Tag Archives: Synchronize

Build-AXModel custom PowerShell function

23 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Powershell

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I apologize for the extra week between posts.  It has been a lot of work to get this function ready to post.  I built the D2DDynamics PowerShell module using cleaned up functions that were based off of the original functions I used to create my build.  Even though I tested all of the functions as I built them, my actual build was still using my old functions.  Getting my new build ready required me to bring my module into my build environment and re-write and re-test my build.  I also wanted to get at least one build done in my environment using the new function before posting it.  Hence, the extra week.

I’m not going to get too in depth regarding the function this week.  I am making it available so people can look at it and try and get an idea of what I’m doing.  I will be covering the specifics of it in future posts.  Also, I will not be including it in the module.  It is possible that a large percentage of users will be able to use the function as-is to create a build but some users will need to modify it to make it work for them and all users will need to modify the variables.  You should add the function to your session using your profile.

I have also updated the D2DDynamics module to version 1.0.1.  This release includes some documentation changes, a new Comment parameter for the Sync-AXTFSWorkingFolder function and I’ve exposed the Send-Email function because I use it in the Build-AXModel function that isn’t part of the module.  To use the Build-AXModel function, you will need to download and setup the latest version of the module (1.0.1).

The Build-AXModel custom PowerShell function takes 3 parameters:

  • BuildNumber (The build identifier)
  • ConfigPath (Client configuration for the AX build environment)
  • VariablePath (Path to a file used to default the parameters/variables)

All 3 variables should be used, although you could specify the ConfigPath in the Variable path file if you’d like.  I have defaulted both values in the function that I use already to make my life simpler.  Feel free to do the same thing in the function that you use.  This function is not designed to be used “out-of-the-box”.  You can customize the defaults and you will need to customize the Build-AXModel_Variables file that is used for the VariablePath parameter for this function to work.  I will get into what/why/how to use the variables in a later post.  For now you can look at the 2 files (Function_Build-AXModel.ps1 and Build-AXModel_Variables.ps1) and get an idea for what is going on.

There are 15 basic steps to the build:

  1. Sync TFS and set the label using Sync-AXTFSWorkingFolder
  2. Stop the AOS
  3. Restore the build environment to vanilla using Restore-AXDatabase
  4. Create the new models
  5. Delete the old artifacts using Clean-AXArtifacts
  6. Start the AOS (Build environment is now clean and ready for the new build)
  7. Generate the combined .xpo files using Combine-AXXPO
  8. Import label files using Import-AXLabelFile
  9. Load the combined .xpo files using Import-AXXPO
  10. Compile and load the VS projects using Start-AXMSBuildImport
  11. Compile the AOT using Start-AXBuildCompile and Compile-AXXppNode
  12. Compile CIL using Compile-AXCIL
  13. Sync the data dictionary using Sync-AXDB
  14. Reload the AX artifacts using Clean-AXArtifacts (This step helps with label file issues when pushing the model)
  15. Export the model file

Sync-AXTFSWorkingFolder custom PowerShell function

04 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by in Powershell

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I apologize for missing a post last week.  The combination of a new home and a very busy work week, destroyed any possibility of getting a post out.  The Sync-AXTFSWorkingFolder function is one of 2 Team Foundation Server functions that I have for getting AX code.  This one is a lot less versatile than my other one but it is much more practical for a build process because it is light years faster.  We will explore my other function in a later post.

This function requires a little setup in your PowerShell profile.  The function needs to know the location of TF.exe and I handle this by adding it to the $env:path variable in my PowerShell profile.  There are many ways to solve this problem, this is just the one I’ve chosen.  TF.exe is available when you install Team Explorer for Visual Studio.  You should match your version of Team Explorer to the version of TFS that you are using.

The Sync-AXTFSWorkingFolder function takes between 1 and 6 parameters:

  • WorkingFolder (The working folder to sync from TFS)
  • Label (This value is used if you want to sync a label version instead of the current version)
  • SetLabel (Switch parameter that will allow you to label the current version if a unique Label parameter is passed with it)
  • LabelScope (Allows you to restrict the scope of the label in case there are multiple locations with the same label)
  • Comment (Allows you to set a comment on the label)
  • VariablePath (Path to a file used to default the parameters/variables)

This function can be found in Codeplex.  The steps of this function are:

  • Load the variables if a VariablePath parameter is used
  • Determine if a label was passed in
  • If so, set up the version and Label/LabelScope
  • Determine if the label exists in TFS
  • If so, sync the working folder with the label version
  • If not, get the current version and determine if the label needs to be set in TFS and set it
  • If no label is passed, sync the working folder with the current version
  • Send the success/fail message

This function assumes certain things.  It assumes that Visual Studio is installed with Team Explorer on the local computer.  It assumes that the user running the function has the working folder set up on the computer that the function is being run on.  It assumes that the user has permissions to read and set labels in TFS.  Lastly, it assumes that the path to TF.exe is known.  I also only run this function on my DevBuild server.  While this server has Team Explorer installed and configured with a working folder, my DevBuild AX environment is not connected to TFS.  Because of how AX natively works with TFS, I would not recommend running this function on a working folder that is used by AX as it could cause your AX instance to become out of sync with TFS.

Sync-AXDB custom PowerShell function

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Powershell

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The Sync-AXDB custom PowerShell function will allow you to synchronize the AX DataDictionary from PowerShell.  If you compare this function/post against the Compile-AXCIL function/post, you will see that they are almost identical.  I had thought of creating a single Start-AXAutoRun function but eventually scrapped that idea in favor of simplicity for the user.  I may look at creating an internal function for the AX call at some point in the future to remove the code duplication.

The Sync-AXDB function takes between 1 and 7 parameters:

  • ConfigPath (Client configuration for the chosen AX environment)
  • LogFile (The value defaults to the temp folder but can be overridden if desired)
  • TimeOut (The value defaults to 2 hours but can be overridden if desired)
  • SMTPServer (SMTP server to use to send the email)
  • MailMsg (Net.Mail.MailMessage object used to send the email)
  • AXVersion (The AX version.  It defaults to 6.)
  • VariablePath (Path to a file used to default the parameters/variables)

I use the VariablePath parameter the same way that I do in the other functions I’ve posted that use it.  This function can be found in Codeplex.  The steps of this function are:

  • Load the variables if a VariablePath parameter is used
  • Get the AX environment info using Get-AXConfig
  • Get the Synchronize AX AutoRun xml using the Get-AXAutoRunXML function
  • Call the Start-AXAutoRun function to synchronize the database

This function should also only be run on the AOS server.  It has been tested using AX 2012 R2 CU7 but should also work for R3.  I have added the Version parameter to this function but it was initially missing from the Compile-AXCIL function/post.  I have gone back and added it to the earlier post as well to reflect the code change in TFS.