Unable to increase the length of a characteristic Data Type CHAR

[Former Member]

I have a characteristic defined as Data Type CHAR, Number of Chars == 2.

When I go into CT04 to increase the length, the Number of Chars box is greyed out.

Change mode is requiring a change number, so I provide a CMR with all the class/characteristic objects selected.

Isn't it standard functionality to be able to change this field in a characteristic?

I see the characteristic is assigned to a class type 300.

[Ritz]

Lloyd Knight,

you can increase the length of characterstic , but cant decrease its a standard behavious of system

error message detail

Characteristic length can only be increased

Message no. C1083

Diagnosis

You have reduced the length of characteristic XXXX. As the characteristic is already in use, this change may lead to inconsistencies in the database.

For this reason, you are only allowed to extend the length of the characteristic.

Procedure

Increase the number of characters again.

You may have created this characterstic using ECM number and thats why the filed is gryed out , please check the note mention ion above reply , as well as as  Note 762702 - Characteristics management: Change number of places for applying the correction to existing data.

Hope it will help you.

Thanks

Ritesh

[Former Member]

You actually can decrease the length, under specific circumstances for CHAR type.

If you delete all the values, then you can go back, decrease the length, and re-add the values back again.

Kind of a pain but it works in a pinch, and there may be some other limitations if it's used in active configurations and/or object dependencies

[Rachel_Tang]

Refer to SAP note:

204432 Characteristics: Change number of characters

The report Z_INCREASE_CHARACT_LENGTH1 in this note can be used to change the length.

In standard, there is no such function, the field will be grey out after creation.