Problems in transformation forms to pages using TransformationTools

gediminb — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:10:00 GMT

After Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 release more and more developers start using it and trying to adopt existing solutions for new 3tier environment.
Most workload comes from trying to adopt current forms to new object - pages.
Particularly transformation could be done by using TransformationTools (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd338789.aspx), however it is not "best ever" and partners reporting problems and require to fix it...

But it isn't so easy...

This tool is delivered to us from dev team and it helps us to make transformation faster, but it is supplementary tool - we can use NAV without this tool and we can "convert " our solutions without it - do it manually.
So "big thanks" to dev team for this tool, however we can't expect that dev team will fix all problems in tool with the same priority as base products (Microsoft Dynamics NAV).

And we can't expect fixes for problems related to incorrect transformed statements - after transformation pages can't be compiled...
Problem is in tool simplicity: it searches for text and convert it to another text. Converting rules are described in file CodeRules.txt (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd338843.aspx).
But simplicity is as strength as weakness of this tool - only text described in CodeRules.txt file will be converted, if there are any differences in text - transformation will be incorrect.
For example:
In form code we have statement:
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number);
Then after transformation on page will be created new variable NumberEmphasize
And statement will be converted to:
NumberEmphasize := Number;
It is because UPDATEFONTBOLD is not used in pages and must be removed.

So far so good.
Tranformation will be done correct for statements:
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1=Number);
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1>Number);
and etc. because transformation rules are described in CodeRules.txt

But transformation tool is looking for direct text fit to rules and will not transform text which is not described in Coderules.txt.
If code becomes little more complicated (not described the same syntax as CodeRules) - transformation tool capitulates.
For example next code will not be transformed:
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1<Number);
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1=xRec.Number);
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(xRec.Number1=Number);
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1=Number2=Number3);
CurrForm.Number.UPDATEFONTBOLD(Number1=(Number+100));
...

Yes... We can make rules for these statements too (dev team delivered rules file), but we will never describe everything what could be written by happy-creative developpers around the world...
Maybe some rules could be never used? Who knows..?

I can collect all requirements for CodeRules.txt and periodically release new one (fixed). Do you want to order me do it, let me know in comment to current post :) ...

These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.

Gedas Busniauskas

Microsoft Lithuania
Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA

NAV 2009 - How to - Simple Form Transformation

Lohndorf — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:29:00 GMT

This post describes the simplest possible way to transform a form into a page in NAV 2009. Both Pages and Transformation is documented in more details elsewhere. Here, I just want to make the simples possible example, just to get a simple form transformed into a simple page.

Prerequisites:

You need to have at least a NAV 2009 classic client and the Transformation tool. To test the page, of course you also need the Rolebased client. But to just transform a form, you don't need it.

Import the tool:

1) Open a classic client, go to Object Designer and import the files DevTool.fob and TIF.fob from the folder TransformationTool\TIF Editor\
2) Create a new form in NAV, as simple as possible. For example a Card form based on the customer table, with just a few fields on it. This is the form you want to transform.

Setup and use the Transformation tool:

3) Run form 97000 "Transformation Forms"

4) Click Import -> "Import PageType - FormType mapping", and select the file TransformationTool\TIF Editor\FormToPagetypeMapping.txt.

5) Click Functions -> Get Forms. Filter on Type = Form, and ID = the new form, then click OK. This gets the form(s) that you want to transform.

6) In the FormType field, select "Card" ("Form with TabControl only and a source table").

Run the transformation:

7) Export the settings from form 97000: Click on Export -> "Transform Pages". You must export it to the TransformationTool folder, and it must be called TransformPages.xml.
8) From Object Designer, export the form (Tools -> Export) as xml.You must export it to the folder TransformationTool, and it must be called Forms.xml.

You now have the form you want to transform, and the meta-data that tells the TranformationTool how to transform it.

9) Run the file FormTransformation.exe from the TransformationTool folder. This generates a new file called Pages.xml. It also logs any progress or errors in the file Transformation.log.

Import the new page:

10) Back in NAV (classic client): Go to Object Designer, and import the file Pages.xml, and then compile it.

If all steps ran without any errors, you have now transformed your form into a page which can be displayed in the rolebased client.

Lars Lohndorf-Larsen

Microsoft Dynamics UK

Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA

These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.

Nav developer's blog : Transformation

Problems in transformation forms to pages using TransformationTools

NAV 2009 - How to - Simple Form Transformation