Refresh master data cache in D365FO

Having imported deeply cached master data into the D365FO Production environment (such as ‘entire table’-cached project groups, absence groups etc.), you may find the target form seemingly empty. An attempt to create the records manually with the same IDs fails with a “Record already exists…” error message. I.e. the data has been imported by the Data management framework, successfully loaded into the Azure SQL Database but not visible to this application server instance.

Solution: execute the below command in the browser, then reload the form:
https://xxxprod.operations.dynamics.com/?mi=SysClassRunner&cls=SysFlushData

This launches the SysFlushData class known from previous AX versions with the help of the SysClassRunner shell and force refreshes the cache.

Dynamics 365 tips and tricks

Extending SysOperation contracts with DataMemberAttribute

Since January 2019, it has become possible to decorate new “parm” methods on extension classes with “DataMember” attributes. In other words, it is now feasible to add a new parameter onto a dialog window of a standard class, even if this class was implemented within the SysOperation framework.
This was enabled by the so-called “4th extension wave” in Platform update 23.

Before PU 23, the below code

				
					[ExtensionOf(ClassStr(AssetRollForwardContract))]
final class AssetRollForwardContract_Extension
{
    private boolean updateDeprInfo;
    
    [DataMemberAttribute(identifierStr(AssetAdditionalAcqDepreciation))]
    public boolean parmUpdateDeprInfo(boolean _updateDeprInfo = updateDeprInfo)
    {
        updateDeprInfo = _updateDeprInfo;
        return updateDeprInfo;
    }
}

did not compile but brought up the error message “DataMemberAttributeOnExtensionClassNotSupported: The DataMemberAttribute is not supported on extension classes.“

Now it works, and the new parameter is plugged in nicely at the desired place. Initializing the parameters with default values posed a challenge. As suggested by Mr. Dráb here, the class should be declared with the SysOperationInitializable interface, and amended by an initialize() method. However, if the original class did not implement SysOperationInitializable, your extension cannot do any better.
The only solution that worked was simple as a brick: an inline assignment of the respective field variable (which is another feature in X++, quite a new one):

				
					[ExtensionOf(ClassStr(AssetRollForwardContract))]
final class AssetRollForwardContract_Extension
{
    private boolean updateDeprInfo = true;

    [DataMemberAttribute(identifierStr(AssetAdditionalAcqDepreciation)),
        SysOperationLabelAttribute(literalstr("@SYS4080213")),
        SysOperationHelpTextAttribute(literalstr("@SYS321607")),
        SysOperationDisplayOrderAttribute('4')
        ]
    public boolean parmUpdateDeprInfo(boolean _updateDeprInfo = updateDeprInfo)
    {
        updateDeprInfo = _updateDeprInfo;
        return updateDeprInfo;
    }
}

The parameter becomes active by default, but the last value selected by the user is still serialized and de-serialized nicely, right as it should be.

X++ programming blog series

Searchable product attributes

Introduction

There is this cool feature in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations: the product attributes. You can assign an arbitrary number of flexible attributes to a product. Free text, lookup from a list, integer, real, boolean values are supported. The users are super excited and their first question is going to be: “Can I search by an attribute”?
No, you cannot. At least, not in the D365FO browser UI but only at a retail Point of sales. The excitement fades, and you should quickly choose a more pleasant topic for your demo.

In fact, you can. It is super tricky to configure but once configured and saved as a query, filtering by attribute becomes pretty straightforward.

Configuration

Disclaimer: the below walkthrough only works with product attributes assigned through a procurement hierarchy. Those imposed by a Retail hierarchy through attribute groups cannot be configured for the search. Which is a pity, because the Retail hierarchy is a candy. It can be used as a collection of item templates, by far more powerful than a usual product record template.

What we need here is the CatProdSerchableAttrFilterMaterialized (sic!) table. To get that table populated, you need a procurement hierarchy and a procurement catalogue.

Create an attribute, for example of the a text attribute type: Product information management > Setup > Categories and attributes > Attributes.
Make sure there is a category hierarchy given the Procurement category hierarchy role (Product information management > Setup > Categories and attributes > Category hierarchy role associations).
In Procurement and sourcing > Procurement categories, select a category and add the attribute into the list of Product attributes.
It is essential to set the Searchable mark in this EcoResCatalogControl record. This declares a subset of attributes available for searching.
Choose a few released products, assign them to the above procurement category. The attribute should appear under the Product attributes button. Enter or import the attribute values.
Open Procurement and sourcing > Catalogs > Procurement catalogs. Create a new dummy catalog, for instance “AttributeSearch”.
Use the Publish catalog button. It is important to update the catalog on a recurring basis as you provide more products with the attribute.
Now you should get your hands on the Synchronize product search data periodic function in the Procurement catalog menu. It may be disabled, but you can invoke it by the https://xxx.operations.dynamics.com/?mi=SysClassRunner&cls=CatProductFilterRefreshCacheBatch URL.
This program populates the CatProdSerchableAttrFilterMaterialized table. You can configure it for recurring batch execution.

Design an advanced filter

1. In the Released product list, open the Advanced filter… (Ctrl-Shift-F3) query.
2. On the Joins tab, locate the “Products” and join the “CatProdSerchableAttrFilterMaterialized” to it.
3. To the “CatProdSerchableAttrFilterMaterialized”, add 2 joins side by side: “Attribute” and “The base table for other value tables that each stores values of a different data type”. What a name!
4. Finally, join the latter with one of the “The value of the Text data type for the attributes” tables depending on the type of the attribute, since every value type is stored in a separate table.
5. By now, you should have gotten something like this:
6. The goal is close. On the Range tab, apply a filter to the “Attributes (6)” and “The value of…” tables as shown below. The attribute name filter let the system search in this attribute only; there may be many searchable attributes with the same value type.
7. Save the query for re-use and apply the filter. Enjoy the result!

Dynamics 365 for Operations

Refresh master data cache in D365FO

Refresh master data cache in D365FO

Dynamics 365 tips and tricks

Extending SysOperation contracts with DataMemberAttribute

Extending SysOperation contracts with DataMemberAttribute

X++ programming blog series

Searchable product attributes

Searchable product attributes

Introduction

Configuration

Design an advanced filter