Internet Booking To 3.7A

vios15

Dear Expert,

I have received a request from my user wanting to make service booking thru internet. With the internet booking feature, we will have real time Navision info about how many customer has make booking, how many did not turn up or what is the progress of the customer if they turn up.

Currently I am running on 3.7a with MSSQL

I am exploring the options I could gather so far.

Option 1.
Get a 3rd party and connect directly into Navision MSSQL for the service booking.
Security and integrity of the system might be compromised.

Option 2.
Get a 3rd party and sync with MSSQL database periodically.
Might have complication when change 3rd party.

Could you advise anymore option I could explore? Or someone has done similar request that could share your experience.

Thanks

bylle

Hi,

First of all - I don't like the idea of connecting directly to the MSSQL DB, because of the security and integrity of the system, and that you have no control of the data flow.
So I think you should look on other possibilities.

Also the use of C/Front and C/ODBC is not the best idea. Here again you might have security and integrity issues and no control of the data flow.

So what I would recommend is to build your own listener. You can build 3 kinds of listener:

1) Make a codeunit that listen for a port and that the can act on the port request

2) Use files - store / read from a directory

3) MSMQ's - build a codeunit that reads and writes to MSMQ (or use the NAS).

My favorite is 3). I have built several MSMQ listeners. They function in this way:

In Navision - you have a listener running. It’s a codeunit that checks the MSMQ's regularly. The codeunit acts on the messages and the sends reply's back to the queues.
Second, have an IIS (Internet Information Services) running. In the wwwroot, build your own asp/asp.net page the reads & writes to the queues.
This page must act as a kind of web service, so that the web guys (those who make the requests/customer web page) only have to know the asp/asp.net page.

So I recommend that your design should similar to this:



In this way - you have fully control over the data flow to and from Navision.

But again... It all depends on how secure you like your system to be ;-)

vios15

Hi bylle,

Thanks for the informations.

As I am new to MSMQ, I would need to study more especially together with Navision.

I am wondering how does Navision codes handle the MSMQ when the message comes in?

Thanks

jannestig

HI Mios You got a very good answer there.

Have you looked at upgrading to a newer version as well, where a lot of the features described below become a standard part of the system and probably easier to contruct your solution around?

vios15

Dear Jannestig,

Option to upgrade is not possible as these are beyond my call.

I can only make good use of what is available within 3.7A and some work around to solve the business requirements.

Thanks for the advise and sharing.