practice! This is actually a workaround in bad designed code (against OO scope principles).
3. DATA declarations (DATA / FIELD-SYMBOLS when not dynamic declared – inline declarations), might also come before the keyword CHECK.

How to solve the issue?

The CHECK statement shall be the first statement of a method. If it is not possible, try to substitute this keyword with an IF-statement instead.

What to do in case of exception?

In exceptional cases, you can suppress this finding by using the pseudo comment "#EC CHECK_POSITION which has to be placed after the CHECK statement:

METHOD example.
  some code...
  CHECK condition = abap_true. "#EC CHECK_POSITION

Example

Before the check:

METHOD example.
  ...
  CHECK sy-mandt = 000.
  ...
ENDMETHOD.

After the check:

METHOD example.
  ...
  IF sy-mandt <> 000.
    RETURN.
  ENDIF.
  ...
ENDMETHOD.

OR

METHOD example.
  CHECK sy-mandt = 000.
  ...
ENDMETHOD.

Further Readings & Knowledge

• Clean ABAP: Avoid CHECK in other positions (Clean ABAP)