#AX7SERIES: Power of Visual Studio

#AX7SERIES: Power of Visual Studio IDE

The #AXSERIES is an attempt to cover all the new things in the development paradigm in AX7 with a difference oriented approach between the ex and new version of the ERP making it easier for the developers to jump in the new environment 

Audience

AX 7 enthusiasts, Dynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Functional and Technical consultants and advanced users

Ok I somehow managed my time to continue this blog series. I tell you what, I am not very busy actually, but still I dont know where my time goes :D

Anyways cutting the chatter, lets get straight to the point. This blog post will share some intersting things that were totally IMPOSSIBLE in AX AOT IDE thus titling this "POWER OF Visual Studio IDE"

Categorization of AOT Items

IDE provides two ways or views to see and access AOT Items

Classic view

Same old way (new color scheme due to whole new IDE though :P) illustrated as follow

AOT - Classic view

Model View

Provides a list of Models stored as default by the installation along with new models created by devs.

New option, 'Model view'

AOT in Model view

Search AOT Items

Second is the searching. Imagine how quick the access would become if you can search in the whole AOT without going to a specific node, what we call in Arabic, "Halwa" #sweat

Search in AOT - excellent!

Saving development items on local machine

Yes sir, in #AX7, you code gets saved in your local folder. You sync with AOS at later stage perhaps.

Save projects at local drive

Code windows and tabs: Beautifullll

Why I am getting so excited is due to the HUGE PLUS we will get after migrating to the VS IDE. Imagine no more scrolls and clicks in the left method list. All code for one class / table in one code window with multiple code sub tabs openable

One tab for all code belonging to a class, form or table

Enjoy links section as cool as ever

 Links

• Link 1
• Link 2
• Link.... n

AX 7: #AX7SERIES X++ Devs welcome To Visual Studio

#AX7SERIES: Welcome To Visual Studio

Subject

This post is the first on the series of AX7 which will feature introduction and the underlying changes

Audience

Visual Studio developers, Dynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Technical consultants and advanced users

Since you know that AX7 is out for first look and demos, And the good thing for the all time old school devs is, the long awaited VS integration is here. AX 7 development is completly shifted  on Visual Studio. Now since all the old school VS Devs (including me of course) are so fond of the VS IDE (which is probably the best IDE there is), think how cool, quick and smart the work would get when its all done in VS. 

Secondly, we have some new things to learn as the framework has just been upgraded a little bit. Obviously not a very big change compared to the 2009 - 2012 transition, but not a small one either.

Take this for example, all new development artifacts would be stored on local dev machine in the form of files. Quite contrasting to AX 2012 isn't it.

With VS 2015+ as the version for development, the performance requirements have also plussed. The same is illustrated in the following snapshot taken from one of the official training videos on DLP

AX7 Development - Visual Studio requirements

To cater all this, we need a deep study of all such changes and the new things introduced. This is why we have started the new AX7 series which will cater all of this to be shared on this blog. So stay tuned #DAX7ers.

BY THE WAY Enjoy some cool links in the end

Links

• https://mbspartner.microsoft.com/AX/LearningPlans 
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Development Introduction MB6-890 Preparation Guide 
• Introduction to Development and Customization in Microsoft Dynamics ‘AX 7’ 

AX 2012 X++: Add N working days to a date

AX 2012 X++: Add N working days to a date

This post provides a few tips, specially focusing the working calendar and working days

Audience: Dynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Functional and Technical consultants and advanced users

Date operations are every day common tasks for any developer working on a business application. Any good programming language, platform or framework would provide well designed library(ies) with sufficient functionality abstracted in various helper classes and methods to achieve the common and extended date operations. After all, what we want to achieve is re-usability and not reinventing the wheel every now and then.

