How to list all customized objects from standards

Flashtn
Flashtn Member Posts: 68
edited 2008-07-21 in NAV/Navision Classic Client
Hi Nav Developers,

When we develop customized fonctionnalites for our clients, we can modify or create obejcts. After certain time, we have a lot of these objects in the database. So, can I list them ? This is userful wehn we migrate the database to a new version of Dynamics Nav.

Thank you in advance.

Comments

  • awarn
    awarn Member Posts: 261
    Hi,

    From the object designer, any modified objects should have the Modified flag checked off. So just filter on Modified = True to get a list of all changed objects.

    Of course you will have to figure what was changed in each object.

    -a
  • DenSter
    DenSter Member Posts: 8,307
    Doesn't work, at least not with any reliability. It is very easy to uncheck that flag. Many developers do that when they deliver objects to production, looking at it more from a 'this is an official production object' angle.

    The only really reliable way that I can think of is to export all objects as separate text files, one set from the customized database and one from a standard database with all the same hotfixes and object updates in it, each set in a separate folder. Then do a folder compare, using some tool like Beyond Compare.

    Every other way that I have seen has flaws.
    Daniel Rimmelzwaan
    RIS Plus, LLC
  • awarn
    awarn Member Posts: 261
    You have to compare each line of code if you do an upgrade, but if you are looking for a quicker way to find changes then comparing the modified flag is the quickest.

    If you take an unmodified version of the cronus database and copy all of the objects from the object designer into Excel, and then do the same for all of the customers objects, and compare the date, time and BLOB size fields for any differences, you will find every object that has been modified.

    -a
  • DenSter
    DenSter Member Posts: 8,307
    No I just don't agree with just looking at the modified flag, that field is too easy to set manually. If you want to trust the list, you MUST go beyond the modified flag.

    I do agree that comparing a complete object list from a standard and a customized, and looking at any change in any of those fields you mentioned, will give you a quick list, that should give you most of them.

    Really though, I have seen it more than once that objects had everything the same, but still there were differences. Don't ask me how it happened, but I had some major object conflicts. I usually start with the list, but if I have to guarantee anything, I always do a full object compare. It is just the only way to really make sure.
    Daniel Rimmelzwaan
    RIS Plus, LLC
  • Flashtn
    Flashtn Member Posts: 68
    Thank you for your responses.

    Thus, in this case, which standard object can I compare with ? those of CRONUS objects ?
  • DenSter
    DenSter Member Posts: 8,307
    Yes, a Cronus database of the same version as your customer's database
    Daniel Rimmelzwaan
    RIS Plus, LLC
  • awarn
    awarn Member Posts: 261
    Well the most detailed way to figure out the differences is to compare evey line of code of course, it is the only way to be sure.

    But my point is that if you are looking for a quick (i.e. 10 minute) way to see the changes in a database then there are quicker ways. If you want to spend a much longer time you will get much more complete results.

    If a project manager came to me and said, hey, I've got a meeting after lunch, can you let me know what the mods were on that project? I would go with the quick way.

    If he or she came to me and said, hey, we want to talk to customer XXXX about an upgrade next week, can you figure out what was done to their database and how hard the upgrade will be? I would probably look at it more detailed. At this point I would ask how detailed a look they were looking for though - I would ask if I had two hours or two days to look at the changes.

    If he or she said, hey, upgrade customer XXXX and keep all of their existing mods then there is only one choice, comparing the objects to the base version.

    I get your point Denster, I just looked at the original post as the first type of question, not the third.

    -a
  • Flashtn
    Flashtn Member Posts: 68
    Good morning,

    The upgrade project will take a few weeks after, then I have times to look for details. In this case, I will save all MBS - Navision 3.70 objects as text files from the customer database and save again all objects as text files from the Dynamics Nav 5.0 CRONUS Database for the standard objects.
  • Flashtn
    Flashtn Member Posts: 68
    Good morning,

    The upgrade project will take a few weeks after, then I have times to look for details. In this case, I will save all MBS - Navision 3.70 objects as text files from the customer database and save again all objects as text files from the MBS - Navision 3.70 CRONUS Database for the standard objects. Finaly, I compare each couple of files to determine the diffrences and inject these ones in the new version Dynamics Nav 5.0. I hope that is the correct procedure for object upgrade.
  • Tomas
    Tomas Member Posts: 420
    DenSter wrote:
    Doesn't work, at least not with any reliability. It is very easy to uncheck that flag. Many developers do that when they deliver objects to production, looking at it more from a 'this is an official production object' angle.

    The only really reliable way that I can think of is to export all objects as separate text files, one set from the customized database and one from a standard database with all the same hotfixes and object updates in it, each set in a separate folder. Then do a folder compare, using some tool like Beyond Compare.

    Every other way that I have seen has flaws.

    What's the quickest way of exportinh objects to separate text files?
    Tomas,
    Dynamics NAV Enthusiast
  • ajhvdb
    ajhvdb Member Posts: 672
    The least used by others :roll: but the most used by me 8) is : http://www.mibuso.com/dlinfo.asp?FileID=863
    Create dynamic Excel or Word documents, ReportX
  • Tomas
    Tomas Member Posts: 420
    ajhvdb wrote:
    The least used by others :roll: but the most used by me 8) is : http://www.mibuso.com/dlinfo.asp?FileID=863

    plugin looks interestig (just download beyond compare).
    thanks.
    Tomas,
    Dynamics NAV Enthusiast

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