How To Fix ACM_SYNTAX038 - Literal "&1" of type &2 must be denoted with apostrophes

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: ACM_SYNTAX - ACM: DCL Syntax Error Messages

• Message number: 038

• Message text: Literal "&1" of type &2 must be denoted with apostrophes

What causes this issue?

The text-like data types supported by the authorization runtime (e.g.
CHAR and SSTRING, but also DATS and TIMS, ...) require that the literal
value in the DCL document is surrounded by single apostrophes (').

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

Remark: Actually, it is not possible to specify a text-literal that
contains a single apostrophe itself. There is no escape character or
replacement character.

System Response

How to fix this error?

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message ACM_SYNTAX038 - Literal "&1" of type &2 must be denoted with apostrophes ?

  The SAP error message ACM_SYNTAX038 indicates that there is a syntax issue in your ABAP code or configuration where a literal value is not properly enclosed in apostrophes. This is a common error when dealing with string literals in ABAP.
  Cause:
  The error occurs when you are trying to use a literal value (like a string) in your code without enclosing it in single quotes (apostrophes). In ABAP, string literals must be enclosed in single quotes to be recognized correctly by the compiler.
  For example, if you have:
  DATA(my_string) = Hello World.
  This will trigger the error because "Hello World" is not enclosed in apostrophes. The correct syntax should be:
  DATA(my_string) = 'Hello World'.
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you need to ensure that all string literals in your code are properly enclosed in single quotes. Review the line of code indicated by the error message and make the necessary adjustments.
  Related Information:
  
  
  Syntax Rules: In ABAP, string literals must always be enclosed in single quotes. If you need to include a single quote within a string, you can escape it by using two single quotes. For example:
  DATA(my_string) = 'It''s a sunny day'.
  
  
  Debugging: If you are unsure where the error is occurring, you can use the ABAP debugger or syntax check (Ctrl + F2) in the ABAP editor to identify the exact line causing the issue.
  
  
  Documentation: For more information on string handling in ABAP, you can refer to the official SAP documentation or the ABAP programming guidelines.
  
  
  Common Scenarios: This error can also occur in other contexts, such as when defining constants, using literals in SQL queries, or in configuration settings where string values are expected.
  
  
  By ensuring that all string literals are correctly formatted, you should be able to resolve the ACM_SYNTAX038 error.