Using Argument Tables in Navision

When creating functions we sometimes need a lot of parameters to give the information we require. Number of arguments/parameters to function have limits.

Sometimes these parameters are optional, only required in some scenarios.

This makes calling them quite hard. The code becomes hard to read & understand, and sometimes spread across multiple lines.

When changing the signature of any std. function or already implemented functionality which is highly used over the system in several objects you might end up changing an endless chain of objects.

Imaging adding a field to such function, or change a datatype. The amount of code affected is pretty big and if you need to parameter only for one specific case you end up changing a lot of code for no purpose. Does this make sense?

These challenges can be solved by grouping commonly used arguments in a single table and use that table as the parameter of a function.

So the solution is to create a single table that holds the contract for the function.

When we add new fields to the table, we effectively do not change the signature of the function hence this acts as overloading allowing optional parameters to change the behavior of the code.

You can find usage of such Argument Tables in below objects:

Type      ID            Name

1              9500       Email Item

5              260         Document-Mailing

5              9520       Mail Management

Table is created to hold Parameter Values which will be passed to the function.



This Function in Table Pass the record as a parameter to the function, basically this is passing 10 Parameters using single record as a Parameter to the Function.



In Codeunit Document-Mailing below function, This is the extra work which you will be required to perform, if you miss this part you may not get errors at compile time but all the 10 Parameters will be passed as blank. This may be counted as side-effect of using such concept.



In Codeunit Mail Management below function, This Pass the record as a parameter to the function, basically this is passing 10 Parameters using single record as a Parameter to the Function.



In Codeunit Mail Management below function, This receives the record as a parameter to the function, basically this is receiving 10 Parameters using single record as a Parameter to the Function.



Best part is Argument tables can be outside of a customer’s license file since we never insert data in the SQL Server database.

For more details you can see this Link. https://community.dynamics.com/nav/w/designpatterns/245.argument-table

 

Filter Pages for Filtering Tables using FILTERPAGEBUILDER

In C/AL code, you can use the FILTERPAGEBUILDER data type to create a filter page that enables users to set filters on multiple tables. Filter pages contains one or more filter controls, where each filter control can be used to set filters on a specific table. In the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client, filter pages are generated at runtime and run in a modal dialog box.

For demo purpose I have created a List page on Item Table. I have added below Variables and Code on Page.

When I Run the Page, First Request page is popup to accept filters. Then my Item List Page is opened applying the filter I provided on the Request Page.

FILTERPAGEBUILER Data Type Functions

ADDTABLE Function

Adds a filter control for a table to a filter page.

ADDRECORD Function

Adds a filter control for a table to a filter page as specified by a record data type variable.

ADDRECORDREF Function

Adds filter control for a table to a filter page as specified by a recordref variable.

ADDFIELD Function

Adds a table field to the filter control for a table on filter page.

ADDFIELDNO Function

Adds a table field to the filter control for a table as specified by the field number.

GETVIEW function (FilterPageBuilder)

Gets the filter view (which defines the sort order, key, and filters) for the record in the specified filter control of a filter page.

SETVIEW Function

Sets the current filter view, which defines the sort order, key, and filters, for a record in a filter control on a filter page.

RUNMODAL Function (FilterPageBuilder)

Builds and runs the filter page.

COUNT Function (FilterPageBuilder)

Gets the number of filter controls that are specified in the FilterPageBuilder object instance.

NAME Function (FilterPageBuilder)

Gets the name of a table filter control that is included on a filter page based on an index number that is assigned to the filter control.

How to list Virtual Tables in Navision

You may have seen several posts listing the Virtual tables. Most of they say you create page/form and type in one by one table id in Range (2000000001.. 2000000200) and find the Virtual Tables and note them.

Today I will demo you easy way for getting this list with no additional efforts.

You will get below table list in every posts. I have listed tables below in Nav-2015.

	Object Designer		Virtual		Itself from Virtual Table
Type	ID	Name		Object Type	Object ID	Object Name
			Yes	Table	2000000001	Object
1	2000000004	Permission Set		Table	2000000004	Permission Set
1	2000000005	Permission		Table	2000000005	Permission
1	2000000006	Company		Table	2000000006	Company
			Yes	Table	2000000007	Date
			Yes	Table	2000000009	Session
			Yes	Table	2000000020	Drive
			Yes	Table	2000000022	File
			Yes	Table	2000000026	Integer
			Yes	Table	2000000028	Table Information
			Yes	Table	2000000029	System Object
			Yes	Table	2000000038	AllObj
			Yes	Table	2000000039	Printer
			Yes	Table	2000000040	License Information
			Yes	Table	2000000041	Field
			Yes	Table	2000000043	License Permission
			Yes	Table	2000000044	Permission Range
			Yes	Table	2000000045	Windows Language
			Yes	Table	2000000048	Database
			Yes	Table	2000000049	Code Coverage
1	2000000053	Access Control		Table	2000000053	Access Control
			Yes	Table	2000000055	SID - Account ID
			Yes	Table	2000000058	AllObjWithCaption
			Yes	Table	2000000063	Key
1	2000000065	Send-To Program		Table	2000000065	Send-To Program
1	2000000066	Style Sheet		Table	2000000066	Style Sheet
1	2000000067	User Default Style Sheet		Table	2000000067	User Default Style Sheet
1	2000000068	Record Link		Table	2000000068	Record Link
1	2000000069	Client Add-in		Table	2000000069	Client Add-in
1	2000000071	Object Metadata		Table	2000000071	Object Metadata
1	2000000072	Profile		Table	2000000072	Profile
1	2000000073	User Personalization		Table	2000000073	User Personalization
1	2000000074	Profile Metadata		Table	2000000074	Profile Metadata
1	2000000075	User Metadata		Table	2000000075	User Metadata
1	2000000076	Web Service		Table	2000000076	Web Service
1	2000000078	Chart		Table	2000000078	Chart
1	2000000079	Object Tracking		Table	2000000079	Object Tracking
1	2000000080	Page Data Personalization		Table	2000000080	Page Data Personalization
1	2000000100	Debugger Breakpoint		Table	2000000100	Debugger Breakpoint
			Yes	Table	2000000101	Debugger Call Stack
			Yes	Table	2000000102	Debugger Variable
			Yes	Table	2000000103	Debugger Watch Value
1	2000000104	Debugger Watch		Table	2000000104	Debugger Watch
1	2000000110	Active Session		Table	2000000110	Active Session
1	2000000111	Session Event		Table	2000000111	Session Event
1	2000000112	Server Instance		Table	2000000112	Server Instance
1	2000000114	Document Service		Table	2000000114	Document Service
1	2000000120	User		Table	2000000120	User
1	2000000121	User Property		Table	2000000121	User Property
1	2000000130	Device		Table	2000000130	Device
			Yes	Table	2000000135	Table Synch. Setup

All marked as Yes in above table under Virtual column are all the Virtual Tables.

I have not type one by one in the Page/form to get this list.

The Virtual table itself in Navision lists the Virtual tables in Navision. List can be different depending on the Version of Navision you see them.

Today I will share you smart way of finding this list of Virtual tables.

Next time you need not to do so hard work to list all the Virtual tables.

Here too you need to create a list page but you will not be required to key in the id of tables one by one, in fact only one table id which will give answers to your query.

Save and execute your Page/Form.


Now go to object Designer. Copy all the tables with id in range defined above and paste in Excel.

Copy above table list in Excel side by side and compare as above table shown in beginning of the post. All those which don’t match are your Virtual tables.

So easy, if anything is available why to waste effort for same.

It always good to share what you know with community, by this way we keep learning from each other.

Stay tuned for many such Tips.