MSDN Ramp Up : Learning

Hi, looking at the solution scope of AX 2009, it has become essential for developers to learn up WSS/MOSS and Visual Studio 2008. For the developers of X++, skill upgradation is required at a very fast pace. There is something called "Ramp up" from Microsoft, which offers free courses on MOSS & VS 2008. Ramp Up is a free, online, community-based learning program that will help you build professional development skills. U just need to register. Hope you all sign up and enjoy the benefits. Click on the image below:

Happy learning :)

AX 2009 Document Management & MOSS / WSS

Recently I was re looking at AX 2009 Document Management capabilities (Which is pretty limited) and trying to find some way to extend it. Since AX 3.x, the AX Document Management has hardly undergone any major changes. I was doing a POC on AX 2009 Document Management capabilities & MOSS. Since MOSS/WSS is an integral part of AX 2009, it would be a nice idea to integrate these so as to be able to take full advantage of the document features of MOSS/WSS. However there were challenges like Security, referential integrity etc which posed a challenge. However I did some R & D and created a POC which lets users attach documents to a MOSS Document library along with AX Metadata using the base AX 2009 Document handling functionality. Although its not complete and far from perfect, it opens up a new vista for developers who want to extend AX Document handling to MOSS.

If you are aware of the basics of WSS/MOSS, there are Web Services [_vti_bin\] (Specially copy.asmx) which lets u programatically upload documents. Other than that Microsoft,Sharepoint.dll also has some interesting methods which let u do the same .

The first step was to create a MOSS Site (Document Centre template - MOSS 2007 SP1). Now I needed to store documents of various AX Modules so I created subsites for the different AX modules like CRM, Projects etc. Then the next step was to create a document library, add some extra columns to store metadata from AX (I created columns for RecId, Company, Remarks). Then save this docu library as a template for reusability :-).

Since the plan was to have separate Sites for AX Modules and separate library for different kinds of documents within a module ( Say in CRM Module, the different types of documents required to be uploaded are case Studies, Brochures etc), I needed to create some parameter tables in AX which stored the parameters per module and per document category. See attached screens. I also had to tweak the basic docuview table and form as well as the Document handling functionality.

Then I created a C# Class library which accepts parameters and uploads the document to a specified URL, Site & Document Library and returns the URL of the attached document. See code snippet below:
======================================================
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Web;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using Microsoft.SharePoint;
using System.Collections;

namespace DynamicsAX2009
{
public class MOSSDocumentManagement
{
public String uploadDocument(String _URL,
String _Site,
String _Library,
String _File,
String _AXID,
String _AXCompany,
String _AXRECID,
String _AXReference)
{
String sUser = "mossadmin";
String sPwd = "H@lloom24";
String sDomain = "MVP";
System.Net.NetworkCredential NC = new System.Net.NetworkCredential(sUser, sPwd, sDomain);
try
{
string SiteURL = _URL + _Site ;// "http://arijit:150/AXCRM";
String Library;
SPSite sp = new SPSite(SiteURL);
SPWeb site = sp.OpenWeb();
Library = _Library;
SPFolder folder = site.GetFolder(Library);//Case Studies ; Solution Brief
SPFileCollection files = folder.Files;
FileStream fStream = File.OpenRead(_File); //path of the file to upload
byte[] contents = new byte[fStream.Length];
fStream.Read(contents, 0, (int)fStream.Length);
fStream.Close();
Hashtable MetaDataTable = new Hashtable();
MetaDataTable.Add("AX-ID", _AXID);
MetaDataTable.Add("AX-Company", _AXCompany);
MetaDataTable.Add("AX-RECID", _AXRECID);
MetaDataTable.Add("AX-Reference", _AXReference);
_File = _File.Substring(_File.LastIndexOf("\\") + 1);

SPFile currentFile = files.Add(_File, contents, MetaDataTable, true);

if (currentFile.CheckOutStatus != SPFile.SPCheckOutStatus.None)
{
currentFile.CheckIn("New Version from AX");
}

return SiteURL + "/" + currentFile.ToString();
}
catch (Exception err)
{
return (" " + err.Message);
}
}
}
}

======================================================

Then I deployed the dll in the \Client\Bin folder of the AX Client and added as a reference. Then write a few lines of code (See Project Screenshot) in the base AX Document Handling Functionality (Forms\DocuView) which let users upload documents into MOSS Site Library and store the URL in AX :-). Pretty kewl. However security remains still a challenge. I was hoping to use the Target Audience features of MOSS for Record level Secirity but didnt have time enuff :(.

Attaching a small video. Lemme know if anyone has any suggestions.

