Introducting MorphX

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Axapta Developer's Guide (Part 1)

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Contents Introducing MorphX..................................................................................................................... 7 1. Getting Help............................................................................................................................. 8 Using the Developer's Guide Help ............................................................................ 8 Print a Help topic ....................................................................................................... 8 Use shortcut keys ...................................................................................................... 8 Modify the Help document....................................................................................... 12 2. Developing Axapta Applications......................................................................................... 14 2.1. The Seven Steps of Application Development .......................................................... 14 Conceptualization: understanding the problem....................................................... 14 Create Extended Data Types based on the primitive data types............................ 15 Create tables to hold your data ............................................................................... 15 Design classes for handling business procedures .................................................. 15 Create forms for interacting with the user ............................................................... 16 Create reports to extract information and present surveys ..................................... 16 Create menus and menu items for accessing the functionality in your application 16 3. Using MorphX ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.1. Working with the Application Object Tree.................................................................. 17 An overview of the commands in the AOT shortcut menu...................................... 18 Application Object Tree nodes: an overview........................................................... 19 Working with projects .............................................................................................. 21 Saving your work ..................................................................................................... 21 The MorphX property sheet..................................................................................... 21 MorphX concepts you need to know ....................................................................... 22 3.2. Application Object Layers .......................................................................................... 24 Using the top level version of an object at all times ................................................ 25 Layer benefits .......................................................................................................... 26 Additional patch layers ............................................................................................ 26 Viewing layers in the application during development ............................................ 27 Using the Layers command..................................................................................... 28 Setting the current layer .......................................................................................... 29 Exporting objects from a selected layer .................................................................. 29 Tips ................................................................................... 30 3.3. Working with projects................................................................................................. 31 Open a project ......................................................................................................... 31 Create a new project ............................................................................................... 32 Create a new ptoject using the project filter funtion ................................................ 33 Autogenerate a project group.................................................................................. 33 Project tips............................................................................................................... 34 3.4. Using the editor.......................................................................................................... 34 Editor color codes.................................................................................................... 35 Use editor shortcut keys.......................................................................................... 35 Editor lookup facilities.............................................................................................. 36 Printing your code ................................................................................................... 37 Editor scripts: What they are and how they work .................................................... 37 3.5. Using the Debugger ................................................................................................... 37 To activate the debugger automatically when code is compiled............................. 37 To set breakpoints ................................................................................................... 38 Use debugger shortcut keys.................................................................................... 38 Using debugger information .................................................................................... 39 3.6. Working with more languages ................................................................................... 40 Ladels: What they are and how they work .............................................................. 40 Creating a label ....................................................................................................... 41 The label dialog ....................................................................................................... 41 Line breaks in labels................................................................................................ 42 Creating a label file.................................................................................................. 42 3.7. Working in MorphX .................................................................................................... 43 System classes: What they are and how they work................................................ 43  Columbus IT Partner Russia, ApS

