Tips and tricks to clear Dynamics AX Rainier Development Introduction examination (MB6-890)

Dear Friends,


Cleared this examination few days back, scoring over 90% (without any dumps). Sharing few tips and areas we can emphasize on for clearing this examination, which might be helpful -

• For experienced persons (having hands-on experience on Rainier), it will not be that much tough to clear the exam.

• For experienced persons (but not having hands-on experience on Rainier), it will not be that much tough to clear the exam. But please go through the Visual Studio environment and the related study materials, as this environment is completely new, along with the changes being incorporated.

• For freshers or profiles having mid-level or less experience, it will not be very tough to clear the examination. But please go through all the study materials being published by Microsoft, and understand them. Only Question/Answer blocks might not help you fully.

Few generic tips and areas to emphasize on - 

• Go through the study materials being published by Microsoft, and understand them. The questions might not always be direct, so you need to understand the concepts and select the answers.

• Primary areas which can be emphasized on - 

• Configure Visual Studio, so that we can work seamlessly on it.
• Understand "Application Explorer", ways of managing and organizing the same.
• Create and manage solutions, projects, elements.
• Create and manage models.
• Create and manage packages.
• Understand "Solution Explorer", "Element Designer", "Properties" window along with other commonly used terminologies.
• Understand the relation between packages, models, projects and elements.
• Understand Over-layering and Extensions, reference models.
• Import and export of projects and packages.
• Options to synchronize database (project specific as well as generic).
• Options to manage builds and rebuilds (project specific, solution specific as well as model specific).
• Understand "Dynamics AX 7" menu and the various options.
• Understand Application Stack, along with the objects lying in the individual layers of the same.
• Understand Server Architecture, along with the flow.
• Understand Cloud Architecture, along with the involved components.
• Create and manage labels, understanding label versions (language specific) and searching labels.
• Create and manage resource files, types of files which can be associated.
• Base enums, element values and their saving in SQL.
• Primitive data types.
• Extended data types, understanding which properties can be changed (in case of extending an existing EDT) and which properties cannot be changed.
• Create and manage Tables.
• Table indexes, different types of indexes and their usages.
• Table relations, different types of relations ("OnDelete" property).
• Table inheritance and properties required to implement the same.
• "InMemory" and "TempDB" tables, along with their usages.
• Basic level understanding of the table methods.
• Creating and managing queries, understanding nesting of data sources, dynamic filters.
• Creating and managing forms, differnet type of form controls, data sources.
• Understanding form patterns and sub-patterns. 
• Create and manage different types of menu items.
• Create and manage menus.
• Managing and using code editor.
• X++ language (data types, variable declarations and their usages, statements, loops, basic syntax).
• Runnable classes and its usage.
• Classes and objects
• Class inheritance.
• Different type of class methods and their executions.
• Key properties for all the elements.
• Base practices and advantages for all elements.
• Basic understanding of debugger and its execution.
• Basic understanding of comparison tools.
• TTS blocks.
• Data manipulation (read, insert, update, delete).
• Exception handling (Try, Catch, Retry, Finalize).
• Security architecture - roles, duties, privileges, process cycles, permissions, security properties on key elements.
• Basic understanding of BI.
• Basic understanding of OData.
• Basic understanding of Reporting Services.

All the Best for the examination.

Tips to use temporary tables in outbound AIF document service

Dear Friends,

When we talk about AIF outbounds, normally what comes first to our mind is using a query, and using the wizard to generate the required objects. But at times, we may face a situation, where standard table joins might not provide the desired data in the query.

To achieve this, we may need to write a code and take use of a temporary table, and mapping that with the query. But as we all know, regular tables are not suggested in these scenarios, and we face problems with scope of the temporary tables in these scenarios.

To achieve that successfully, we need to override the "prepareForQuery" method of the AxD class, and do a "setCursor" of the existing "QueryRun" object with the temporary table (which needs to be populated before that).

This will help us in achieving the desired result.

Tips to resolve issues of adding new data sources in list pages

Dear Friends,

As we all know, to include new fields in a list page, we need to work in the queries (at times adding a new data source, specifying the proper joins and relations) and also may need to work in the interaction class.

At times, doing this also, we do not get the newly added data source in the existing list page's data sources (after doing a "Restore" in the form as well); although for new forms, it gets properly displayed.

To overcome this, we need to do the following thing - 

• Right click on the data sources in the form.
• Re-select the query once again, and save the form.

Once it is done, the data source will get properly refreshed, and only then the design level changes can be achieved.

Tips of using LCS and Visual Studio Online for code upgrade functionality in Rainier

Dear Friends, 

We all are very much excited about Rainier, and quite a few of us have already started working on AX 7.0 (Rainier) technical previews (CTPs). In earlier versions of AX, using Life Cycle Services (LCS) was not a mandate, but now with Rainier, it seems to be a mandatory thing. Thought of sharing few important tips and steps related to integration of Rainier with LCS, for upgrading of codes from AX 2012 - 

• As of now, to connect LCS for obtaining the functionalities related to Rainier, one need to have an account on "OnMicrosoft" Azure domain account.
• Project needs to be created in LCS.
• VSO (Visual Studio Online) and LCS needs to be synchronized along with the project and get connected.
• LCS does have a "Code Upgrade" tool, where the model store needs to be uploaded. 
• It analyses, upgrades and creates Visual Studio project solutions (normally 2 solutions gets created, one for upgraded objects, and another one for upgrade conflict objects). 
• Each solution will have model and layer specific projects.
• As of now, LCS code upgrade facility is available only for AX 2012 codes.
• Developers need to analyze and fix the issues, so as to obtain an error free build.
• BP deviations also needs to be analyzed and needs to be addressed, depending upon the criticality and feasibility of the same.