AX also has alot of such reusable method to save time and keep consistency. A few are listed below;

• DateTimeUtil: A date time manipulation utility class. Some of its methods are referenced below too
• DateTimeUtil::getSystemDateTime(): Works like a Now() method
• DateTimeUtil::addMonths(): Add n months to the provided date
• dayOfMth(date): Calculates the number of the day in the month for the specified date.
• mkDate(int month, day, year)- Creates a date based on three integers, which indicate the day, month, and year, respectively.
• prevYr(date) - Retrieves the date in the previous year that corresponds most closely to the specified date. Similar functions include prevMth() and prevQtr()
• dateMthFwd(date, int qty): Adds the specified number of months to a date.

These all methods are so useful and handy while there are much more to mention. See links section for more.

We are more interested in the working calendar. I recently got a scenario in which I had to validate the date from calendar. Then I had to decide the ending date (the famous 'To' date). The resulting date must be a valid date on a calendar. So should I write some algo for it. Experience says such a thing should be available in the library / framework somewhere. Yes this is what is to be shared with all.

WorkCalendarSched.schedDate Method

This sweet method in short takes from date, no of days to add, scheduling direction, calendar id to process against and calendar days flag to schedule the resulting date, awesome. Exactly what I was looking for. Hence using this method, we can add N working days (excluding holidays, weekEnds, etc) to any date. The resulting date is guaranteed to be a working date. Just keep your calendar tight and updated

Code sample

static void job_testSchedDate(Args _args)
{
    WorkCalendarSched       workCalendarSched;
    SchedDate               schedDateFrom, resultantTODate;
    Days                    noOfDays;
    CalendarId              primCalendar, secCalendar;

    workCalendarSched = new workCalendarSched();

    noOfDays            = 30;     
    primCalendar        = "Default";    secCalendar         = "Default";
    schedDateFrom       = str2Date("21.6.2016", 123);    // dd.mm.yyyy

    info(strfmt("From date: %1", 
        date2str(schedDateFrom, 123, DateDay::Digits2, DateSeparator::Slash, DateMonth::Short, DateSeparator::Slash, DateYear::Digits4)    )); 
    // sequence (int) 123 means 1=dd 2=mm 3=yyyy
    
    info(strFmt("Adding %1 days [Working days]", noOfDays)); 
    resultantTODate = workCalendarSched.schedDate(  SchedDirection::Forward,    // Selecting backward will minus the noOfDays
                                                    schedDateFrom,  
                                                    noOfDays,                   // number of days to add
                                                    NoYes::Yes,                 // Yes mean bring WorkDays (exclude weekEnds and other configured holidays in between)
                                                    primCalendar, secCalendar); // which calendar to be used for date calculation and verification
     info(strfmt("Resultant TO date: %1", 
        date2str(resultantTODate, 123, DateDay::Digits2, DateSeparator::Slash, DateMonth::Short, DateSeparator::Slash, DateYear::Digits4)    ));  
}

Output is shared as follows

 Links

• WorkCalendarSched.schedDate Method [AX 2012]
• Some useful date operations
• All date functions in Ax 2012

AX 2012 R3: ProjUnpostedTransView-Field WorkerName is not compatible with field WorkerName

ProjUnpostedTransView-Field WorkerName is not compatible with field WorkerName

Subject

This post provides insight about a synchronize error received during full AOT for AOT view 'ProjUnpostedTransView' and its resolution.

Error

ProjUnpostedTransView: Synchronize database There is a field mismatch in the union query. Field WorkerName is not compatible with field WorkerName.

Audience:  Dynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Functional and Technical consultants and advanced users

Background

We have been facing this issue since day one of our installation of AX 2012 R3 (RTM). Build numbers are as follows;

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 (RTM)

Kernel version: 6.3.164.0

Application version: 6.3.164.0

Problem

When synchronizing the full AOT, the following errors come

followed by...

Solution(s)

As per mentioned in the synchronize database error (1), all the errors have come in the View, 'ProjUnpostedTransView'. Exploring the same yields the composition of the view on following sub views.

