form development in MS Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (D365)

1.      Definition
Consider a scenario where we are going to build small Hospital Admission System in Dynamics 365. We divide this task into two posts.

For this post, we are cover following points to develop this small add-on

·         Create Model.

·         Patient, Diagnostic and admission table.

·         Simple list page for diagnostic table.

·         Entry form for Patient table (Detail form).

·         Parent Master detail form based on Patient, Diagnostic table and patient.

·         List page for Patient table.

·         Integrate Patient List page with Patient Detail form.

2.      Create Model

Before we start to create a new model in Dynamics 365 for Operations (AX7), it is important to understand what a model is. A model can be defined as a collection of elements that represent a distributed software solution.

To create a new model, in Visual Studio – from the menu, click on the Dynamics AX > Model Management > Create model… This will open the model wizard.

From the model wizard, you can specify the Model name, Model Publisher, Layer, Version, Model description, and Model display name.

After clicking Next, you will need to determine if you want to Create new package, or Select existing package.

Next I am prompted to give a name for the new project being created associated with my new model.

After hitting Ok, my new project (associated with my model) can be seen in the Solution Explorer window. From picture below, you may identify Project name, layer, and the Model name.

3. Define Database

So our table structure look like below.

Diagnostic table

Column	Extended data Type	Primitive Data Type
DiagNo	DiagnosticNumber	Str20
Description	Description
Cost	AmountCur	Real

Patient table

Column	Extended Data Type
PatNo	PatientNumber	Str 20
Fname	Name
LName	Name
BirthDate	BirthDate
Address		Str 60
City		Str60
State		Str60
Zip		Str20
Gender	T_Gender (Enum)

Admissions Table

Column	Extended Data Type	Primitive Data Type	Foreign Key
AdmitNo	AdmissionNumber	Str20
PatNo	Patient Number		Patient table
Diag_code	Diagnosticnumber		Diagnostic table
Admission date	FromDate	date
DischargeDate	ToDate	date
CoPay	Notes	Notes

3.1 Extended datatype

First we create extended data type required in three tables. Please follow the below steps for creating the EDT’s.
Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> Data Types >> EDT String and name it as DiagonisticNumber and set its string set its size to 20.

Similarly create all extended data types.
3.2  Create Enum

In current example only gender is enum type, we can create new Enum by Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> Data Types >> Base Enum and name it as T_Gender and add two new elements as Male and Female.

3.3 Create Table

To create table, Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> Data Model >> Table and name it as DiagnosticTable.

Similarly create other required tables.

4.      Create – Simple list form

Now we start development of form. First form we will build for Simple list form for Diagnostic table. For this Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> User Interface >> Form >> and name it as DiagnosticTable.

This will add new form to the project. After add new datasource in the datasource node and set the table property “DiagnosticTable”. Now the important thing is to apply pattern to the design. It can be done by right clicking the design node of the form and navigate to Apply pattern -> Simple List (As we are building Simple list form so I have selected this pattern, choose patterns you like to add on forms design).

After applying the pattern, you can see it automatically gives you the pattern of design which needs to be completed in order to build form design. Make sure there is no missing control on the form design otherwise your project will not be build successfully. New controls can be added by right clicking on design node, hover to new and select appropriate control from the list. After that you can see you form design layout in the below (pattern) panel.

For Simple List form, we need to add following controls on it:

1. Action pane and Action pane Tab

After adding action pane and tab, we also need to add command buttons of ADD and DELETE same as we   do in earlier versions. 

2. Custom Filter Group

Custom Filter group needs to be added on this form to filter the form data. One issue i faced while adding custom group on design is that we also need to apply sub Patterns on it otherwise it won’t work. Patterns can be applied in same way as we did on design node.  

After that click on the design|Pattern and over New and select the Action Pane from the list.

After that select the added group (FromGroupControls1) and right click on it over apply pattern and select custom and quick filters.

form also need some data source, so we will drag and drop the table created earlier on form data source. Now drag and Fields from the Data Source to form Grid. Now run this form and check.

If you try to enter duplicate values in Diagnostic number field. Due to unique index on Diagnostic number it did not let you do it.

New create a display menu with Name “MnuDiagonisticTable” and set it object Type to form and object Name as “DiagonisticTable”. Save it.

Now set its Properties display as below.

Now expand Diagonaistictable right click on it and set its “FormRef” property with mnuDiagonisticsTable.

5.      Create – Detail form

Now we create a detail from for patient table. For this Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> User Interface >> Form >> and name it as PatientTable and add two data source and set its Name and Data Source value to Patienttable and AdmissionsTable accordingly.

Now set both data source properties as “InsertIfEmpty” and “InsertAtEnd” to No and set AdmissionsTable data source property as “Join DataSource” to PatientTable and Link Type to Delayed. Now the important thing is to apply pattern to the design. It can be done by right clicking the design node of the form and navigate to Apply pattern -> Customs.

Now add TAB control to the design by right clicking on it and set its name property as MainTab and Style as FaseTab.

Now add two TAB page controls to Main Tab (TAB Control). Set first tab page properties as below.

