Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Development Introduction Certification/Exam is here! Exam MB6-869

Just saw this in Microsoft Learning Site.
Exam MB6-869 (Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Development Introduction) Released

About this Exam
 
This certification exam measures your ability to understand and articulate how to use, maintain, and support Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 development functionality including understanding Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 architecture, managing the data dictionary, managing the user interface, managing security, working with X++ control statements, managing objects and classes, accessing the database, and handling exceptions.

Exam Topics Covered
The following list includes the topic areas covered on this exam.
  • Understanding Dynamics AX 2012 Architecture
  • Managing the Data Dictionary
  • Managing the User Interface
  • Managing Security
  • Working with X++ Control Statements
  • Managing Objects and Classes
  • Accessing the Database
  • Managing Exception Handling

Find more details regarding Exam/Preparation Materials in the below link

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=MB6-869&Locale=en-us#tab1

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Official Dynamics AX 2012 Help Content - Where to find it?

Thought to highlight the blog post from Margo Crandall (Principal Writer from Microsoft Dynamics AX Documentation Team) talks about the following:

a. Help documentation for System Administrators

b. Developer Content

c. Application User Content

d. Upcoming new topics on Configuration Reference, Windows Powershell cmdlet reference and many more..

Read the full post here.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dax/archive/2011/08/23/official-dynamics-ax-2012-content-where-is-it-and-how-can-you-find-out-about-updates.aspx

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Dynamics AX Shortcut keys

I was looking out for shortcut keys to switch between Application and Development workspace in AX 2012 which bought me to this msdn website http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa623612.aspx

Since I use AX 4.0, AX 2009 and AX 2012 often, I thought it will be good to consolidate the common shortcuts and bookmark it so I have a one-stop place to come and look at, as my memory with respect to shortcut keys is not so good :-). If you are one like me, I recommend bookmarking this page as your favorites!


Command
Dynamics AX 2012
Dynamics AX 2009
Dynamics AX 4.0
Open the AOT
CTRL+D
CTRL+D
CTRL+D
Open a new Development Workspace
CTRL+SHIFT+W
                 
                   -
Open a new Application Workspace
CTRL+W


Insert a Breakpoint
F9
F9
F9
Toggle Breakpoints
CTRL+F9
CTRL+F9
CTRL+F9
Remove all Breakpoints
CTRL+SHIFT+F9
CTRL+SHIFT+F9
CTRL+SHIFT+F9
Execute
F5
F5
F5
Compile
F7
F7
F7
Comment Selected Code
CTRL+E, C
CTRL+E, C
CTRL+E, C
Uncomment Selected Code
CTRL+E, U
CTRL+E, U
CTRL+E, U
Convert to lowercase
CTRL+SHIFT+U
CTRL+SHIFT+U
CTRL+SHIFT+U
Convert to Uppercase
CTRL+U
CTRL+U
CTRL+U
Display all methods and properties for a class
CTRL+SPACEBAR
CTRL+SPACEBAR
CTRL+SPACEBAR
Save all
CTRL+SHIFT+S
CTRL+SHIFT+S
CTRL+SHIFT+S
Select all application objects in a node
CTRL+A
CTRL+A
CTRL+A
Cancel the selection of an additional item
CTRL+SPACEBAR
CTRL+SPACEBAR
CTRL+SPACEBAR
Open the Properties sheet
ALT+ENTER
ALT+ENTER
ALT+ENTER
Open the Import dialog box
CTRL+SHIFT+I
CTRL+SHIFT+I
CTRL+SHIFT+I
Open Help in AOT
F1
F1
F1


The following shortcut keys have changed since Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009:

Old shortcut key
Command
New shortcut key
CTRL+TAB
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Go to next (method) TAB
CTRL+M
CTRL+SHIFT+M
CTRL+F4
ESC
Close editor
CTRL+F4
CTRL+SHIFT+Spacebar
Lookup definition
F12
CTRL+L
Delete line
CTRL+X (with cursor in line, no selection)
ALT+O
Select area/column/block
ALT+MOUSE SELECT
ALT+U
Cancel selection
ESC

 Dynamics AX 2012 (Windows and Menus Shortcuts)
To do this
Press
Display the Navigation Pane if it is collapsed.
ALT+F1
Display the View menu.
ALT+V
Display the Windows menu.
ALT+W
Display the Help menu.
ALT+H
Turn the auto-hide mode for the Navigation Pane on an off.
SHIFT+ALT+F1
Move between modules.
CTRL+TAB
Move the cursor to the address bar.
F11
Use the Back function on the address bar.
ALT+LEFT ARROW
Use the Forward function on the address bar.
ALT+RIGHT ARROW

  Commonly used keys for Data Entry
To do this
Press
Paste contents from your clipboard into the current field.
CTRL+V
Enter the session date in a date field.
D+TAB
For a date time field, press D+TAB, enter a time and then press TAB again.
Enter the current date in a date field.
T+TAB
For a date time field, press T+TAB, enter a time and then press TAB again.
Enter a date from the current month in a date field.
[Day]+TAB
For example, if you enter 12+TAB, the full date for the twelfth of the current month will be displayed.
Enter a date from the current year in a date field.
[MonthDay]+TAB
For example, if you enter 0325+TAB, the full date for March 25 of the current year will be displayed.
Calculate an amount in an amount field.
[Equation]+TAB
For example, if you enter 4*16+TAB, 64 will be displayed in the field.