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Navision Axapta Locking the datebase in a multiuser environment................................................... 44 Using the fundamental classes ............................................................................... 45 Using global variabies ............................................................................................. 46 WinAPI (Windows Application Programming Interface) .......................................... 48 3.8. Securing date............................................................................................................. 49 Feature keys: What they are and how they work .................................................... 50 Define and enable a feature key ............................................................................. 52 Disabling a datebase feature key............................................................................ 52 Creating a feature keys hierarchy ........................................................................... 53 Feature key organization......................................................................................... 53 3.9. Backup of Application Objects ................................................................................... 55 Using the application object export import facilities ................................................ 55 Export application objects ....................................................................................... 56 Import application objects........................................................................................ 56 A note about exporting tables and classes ............................................................. 57 3.10. Tips................................................................................................................ 57 Setting development options ................................................................................... 57 Easing your login procedure.................................................................................... 60 Using Windows Regional Settings .......................................................................... 62 How do I locate… .................................................................................................... 63 Add company logo to the Main menu...................................................................... 64 Executing commands on startup ............................................................................. 64 4. Working with MorphX Development Tools ........................................................................ 66 4.1. Using the Cross-Reference system ........................................................................... 67 Create a cross-reference system ............................................................................ 67 Using the cross-reference system........................................................................... 68 4.2. Generating an Application Hierachy Tree.................................................................. 70 Application Hierarchy Tree information ................................................................... 70 If information for a hierarchical view is not available............................................... 72 4.3. Using the MorphXplorer ............................................................................................. 72 Creating a tables relation diagram .......................................................................... 73 Include class and map information in a table relations diagram ............................. 74 Creating a classes diagram..................................................................................... 75 Including super and sub classes information in a class diagram ............................ 75 Opening, saving, and printing diagrams from the MorphXplorer ............................ 76 Arranging, zooming, and copying in the MorphXplorer ........................................... 76 Legend in the MorphXplorer.................................................................................... 77 4.4. Other Tools ................................................................................................................ 77 Using the application objects list ............................................................................. 77 4.5. Creating Wizards ....................................................................................................... 79 Create a wizard ....................................................................................................... 80 Guidelines for wizard development ......................................................................... 81 The wizard class...................................................................................................... 82 The wizard form....................................................................................................... 83 Wizard tips............................................................................................................... 83 4.6. Tips . ............................................................................................. 86 Searching on properties .......................................................................................... 86 5. Creating a Database ............................................................................................................. 88 5.1. Database Basics ........................................................................................................ 88 Databases and MorphX........................................................................................... 88 The MorphX Interface Layer.................................................................................... 88 5.2. Databases and Companies ....................................................................................... 89 Dividing a database into companies ....................................................................... 89 Working with companies ......................................................................................... 90 Creating table collections, virtual companies and companies ................................ 90 Who creates what.................................................................................................... 92 5.3. Extended Data Types ................................................................................................ 92 Basing one Extended Data Type on another .......................................................... 94 Defining Extended Data Types as arrays................................................................ 95 Creating Extended Data Types ............................................................................... 95 3

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Navision Axapta Customizing Extended Data Types ......................................................................... 96 Description of properties for Extended Data Types ................................................ 97 Adding dimensions .................................................................................................. 99 Complete these steps to add a dimension: ..................................................................... 100 5.4. Table Basics ............................................................................................................ 103 Creating tables ...................................................................................................... 106 Using keys in tables .............................................................................................. 107 5.5. Relationships ........................................................................................................... 108 Creating a relationship .......................................................................................... 109 Creating a relationship on an Extended Data Type .............................................. 110 Creating a condition on a relationship on an Extended Data Type....................... 110 Creating a relationship on a table ......................................................................... 111 Creating a condition on a relationship on a table .................................................. 112 Adding conditions to your relationships................................................................. 114 Validation and integrity .......................................................................................... 115 Using delete actions .............................................................................................. 116 5.6. Using Code in Tables............................................................................................... 117 Sequence of execution of methods....................................................................... 123 Defining and modifying methods in your tables .................................................... 123 5.7. Indexes . ............................................................................... 124 Deciding what to index .......................................................................................... 125 Creating an index .................................................................................................. 126 Description of properties for indexes..................................................................... 126 5.8. Ways to customize................................................................................................... 127 Customizing fields in a table.................................................................................. 131 Modifying tables that contain data......................................................................... 134 Temporary tables .................................................................................................. 135 Using maps............................................................................................................ 135 Creating a map...................................................................................................... 136 5.9. Tips . ........................................................................................ 137 Using Index and Order By in select statements .................................................... 137 Caching lookups .................................................................................................... 138 Browsing data........................................................................................................ 141 6. Creating forms .................................................................................................................... 143 6.1. Form basics ............................................................................................................. 143 What is a form and what is it used for? ................................................................. 143 The basic steps in defining a form ........................................................................ 143 What are controls and how do their properties relate to properties in their underlying fields? .......................................................................................................... 145 Access keys on forms ........................................................................................... 149 Using the graphical forms editor............................................................................ 150 Automatic reports on data in forms ....................................................................... 150 Guidelines for form design .................................................................................... 151 6.2. Ways to Customize Your Form................................................................................ 152 Add a picture to a form .......................................................................................... 152 Add a control to a form .......................................................................................... 152 Create a form with tabs ......................................................................................... 153 Bind an unbound control to a field......................................................................... 153 Change the tab order on a form ............................................................................ 154 Delete a control on a form ..................................................................................... 154 Format groups on your form.................................................................................. 154 Group controls on your form.................................................................................. 154 Use image lists for Tree controls and ListView controls ....................................... 154 Modify the shortcut menu on controls ................................................................... 156 Description of properties for controls .................................................................... 157 Description of properties for a form data source ................................................... 177 Description of properties for form design .............................................................. 179 Joining data sources on forms .............................................................................. 180 6.3. Designing Forms...................................................................................................... 183 Determining the opening view of a form................................................................ 183 Specify whether a form opens for modification and data entry ............................. 184  Columbus IT Partner Russia, ApS

