How To Fix DDLS178 - CASE (THEN): value & does not have expected type &, length &

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: DDLS - For DDL source handling

• Message number: 178

• Message text: CASE (THEN): value & does not have expected type &, length &

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message DDLS178 - CASE (THEN): value & does not have expected type &, length & ?

  The SAP error message DDLS178 indicates a type mismatch in a CASE statement within a Data Definition Language (DDL) context, such as when defining a database table or view. This error typically arises when the values provided in the CASE statement do not conform to the expected data type or length defined for that particular field.
  Cause:
  The error occurs when:
  
  The values specified in the CASE statement do not match the expected data type of the target field.
  The lengths of the values provided exceed the defined length of the target field.
  There is an inconsistency in the data types of the different branches of the CASE statement.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve the DDLS178 error, you can take the following steps:
  
  
  Check Data Types: Ensure that all values in the CASE statement are of the same data type as the target field. If the target field is of type CHAR, all values should also be CHAR. If it is INT, all values should be integers.
  
  
  Check Lengths: Verify that the lengths of the values in the CASE statement do not exceed the defined length of the target field. For example, if the target field is defined as CHAR(10), ensure that no value exceeds 10 characters.
  
  
  Explicit Casting: If necessary, use explicit casting to convert values to the expected type. For example, if you are working with strings and need to convert them to integers, you can use the CAST function.
  
  
  Review CASE Statement: Ensure that all branches of the CASE statement return values of the same type. If one branch returns a string and another returns an integer, this will cause a type mismatch.
  
  
  Example Correction:
  If you have a CASE statement like this:
  CASE 
      WHEN condition1 THEN 'Value1' 
      WHEN condition2 THEN 2 
      ELSE 'Value3' 
  END
  You should ensure that all returned values are of the same type, for example:
  CASE 
      WHEN condition1 THEN 'Value1' 
      WHEN condition2 THEN '2' 
      ELSE 'Value3' 
  END
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Documentation: Refer to the SAP Help Portal for detailed documentation on DDL statements and data types.
  Data Dictionary: Check the data dictionary (SE11) to understand the definitions of the fields involved in the CASE statement.
  Debugging: Use transaction codes like SE80 or SE38 to debug the program or view where the error occurs.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify and correct the cause of the DDLS178 error in your SAP environment.