1. Customizations Using Extensions in Dynamics AX
Microsoft 2016
9/21/2018 4:58 AM
BRK4027
Customizations Using Extensions in Dynamics AX
Joel Leichty (SAGlobal),
Peter Villadsen, Robert Badawy (Microsoft)
Discover a partner’s view about strategy and customization by extensions for Dynamics AX
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

2. AX 7 New Concepts

3. Definitions
A Dynamics AX model is a group of elements (metadata and source files) that typically constitute a distributable software solution (including customizations of an existing solution). A model is a design-time concept.
For example: A warehouse management model, a project accounting model, …etc.)
A Dynamics AX package is a deployment and compilation unit of one or more models. It includes model metadata, binary files, reports, label assemblies, and other associated resources needed at runtime.
One or more AX packages can be packaged into a deployable package, which is the vehicle used for deployment on sandbox and production environments.

4. Packages, Models and VS Projects
Projects, models and packages
AX Project 1
AX Project 4
AX Model 1
(Example: Application Suite)
AX Model 2
(Example: Expense)
AX Project 2
AX Project 5
AX Project 3
Package 1
(Assembly and associated runtime files)
Depends on
AX Project 6
AX Model 3
(Example: Unit tests)
Package 2
(Assembly and associated runtime files)
AX Project 7

5. Application Explorer in Visual Studio
In model view, Application Explorer is organized by models.
Each model is a child node of the AOT root node.
The package that a model belongs to is shown in parenthesis next to the model name.

6. Package dependencies graph
Right-click on the AOT and select View package dependencies to generate a graph depicting dependencies between packages of your application.

7. Customization Concepts in Dynamics AX
MBS
9/21/2018 4:58 AM
Customization Concepts in Dynamics AX
Overlayering model (Granular metadata and code customizations)
Extension model (Metadata and code extensions)
Example-2: Extension based customizations in separate packages
Assembly ISV2.Extensions.dll
Assembly (Microsoft. Dynamics.Application.dll)
ISV-1 Extensions on MS
Assembly (VAR.Extensions.dll)
VAR Extensions on ISV-1 and ISV-2
MS Application Suite Model
ISV-2 Extensions on MS
Example-3: Hybrid scenario with both extension and over-layering
Assembly ISV1.Extensions.dll
Assembly (Microsoft. Dynamics.Application.dll)
ISV-1 Extensions on MS
Assembly (VAR.Extensions.dll)
VAR Extensions on ISV-1 and ISV-2
MS Application Suite Model
Assembly ISV2.Extensions.dll)
ISV-2 Extensions on MS
VAR Overlay of ISV-2
ISV-1 Overlay of MS
Example-1: Overlayering customizations in base package
Assembly (Microsoft. Dynamics.Application.dll)
ISV-1 Overlay of MS
ISV-2 Overlay
of MS
VAR Overlay of ISV-1 and ISV-2
MS Application Suite Model
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

8. Extensions: Concept and value proposition
MBS
Extensions: Concept and value proposition
9/21/2018 4:58 AM
AOS Runtime
Dynamics.AX.ApplicationSuite.dll
Dynamics.AX.AppSuiteExtension.dll
Compile
Compile
Application Suite Package
Application Suite Extension Package
AxTableExtension
AxForm
AxTable
AxForm
Events & Plugins
AxClass
Code Extensions
AxTable
AxFormExtension
References
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

9. Extension value proposition
Compile Isolation & performance.
Deployment servicing and ALM.
Minimal code upgrade cost.

10. Extension value proposition
The original artifact is unmodified.
The actual representation is a combination of the contributions from the original and the extension, that are seamlessly applied.
Example: Fields added through a table extension are added to the original SQL table.
Methods added as extension methods are usable as if the methods were defined on the extended class.

