A Guide to Data Types in SAP HANA

Data types are an essential aspect of any database system, as they define the characteristics and behavior of the data values that are stored and manipulated in the system. Data types also affect the performance, storage, and compatibility of the data.

In this blog post, we will provide a comprehensive guide to data types in SAP HANA, the in-memory database platform from SAP. We will explain what data types are, how they are classified, and how they can be used in SAP HANA SQL queries. We will also show you some examples of data types and their syntax in SAP HANA SQL.

What are data types in SAP HANA?

A data type is a set of attributes that determines the following aspects of a data value:

The range of possible values
The storage format and size
The operations that can be performed on the value
The default behavior and formatting of the value

For example, a data type of INTEGER defines a value that can be any whole number within a certain range, that is stored in binary format using 4 bytes, that can be used in arithmetic operations, and that is displayed without any decimal places.

Data types are assigned to columns, variables, constants, parameters, and expressions in SAP HANA SQL queries. Data types ensure that the data values are consistent and compatible with each other and with the operations that are applied to them.

How are data types classified in SAP HANA?

In SAP HANA, data types can be classified into seven categories based on their characteristics and usage:

Datetime types: These are data types that represent dates and times, such as DATE, TIME, SECONDDATE, or TIMESTAMP. Datetime types can be used to store and manipulate temporal information, such as events, schedules, or durations.
Numeric types: These are data types that represent numbers, such as TINYINT, SMALLINT, INTEGER, BIGINT, SMALLDECIMAL, DECIMAL, REAL, or DOUBLE. Numeric types can be used to store and manipulate quantitative information, such as counts, measurements, or calculations.
Boolean type: This is a data type that represents a logical value of either TRUE or FALSE. Boolean type can be used to store and manipulate conditional information, such as flags, indicators, or outcomes.
Character string types: These are data types that represent sequences of characters, such as VARCHAR, NVARCHAR, ALPHANUM, or SHORTTEXT. Character string types can be used to store and manipulate textual information, such as names, descriptions, or codes.
Binary types: These are data types that represent sequences of binary digits (bits), such as VARBINARY. Binary types can be used to store and manipulate raw or encoded information, such as images, documents, or encryption keys.
Large object (LOB) types: These are data types that represent large amounts of binary or character data that are stored separately from the main table data, such as BLOB, CLOB, NCLOB, or TEXT. LOB types can be used to store and manipulate complex or unstructured information, such as multimedia files or long texts.
Multi-valued types: These are data types that represent collections of values of the same type within a single column value, such as ARRAY. Multi-valued types can be used to store and manipulate nested or repeated information, such as lists or sets.

How to use data types in SAP HANA SQL queries?

To use data types in SAP HANA SQL queries, you need to specify the data type for each column when you create a table using the CREATE TABLE statement. For example:

CREATE TABLE customers (
  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
  name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
  email VARCHAR(100),
  phone VARCHAR(20),
  birthday DATE,
  active BOOLEAN
);

CREATE TABLE customers (

id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,

name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,

email VARCHAR(100),

phone VARCHAR(20),

birthday DATE,

active BOOLEAN

);

The example above creates a table named customers with six columns: id (integer), name (varchar), email (varchar), phone (varchar), birthday (date), and active (boolean).

You can also specify the data type for each variable or constant when you declare them using the DECLARE statement. For example:

DECLARE @total_sales DECIMAL(10,2);
DECLARE @discount_rate DOUBLE;
DECLARE @customer_name VARCHAR(50) = 'Alice';

DECLARE @total_sales DECIMAL(10,2);

DECLARE @discount_rate DOUBLE;

DECLARE @customer_name VARCHAR(50) = 'Alice';

The example above declares three variables: @total_sales (decimal), @discount_rate (double), and @customer_name (varchar).

You can also specify the data type for each parameter when you create a procedure or a function using the CREATE PROCEDURE or CREATE FUNCTION statement. For example:

CREATE PROCEDURE calculate_discount (
  IN customer_id INTEGER,
  IN order_date DATE,
  OUT discount_amount DECIMAL(10,2)
)
AS
BEGIN
  -- procedure body
END;

CREATE PROCEDURE calculate_discount (

IN customer_id INTEGER,

IN order_date DATE,

OUT discount_amount DECIMAL(10,2)

)

BEGIN

-- procedure body

END;

The example above creates a procedure named calculate_discount with three parameters: customer_id (integer), order_date (date), and discount_amount (decimal).

You can also specify the data type for each expression when you use them in SQL statements, such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE. For example:

SELECT name, email, phone, birthday, active
FROM customers
WHERE id = CAST('100' AS INTEGER);

SELECT name, email, phone, birthday, active

FROM customers

WHERE id = CAST('100' AS INTEGER);

The example above selects the name, email, phone, birthday, and active columns from the customers table where the id column is equal to the value ‘100’ casted as an integer.

Conclusion

In SAP HANA, data types can be classified into seven categories based on their characteristics and usage: datetime types, numeric types, boolean type, character string types, binary types, large object types, and multi-valued types.

You can use data types in SAP HANA SQL queries by specifying the data type for each column, variable, constant, parameter, or expression. Data types ensure that the data values are consistent and compatible with each other and with the operations that are applied to them.

We hope that this blog post has helped you to understand data types in SAP HANA. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.

Disclaimer: This content is generated by AI.