Kriki’s Dynamics NAV blog

• General code changes in W1
  • New page objects
  • 979000 lines of code in 50SP1 and 2421000 lines of code in NAV2009
  • 325000 lines of code generated by transformations of forms
  • General properties and triggers added
  • 3500 objects in 5.0SP1 and 5500 in NAV2009
  • All tables are changed. New triggers/properties : fieldgroup, extended datatypes
  • 44% of forms have changed (renumbering of controls, many small changes (size,menu level, spaces, links, caption blank is added for separators in menuitems on forms)
  • All reports changed
    • RDL data for RTC layout
    • Request page for RTC client
    • XML-code embedded in reports
    • New section : REQUESTPAGE
    • New : IF SERVICETIER THEN …
  • 29% of codeunits are changed (many small changes, bug fixes)
  • New objects:
    • 239 new forms (role centers, matrix form replacements, sales/purchase lists
    • New menusuites for role tailored client (tranformation tool can create most of it)
  • 1683 new pages transformed from forms

• What to do with custom objects
  • Tables
    • Create fieldgroups trigger
    • Add extended datatypes
  • Forms
    • Clean-up layout if possible (a form should look like one of the defaults) (N columns will become 2 columns on pages)
    • Statistics style forms needs work
    • Transform to pages
  • Reports
    • Consider leaving as classic layout only
    • Redo layout in SQL reporting services
  • All objects
    • Search for obsolete functions and recode (function ISSERVICETIER can be used) (don’t use SHELL)
    • Recode functions to show card directly (from code). Will not work.
    • Small forms to ask for some input must be recoded

• Transformation tool
  • Standard layout forms transfer good
  • Data controls the transformation (TIF tool)
  • Building data for custom objects, controls or actions required
  • Manual process with several steps (try an error)

• Transformation tool data (application written in NAV ; gets forms and analyses the type of form and you can change it; creates XML file, then convert it with transformation tool, import it and compile it)
  • Build inside the mergetool
  • Find all actions from forms (command buttons, menu items, captions, menu level)
  • Find controls show on card forms per page (fields, functions, variables)
  • Lookup icons for actions
  • Easy to maintain between versions or databases

• Merging of page objects
  • Require fixed ID transformation ID
    • Release in March 2009 on partnersource
    • Translation import/export required
  • Merges very similar to tables
    • Easy merge
    • Mostly automatic
  • No pagenames problem like card forms
  • No control position problems

• More info
  • Walkthroughs from MS
  • www.mergetool.com

Filed under: DirectionsEMEA2009, NAVISION, RTC