11. Supported extensions as of today
MBS
9/21/2018 4:58 AM
Supported extensions as of today
Metadata
Create new elements (All AX types)
Extend tables:
Add new field, add field to field group, add new field group, add new index, add new relation
Extend forms:
Add a control, Add a form part, add a data source, change the label, caption, help text, visible, and enabled properties of an existing control.
Extend menus:
Add submenu, add menu item, add tile, hide menu item.
Extend enums, security duties/roles.
Extend EDTs
Change label, fornhelp, and string size properties.
Extend data entities, queries, views
Add field mappings to maps.
Source Code
Create new X++ classes
Application events
Create event handlers (For app delegates)
Framework events
Create data event handlers (tables)
Create form event handlers
Create form data source and data field event handlers
Create event handler for form control events
Create plugins
Create static extension methods to classes and tables.
Create static and instance methods and add state through class augmentation.
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

12. Partner view - What Is the Point of all this?

13. Applying Technical Features
Upgrades
A typical customer will have many contributors to the code
Microsoft
ISVs
Partner
Customer
You need a good strategy for keeping code maintained over time.
Dividing up Packages
More flexibility for large development projects
Impact of customization technology on Design
Experience Upgrading from AX 2012
Strategy for taking advantage of new development concepts

14. Upgrades

15. AX 2012 vs AX 7 Code Organization
Customer Model
ISV Model
Application Model
All AX 2012 Code
Customer Model (Extensions, New objects)
Customer Package
ISV Model (Extensions, New objects)
Customer Overlayer Model
ISV Package
Application Suite Model
ISV Overlayer Model
Application Suite, Other Functional Packages
Application Model
No Overlayering Allowed
Application Platform, Foundation Packages

16. AX 2012 vs AX 7 Upgrades
AX 2012
Models generally had dependencies and had to be upgraded and tested simultaneously
Upgrades were infrequent, if ever
Upgrades were optional
AX 7
Each package can be upgraded somewhat independently
Customers should plan for ongoing maintenance
Some upgrades may be required for a cloud based product

17. Upgrading From the Bottom Up
Customers will upgrade packages in reverse order of dependency
(Platform, Foundation)
Application Suite, Functional Packages
ISV Package
Customer Modifications – No upgrades, just refactoring
Even if an upgrade could technically be done for all of AX at once, from a functional testing perspective customer may want to take updates slower
Exceptions to the rule
AX 7
Customer Model (Extensions, New objects)
Customer Package
ISV Model (Extensions, New objects)
Customer Overlayer Model
ISV Package
Application Suite Model
ISV Overlayer Model
Application Suite, Other Functional Packages
Application Model
No Overlayering Allowed
Application Platform, Foundation Packages

18. Dividing Up Packages

19. Package Scenarios Customer modifications
Packages can be split to facilitate upgrade and development scenarios for a solution.
Customer modifications
Generally all code in one package
Frequency of update / Business risk
Code may receive fast or slow updates depending on the risk to the ongoing business processes.
Fast: AX user interface and browser compatibility
Medium: Business intelligence, Reporting, Workspaces
Slow: Business Process
Necessity of update
Required: Regulatory Updates
Optional: Localization Features
Split development effort
Code can be divvied up if the development work is split between multiple teams.
Feature A: Dev Team 1
Feature B: Dev Team 2

20. Feature with Dependencies
Package Split Example
Example of packages upgraded from AX 2012 for partner product
Started with one package, then split into more during the development and upgrade process
Packages example
Low risk customizations
Workspaces
Dependent on third party DLL
Dependent on document handling features
Feature with Dependencies
Possibility for post go-live recommended updates
Separate development team BI
Medium business risk
Core Features

21. Impact on Design

22. Design Considerations
Designing customizations
Extension and package concepts should influence the design
Functional and technical users need to understand what’s possible
Overlayering should be an exception
Developers generally will want to start work in a new Package
They may run into technical issues that, based on the functional design, would require extensions.
At this point it’s important to regroup and make a conscious decision to either change the design or accept the overlayering.

23. ISV and Partner Considerations
Relationship with customers
To make a solution more extendible, you have to develop an ongoing relationship with partners and customers
Gather feedback when customers want to Overlayer your solution
Use the feedback in future designs if possible
When customers overlayer
It makes it harder to upgrade that Package
They won’t upgrade as frequently
Therefore when they need support, your team has to deal with older software

24. Code Upgrades

25. AX 2012 Upgrade Experience
By default code will go into a Standard AX Package
It’s a manual process to refactor and split the code into your package
It’s worth the effort to get the refactoring completed before customers go live

26. Refactoring Code Process
In the Application Suite (or Standard AX) Package, modify code to use delegates and extensions.
Compile.
In the file browser, cut any extension or custom objects from the existing Package directory and paste in a temporary folder.
Compile and fix issues.
In the file browser, paste any extension or custom objects into the new Package directory.
Compile and check-in.
Test.
Tip: For larger solutions, refactor one feature at a time.

27. The End

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