1. ProjLedgerJournalTransUnpostedView
2. TrvExpTransDistributionsUnposted
3. ProjJournalTransFeeUnpostedView
4. projCustInvoiceLineDistsUnpostedView
5. ProjJournalTransHourUnpostedView
6. ProjProdJournalRouteUnpostedView
7. InventJournalTransUnpostedView
8. ProjProdJournalBOMUnpostedView
9. VendInvoiceInfoLineDistributionsUnposted
10. ProjOnAccTransUnpostedView
11. ProjIntercompanyUnpostedExpView
12. TSUnpostedTimesheetLinesAllView
13. ProjIntercompanyUnpostedTSView
14. ProjIntercompanyUnpostedVendInvLineView

Data sources (Views) with mismatching EDTs in their field, WorkerName

Each of these views comprise of one or more tables. And each of these views as a data source has the HCMWorker data source with in further relating to DirPartyTable to fetch the worker name. Closely monitoring each of them reveals that the following four data sources were returning null for the worker name. Obviously the logic implemented would have required the field (since a union query) to have a consistent schema returned. Further to returning null, the fields were provided the extended type, "Name" which was different from what is returned from DirPartyTable > Name field which extends "DirPartyName" extended type.  

Data sources with inconsistent extended types

1. projCustInvoiceLineDistsUnpostedView
2. ProjProdJournalBOMUnpostedView
3. ProjInventJournalTransUnpostedView
4. ProjOnAccTransUnpostedView

Due to this EDT mismatch, the AOT framework was giving errors.

Providing the correct extended type of DirPartyName to the WorkerName fields for each of these views made the schema fully consistent, hence error removed.

NOTE: These corrections are to be made in each view used as a datsource and in the field section

I am unable to find if its a R3 RTM original issue or what, cause i have not been able to find any corresponding hotfix. If any of the readers have any idea, kindly share it with me.

Thanks :)

AX 2012: FormRun.createRecord Method with example

AX 2012: FormRun.createRecord Method with example

This post provides a tutorial about the FormRun.createRecord Method which is override able at form level for custom implementation

AudienceDynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Functional and Technical consultants and advanced users

Background

Recently I came through a scenario where I had to use a base table (supporting inheritance) as a Form data source. I needed to ensure which child table's instance is being created. Due to not being totally aware of the table inheritance implementation (and sorry for Microsoft documentation, such things are not specified anywhere) I was relying on my intelligent (or semi intelligent perhaps :D ) guesses. 

Question: Where is the InstanceRelationType field set to identify the record belonging to a child table.

Thanks to Nasheet Siddiqui | blog a close friend of mine, who guided me in the right direction. As per him, such a thing should be decided by the system at record creation method. And that is the FormRun class method: createRecord().

Example

One of the example is the PurchAgreement form, where the system decides at runtime if the agreement line is quantity based or volume based (depending on Comitment type field inrespective helper class instance). This is implemented in PurchAgreementr Form's CreateRecord method. 

createRecord() implementation at PurchAgreement form

There they have used the FormDataSource's method createType to specify exactly which child table is to be instantiated. Evaluating the commitment type member, a map is instantiated with a value pair of data source name and child table id are set. The map is then sent as parameter to 

FormDataSource > createTypes() method which takes a map in params. This method internally decides the fate of the record i.e which child table the record will belong too. Setting the instancerelationtype members are probably internal to this method.

For even better understanding of concepts, I am attaching this valuable excerpt

An excerpt from Inside Dynamics AX 2012

Traditionally, to create a record in X++ code you only had to call the FormDataSource.create method. However, that method does not let you specify the type. To support the polymorphic creation scenario, use the following method: FormRun.createRecord(str _formDataSourceName [, boolean _append = false]) All create actions performed by the kernel are routed through this method. You should use this method as well instead of the create method. The first parameter specifies the name of the form data source in which to create the record, and the second parameter contains the same append value that is passed to the create method. You can override this to put in conditional code that depends on the type being created. The call to the super of the method executes the correct logic depending on the type.

