How To Fix DDVIDB056 - Function SUBSTRING: Start pos. is larger than length of input string

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: DDVIDB - Database-specific parts of views

• Message number: 056

• Message text: Function SUBSTRING: Start pos. is larger than length of input string

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message DDVIDB056 - Function SUBSTRING: Start pos. is larger than length of input string ?

  The SAP error message DDVIDB056 indicates that there is an issue with the SUBSTRING function being used in a program or query. Specifically, the error message states that the "Start pos. is larger than length of input string," which means that the starting position specified for the substring operation exceeds the actual length of the input string.
  Cause:
  
  Incorrect Start Position: The starting position provided to the SUBSTRING function is greater than the length of the string being processed. For example, if you have a string of length 5 and you try to extract a substring starting from position 6, this error will occur.
  Dynamic Data: If the input string is dynamically generated or retrieved from a database, it may not always have the expected length, leading to this error when the substring operation is attempted.
  Data Quality Issues: The data being processed may contain unexpected values or formats that do not conform to the assumptions made in the code.
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check Input String Length: Before calling the SUBSTRING function, ensure that the length of the input string is greater than or equal to the starting position. You can use the LENGTH function to verify this.
  DATA: lv_string TYPE string,
        lv_substring TYPE string,
        lv_start_pos TYPE i.
  
  lv_string = 'Example'.
  lv_start_pos = 6. " Example start position
  
  IF lv_start_pos <= strlen( lv_string ).
      lv_substring = lv_string+lv_start_pos(3). " Extract substring
  ELSE.
      " Handle the error case, e.g., set lv_substring to an empty string or log an error
      lv_substring = ''.
  ENDIF.
  
  
  Error Handling: Implement error handling to manage cases where the starting position is invalid. This could involve logging an error message, returning a default value, or skipping the operation altogether.
  
  
  Data Validation: Ensure that the data being processed is validated before performing substring operations. This can help prevent unexpected lengths and formats.
  
  
  Debugging: If the error occurs in a specific program or transaction, use debugging tools to trace the execution and identify where the invalid starting position is being set.
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  ABAP Documentation: Refer to the official SAP ABAP documentation for more details on string manipulation functions, including SUBSTRING and LENGTH.
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or patches related to this error message.
  Community Forums: Engage with SAP community forums or support channels for additional insights and solutions from other users who may have encountered similar issues.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and prevent it from occurring in the future.