Uploading the video . Click on link below:

HAPPY DAX-ing :-)

AX 2009 :Cubes & Security Documentation

I was kind of very busy with an AX 2009 SP1 GDL Cons Implementation and really had some tough time configuring the cubes when country configuration keys were switched off :(. Well I gathered some nice documents regarding this . Click on the link below to download these.



Happy DAX-ing :)

Installing AX 2009 Reporting Extensions in MSSQL 2008 & WIN 2008

When we try to install AX 2009 SP1 Reporting Services on a PC running SQL 2008,we get an error saying that MSSQL 2005 SP2 is required. Well there is a solution to this issue which is as follows: 

1. Locate the AX Reporting services dll from the extracted AX 2009 SP1 folder

[\\AX2009SP1\support\axsetupresources\microsoft.dynamics.setup.reportingservices.dll;File Version - 5.0.1000.52]

2. Extract the AX 2009 .iso to a shared folder

3. Copy the microsoft.dynamics.setup.reportingservices.dll into the folder:

\\DynamicsAX\Msi\Components32\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics AX\50\Setup

\\DynamicsAX\Msi\Components64\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics AX\50\Setup

4. It will ask to replace the existing dll having File Version - 5.0.593.0. Say Yes and replace.

5. Then Install AX Reporting Services extensions. It works fine and the Reporting Extensions are installed nice. 

Community Team Podcasts at Convergence Copenhagen 2008

During Copenhagen Convergence 2008, the Dynamics Community conducted some podcasts on Microsoft Dynamics . It covered the MVP's, Community Managers, Microsoft Support Professionals. This is part of a series of videos of Microsoft Dynamics communities . More will be coming soon. Click on the image below to watch these. 

Microsoft Dynamics AX Development Best Practices

A very nice resource for AX Developers. "Microsoft Dynamics AX Development Best Practices White Paper". Apart from this check out MSDN for some very good knowledge on the following:

Best Practices for Microsoft Dynamics AX Development

Designing a Microsoft Dynamics AX Application

Also download the Microsoft Dynamics AX Development Best Practices White Paper by clicking on the image below. nice resources.

Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

AX 2009 SP1 was released today at the Copenhagen Convergence.

Microsoft Dynamics^® AX 2009 Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains the complete set of updates that Microsoft has issued since the June 2008 RTM release of Microsoft Dynamics^® AX 2009, as well as a number of enhancements and new features to improve the product’s functionality and user experience.

AX 2009 SP1  Click on the link to download [Requires Partnersource access]

Microsoft Dynamics Snap for Dynamics AX 2009

The Snapins for AX 2009 have been released and is a available at Codeplex and consists of the following:

Offline Expense - This snap-in enables expenses to be entered in Excel while disconnected from the corporate network, and then posted to Dynamics AX at a later time. This snap-in uses WCF-based services and LINQ to retrieve data from Dynamics AX, and uses the Application Integration Framework, or AIF to send business documents to Dynamics AX.

Business Data Lookup (BDL) - This snap-in enables information workers to access data from Dynamics AX from within Excel, Word and Outlook. This snap-in is an upgrade of the BDL snap-in that was distributed with Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

This release contains the following snap-in applications for use with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 and Microsoft Office 2007. Click on the image below to download:

AX 4.0 Webcast [Topology & Sizing Overview] - India Edition

Last week I delivered a webcast on "Deployment Architecture & Sizing Considerations in AX 4.0 – An Overview". This was for Indian partners & customers. Since AX 2009 has still not been released in India, I did it on AX 4.0. Its an introductory presentation. Due to a technical snag, this session couldn't be recorded :(I'm attaching the presentation below. Click Image to download.

AX 2009 Documents

I've been kinda busy with a AX upgrade project so haven't been able to post regularly. However just about managed to take some time out and attaching some nice AX 2009 documents for general use. I have uploaded them all in a central place for anyone to download.(Zipped file for all documents also included in folder - AX 2009 Documents Full.zip) Click the link below. These documents include:

-AX 2009 Upgrade Guide.pdf 

-AX 2009 Localization.pdf 

-AX 2009 BI Cube Reference.pdf 

-AX 2009 Installation Guide.pdf 

-AX 2009 Security Hardening.pdf 

-AX 2009 Server DB Admin.pdf 

-AX 2009 EP Admin.pdf

-AX 2009 Integrate Workflow in Financial Journals.pdf 

-AX 2009 Managing Compliance.pdf 

-AX 2009 White Paper Multisite Activation.pdf 

-AX 2009 Post To Ledger.pdf 

-AX 2009 Setting up intercompany for intracompany direct delivery.pdf 

-AX 2009 Shipping Carrier Interface.pdf 

-AX 2009 Team Server (ID Server) Setup Whitepaper.pdf  

-AX 2009 Visual SourceSafe Version Control Setup Whitepaper.pdf