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6.4. 6.5.

6.6.

6.7. 6.8. 6.9.

Implicit forms variable declarations ....................................................................... 184 Validate or restrict data in forms............................................................................ 184 Order of evaluation for controls and fields ............................................................ 185 Auto-arrange principles in forms ........................................................................... 185 Sizeable forms....................................................................................................... 188 Toggling between different views on data............................................................. 188 Display a message box ......................................................................................... 189 Using display and edit method modifiers .............................................................. 190 The standard lookup form: what it consists of....................................................... 192 The lookup facility: creating you own lookup forms .............................................. 193 Creating a run-time lookup form............................................................................ 196 Tips ................................................................................... 198 Using ActiveX controls ............................................................................................. 199 Adding an ActiveX control to a form...................................................................... 199 Forms System Classes ............................................................................................ 201 Form control system classes................................................................................. 202 Constructing a form from your X++ code .............................................................. 202 Add a picture to a form using a system class........................................................ 203 Accessing the active query on a form ................................................................... 204 Events on forms ....................................................................................................... 206 Methods on a form ................................................................................................ 208 Methods on a form data source............................................................................. 211 Methods on form controls...................................................................................... 213 Forms: Examples ..................................................................................................... 225 An example: a typical form from the standard application .................................... 225 An additional benefit of creating relations................................................................ 230 An example of a Progress control ......................................................................... 231 An example of a Window control........................................................................... 233 Optimizing and Troubleshooting Forms................................................................... 234 Troubleshoot forms ............................................................................................... 234 Optimize form performance................................................................................... 234

7. Creating Queries................................................................................................................. 235 7.1. Quiries basics .......................................................................................................... 235 The standard QueryForm ...................................................................................... 235 Organization of queries ......................................................................................... 237 7.2. Creating a query ...................................................................................................... 238 Creating relations between embedded data sources............................................ 239 Setting properties and default options................................................................... 239 Using multiple tables in a query ............................................................................ 241 Sequencing of retrieved records ........................................................................... 242 7.3. Using queries from other application objects........................................................... 243 Using Run classes for Query objects .................................................................... 243 Using Build classes for Query objects................................................................... 244 Queries in forms and reports................................................................................. 246 7.4. Queries and methods............................................................................................... 246 8. Creating Reports................................................................................................................. 248 8.1. Reports basics ......................................................................................................... 248 Report components ............................................................................................... 248 Data source and visual layout ............................................................................... 249 8.2. Creating a report ...................................................................................................... 250 Creating a report by using a wizard ...................................................................... 250 Using report templates .......................................................................................... 251 Report sections ..................................................................................................... 252 Creating a new report template ............................................................................. 253 Creating a report based on a design specification ................................................ 254 Creating a report with a custom design................................................................. 256 Creating a report with multiple designs ................................................................. 256 Using controls to display information from the database ...................................... 257 Example showing how to use a display method ................................................... 257 Description of properties for the data source query .............................................. 258 5

