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Description

Error 5173, 'ERR_TEXT_COMMON_NULL_POINTER,' indicates that the SAP S/4HANA system attempted an operation using a reference to memory that was empty or invalid. This typically occurs when a program expects an object or variable to contain data but finds it uninitialized or pointing to nothing, preventing the intended process from completing.

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Error Message

ERR_TEXT_COMMON_NULL_POINTER

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Known Causes

4 known causes

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Missing or Uninitialized Data

A required variable, object, or data structure was not properly initialized or populated before an operation attempted to use it.

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Incorrect or Incomplete Input

User input or data from an external system was either missing for a mandatory field or provided in an unexpected format, leading to a NULL reference.

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System Configuration Mismatch

Underlying system settings or application configurations are incorrect or incomplete, causing modules to fail when retrieving expected values.

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Corrupted or Missing Master Data

Essential master data or transactional records that an operation relies upon are either missing from the database or have become corrupted.

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Solutions

3 solutions available

1. Analyze and Correct Custom ABAP Code advanced

Identifies and resolves null pointer exceptions within custom ABAP programs that interact with S/4HANA data.

1

Identify the specific ABAP program and transaction causing the error. This often involves checking ST22 dumps for detailed error information, including the program name, statement, and variable involved.

ST22

2

Examine the ABAP code for the identified program. Look for instances where internal tables, structures, or objects are accessed without proper checks for initial (NULL) values. Pay close attention to data retrieval, manipulation, and assignment statements.

Example ABAP code snippet illustrating a potential null pointer issue:

DATA: ls_data TYPE some_structure.

" Potential issue: Accessing ls_data-field without checking if ls_data is initial
WRITE ls_data-field.

" Corrected approach:
IF ls_data IS NOT INITIAL.
  WRITE ls_data-field.
ENDIF.

3

Implement checks for initial values (e.g., `IF wa IS NOT INITIAL.`, `IF it IS NOT INITIAL.`) before accessing fields or performing operations on variables that might be uninitialized or contain NULL references.

Refer to previous ABAP code snippet for correction example.

4

Thoroughly test the corrected ABAP code in a development or quality assurance environment to ensure the error is resolved and no new issues are introduced.

N/A

2. Investigate and Update SAP Standard Objects advanced

Addresses issues stemming from SAP standard code or configurations that might lead to null pointer errors in S/4HANA.

1

If the error occurs within an SAP standard transaction or program, consult SAP Notes and Knowledge Base Articles (KBAs) related to error code 5173 and the specific transaction/functionality involved. Use SAP Support Portal for this.

SAP Support Portal (support.sap.com)

2

Check for any missing or incorrect configuration settings relevant to the affected area. Incorrect master data, incomplete customizing, or missing organizational assignments can sometimes lead to unexpected data states that trigger null pointer exceptions.

Transaction SPRO (Customizing Implementation Guide)

3

If SAP Notes or KBAs suggest a correction, apply the recommended SAP Notes or Support Packages/Patches. This may require coordination with your SAP Basis team and potentially a downtime window.

Transaction SNOTE (SAP Note Assistant) or SPAM/SAINT (Support Package Manager)

4

If no SAP Notes are found or the issue persists, consider opening an incident with SAP Support, providing detailed information about the error, the affected system, and any troubleshooting steps already taken.

SAP Incident Management

3. Review and Correct Data Integrity medium

Ensures data integrity within S/4HANA tables to prevent scenarios where missing or inconsistent data triggers null pointer exceptions.

1

Identify the tables or data objects involved in the error by analyzing the ST22 dump or application logs. Look for references to specific table names or data structures.

ST22 dump analysis, SM21 system log

2

Use SQL queries to inspect the data in the relevant tables. Look for records that might be incomplete, have missing foreign key relationships, or contain unexpected NULL values in fields that are expected to be populated.

Example SQL query to check for missing values in a critical field:

SELECT COUNT(*) FROM YOUR_TABLE WHERE YOUR_CRITICAL_FIELD IS NULL;

3

If data inconsistencies are found, determine the root cause. This could be due to faulty data migration, incorrect data entry, or bugs in previous data processing.

N/A

4

Correct the inconsistent data. This might involve manual data correction, running data correction programs, or re-processing data loads. **Always back up data before making corrections.**

Example SQL update statement (use with extreme caution and after backup):

UPDATE YOUR_TABLE SET YOUR_CRITICAL_FIELD = 'DEFAULT_VALUE' WHERE YOUR_CRITICAL_FIELD IS NULL;

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Related Errors

5 related errors

SAP S/4HANA Error 5173: NULL Pointer Operation