How To Fix DDLS381 - Escape characters in LIKE must only be literals

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: DDLS - For DDL source handling

• Message number: 381

• Message text: Escape characters in LIKE must only be literals

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message DDLS381 - Escape characters in LIKE must only be literals ?

  The SAP error message DDLS381 indicates that there is an issue with the use of escape characters in a SQL LIKE clause. Specifically, the error states that escape characters must only be literals, meaning that you cannot use variables or expressions as escape characters in your SQL statements.
  Cause:
  The error typically occurs when you are trying to use a dynamic or non-literal value as an escape character in a LIKE condition. For example, if you have a SQL statement that looks like this:
  SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name LIKE 'pattern' ESCAPE variable_name
  In this case, variable_name is not a literal value, which leads to the error.
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you need to ensure that the escape character used in the LIKE clause is a literal value. Here’s how you can modify your SQL statement:
  
  
  Use a Literal Escape Character: Replace the variable with a literal character. For example:
  SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name LIKE 'pattern' ESCAPE '\'
  In this case, the backslash (\) is used as a literal escape character.
  
  
  Hardcode the Escape Character: If you need to use a specific escape character, hardcode it directly in your SQL statement instead of using a variable.
  
  
  Check for Dynamic SQL: If you are constructing SQL dynamically, ensure that any escape characters are defined as literals before executing the SQL statement.
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  LIKE Operator: The LIKE operator is used in SQL to search for a specified pattern in a column. It can include wildcard characters such as % (matches any sequence of characters) and _ (matches a single character).
  Escape Character: An escape character is used to indicate that the following character should be treated literally rather than as a wildcard. For example, if you want to search for a string that includes a %, you would use an escape character to indicate that the % is not a wildcard.
  Documentation: For more details, you can refer to the SAP documentation or SQL reference guides that explain the usage of the LIKE operator and escape characters.
  
  By ensuring that your escape characters are literals, you should be able to avoid the DDLS381 error and successfully execute your SQL queries.