FAQ: Data Browser (SE16)

[1] Why does the results list of the SE16 transaction display the content of some fields differently from the detailed view?
[2] Why can I not change a table in the SE16 transaction although the table was selected as changeable in the SE11 transaction under Attributes?
[3] Why can the smallest value in the results list differ with a different value for the 'Maximum number of hits'?
[4] Which authorizations does a user require to display certain values in the SE16 transaction?
[5] How can I search for special characters?
[6] Why are texts from text tables not displayed?
[7] Why can I only create user-specific variants in the ALV list?

[1] Why does the results list of the SE16 transaction display the content of some fields differently from the detailed view?

 Examples:
Table Field Hit list display Detail view display
BSIS HKONT 0000191100 191100
MARA MEINS ST PC
T002 SPRAS b IS

Answer:Conversion exits are defined for some domains of the table fields.These are processed with each screen input or output.The default hit list is not a screen, therefore, the conversion exit is not processed.You can, however, include the exit in the processing using the 'Settings'->'List parameters' menu option.

[2] Why can I not change a table in the SE16 transaction although the table was selected as changeable in the SE11 transaction under Attributes?
Answer:
The changeability of table entries still depends on the following factors:
    - Role and changeability of the client;
    - System changeability;
    - Delivery class of the table;
    - If a maintenance view for the table exists:
    - Authorizations.
Refer to note 109083 for more information.


[3] The number of 'Maximum number of hits' is restricted in the selection screen.Subsequently, you start selections with a number of data exceeding the 'Maximum number of hits'.Why can the smallest value in the results list differ with a different value for the 'Maximum number of hits'?
Answer:
You must perform the selection with a '<= ROWNUM' WHERE condition.This means that the system reads the first n records in the database.The data in the database my be unsorted.

[4] Which authorizations does a user require to display certain values in the SE16 transaction?
Answer:
When displaying table contents with the SE16 transaction, the system checks against the S_TABU_DIS authorization object.To display a table, the user must have the display authorization (activity 03) for the authorization group of the relevant table.The authorization group is derived from the TDDAT table.Several tables may be grouped together to authorization groups in this table.If the table to be displayed is not included in the TDDAT, the system assigns a default "" authorization group.Users who are not to display any table contents must, therefore, not be assigned any authorizations for S_TABU_DIS.Users who are only to be able to display certain table contents should, therefore, be assigned authorizations for S_TABU_DIS for a certain group.You must then include all tables in this group that the user may display.

[5] How can I search for special characters?
Answer: You shoud generally avoid using special characters in texts.However, you can search for special characters by placing a '#' escape character in front of the special character.
Example:Text fields contain the character '*' which is used in the selection as a wildcard for generic searches.A selection with a = *#** field value would return all values containing a '*' character.

[6] Why are texts from text tables not displayed?
Answer:
Generally, a text table defined for a table is maintained and displayed in the Data Browser.However, there are restrictions when the Data Browser can no longer find a unique relationship and does no longer display the text table:
1. The text table is not unique.
2. There is a foreign key dependency exceeding the text relationship, for example, a foreign key dependency to the client table which does not run via the primary table for which the table is defined as text table.Under these circumstances, the function is not available.If you still want to display the text table, you may use the following solutions.
1. Define only one text table for your table.
2. Only define the text relationship to your primary table.

[7] Why can I only create user-specific variants in the ALV list?
Answer:
For technical reasons, the SE16 transaction cannot distinguish for which table a display variant is valid.You must, therefore, remember yourself for which table a variant is valid.To prevent that variants are used for incorrect tables, you cannot create global variants.