Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 : Working with Forms - Modifying application version

Besides standard versioning, Dynamics AX allows adding additional versions for solution developers to control their releases. In this recipe, we will learn how to do that. We will modify standard application objects to incorporate our changes.

Getting ready

Solution versions can be changed only in SL1, SL2, SL3, BUS (and BUP) layers. SL1-SL3 layers are used for certified solutions and BUS— for business partner solutions. To proceed further, we will need the BUS layer code in order to log in to the BUS and BUP layers of the application.

How to do it...

How it works...

The ApplicationVersion class is the place where application version numbers are stored. For example, applBuildNo() returns the current application version. By modifying this class, Dynamics AX developers can modify original or custom version numbers. Later this class is called from the SysAbout form, which is actually the About Microsoft Dynamics AX dialog.

The class already contains a special method sLxAppl(), which should be used when defining a custom solution version. The interesting point is that different version numbers can be stored in different layers. In our example, first we set a version in BUS, and then we change that version in the BUP layer. And the result is that we can see both numbers separated by a slash in the About Microsoft Dynamics AX dialog. The text Solution version is added automatically, though it could be also changed.

There's more...

Every Dynamics AX implementation project contains more or less customer-specific changes. Regardless of how big the modifications are, it is a good practice to use versioning. The modifications are normally stored in the VAR layer or any layer above it and are not included in automatic version display. However, if we look at the of the SysAbout form, we could notice that the information displayed on this form is actually formatted here. We can add our own code and relevant control to the form itself to display the custom name and version. So let's improve previous example and add an additional version called VAR version. run()

To follow existing practice, let's add one more method in the ApplicationVersion class first. (Do not forget to logout of BUP layer and log into your working layer). It will hold our version number:

static str varAppl()

{
return '3.0.0';
}

In AOT, open SysAbout form and add a new StaticText control for displaying version-related information with the following properties:

The form in AOT should look like following:

And finally, we modify the form's run(). Let's add:

str varVersionNumber = ApplicationVersion::varAppl();

right after:

str slxVersionNumber = ApplicationVersion::sLxApplAll();

and:

if (varVersionNumber)
{
VARVersion.text('VAR version: ' + varVersionNumber);
}

right after:

if (slxVersionNumber)
application versionapplication versionworking{
solutionVersion.text('Solution version: ' +
slxVersionNumber);
}

Now, open Help | About Microsoft Dynamics AX again, and notice a new entry— VAR version: