How To Fix W8310 - Operator '&' cannot be used in this position

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: W8 - Workflow: Expressions, data flow

• Message number: 310

• Message text: Operator '&' cannot be used in this position

What causes this issue?

The syntax check cannot correctly interpret the condition in this form.

How to fix this error?

The logical operators <ZH>AND</> and <ZH>OR</> should not be entered
before an empty row of the condition. When you delete empty lines, the
previous logical operator is also deleted.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message W8310 - Operator '&' cannot be used in this position ?

  SAP Error Message:
  
  W8310 Operator '&' cannot be used in this position
  
  Cause:
  This warning message occurs when the ampersand (&) operator is used incorrectly in an ABAP statement or expression. In ABAP, the & operator is used for string concatenation, but it must be placed in syntactically correct positions. If the & operator is used where it is not allowed (e.g., in certain expressions, conditions, or in places where concatenation is not expected), the system raises this warning.
  Common scenarios causing this error include:
  
  Using & in a place where only arithmetic or logical operators are allowed.
  Incorrect concatenation syntax, such as missing operands or improper placement.
  Using & inside conditions or expressions where concatenation is not valid.
  Trying to concatenate non-string data types without proper conversion.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check the syntax of the statement where & is used:
  
  Ensure that & is used only for string concatenation.
  Make sure both operands around & are strings or compatible types.
  
  
  
  Correct usage example:
  DATA: lv_str1 TYPE string VALUE 'Hello',
        lv_str2 TYPE string VALUE 'World',
        lv_result TYPE string.
  
  lv_result = lv_str1 & ' ' & lv_str2.  " Correct concatenation
  
  
  Avoid using & in conditions or arithmetic expressions:
  
  For example, this is incorrect:
  IF lv_num1 & lv_num2 = 10.  " Invalid usage
  ENDIF.
  
  Instead, use proper operators:
  IF lv_num1 + lv_num2 = 10.
  ENDIF.
  
  
  
  
  Convert non-string types before concatenation:
  
  Use CONV or WRITE TO to convert numbers or other types to strings before concatenation.
  lv_result = lv_str1 & CONV string( lv_num ).
  
  
  
  
  Check for missing operands or syntax errors around &:
  
  Make sure there is no trailing or leading & without operands.
  
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  The & operator in ABAP is specifically for string concatenation.
  For arithmetic operations, use +, -, *, /.
  For logical operations, use AND, OR, NOT.
  If you want to concatenate multiple strings, you can chain & operators.
  Always ensure data types are compatible when concatenating.
  Refer to the ABAP documentation on String Operations for detailed syntax:
  
  SAP Help Portal - ABAP String Operations
  
  
  Summary:
  
  Cause: Incorrect use of & operator in a position where concatenation is not allowed.
  Solution: Use & only for string concatenation with proper syntax and compatible data types.
  Check: Syntax, data types, and context of usage.
  
  If you provide the exact code snippet causing the error, I can help you correct it specifically.