Source - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa865357.aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa571220.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa623612.aspx

I will come here and append to this list as and when I find new shortcuts or frequent shortcuts in my day to day work. Happy Dax'ing with shorcuts! :-)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Inside Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 - Performance

Dear Readers,

Here comes Video 7 which talks about Dynamics AX 2012 Performance. This video is from one of the best in industry, Sri Srinivasan who is the Principal Architect in Dynamics AX Team.

I have appended it to the existing list here - http://daxdilip.blogspot.com/2011/08/inside-microsoft-dynamics-ax-2012.html


Njoy! :)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Download Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Licensing Guide

Dynamics AX 2012 Licensing has undergone a major change compared to the previous versions. I scanned through it quickly and some of the key features which  I noticed are:

  • CAL based Licensing Model
  • User CAL's (Enterprise, Functional, Task and Self Server User)
  • Device CAL's
  • Licensing for New Customers
  • Licensing for Existing Cutomers (Upgrade to AX 2012)
  • BREP (Business Ready Enhancement Plan)
Please read the full guide by downloading it from here
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/0/E/80E99B9E-9694-41A7-9BD9-BF37FA44DA99/Dynamics_AX_2012_Licensing_Guide-CustomerEdition.pdf

Update - Troubleshooting Dynamics AX 2012 Excel Add-In Error Object Reference not set to an instance of an object

Issue:

I'm just playing around Office Add-In for Dynamics AX 2012 on our Sandpit box. The component installed successfully but when I'm trying to launch the Add-In via Excel > Dynamics AX > Connection, it spits out this error shown below:












Troubleshooting Steps:

a. In Registry, the entry for ClientAOSServer in Office Add-Ins were not matching to the one in Client Config. I modified it as shown below, but still no luck :-(



b. The Add-In works fine on the Partnersource VM. I compared the Excel version between PS and my sandpit box, the one on PS runs on Office 2010 (no SP1) and the one on my sandpit is the latest version of Office 2010 with Service Pack 1.

Excel Version on VM

Excel Version on our Sandpit box


c.  Although the System Requirements Guide for AX 2012 doesn't speak about Office 2010 SP1 but without SP1 the Add-In is not able to load up which I confirmed by performing the following on our sandpit box

- Uninstall the Office Add-In
- Uninstall Office 2010 SP1
- Install AX 2012 Add-In
- Load the Add-In, It doesn't Load at all, so nothing out there in Command bar, atleast previously I had the Add-In in the Ribbon bar

d. Tried some registry tweaks as per the community discussion changing the manifest value to file:\\\ but with no luck https://community.dynamics.com/product/ax/f/33/p/60614/111924.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0&PageIndex=2

e. Copied the entire folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics AX\60\OfficeAddins from the PartnerSource VM Image and replaced the contents on my Sandpit box

f. Replaced the registry entries related to Office Add-ins (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel
 and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel on my sandpit box with the ones from VM, Restarted the box but still the same error of Object Reference not set....

g. Now, my laptop running on Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit has the same Excel Version of Sandpit box(that is updated with Service Pack 1).

I thought of installing AX 2012 RTM (AOS, Database, Client, Office Addins and Remote desktop services) build 6.0.947.0 (See here for the AX 2012 Build numbers http://daxdilip.blogspot.com/2011/08/troubleshooting-dynamics-ax2012-rtm.html) on my laptop to test the Add-In and to my surprise, the Add-In gets loaded here without any errors of "Object reference not set to an instance of an object)

So, after all the exercise performed above, I can summarize that image on Partnersource which has AX Beta (Build No - 6.0.852.78) is compatible with Excel Version of 14.0.5128.5000) and the Add-in works good but not the case with Office 2010 SP1 (See below table)

 

<><> <><>

AX 2012 Build
Office/Excel 2010 Build
Compatiblity
6.0.852.78 (Beta)
14.0.5128.5000
Add-In Loads fine without any errors
6.0.852.78 (Beta)
14.0.6123.1000 (with SP1)
Add-In cannot be loaded
6.0.947.0 (RTM)
14.0.6123.1000 (with SP1)
Add-In Loads fine

There's a thread running on the Dynamics Communities where people are facing the same issue https://community.dynamics.com/product/ax/f/33/p/60614/111924.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

Waiting to hear from Microsoft on this one..??