Returning a value

[Quappel]

In the guideline, as well as all trainings, it is said that one should name the return value result and then assign the return parameter in the code.

CLASS /clean/string_utils DEFINITION [...].
  CLASS-METHODS trim
   IMPORTING
     string TYPE string
   RETURNING
     VALUE(result) TYPE string.
ENDCLASS.

METHOD retrieve.
  DATA(trimmed_name) = /clean/string_utils=>trim( name ).
  result = read( trimmed_name ).
ENDMETHOD.

//not mentioned
METHOD retrieve.
  DATA(trimmed_name) = /clean/string_utils=>trim( name ).
  return read( trimmed_name ).
ENDMETHOD.

In other languages the form return Value; is used. This works also in Abap ( at least in the newest version ), I find it much easier to read. Why is it not mentioned? Also in the Language Help it is not mentioned. Is it a bug, is the feature coming soon?

[suynwa]

Where did you this form of return? What is the ABAP release you are on?

My gut feeling is someone defined a macro with the same name as return. Could you check the table TRMAC with name = 'RETURN'?

~Suhas

[Quappel]

Hi I am just back from vacation and will check tomorrow

[Quappel]

The ABAP release is 751.

I checked the TRMAC and there is no entry for 'RETURN'.

[fabianlupa]

You also cannot redefine keywords using macros (I assume this also applies to TRMAC) "RETURN" is an ABAP key word and cannot be redefined as a DEFINE macro.. I cannot reproduce this on 7.56 and the info doesn't quite add up for me.

This works also in Abap ( at least in the newest version )

is the feature coming soon?

The ABAP release is 751.

7.51 was released 6 years ago.

[Quappel]

Ohh sorry, I had no idea how to look it up and must have been looking at the wrong value. My coworker just told me that it is 7.58

[fabianlupa]

Ah now it makes sense, then we externals got another sneak peek with this styleguide repo ;)

(S/4 2022 was just released with 7.57 and the BTP ABAP Environment is on the equivalent 7.89.)

[HrFlorianHoffmann]

Let's wait till that ABAP version is available to the external world, then recommend it as the default variant.

[blackfish5]

As 7.58 is already officially supported, can this be added as recommended variant?

[pokrakam]

This is interesting, and appears to work on A4H 2022 / 7.58

Now a question is whether this is a recommended approach? The ABAP Doco says: The statement RETURN is generally intended for early but proper returns from processing blocks. This implies not to use it at the end of a method.

But it does read nicely, and eliminates the need for naming the result variable anywhere other than the declaration. I like this simplification. I mean it would be awkward if we compacted the result assignment into a RETURN in the middle of a method and not at the end:

METHOD calculate_stuff. 
  IF someattribute < 0. 
    RETURN -1.
  ENDIF.
  ...
  result = a + b.
ENDMETHOD.

So for consistency I'd rather use RETURN throughout:

METHOD calculate_stuff. 
  IF someattribute < 0. 
    RETURN -1.
  ENDIF.
  ...
  RETURN a + b.
ENDMETHOD.