All around NAV dev and test
I still do not have my settings right to get informed on any changes on PartnerSource. Luckily, however, I am having a network that every now and then does the job for me. So what's up, Doc? Have a look here. MS is asking us to give "feedback on the linguistic quality of your local product". Not sure if I was one of the triggers to this (of course I would like to think I was ), but sure enough it's a good opportunity to help MS understand how we think about this.
Should I say more? Of course I should: typically this survey is addressing the overall satisfaction and does not very well in nuances.
Thanx Peter. Thanx Jan.
Through one of my German colleagues I stumbled over the Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server feature. One I hadn't be aware of it before.
We were discussing the upgrade of a solution to RTC and how we might use the warning messages thrown by the CSIDE compiler in the Error List window as a means in assessing the effort needed for this job.
"Be sure to have this feature enabled otherwise the warnings will not be thrown", he said. "OK", I said, "so aren't these messages thrown on a proprietary database server?" "Probably not", he answered. As the solution is humongous, on NAV 2009 Classic, we weren't just going to tick the check box and see what would happen. So I suggested to do some research and find as much as possible info.
First I searched on the various forums and blogs for Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server. Did get only one hit; on the NAV Team Blog: What is the "Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server" option? Looked promising but appeared to be not very helpful (see my comment attached to the post). To select "this option [...] if you are deploying the RoleTailored client" had already come to mind through the self-explanatory description of the check box.
I wanted to know what exactly is triggered/installed/updated/... by selecting this option.
Thus I continued my search.
First I had a look at the CSIDE on the proprietary database server and what the Error List would show me. I compiled a number of objects that clearly did have code "obsolete for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server", as many of these RTC warnings tell you. Result: only errors were listed:
As I obviously could not find the Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server check box, I now turned to a SQL Server setup. I.e. created a new database without the Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server checked, imported the application objects and compile them. Result: again only errors listed.
So, yes indeed, I turned on the Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server feature to recompile the objects and see. Aha, turning on the features triggers the system to process all application objects:
We guessed it was recompiling them which was confirmed by the comment of MSFT Dean McCrae on this mibuso post that actually addresses another aspect of the Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server feature (see below).
OK, once the objects were processed I did the recompile. Result: errors AND warnings were listed:
As already mentioned above when importing a .fob file with objects not yet compiled on/for a NAV database that is Enable for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server a (new) message will appear telling you that the objects will be recompiled and asking you whether you want to continue. If you do continue, as said, all objects will be processed (i.e. recompiled) to create the C# code needed for the 3-tier setup. Potentially you will have a number of objects that will not compile. Typically objects that contain automation, OCX or .NET references that are not present/registered on your machine. However if your .fob file was created on a database enabled for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server, it does already contain the C# code. Nevertheless this is no guarantee that the objects will not be recompiled. Only when the version of the two databases (i.e. development and the deployment databases) are the same the objects will not be recompiled. In other case it probably will be recompiled.
To minimize the number of objects that will not (re)compile during the deployment of a .fob file concentrate your references to automation, OCX and .NETin a restricted number of objects. And preferably do not put these references in table objects so that your table definitions always compile so that your data model is working OK.
OK, my findings so far that I wanted to share with you. If you have info to add, go ahead below.
And of course: thanx, Stefan.
SoWeGatheredInTheVeluweHalInBarneveld. AsOurHostForTheEveningMarkWelcomedUsAll(PICTURE1). AndAfterSomeCommunicationFromTheBoard MSFTArneDeBooijGaveHisPresentationOnRoleBasedThinkingAndWorking(PICTURE2&3). AndThenItWasMy(NOPICTURE)AndArend-Jans(PICTURE4)TurnToPresentTheDeveloperUpdatesInR2.
You might have guessed. In short: another succesful DDC event!
Want a kind of replay? Go to DDC Downloads & Links for the slide decks.
"What about it?", you might ask
Have a look at the available columns of the Object Designer:
You get it?
Clearly the field still exist.
I could not really make a good enough reason why this field has been removed for the Object Designer? Anyone?
As my role is not so much focused on programming anymore I hadn't been in the position to really experience the new "developer updates" of R2 so far. Gladly I accepted the invitation to present some of these updates during our 2nd DDC event. Presenting matters to an audience that is as much (or even more) enthusiastic and eager as yourself always delivers something in return, likewise questions raised and additions made. And not in the least also the things I encounter during preparing the whole thing (see for example Modified Flag in R2 - Another Anomaly?)
Let me pick out the Application Object Lock part of my presentation. Typically a development feature wanted for ages. I guess all of us have been working in a multi-developer team on a single database and learned the hard way what this means in NAV. And finally it's there. Nothing high-tech, but simple to use. Should I say intuitive? Maybe, maybe not, as there are some details you have to inform yourself about. Nothing spectacular, but good to know anyway.
As the setup of the presentation was one to show the general concepts of the various developer updates" of R2 I hadn't dug into a couple of details. And that's were questions raised and additions made came in handy.
And be ware: if you turn on Auto-Lock on Design and use the Go To Definition, guess what happens? You can read it all here.
... when I sat down to write this post now I consulted the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Developer and IT Pro Documentation and found that all details can be found there.