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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

DynamicsAXJobs.com stats update

Hello everyone!

Just thought I would give an update on the current stats for DynamicsAXJobs.com. As of right now we have:

- 126 Job Seekers
- 25 Employers
- 3 current active jobs (with over a dozen posted)

Our stats keep climbing everyday! It's great to be able to develop something can be used to connect people. I espcially enjoy helping people find the right answer to whatever problem they are having. In this case, the need is employement, or a better job, and the answer is DynamicsAXJobs.com

Well that's all for now. Look for our next stat update next week!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

SysMailer in Dynamics AX

Something that we have found a good bit useful in our custom development of AX is the SysMailer class. With this class, you can - generate and send emails. To give an example of how we used this, we added a new enum value to the Sales Status of a sales order called 'Credit Hold'. When a customer is past due, or is over there given credit limit, then the sales order is placed on 'Credit Hold' and a email is sent out to a given list of people (alias group of emails contained on the email server). The people that get this list decided when the sales order can be actually turned from Credit Hold, to Open Order. The automatically generated email is what keeps the flow of this information system controlled, and not being dependant on a user to have to send a email out.

Without getting further into the benefits of this, or the example I gave you, let's just dive right in and look at the SysMailer example code:


SysMailer mail;
;

mail = new SysMailer();
mail.SMTPRelayServers().add("mail.yoursmtpserver.com");
mail.fromAddress("test@test.com");
mail.tos().add("you@you.com");

// Build the Message
mail.htmlBody(strfmt(""));
mail.subject(strfmt(""));
mail.sendMail();


That's it! Pretty straight forward, and great piece of code that can be very useful when alerting, and sharing of information and events as they occur. I am sure you can see how this can be used, in fact, I believe that Axapta Alerts! product for keeping you informed about what all is going on within your Ax environment use's similar code a lot.

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Monday, November 28, 2005

Connecting to a Database via ODBC

In AX you can connect to outside databases through AX's built in ODBC,
LoginProperty, Statement, and ResultSet Classes. Through these you can read in data to axapta, or preform update query's like delete's / updates / insert's etc.
It's really very handy, espcially when connecting AX to already existing databases that AX needs data from, or needs to interact with.

Below is some example code that will connect to a Database, and loop through a select statements resultset:


OdbcConnection cn;
Statement s;
ResultSet rs;
LoginProperty lp;
str SQL;

// Field Variables
int Seq;
str Field1;
str Field2;
;

// Create new Login property instance
lp = new LoginProperty();
lp.setDatabase("Test");
lp.setServer("TestDBSrvr");
lp.setUserName("sa");
lp.setPassword("sa_password");

// Create new OdbcConnection instance, and pass it the LoginProperty just created above
cn = new OdbcConnection(lp);

// Create new Statement instance
s = cn.CreateStatement();

// Set the SQL statement
SQL = "select * from testTable";

// Now fille the ResultSet, and pass it the Select Statement
rs = s.executeQuery(SQL);

while(rs.next())
{
// Fill the field vairables now
Seq = rs.getInt(1);
Field1 = rs.getString(2);
Field2 = rs,getString(3);

// Below here preform some logic on the data, or do some action
...

}


Basically that is it! Of course you can get more in depth, but that is a good example of taking and reading data from another database through ODBC from within AX!

The section in red was edited when pointed out by a vistor to the site. I had it listed as: s = new Statement(); but really it should be s = cn.CreateStatement();

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Friday, November 25, 2005

Some un-Real Precision?

Recently I was helping a fellow developer out on an issue. He was working with some basic code that added Real variables together. The precision for these variables was at the point 8th position of the decimal level. (ex: 99.99999999). When working with Real in X++ it is suppose to be able to handle a precision depth of 12 positions. Well as he took 99.99999999 and added it to 99.99999999 the result of the Real variable that stored the sum of these numbers showed up as: 100.

Very strange this was, and confusing, frustrating. So we took this a step further, and added another 99.99999999 to the given now 100 value variable. From this point the variable's value became 200?

After further investigation, it seems that X++ loses it's precision on Real variables after the 6th position. This can be a problem when trying to do exact percentages, but for what we were trying to do, shorting the precision to the 4th position made the sumaztion work correctly. So word to the wise, don't trust the precision of Real's in X++ past the 6th position. Maybe this will change with the next release, and until then, hopefully this will help another developer wasting hours on an issue that should not exist.

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Sales Mobility + Dynamics AX + Pocket PC 5.0

I just came across a very intersting article about a new feature / add-on to the suite of avaible options for Dynamics AX. (click here for the article).

The article covers a sales moibility assistant piece of software that will connect to Dynamics AX from the PDA's and smart phones that will allow sales people to get critical sales information on the go, including CRM based information. This would help bring Dynamics AX to the top of such mobility, and would allow for increased visibility of the company data directly to the sales person on the go.

This is a great feature, that I know many people have talked about developing their own solution for. Now MS is coming out with this as a module that can be bought and used. As more information comes out about this, we will make sure to post about it. I for one am very excited about this, and can't wait to see it in action. Also, check back soon for our post on what's new in Dynamics AX, and what can everyone expect to see!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Site rankings

I have some exciting news. According to Alexa, DynamicsAXJobs.com (Formely AxaptaJobs.com) has a Ranking of: 303,107. You can compare this number to google.com which is 3. Out of all the web traffic in the world that is a pretty good ranking, considering that we were not even ranked back 3 months ago.

To give an even better idea of what this ranking means, this blog is ranked in the 4,600,000+ on Alexa. Granted this blog did not start till a few weeks ago, but still gives you a good idea of the traffic to DynamicsAXjobs.com, and a good idea that people like, and use the site.

It great to hear these kinds of stats, and once we break into the top 100,000 sites on the web, well that's one heck of an acomplishment for a new site. Thank to everyone who visits and uses the site, it exists for you!


Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Monday, November 21, 2005

Axapta Knowledge Village post

I just found out, that on the 16th of this past month, this blog and DynamicsAXJobs.com was posted about on the Axapta Knowledge Village blog. I for one think that it is a great honor, and I thank the village owner for posting a post about us. The post did highlight our recent interview with Steen about his book called: 'MORPHX IT'.

Hopefully over the next week or two you will see a review about his released chapter on reporting. Do see the post on Axapta Knowldede Village go to here: Axapta Knowledge Village post

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Monday, November 14, 2005

Interview with Steen Andreasen

I took the time the other day to sit down and virtually interview Steen Andreasen about his up coming book: "MORPHX IT". Below is the interview Q&A Session:

Steen, let me start off by first asking you to give the readers a little bit about your self, your background in Axapta, I mean Dynamics AX.

My name is Steen Andreasen, and I am working as Axapta programmer in Denmark for WM-data, which is a Nordic supplier of design- and IT-related services.
For about 10 years I have been working as a programmer on ERP products. A couple of years I was working with the predecessor to Axapta, Concorde XAL. I have for the last eight years been working with Axapta, Actually as I started the system was called Atlanta - I started out working with the first beta version. My first job on Axapta was to help localizing Axapta for the Turkish market. It was a great time as I was expatriated to Turkey; in fact I think it was the first job done on Axapta. Prior to my present job I have for some years been working on the HRM modules in the standard package. I learned a lot about product development in these years, as I was with from the start of creating the HRM modules.


Next let me ask you, where do you see, AX for short, going over the next 3-5 years?

There have been a lot of rumors out, where AX is going. MBS has already started streamlining their ERP business with re-branding their products. The next step is to give all four Dynamic systems the same user interface.
In the short run I think Axapta will stay as it is. We will see a tighter integration to other Microsoft products, like Office and .net, making it easier and more user-friendly to integrate other products.
MBS is a new player in the ERP business so they have still much to learn and I am curios about how they will integrate four different products as one. My guess is that they will keep the four systems as it is. Some of the new modules might be developed in .net to be used of all four systems. In the long run those modules might be the platform for Dynamic as one system.


Do you think that Microsoft buying Axapta and making it part of the Green Project was a good move or bad one for AX and the AX user base?

