Select data from database using Wildcard characters

The following example shows how to enhance SELECT statements with the use of Wildcard characters.

Wildcard characters used:

• "%" represents any character string, even an empty one.
• "_" represents any character

In the example shown below, we try to read data from table MINE_TABLE where the 2nd and 3rd character = "AB".
 
* Structure & Data of MINE_TABLE:
-------------------------

|    ID    |    TEXT    |

-------------------------

| 1AB001   | line #1AB  |

-------------------------

| 1AB002   | line #2AB  |

-------------------------

| 1AC001   | line #1AC  |

-------------------------

| 1AD001   | line #1AD  | 

-------------------------

* Local variables
DATA:
    lt_table TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF mine_table,
    ls_table LIKE LINE OF lt_table.
DATA:
    lv_id    TYPE string.

* Define the use of wildcard characters

CLEAR: lv_id.
CONCATENATE '_' 'AB' '%' INTO lv_id.

* Select data from dB MINE_TABLE with a Wild-Card
REFRESH: lt_table.
SELECT *
  INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF lt_table
  FROM mine_table
  WHERE id LIKE lv_id.

* Write the content of internal table LT_TABLE

CLEAR: ls_table.
LOOP AT lt_table IN ls_table.
  WRITE:/ ls_table-id, ' - ', ls_table-text.
ENDLOOP.

This is the output on the screen:

1AB001 - line #1AB

1AB002 - line #2AB