A Mapchar set is a character set used to convert language-specific characters to this character set. This allows you to convert characters. MapChar sets enable country-specific letters to be mapped to one or two non-country-specific letters (for example, representation of "ü" as "ue").
The underlying code (ASCII, EBCDIC, UNICODE) must match for the characters to be replaced and the Mapchar set.
Mapchar sets are only of significance for internal system functions. For example, Mapchar sets are used by the MAPCHAR(x,n,i) SQL function to sort fields containing umlauts.
· When the database instance is configured, a conversion of these country-specific letters is implicitly allowed and stored under the Mapchar set name DEFAULTMAP (defined as ASCII).
· If a Mapchar set is defined as UNICODE, then it can be used for UNICODE values only.
· A Mapchar set that is not defined as UNICODE cannot be used for UNICODE values.
The DEFAULTMAP Mapchar set can be changed. Additional MapChar sets can also be defined.
You can use the Database Manager to create, display, change, or delete Mapchar sets. Proceed as described in the documentation Database Manager GUI: SAP DB 7.4, sections Creating Mapchar Sets, Displaying, Changing and Deleting Mapchar Sets.