Links

• FormRun.createRecord Method [AX 2012] 
• FormDataSource.createTypes Method [AX 2012] 

SQL Server 2012: Rename a database with datafiles

SQL Server 2012: Rename a database with data files (MDF, LDF)

This post provides the scripts that will rename a database along with its data files.

Audience

DB Admins, T-SQL developers, Technical Consultants, AX Developers

Background

In so many scenarios, you may need to rename a database. One general scenario in AX implementation would be when maintaining multiple AX environments at one server like Staging, TEST, DEV and Production. This is also very likely in development and RnD scenarios where you keep restoring LIVE instances backups on a central backstage HUB for data availability.

Problem

For hosting multiple and different AX servers on a single machine for local availability, you need to have multiple AX server databases hosted with different names. But for that, you need to rename the database since each backup may result in the exact same database name. But you face the problem as you already have a database with exactly same name, 'MicrosoftDynamicsAX' attached to your local server. This can cause problems and you may start thinking how to restore both databases with different names cleanly without disturbing the existing database.

Solution(s)

Properly renaming existing database(s) would let you restore any database coming under the name of MicrosoftDynamicsAX. How I have resolved this issue at my local server is, I rename the existing MicrosoftDynamicsAX database (along with data file names, yes, renaming data files :) ) and the restoring the new database under the same MicrosoftDynamicsAX (or whatever) name. To restore more such instances, I can always rename databases as I like. This I achieve using the attached script. It lets me achieve the following in one go

Script process

• Set desired database to single user mode
• Rename database to new provided name
• Takes the database (with new name) to offline mode
• Suspends further execution for 5 minutes 
• This is done so that the user is expected to rename the files manually at physical file level.
• Renames the data files logically
• Brings the database back to online
• Sets the database again to multi user mode.

The script is at the moment hard coded since I was not able to provide variables to a few alter database commands due to command's nature. For this reason, the script is not plug and playable as I had to use symbols to specify the replacing database names. when using, carefully replace sample values with yours and test and master execution on test databases :)

This mess would be resolved by dynamically generating SQL and providing user provided database names and other variables to SQL. Therefore as improvement, I am writing a small utility that would enable user to select a database, provide its new name and click and all is done automatically. So stay tuned.

Script can be downloaded from the link: Database renaming script

AX 2012 R3 SSRS: publishreportcommand network name cannot be found

AX 2012 R3 SSRS: publishreportcommand network name cannot be found

SSRS report deployment gives error, "The network name cannot be found."

Audience

Dynamics AX 2012 (FP, R2 R3) X++ Developers, Functional and Technical consultants and advanced users

Background

When deploying a SSRS report, you may come across the error. This error will occur while deploying report(s) through AOT as well as using PowerShell scripts.

Experience tells us that such issues may occur if service accounts (AOS, BC proxy, Workflow) are wrongly configured. In our scenario, we had to reconfigure and put the newly provided service accounts. As a result, the reporting services crashed. We made sure all the practices related to configuring system service accounts are met. However we kept getting this error. report deployment were attempted both using AOT and PowerShell

Solution(s)

Thanks to sharing, the coolest caring. we cam to know the following link that clearly mentioned the reason of this issue.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/axsupport/2013/03/13/deploying-reports-in-ax2012-you-need-access-to-the-administrative-share-c/ 

In the post, the user uses the verbose modifier in the publish command in PowerShell to get more details. That yields that a network shared location access is attempted by the script. Now the question is, if such access is available or not. As a resolution, providing the C drive (reporting services server) as network shared resource resolved the issue.

Links

• Deploying reports in AX2012 – you need access to the administrative share C$ 
• AX 2012 Deploy report error : The network name cannot be found
• AX 2012: Report Deployment error "The network name cannot be found."