If you are an SAP developer or user, you may have encountered the dreaded DATA_BUFFER_EXCEEDED error when trying to run the RFC_READ_TABLE function. This error can be frustrating and can hinder your work progress. But fear not, in this article, we will explore the cause of this error and provide a solution to resolve it.
Firstly, let's understand what the DATA_BUFFER_EXCEEDED error means. This error occurs when the internal buffer of the function RFC_READ_TABLE is not large enough to hold all the requested data. This buffer is used to store the results of the table query, and if the data exceeds its capacity, the error is triggered.
There are a few reasons why this error can occur. One of the most common reasons is that the table you are trying to query contains a large amount of data. As the function can only hold a limited amount of data in its buffer, it is unable to retrieve all the requested data, resulting in the error. Another reason could be that the selection criteria used in the function is too broad, causing the function to retrieve more data than it can handle.
So, how can we resolve this error? The solution is quite simple; we need to increase the size of the internal buffer used by the function. To do this, we will make use of the EXTENSION parameter in the RFC_READ_TABLE function. This parameter allows us to specify the size of the internal buffer in bytes.
To increase the buffer size, we first need to determine the size of the data we want to retrieve from the table. One way to do this is to run the function with a small buffer size, say 512 bytes, and check the number of rows returned. We can then calculate the approximate size of the data using the formula: buffer size / number of rows = average row size. Once we have this value, we can increase the buffer size accordingly.
For example, if the average row size is 100 bytes, and we want to retrieve 1000 rows, we would need a buffer size of 100,000 bytes. We can then specify this value in the EXTENSION parameter when calling the RFC_READ_TABLE function.
Another way to determine the required buffer size is to use the GET_TABLE_BUFFER_SIZE function module. This function module takes the table name, selection criteria, and the maximum number of rows to be retrieved as input parameters and returns the required buffer size.
Once we have increased the buffer size, we can rerun the function, and the error should no longer occur. However, it is essential to note that increasing the buffer size can also have a performance impact, so it is best to use the minimum required buffer size to avoid any unnecessary delays.
In conclusion, the DATA_BUFFER_EXCEEDED error can be resolved by increasing the buffer size of the RFC_READ_TABLE function. By using the EXTENSION parameter or the GET_TABLE_BUFFER_SIZE function module, we can determine the required buffer size and avoid this error. So, the next time you encounter this error, you know what to do to quickly resolve it.