Name: OverviewTab

Panel Style: DetailsHeader

Data Source: PatientTable

Caption: General

And set second tab page property a below.

Name: DiagnosticTab

Panel Style: Grid

Data Source: AdmissionsTable

Caption: Diagnostic Information

Now add group control to the OverViewTab (1^st tab page) display as below.

Set group property Name as OvewViewGroup, Data source as PatientTable and Data group as OverView. After that you may see the screen as below.

Similarly follow the same process for DiagnosticTab.After adding all required controls to DiagnosticTab you may see the screen like below.

Now add group control to the design pattern and set its property name as HeaderInfo and style to DetailTitleContainer. After we need to add string control to the HeaderInfo group control and set its name property as HeaderTitle and style as TitleField.

Now add button group control to DiagnosticTab control to add and delete the records of Diagnostic.

Rename both the button controls properties as follow.

Create Button:

Name: Create

Text: Create

Button Display: Imageonly

Command: New

Delete Button:

Name: Delete

Text: Delete

Button Display: Imageonly

Command: DeleteRecord

Now it’s time to check the output of developed form, to run this form we need to set Project properties as below. By right clicking on Project >> Properties.

Now set startup object type value as Form and Startup Object value as PatientTable.Now bt pressing F5 key you may see the out of the screen like below.

Now create Display Menu Item controls for Patient table and rename its object to PatientTable value display as below.

6.      Create list page

Now we will create a List page for Patient and attached Patient detail form with it.

For list page template we cannot attach table in data source for this we can create a Query Object. This Query Object will use as data Source in Form.

First we have to create a Query. For this Right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> Data Model >> Query>> and name it as PatientQuery.

 Now add data source and set Name and Table property as “PatientTable” also set Dynamic Fields as Yes display as below.

After saving you will find all fields in Query.

Now we create a List page for Patient, to do this right click on your project name >> Add >> new Item >> Operations Artifacts >> User Interface >> Form >> and name it as PatientListPage.

Now Drag and drop the PatientQuery to the data source. This query we created in previous step. Next important thing is to apply pattern to the design. It can be done by right clicking the design node of the form and navigate to Apply pattern ->Simple List Page.

Now add 3 controls to the Design Pattern. Action pane, Group and grid. Please don’t forget to add Quick Filter and Pattern to group control. Also set Show Delete button and Show New Button property value to “No” to design pattern. Then add Grid data source table property to PatientTable and drag and drop all required fields to grid display as below.

Now add Button group to action pane control. To do this right click on action pane >> button group.

Now add two menu item button controls to button group control for add and edit Patient records and rename its property as below.

Create menu Item Button:

Name: btnCreate

Text: New

Open Mode: New

Menu Item Name: MnuPatientTable

Big: Yes

Copy Caller Query: Yes

Edit Menu Item Button:

Name: btnEdit

Text: Edit

Open Mode: Edit

Menu Item Name: MnuPatientTable

Big: Yes

Copy Caller Query: Yes

Needs Records: Yes

7.      Create Number sequences

Now it’s time to create number sequence to generate Patient Code. Before creating number sequence, I hope you have some basic idea about Number sequence in AX. If you have not, I will give you some small description as below.

Number sequences in D365 are used to generate readable, unique identifiers for master data records and transaction records that require them. A master data or transaction record that requires an identifier is referred to as a reference. Before you can create new records for a reference, you must set up a number sequence and associate it with the reference.

We can create new number sequence from below menu path.

Organization administration >> Number Sequences >> Number Sequences.

Now click on number sequence button as display below.

Now set Number sequence code as “Patient” and name as “Patient Code for Patient Master form”.

8.      Create common class to generate the city code using number sequence

Now create common class to generate the patient code using number sequence on create button click. Create new class and rename its name as “dev_GenerateNumberSeq” as display below.

Create one method inside this class to generate next number sequence and write a code to generate the next number sequence.

    Public str 60 GenerateNextNumberSeq(str 60 _Code)

    {

        str 100 strNumberSequenceName;

        if(_Code!="")

        {

            strNumberSequenceName=numberSeq::newGetNumFromCode(_Code).num();

        }

        return strNumberSequenceName;

    }

Now we have to call this class’s method into PatientTable table’s “initValue” method so whenever new record in patient master table is created, new number sequence for patient code is generated. So first set PatientTable table’s filed “PatNo” to read only.

Now write below code in the said method of PatientTable.

public void initValue()

    {

       

        dev_GenerateNumberSeq   objdev_GenerateNumberSeq= new dev_GenerateNumberSeq();

        this.PatNo=objdev_GenerateNumberSeq.GenerateNextNumberSeq("Patient");

        if(this.PatNo=="")

        {

            warning("Patient Code number sequence not found.");

        }

        else

        {

            super();

        }

    }

Now write the code in the PatientTable form’s AddmissionTable data source.

public void write()

{

       if(PatientTable.PatNo=="")

       {

       warning("Patient Code not found.");

       }

       else

       {

             AdmissionsTable.PatNo=PatientTable.PatNo;

            super();

       }

}

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