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Navision Axapta Defining report orientation ..................................................................................... 258 8.3. Printing Reports ....................................................................................................... 259 Printing reports executed on the server ................................................................ 259 Choosing alternative report medium ..................................................................... 259 Disable printer selection ........................................................................................ 260 Fit to page.............................................................................................................. 262 8.4. Reports and methods............................................................................................... 262 Methods on a report .............................................................................................. 263 Overview of methods on a report .......................................................................... 263 The Fetch and Send methods ............................................................................... 265 Modifying the Fetch method on a report ............................................................... 265 Understanding the Send method on a report ........................................................ 266 Methods on the report design................................................................................ 266 Events on reports .................................................................................................. 266 Events caused by the Fetch method..................................................................... 267 8.5. Tips . ....................................................................................... 268 Overview of components in a report design.......................................................... 268 Printing headers for reports with many columns ................................................... 268 Sequencing of sections when printing a report ..................................................... 268 Setting font and font size....................................................................................... 269 Positioning sections relative paper edges............................................................. 269 Column headings and word wrap.......................................................................... 269 Missing bitmaps..................................................................................................... 270 9. Creating Menus................................................................................................................... 271 Creating a menu.................................................................................................... 271 Description of properties for menus ...................................................................... 271 Menu items: What they are and how they work .................................................... 272 Creating a menu item ............................................................................................ 272 Methods on a menu item....................................................................................... 273 Description of properties for menu items .............................................................. 273 Activating a menu item from your X++ code ......................................................... 274 Activating a class from a menu item ..................................................................... 276

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Introducing MorphX The development environment in Axapta is called MorphX. It is referred to as an Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, because it integrates many different functions such as designing, editing, compiling, and debugging within a common environment. In most traditional development tools, each of these functions would operate as a separate program, each with its own interface. In the Application Object Tree the developer can create new application objects by using drag-and-drop, and setting properties. To make the developer's job easier and faster, the system has auto settings for all application object properties. The concept of inheritance is central to the system. Inheritance means that what is defined at lower levels in the system is automatically inherited by higher levels. One illustration of the concept of inheritance is the way a developer may modify and augment the system functionality by writing his own methods. An Axapta application is flexible and easily modifiable on many levels. Typically you need to modify only a single parameter for the entire system inherit your change. If, for example, you change the length of a database field from ten characters to twenty, this is automatically reflected on all forms in the application that display this field. Axapta is not tied to a specific database platform but has been designed to be used on top of a relational database such as Microsoft SQL server. X++ uses object-oriented programming principles such as encapsulation, inheritance, classes, objects, methods, and properties. The language has Java-like syntax, and incorporates SQL data manipulation statements.

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1. Getting Help Using the Developer's Guide Help The Developer's Guide describes central concepts in MorphX and provides in-depth task oriented help to guide you through the development process. The book Using MorphX is a good place to begin if you want to learn about general system concepts and efficient ways to work in the system. When you are ready to begin developing your integrated enterprise solution or to customize the standard application, Developing Axapta Applications will guide you through the development process step by step. The Creating... books provide conceptual as well as task oriented help on designing Axapta application objects: tables, forms, queries, reports and menus. Securing a Database deals with all aspects of security in Axapta, from disabling features in the system to setting up users and user groups and monitoring database changes. Axapta includes a number of tutorials to demonstrate various form features. The Tutorials book holds brief desriptions of these tutorials. Axapta Language Reference is a reference guide to X++, the Axapta programming language. Axapta Application Development Standards holds information about the development standards that form the basis of the application. Design Patterns in Axapta Applications holds guideline for good programming practice in Axapta. The Axapta COM Connector book includes a basics book with examples and a reference guide.




In the development environment, reference help information is available on for example functions and classes. 1. Expand the System Documentation or the Application Developer Documentation node. 2. Locate the item you want help on and press F1. Alternatively, press F1 and click the Search button on the toolbar.

