How To Fix SV178 - Data type STRING in field &1 is not supported.

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: SV - View Maintenance: Customize Messages

• Message number: 178

• Message text: Data type STRING in field &1 is not supported.

What causes this issue?

The table for which a maintenance dialog is to be generated, contains
fields with the data type STRING.
The data type STRING is not supported by the view maintenance (SE54).

System Response

No maintenance dialog can be generated. The program is cancelled.

How to fix this error?

Correct the definition of this field in this table, in the ABAP
Dictionary(SE11).

Procedure for System Administrators

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

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message SV178 - Data type STRING in field &1 is not supported. ?

  The SAP error message SV178 indicates that there is an issue with the data type being used in a specific field. The message states that the data type "STRING" is not supported for the field indicated by "&1". This typically occurs in scenarios where a function or method is expecting a different data type, such as a character string of a fixed length or a specific structure, rather than a dynamic string.
  Cause:
  
  Incompatible Data Type: The field in question is defined to accept a specific data type (like CHAR, NUMC, etc.), but a STRING data type is being passed instead.
  Function Module/Method Limitation: Some function modules or methods in SAP do not support the STRING data type and require a different format.
  Incorrect Data Mapping: When mapping data from one structure to another, if the source field is of type STRING and the target field does not support it, this error can occur.
  
  Solution:
  
  Check Field Definition: Review the definition of the field indicated by "&1" in the error message. Ensure that the data type being passed matches the expected data type.
  Convert STRING to Supported Type: If you need to pass a STRING, convert it to a supported type (e.g., CHAR or VARCHAR) before passing it to the function or method. You can use ABAP functions like CONCATENATE or CONVERT to change the data type.
  Modify the Code: If you are developing or maintaining the code, modify the code to ensure that the correct data types are being used. This may involve changing the data type of variables or using appropriate conversion functions.
  Check Documentation: Refer to the documentation of the function module or method you are using to understand the expected data types and any limitations regarding STRING types.
  
  Related Information:
  
  ABAP Data Types: Familiarize yourself with the different data types in ABAP, especially the differences between STRING, CHAR, and other character types.
  Function Module Documentation: Look up the specific function module or method in the SAP documentation to understand its parameters and expected data types.
  Debugging: Use the ABAP debugger to trace the execution and see where the STRING type is being introduced, which can help in identifying the root cause of the issue.
  
  By addressing the data type mismatch and ensuring that the correct types are used, you should be able to resolve the SV178 error.