Why using Developper tool kit?

hazem

Hello everybody,
I opened a 4.0 custom database with Navision 4.0 SP1...The conversion was done succesfully and the database works without problems...Is it all i have to do to begin working with my custom database or is it necessary to use the merge&compare of the developper's tool kit?If i have to use this tool why is it necessary?Why only the conversion of the database is not sufficient?

andrejsm

Hi Hazem,
If You just open Navision 4.0 database with Navision 4.0 SP1 Client, then it is called 'Tehnical upgrade'. Tehnical upgrade give you possibility to use 4.0 SP1 client, but it does not give you possibility to use 4.0 SP1 bussiness logic, which is main 4.0 SP1 value.
You need to use Developer toolkit, to merge customized objects from customer 4.0 version with new 4.0 SP1 version. If you will not do that, you will not get 4.0 SP1 functionality.

kine

And of course, you can use another software to merge your customizations into SP1 objects.

hazem

thanks for your reply but i 'm a little bit confused :?
What do you mean by customized objects?Can you give an example (How developper toolkit help merging customized objects)?

andrejsm

Upgrade process could be devided in two stages: 1) object upgrade and 2) data conversion.
1. Object conversion.
You got customer DB with some customizations such as changed form, reports layouts, new fields, new functionality e.c. You need to take these changes to 4.0 SP1.
And there is some changes in objects in version 4.0 SP1, for example in Inventory valuation. If you just do Tehnical upgrade you will not get this SP1 new functionalitity.
Thats why you need to take 3 databases a) standart 4.0; b) customized 4.0 and c)standart 4.0 SP1.
DevToolkit will compare A and B databases to determine all customizations, then it will applay these costomizations to 4.0 SP1.

2. Data conversion.
DevToolkit will take all data from 4.0 customer version and will put it into 4.0 SP1.

kine

The customized objects are objects, which were changed by NSC or customer. That means that the object is different than in base version (for example WW1 4.00 version or US 4.00 etc.)

I will only correct point 2. from Andrejsm:

2) data are migrated with upgradeToolkit, not the DevToolkit. (DevToolkit will transfer only customizations in objects, but not automatically, you will still need do some work manually)


And if you need more info about the upgrade, please find some time and read the Upgrade toolkit documentation. It is foundation for doing some upgrade.

hazem

Before i use the Developper toolkit, i found all customizations done on the objects in the new navsion 4.0 SP1...That's why i am not really understanding the necessity of using this tool?!!I think i 'm not understanding very well the meaning of 'business logic'? Can you explain it a little bit to me baecause i'm confused :?

andrejsm

Maybe, you can tell us, what you exatly do step by step.
As I uderstand, You just take old Navison 4.0 database and open it with Navision 4.0 SP1 Client?
If it is your case, then your database doesn't contain new objects from 4.0 SP1.

kine

Please, check your objects if there are some with version 4.00.01. If not, you have still pre-SP1 objects.

Business logic = data + processes - it is how the system works, which data are inserted, how are processed, where and how are stored, what and where is checked etc...

hazem

what i've done is to create a new database in 4.0 SP1 and restore the backup of the 4.0 custom database in it...All changes made on this database (custom developement) was found after restoring but none of the 4.0 SP1 objects (version 4.00.01) was found; I think that's what you mean by customized objects because the only way to find and re import them into the custom database is to use the Developper's toolkit,right?

DenSter

First of all... if you don't understand this process, then I think you should consider getting some help from your solution center.

Your 4.0 database probably has customizations, it's not just standard 4.0 Navision. So you made changes to a standard Navision database, and that is your system.

Microsoft basically did the same. They took a standard Navision 4.0 database and made improvements. All those improvements together ended up being released as Navision 4.0 Service Pack 1. These improvements also include enhancements to the executables. So remember, improvements to the objects, and improvements to the executables. Two things.

Now when you install 4.0 SP1, then all you do is use the improvements to the executables. At this point you do NOT have any improved objects. So when you take your 4.0 backup and restore it into a new 4.0 SP1 database, all you do is restore your existing data and objects. So at this point, you have a 4.0 SP1 executables database, with only your existing objects (which came from your 4.0 customized database). You do NOT have Microsoft's 4.0 SP1 objects yet. This is what we call a 'technical upgrade', because it does not involve new busines logic.

In order to have both your own modifications as well as Microsoft's modifications into your system, you have to analyze which objects are affected in both database and take all of them into one database. When a certain object is modified in both databases, that means manually copying the custom functionality into one 'merged' object. You 'merge' your modifications with Microsoft's modifications into one objects.

For instance, let's say you added function A to the posting routine, and Microsoft added function B to the posting routine. This function is in the bisuness logic, not the executables. When you restore your posting routine into a blank SP1 database, you will still only have function A. The only way to also get function B is to manually merge the posting routine.

By the way, the import worksheet's merge function is not capable of doing this automatically.

You CAN use the developer toolkit to identify the modifications and where they conflict with eachother, but you don't have to, you can also use other tools. Personally I don't like the dev toolkit for this task. I personally analyze object attributes through comparing them in Excel, and I use a text compare tool to do the actual merge. This is the only way that I personally trust that I will get all of them.

hazem

THANKS, ALL RIGHT =D>