FRAMEWORK FEATURES

Objectives

The objectives are:

• Describe the concept of events and how they can be used in Microsoft Dynamics^® AX.

• Describe the various methods for integrating with Microsoft Dynamics AX.

• Describe the various types of services available in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

• Use a proxy class for .NET interop to X++.

• Access managed assemblies from X++.

• Explain how .NET Framework assemblies are deployed.

Introduction

There are many frameworks available in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. This chapter provides descriptions of some frameworks, subsystems and features in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Frameworks are collections of design patterns, interfaces, and code that provide support to you as a developer.

Eventing

Eventing is a design pattern for customization that is designed to enable non-intrusive, maintainable customizations. This technology enables you to customize the system without extensively altering source code in the base application.

Eventing enables customization behaviors to be implemented in event handlers.

The event handler code is called in response to an event that is raised in the course of the business logic execution on the system.

For more information about Eventing, refer to the "Event Handlers for Customization" topic in this chapter.

Address System

Addresses are handled by the Address subsystem. The global address book, or address subsystem, can help you understand the relationships among people and organizations that are associated with your organization. For example, a customer can also be a vendor in a marketing campaign, or a worker in your organization

NOTE: For more information about the address system refer to the "Global Address Book" topic in the Application Foundation Features chapter in this course.

Batch Journal Framework

The Batch Journal framework can be used to run a group of tasks that is created by using the RunBase framework.

TIP: There are individual tts transaction controls for each task.

The RunBase framework provides a standardized approach to creating processes and batch jobs in Microsoft Dynamics AX. The framework must be used for every job-style function in the application.

The framework is implemented by the RunBase application class and supplies many features that includes the following.

• Query

• Dialog, with persistence of the last values entered by the user

• Validate

• Batch execution for users to schedule jobs. This functionality uses the RunBaseBatch class and the pack() and unpack() methods with versioning.

• Progress bar

• Run

• Client/server-optimized

NOTE: For more information about the RunBaseframweowrk, refer to the RunBase Framework (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=238164) page on MSDN.

Business Operation Framework

The Business Operation Framework (BOF) follows the Windows

Communication Foundation (WCF) protocols and standards. With the BOF you can do the following.

For more information about the BOF, refer to the "Business Operation Framework" topic in this chapter.

Consistency Check Framework

The Consistency Check Framework helps validate the consistency of the data in the production database and helps fix the inconsistencies that it finds.

The framework consists of classes that have names ending in

"ConsistencyCheck" (for example, InventConsistencyCheck). Each of the framework classes extends the SysConsistencyCheck class.

Dimension

You can use the Dimension subsystem to work with financial dimensions. Use the InventDim subsystem to work with inventory dimensions.

For more information about the financial dimensions subsystem, refer to the

"Dimensions" topic in the Application Foundation Features chapter.

Document Management System

The document management system is automatically available everywhere in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Text notes and documents of any type and size can be attached to any record in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Note fields should not be put on your own tables, instead use the document management system's text notes.

NOTE: If documents attached to a record are stored on a file share instead of in the database in Microsoft Dynamics AX, you must make sure that the correct access levels are set.

Infolog

Information and messages to the user are located in the Infolog. It also contains contextual information and supporting Help and actions. For more information see the "Using the Infolog (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=238165)"

page on MSDN.

Number Sequence

Microsoft Dynamics AX has a number sequence framework to generate

alphanumeric number sequences that are used to identify transaction documents such as sales orders.

Operation Progress

You can inform the user that a process will take some time by using the Operation Progress framework.

BEST PRACTICE: Use a progress indicator during operations that take more than two seconds.

Use an hourglass mouse pointer if the process takes two to seven seconds.

Use a progress bar if the process takes eight seconds or more.

NOTE: For more information, see the "How to: Create Progress Indicators (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=238166)" page on MSDN.

Reporting

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is the primary reporting platform for Microsoft Dynamics AX. The default, out of the box reports provided with Microsoft Dynamics AX run on the Reporting Services platform. The new report development environment takes advantage of extended SQL Server tools and components. The report development environment is fully integrated into Microsoft Visual Studio®.

NOTE: For more information, refer to the Reporting chapter in this course.

Application Integration

The capability to integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX with other systems inside and outside the enterprise is a common requirement. Application Integration Framework (AIF) provides this capability by enabling the exchange of data through formatted XML. This formatted XML is referred to as a document, and each document contains data and business logic. Documents are based on a document class and defined by using Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Microsoft Dynamics AX is shipped together with many standard document services that support common business processes. By using the capabilities that AIF provides, you can also customize existing document services or create your own document services.