Print a Help topic 1. In the Help topic window, click the Printer icon on the toolbar. 2. Choose between printing the selected topic, or printing all topics in the selected heading. 3. Click OK.




The version and setup of Microsoft Internet Explorer determines the print functionality on your system

Use shortcut keys You can use shortcut keys (also called accelerator keys) for quick access to frequently used commands or operations. The topics below describe shortcut keys generally available in Axapta and those specific to MorphX.




Click Shortcut keys on Axapta's Help menu for a complete list of system shortcut keys.

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What do you want to do? Use global Axapta shortcut keys Printing and saving

Press

To save an application object

CTRL+S

To print an application object

CTRL+P

Cut, copy and paste

Press

To cut an application object

CTRL+X (SHIFT+DEL)

To copy an application object

CTRL+C (CRTL+INS)

To paste an application object

CTRL+V (SHIFT+INS)

Opening...

Press

To open the Application Object Tree

CTRL+D

Getting Help

Press

To get Help on an application object

F1

To display What's this? Help on an application object

SHIFT+F1

Getting Help

Press

To get Help on an application object

F1

Use shortcut keys in forms to locate records Filter functions

Press

To set up a filter

CTRL+F3

To clear a filter

CTRL+SHIFT+F3

Locating records

Press

To create a new record

CTRL+N

To find the first record

CTRL+HOME

To find the last record

CTRL+END

Deleting records To delete a record

ALT+F9

Use shortcut keys to navigate in forms

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Navision Axapta Field navigation

Press

To go to first field

CTRL-SHIFT-HOME

To go to last field

CTRL-SHIFT-END

To go to previous field

SHIFT-TAB

To go to previous tab

CTRL-SHIFT-TAB

To go to next tab

TAB

To go to previous group

CTRL-SHIFT-PAGE UP

To go to next group

CTRL-SHIFT-PAGE DOWN

Use shortcut keys in the Application Object Tree When you want ...

Press

To open an application object

CTRL+O

To compile an application object

F7

To go to the previous node

UP

To go to the next node

DOWN

To move the node up

ALT+UP

To move the node down

ALT+DOWN

To expand the current node

RIGHT

To collapse the current node

LEFT

To expand the current node as much as possible

*

To collapse the current node as much as possible

-

Use shortcut keys in the editor To make it easier and faster to use the editor, use these shortcut keys: When you want to...

Press

Indent selection

TAB

Extend selection/remove indent

SHIFT+TAB

Open Help on a class

F1

Delete the previous word

CTRL+BACKSPACE

Open the Find/Replace dialog

CTRL+F

Find the next occurrence

F3

Compile

F7

Compile and close a method

F8

Set and delete a breakpoint

F9

Replace

CTRL+R

Jump to a method

CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR

Mark a column

ALT+O

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Navision Axapta To undo and redo

Press

Undo

CTRL+Z (latest ten actions)

Redo

CTRL+Y (latest ten actions)

To go to...

Press

The next method

CRTL+TAB

The previous method

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

To look up...

Press

A label

CTRL+ALT+SPACEBAR

A Definition

CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR

Properties and methods

CTRL+SPACEBAR

To list...

Press

Tables

F2

Classes

F12

Types

F4

Enums

F11

Reserved words

SHIFT+F2

Built-in functions

SHIFT+F4




You can also use the toolbar buttons in the editor to enable the facilities listed above and to save you code.

Use shortcut keys in the debugger To make it easier and faster to use the system’s debugger, use these shortcut keys: When you want to...

Press

Run the debugger

F5

Set or delete a breakpoint

F9

Show breakpoint table

SHIFT+F9

Step into

F8

Step over

SHIFT+F8

Step return

CTRL+F8

Open or close the variables window

ALT+2

Open or close call stack window

ALT+3

Open or close system variable window

ALT+4

Switch line numbers on/off

F4

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You can also use the toolbar buttons in the debugger to enable the facilities listed above. The keys F5, F9 and SHIFT+F9 can also be used in the editor.