MBS acquisition of Navision, and thereby Axapta has opened many doors. I think it was the best that could happen for Axapta as a product. Also I think it will benefit the AX user base as Microsoft is good and streamlining and making their products user-friendly.

When the time comes where the four products are to be merged to Dynamic, I think it will be like converting the AX user to a totally new system. This might be though for the users, as is takes time implementing a new system.


Obviously you have noticed the lack of good training content related to AX, as you are about to release a book called 'MORPHX IT'. Who is the intended reader, what level should they be at, and what do you base your book content on?

I wonder why there have never been written any better documentation for Axapta. Version 4.0 is supposed to have better help for the application classes, but still there is a long way to go.

I thought about writing a book for a long time, I did research for an Axapta book, but I realized that it was going to be a quite a job describing the MorphX Development Suite. Finally I decided to take a ½ year leave from my job writing the book.

MORPHX IT is an Axapta programming book and the focus area is the MorphX Development Suite. The book is not just a walk-through the features, as I base the book on my more than 8 years experience working with Axapta.

The target group for my book is people with a technical background or people interested in learning what is behind the application. This could be programmers, students or consultants. However I believe that most AX programmers will gain something by reading the book.
Before reading the book it will be an advantage knowing how to navigate in the Axapta application, and how to use the Axapta Configuration Utility.


Going off topic a little bit here, but if you could add one thing to X++, AX itself, what would it be and why?

During my years working with HRM modules, I have been working at a lot of different partner sites. Nearly each partner has their own set of tools to manage the mods they are doing for their customers. I wish MBS would add better tools for handling the mods you are doing for your customers. You have a set of tasks to do for a customer, and the only feature to keep track of it is by using AOT projects. I miss version control, better features for delivering updates to customers.


What are your plans after you release your new book? Is there plans for another?

First of all I am returning to my job. I have planned anything yet, but I might be doing an update of my book after 4.0 has been released.


What do you think about the penetration AX is seeing in the US, and do you think the US user base will out grow the current dominate European based user base of AX?

As AX now is a MBS product there is more focus on the US market. However I don’t think AX will be a dominated US product.
In fact having a large US user base on AX will be good, as US is one of the most important markets. Being a popular product in the US will make the future for AX better.


Do you have any closing comments you would like to say to the readers?

I will soon update my website with more information about the book. You can be notified when my website is updated by subscribing at: http://www.steenandreasen.com/axaptabook.asp.

Attending AX programming courses will cost you much time and money. With this book you will have an alternative to attending courses and this for only a fraction for the price of a course.


Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Big week last week for DynamicsAXJobs.com

Well at AxaptaJobs.com, now changing to DynamicsAXJobs.com, we had a big surge of vistors. One new job was posted, an Axapta Consultant position, and the current stats are:

103 Job Seeker resumes
24 employers
12 posted jobs

Currently the site in signing up on avg. 1.4 new job seekers per day, a new job posted nearly every 3-4 days, and a new employers every 2 days. We also recently launched a new promo through the end of the year, were all job packages are buy one, get one free. So if an employer purchased a job package for $599.00 for the 10 job ads, they would get 20 job ads for that price. That comes out to less than $30.00 a job ad! This of course will end at the end of the year.

Well that's all for now, check back soon as we post more about code examples, how to's, and a special interview that should be coming out soon.

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Axapta Client Cache?!

Now here's one that I know everyone will benefit from. You see we went 'live' this past week at work. In all accounts it's been a great success.

Well going live, and running into issues, and having to fix those issues on the fly is a given. Well in the process of doing that a co-worker of mine ran into an issue were he fixed some code, compiled the code, and then went to the user's machine who would be using that code. He ran the Sales Order, and ran into the same problem that where he had fixed? Puzzeled, he thought that the issue was the AOS server. So he kicked everyone out, and restarted the AOS server. Same issue!