Common issues and solutions while importing ISV license file

Dear Friends,

When we think about preparing an ISV solution, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 allows ISVs to create encrypted license files using x509 certificates, to protect their intellectual property. When customers deploy ISV modules to their environment, they are required to import the license file to enable the module. During the license import process, the certificate that is used to sign the file is checked against the root certification authority to verify its validity. In certain cases, however, the root authority may not be available in the system and thus requires an internet connection to check the validity through CA (Certificate Authority). The process steps are –

• Perform the standard installation.
• Import the certificate (this needs to be imported under “Trusted Root Certification Authorities”).
• Import the model or model store (certificate needs to be imported prior to this, as this will change the signature of model to “Yes”).
• Import the license file (the license file needs to be generated by the ISV partner, seeking the required details from the customer or partner, where ISV will be deployed; and providing the certificate related inputs).
• Synchronize the database.
• Compile and full CIL of the application.

But at times, in spite of importing the certificate and the model/model store; we get stuck while importing the license file. To achieve this, the following steps needs to be followed –

• Launch MMC.exe.
• Go to File > Add/Remove Snap In.
• Go to Certificates.
• Click “Add”.
• Select “Computer Account”.
• Click “Next” and “Finish”.
• Click Local Computer > Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates > Import.
• Follow the wizard to import the certificate.
• Try importing the license file.

X++ tips and best practices to improve performance in AX

Dear Friends,

As we go for lot of customizations, and get stuck in performance aspects, ultimately having a huge effect on the usage of the ERP; though of sharing the best practices which a developer should consider while going for customizations. The document have been prepared considering 2012 R2/R3; so while going for developments in 3.0/4.0/2009, please consider only the relevant points from the list.

S.No	Verification Areas
1.	Avoid client server mix.
2.	Almost all CRUD operations should run in server. In case of ‘InMemory’ and ‘TempDB’ tables, this needs to be decided based upon where the table is getting created.
3.	Methods having client interaction should not be executed in server. Method codes should be separated based upon execution tier, if required.
4.	Display or Edit methods should not have CRUD operations
5.	Field list should be specified for customized X++ SQL.
6.	FirstOnly should be used wherever applicable.
7.	Set based database operations can fall back to row based operation, if necessary skipXX methods are not called.
8.	Row based operations can be converted to set based operations, wherever applicable.
9.	Nested SELECTs should be avoided, wherever possible to be converted to JOINs. In case we need fields from a JOIN, use specific field lists; else use EXISTS JOIN or NOTEXISTS JOIN, based upon the requirement.
10.	FIND should be replaced with SELECTs, taking only those fields which are required; instead of taking the complete tuple (in case we need only a few fields). This also should depend upon the “Table Group” and “Cache Lookup” property combinations of the related tables.
11.	If code is used to INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE, make sure that validateXXX method is called before the operation.
12.	INSERT/UPDATE should not happen in Modified or Validate related methods.
13.	Validations should not happen in Modified related methods.
14.	If Insert method is overridden and is performed in a loop, suggested to use RecordInsertList.
15.	Do not write Direct SQL code in forms for retrieval of data. Direct SQL or SPs can be used for reports while fetching huge volume of data.
16.	Use Post and Pre event functionality for base method modifications (like ValidateField, ValidateWrite, InitValue etc).
17.	For Queries: Set the fields’ property ‘Dynamic’ to ‘No’ and include only those fields required/used for that table.
18.	Display methods on grid should be cached.
19.	SQL queries should be avoided in forms. This slows down the loading of Forms.
20.	Set appropriate table groups for the tables.
21.	Set appropriate cache lookups for the tables.
22.	New tables should be created with non-RecId primary key like surrogate keys, in case there is no primary key.
23.	Alternate keys are suggested to be created for new tables, in case of the requirement.
24.	Clustered indices as suggested to be kept for new tables, preferably same as that of the primary key (to retrieve data in a faster way).
25.	Relations are ideally suggested to be based on PK-FK, wherever applicable.
26.	New fields are not suggested to be added in standard tables. Extension tables are suggested for the same.
27.	Please see that TTSBEGIN/TTSCOMMIT used in a clear and well balanced manner. Multiple TTS blocks should be avoided wherever applicable.
28.	Avoid TTSABORT.

Adding Web Service reference directly in AX 2012, without using proxy DLL

Dear Friends,

Thought of sharing a small yet tricky way to add a web service reference directly from AX 2012 without using proxy DLL, for consuming the same.

Normally, when we right click on AOT "References", we can add only the DLL references from there.

But if we create a project, and add a "Reference" group, and then right click on it, we will get both the options; of adding the DLL reference as well as adding the web service reference.

Once we click on "Service Reference", the following form opens, which helps us inputting the WSDL URL along with the Namespace and other details.