Different ABAP message types

There is an ABAP statement called a MESSAGE that can be used to raise an message from an program to drive it. The message a form of text identified by its ID. The message ID is associated with the text that can be maintained in multiple languages. Along the ID, there is also message type with the message.

The message type is classified by one character that defines how the message is displayed in SAP GUI and it drives further flow of the ABAP program.

Following are message types:

A termination (Abort) message, also called as ABEND (Abnormal END, see Similarities of SAP and mainframes)

E Error message

I Information message

S Status message

W Warning message

X eXit message

 

The message type is stored in domain MSGTY used in system structure SYST.

At first sight, one may say that message type A and E are the same. However, there is a difference. In case, A message type the program is ultimately terminated after the message is raised and it cannot be resumed in this case. In case of E message type, the error message raised and program processing is interrupted. Once the message is acknowledged, processing can continue.