Modify the Help document This Help document was created using RoboHELP® for Microsoft HTML Help version 9 from eHelp Corporation. If you want to add or delete text from the Help document you need to acquire RoboHELP. You also need the HTML source files for the compressed Help file, Help project files (.mpj, .hhc, and .hhk), and style sheet file (.css). If you want to modify only the Contents tab (for example to remove one or more topics), you need the .hhc file.




Always keep a backup before making any modifications to files supplied with the Axapta system

To modify a Help topic 1. Create a directory, and a number of subdirectories, on your hard disk where you can place the project files and the document source files, for example HelpDir. The topics for each book in the Help file are located in a separate directory. The directory name is a three or four letter abbreviation of the title of the book, for exampe CRRP for "Creating Reports", CRDB for "Creating a Database". Within each directory, the file names are prefaced the directory "CRRP_Reports_basics.htm" and "CRDB_Databases_and_MorphX.htm".

name,

for

example

Underscores are used because the Microsoft HTML Help compiler currently cannot handle spaces. 2. Copy the .htm files to subdirectories and the project files and the style sheet to HelpDir.




The project files and the .htm files are not normally shipped with the system.

3. Activate RoboHELP and select the project file called axdvgus.mpj. 4. From the Project tab, open the file you want to modify. 5. Modify the text as needed and re-compile the Help project. To use the revised Help document, copy the .chm file to the directory where you have installed your Axapta system.

To modify the Contents tab The table of contents for an HTML Help file is saved in a file with extension .hhc. The .hhc file is a text file that you can modify in any text editor. This approach will probably be the easiest if you merely want to delete a single entry in the Contents tab or modify a title.




Removing an entry from the Contents tab does not restrict the user's access to the information in the topic through the Index Tab in the Help project.

In RoboHELP there is a graphical tool dedicated to manipulate the .hhc file. You should use this tool if you want to make extensive modifications. Also, whenever you remove an entry from the contents, you should also delete the corresponding topic to prevent the user from getting access to information, you find unnecessary. When you have deleted or edited a topic as described in steps 1 through 5 in How to modify a Help topic you must 1. Activate the TOC Composer in RohoHELP  Columbus IT Partner Russia, ApS

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Navision Axapta 2. Delete or modify a Book or Page as needed 3. Save the revised .hhc file and exit the Contents Tab Composer 4. Recompile the Help project. To use the revised Help document and contents file, copy the .chm file to the directory where you have installed your Axapta system.

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2. Developing Axapta Applications 2.1. The Seven Steps of Application Development MorphX has been designed to make it easy to develop Accounting and Business Management Systems and Enterprise Resource Planning applications. When you create an application in the IDE, the Application objects will be generated automatically. Normally about 80 % of the Application objects you create will not require any modifications before they can be used. The remaining 20% of the Application objects will require some modifications to be made by the application programmer. MorphX contains code, form, and report editors, and so on to help you do this. One of the basic concepts when developing Axapta applications is reuse. Depending on whether your job is to make a new application from scratch or if your are going to modify or extend an existing application, it is very often possible to reuse functionality. If your job is to add new functionality to an existing application, then make sure that you know the individual parts of the existing application. If you do not know and understand the existing application, you may end up having created functionality that was not really necessary, because it already existed in the application. When designing an Axapta application you have to complete the following seven steps: 1. Conceptualization: understand the problem. 2. Create Extended Data Types based on the primitive data types. 3. Create tables to hold your data. 4. Create classes for handling business procedures. 5. Create forms for interacting with the user. 6. Create reports to extract information and present surveys. 7. Create menus and menu items for accessing the functionality in your application. This of course is an iterative process. When you have been working with for example step four for some time you will discover that you will have to redesign some of the things you made at step three and so on. You will always have to perform a parallel activity besides the ones mentioned above: testing your application. The scope of this text is not to teach you a specific technique for developing or testing software. Refer to one of the numerous textbooks available describing OOA, OOD, prototyping, and testing techniques.

