Question about downloading source for Business Central Extensions

twimber2@gmail.com

Hello all,

i have a question about a customer of ours. I understand that if an extension was purchased such as an EDI Extension that it can be locked so you cannot download the source and i certainly understand why a vendor would choose to do so. Create an extension that integrates Slack in to NAV? sure, lock down the source code. However, when making changes as their NAV Partner such as adding fields to the customer table....shouldn't you allow those to be downloaded in the event that they change to another NAV Partner? I just came across extensions written by a customers old Partner and they had their app set as ShowMyCode = false so that i couldn't write a report using custom fields from their extension such as "default GL Code" on vendor card. fortunately, i found an article on Dynamics.com that shows you can still download the source.

is locking changes a customer pays you for even allowed, in this scenario? that holds them hostage to a single partner, does it not?

twimber2@gmail.com

secondly, you cannot use fields from one extension in a seperate extension, correct? so if i am asked to write a report based on fields an ex-partner created...i cannot.

RobyR

This is a philosophical ask, because as a new partner you want to see old code in order to debug, change, upgrade,... But as solution developer partner, maybe you want to protect your code to other partners, like you do with ISV but in an easier way.. I think that there has to be a clear agreement with customer.

Anyway, you can use fields and public procedures if you set that extension as "dependence" of yours.

twimber2@gmail.com

oh wow, i didn't know you could do dependency with extensions. i will have to research this, thank you very much.

RobyR

Your welcome 👍

Check this one, for example: https://www.google.com/amp/s/navbitsbytes.com/2017/11/17/al-extensions-extending-an-extension/amp/