So he then logged on as himself, to the same machine and it worked for him!? He logged on as the user, and she had the old code???!!!! Come to find out, Axapta has client cache files stored at:
c:\Documents and Settings\\local settings\application data\*.aoc


Well once we removed these files, and then openned Axapta, the user got the new code! So needless to say we added a script to everyone's network logon so it would run:
cd "c:\documents and settings\"
del /S *.aoc

That script will remove everyone's *.AOC files each time they restart their machine, which would ensure that the machine was running the latest code!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Tricky Issue with reports

This post is related to the previous one. I ran into this problem right after I was able to resolve the issue below.

So I am back to consolidating the reports for them, which would allow the Order Entry people to do what they call "Batch Confirmation". So they entered in about 10 orders, verified them, and then went to the Sales Update > Confirmation dialog, entered their selection, and brought up the 10 sales orders to 'Batch' confirm them. This process would turn the now qoutes into actual sales orders, and also print out all associated paperwork.

Well we ran into another issue here, were our 'work order' report will display an image that it gets from the network. Well this works fine when ran from the context of the 'client', but now since the report is called from the SalesFormLetter_Confirm.run() {...} method it has to run from the Server context. The fix to this was easy though, because when I walked through the code, I saw where when the report was designed a WinApi::FileExists() {...} was being done. This was returning true when ran from the Cleint context, but false when ran from the Server context.

Reason of course, as I am sure the flags have went up in your head by now, is because of a security issue. The AOS server, service was set to run under a local system account. We had to change this to a network account that had all the needed rights for the AOS to run correctly, and also access the images on the network. Once this was changed and the AOS restarted, the report worked liked a champ!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Strange issue with reports from a Server based class

Ok,

So one of the tasks that was given to me at work was to take an consolidate the printing of paper work that goes along with an order. The Confirmation, the Packing Slip, and the Shipping Labels.

I startd to try and do this by first taking the SalesFormLetter_Confirm class, and overriding the SalesFormLetter.run() {...} at the Confirm level. Once I did that, I then went to the while(query.next()) {...} code block so I could call the reports. Well the same code that worked from behind the Confirmation.Clicked() {...} method did not work for One of the three reports.

I walked through the code, but could never get the third report to come out. I was puzzled. Finally working through it, come to find out that if you do a
report.run()
without first doing a
report.prompt()
then from within a class, Some reports will not work correctly. I am posting this in hopes that someone in the future who might run into a sjmilar issue will have the solution!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

DynamicsAXJobs.com Weekly Stats

Well AxaptaJobs.com, now beomcing DynamicsAXJobs.com will be live for two whole months on the 12th of this month.

As of right now, there are 96 Job seekers, 20 Employers, and 11 posted jobs. Current efforts of marketing for DynamicsAXJobs.com has been focused through Google, and Ad Brite, as well as sponsering this blog. The site has had some great reviews, being featured by WEEDLES, which is an HR newsletter about job boards, and we have also had some great reviews from our Employers that have signed up with us:

"I just wanted to tell you that I have been in touch with many new contacts due to the search features on your site. It has been working very well. I am in the process of working with about 6 new candidates with great skill sets. Because we are a global company this has been great to have resources from all over.
Thanks again for such a great recruiting tool!"
-Christine Dobesh
Recruiting Lead
Tectura


Anyway, so far the turn out on the site and feed back has been great. We have some great deals on job packages still running, and believe we are ready for the gold rush of AX professionals that will hit in the coming '06 year.

Check back next week for an update, and whats new!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Day 2 of Live Axapta

Well,

Here we are 2nd day of go live for Axapta. I have to say I think it's working out great. We totally switch from an As/400 system to Axapta, and have so far been able to address everything that has come up.

I believe the key to a successful implementation is taking the inital step forward and doing it, and also keeping a calm collective head which helps calm the users, and then in turn helps us address the issues as they come up.

After everything settles down, more how-to's, code samples, and a new blogger will come aboard. I will do a short introduction now, but I want to welcome Girish to Dynamics-AX Blog, I know he will add a lot to this site!

More to come soon!

Find a job at: www.DynamicsAXJobs.com


Copyright 2005-2011, J. Brandon George - All rights Reserved