Conceptualization: understanding the problem The first major step in the development process is realizing what the problem you want to solve is really about. These first thoughts give you valuable information about the purpose of the application. Another valuable source of information is the end users that are going to use the application. It is always a good idea to involve the end users at an early stage of the development process to make sure that your application solves the correct problem. By identifying how the application is going to be used and which routines the users will perform with the system you get a good idea of the data your application is going to handle. This makes it possible for you to come up with a set of Extended Data Types that can be used in your tables. Designing the tables will often be the most difficult part of the entire application development process. Getting your table design right is crucial as the rest of the application is built on top of the tables. In the conceptualization process it is also important that you identify the forms and reports that are needed. This is the only way you can design the underlying system to provide the information necessary in them. The most important results of this step is a clear picture of... • the problem the system is going to solve • the functionality of the system, that is, how will the application solve the problem  Columbus IT Partner Russia, ApS

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Navision Axapta • who is going to use the system Other results of this step are first ideas of... • which Extended Data Types are needed • which tables are necessary (and relations between them) • which forms and reports the users need • the structure of the menus that gives access to the entire application When you have completed this step, test your results with the users/customers. Create a requirements specification together with your customer. The requirements specification can be made as a description of criteria which must be fulfilled.

Create Extended Data Types based on the primitive data types Extended Data Types are data types defined by the application programmer. An Extended Data Type is based on one of the primitive data types (or another Extended Data Type), but one or more properties have been modified to reflect a real world domain more accurately. Typically your analysis will identify a number of common types of data which occurs throughout the application. Assume for the moment that you have some items that you want to register in your application and that each item has a unique ID number. Instead of defining this unique ID number as a String with length 14 each time you need an unique ID number, MorphX allows you to define an Extended Data Type such as UniqueIDNo. Once this Extended Data Type has been defined, it is globally available in you application. Do not use Extended Data Types unless you are absolutely sure that the types of the data in the fields are identical. Using Extended Data Types in the wrong places will create unnecessary dependencies between otherwise unrelated modules in your application.

Create tables to hold your data Your tables and the relations between them make up the foundation of your application. A bad table design affects the whole application. This is why it is important to analyze your data and break it into tables before you create any other application objects Defining relations between your tables are closely related to defining Extended Data Types (the previous step). As in other systems based on relational databases it is possible to define relations between tables in MorphX. But in MorphX this concept is taken a step further. When you define your Extended Data Types you are allowed to define relations between the tables. You should make sure that your tables adhere to the first three normal forms. This brings many benefits, such as an increase in consistency and maintainability, a reduction in data redundancy and better search performance from smaller tables (with narrower rows). If you are not familiar with the relational model and the normal forms, you should refer to The Relational Model for Database Management Systems (1990) by E. F. Codd. When designing the logic of your application you should be aware of that MorphX allows you to modify the standard behavior of your tables by adding code to methods. This can be used to enforce integrity rules and define logic for your tables. The results of this step should be tested with... • your conceptual model • the customer (use the requirements specification) • Normalization rules 1, 2, and 3.

Design classes for handling business procedures Classes in MorphX allow you to reuse common functionality. Once you have defined a set of classes, they can be used from all other application objects in your application. Classes are not very useful on their own, but are intended to be used to solve tasks for other application objects, such as forms and reports. 15

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Navision Axapta You might be tempted to start with coding as the first step to see how it works. This approach is not ideal in an Axapta application because code only runs in the context of an application object and an associated event. The results of this step should be tested with... • your conceptual model

Create forms for interacting with the user Axapta forms are not just screens for entering and editing data. To the users of your application the forms are the application, as it makes up most of the application’s user interface. Forms are the most important way for your users to interact with your application. By interacting with forms the users control the flow of your application. Start by creating a form that is used to enter data in your application. Add a few sample records of sample data to your tables. This makes it easier to see whether your forms (and reports) display the data you want. For each form, determine what data you want on it, and then create a data source that contains the data. This is also a test of your tables because you will be able to see if you can get the data you want from the tables. Normally the forms you create in MorphX are created directly in the Application object Tree. Having defined the form here, its visual layout is automatically generated by MorphX based on the information in your Extended Data Types and your tables. In most common situations the system-generated layout is ready to use, but depending on your special requirements you might want to modify the layout. The results from this step should be tested with... • your conceptual model • your customer

