Fuzzy search on internal table - is there something similar possible

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi,

I know there is a possibility the SAP HANA DB using fuzzy search via constains( name, :iv_name, fuzzy) syntax.

Is there anything similar possible in an internal table?

I use currently CS (contains string) operator, but it doesn't support any fuzzy functionality.

Any hint is welcome.

Thanks,

Peter

[Sandra_Rossi]

I don't know the algorithm behind "fuzzy", but there is possibly the ABAP distance function (not specific to internal tables).

[Peter_Inotai]

sandra.rossi: Thanks for the hint.

I have to admit I never used distance( ) fucntion yet, but I think it would work. Checking demoprogram DEMO_STRING_DISTANCE is quite promising.

[emanuel_klenner]

You could try using an AMDP method in an ABAP class passing the internal table along as a parameter. In the AMDP method you can use the native HANA SQL to execute the fuzzy search query against the input table.

[Peter_Inotai]

emanuel.klenner: Thanks for the hint, that would also work. Unfortunately I'm still on non-HANA DB (forgot to mention it 😞 )

[ThorstenHoefer]

Hi Peter,

have you tried ABAP CDS View for fuzzy search?

https://help.sap.com/doc/saphelp_nw75/7.5.5/en-US/6f/9212bbaf5e4d598c774b96d93f7b79/frameset.htm

or:

Implementing Fuzzy Search Using CDS & SAP HANA | SAP Blogs

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Thorsten,

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I'm not on HANA DB yet, so I cannot use AMDP. 😞

Other problem, that the data is taken from the DB already, shown to the user and then the user has possibility to perform a search there.

Best regards,

Peter

[emanuel_klenner]

1. Then the best you might be able to do is a FIND IN TABLE, maybe with a REGEX pattern for the search.

[Peter_Inotai]

Thanks for the hint about "FIND IN TABLE". I didn't think of that, but that could be also an option.