Create reports to extract information and present surveys Reports are used to get printed overview of information extracted from your application’s data. Typically you produce phone lists, sales summaries, or mailing labels using reports. Just like any other application object, reports are also created using the application object tree. The Axapta Report Editor automatically generates the report based on the design you define in the Application Object Tree.

Create menus and menu items for accessing the functionality in your application Creating menus and menu items is the final step before your application development process is finished. The end users access the functionality in your application through menus. Menus in MorphX are very flexible compared to other systems. An Axapta application normally has several menus that are customized specifically to certain uses of the systems. Furthermore MorphX allows the end users to make their own modifications and create their own special menus. Your Application objects are not accessed directly from the menus. Instead they are accessed by menu items. The Menu items serve as a layer between the end users and the application objects. The menu items are also used to limit access to the application, based on the privileges defined for the user. The results from this step should be tested with... • your customer • the conceptual model This completed the seven steps involved in developing an Axapta application. If you have followed the previous steps it is now time to check that the application you have made lives up to the criteria you and your customer have put up in the requirements specification.  Columbus IT Partner Russia, ApS

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Navision Axapta

3. Using MorphX 3.1. Working with the Application Object Tree To open the Axapta Application Object Tree point to Open, and then click Application Object Tree on the File menu.

Pic. 3-1 The Application Object Tree holds all objects in your application along with tools to develop your own application, or to modify the standard modules in the Axapta application. The structure of the tree resembles what you see in Microsoft Explorer, or the Windows Registry Editor. The tree is a hierarchy with a number of main nodes that you can click to branch to individual levels of nesting. From the main nodes, expand the tree to a number of levels. The small icon with a plus indicates that another expansion level is available. The small empty box icon indicates that the node is currently empty of contents but that you can create some contents. The nodes share two features: • A shortcut menu opened by right-clicking the node. The menu will look different depending on the kind of node; however, you will always find the Properties command (see next item). • A set of properties you can view in the node property sheet. To see the properties of the current node, right-click the node to open the shortcut menu, and click the Properties command, or click the properties icon in the toolbar.

The New command To create a new class, a new table in the database, a new form or a new report, right-click the relevant node to open the shortcut menu, and then click the New command. The New command will always create a new object of the type that can be inserted in the current node. 17

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Navision Axapta For example a form consists of three types of objects – methods, data source, and graphical layout. So if you choose New on the Forms, a new form object with three subnodes is created. When it is possible to insert more than one object, the New command opens a submenu.

An overview of the commands in the AOT shortcut menu The available commands in shortcut menu depend on the type of node you open it on: Command

Use it to...

Add-Ins

open a submenu holding various MorphX tools, for example the crossreference system and a compare feature. Tip You can add you own commands to the submenu.

Compile

compile a method or a subtree. When you exit the editor without compiling (or saving) the system will automatically do so for you.

Copy

create a copy of the current object.

Cut

delete the current object while keeping a copy in the buffer.

Delete

delete the current object.

Duplicate

create a copy of the current object.

Edit

edit the X++ code or the graphical design of the current object.

Export

extract information from the system to a text file.

Find...

locate an object in the Application Object Tree. The dialog is virtually identical to the Find Files or Folders... dialog in Windows Explorer. Tip Use shortcut key CTRL+F.

Generate Design

have the system generate a report design based on the query structure.

Generate Specs From Query

have the system generate a design structure similar to the data source structure in the query.

Layers

view object in all layers. Note You always save, modify and delete in the current layer.

Lock

temporarily lock the current node for modifications from other users. This command is useful only in installations with multiple clients with access to the same data.

New