How to convert DynamicEntity to Strongly typed Business Entity
As i mentioned in earlier blogs, Business Entities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM V3.0 can be represented using two different classes. For example an Account Business Entity can be represented using a DynamicEntity class instance or an account class instance. The difference is that the former has an array of strongly typed properties whereas the later is a class that has strongly typed properties directly on the class.
One of the common questions that i get asked is how can i convert a DynamicEntity into a strongly typed class. Here is an easy way to convert an account buisness entity in form of DynamicEntity into a strongly typed account class instanace.
Here are some basic steps to get the code working:
- Start a new Visual Studio .NET C# project and call it ConvertDynamicEntity
- Add the CRM WSDL(a.k.a. web reference) to your project using the WSDL using "Add a Web Reference" feature of VS. Use "CRM" as the name of your new web reference.
- Copy and paste this code into to your main class and you should be able to do the conversion.
Happy coding:-)
//An example sample code to convert an Account in for of DynamicEntity to an strongly typed business entity class 'account'
public void ConvertDynamicEntitytoAccount()
{
DynamicEntity accountDynamicEntity = new DynamicEntity();
//Set a few properties for test
StringProperty name = CrmTypes.CreateStringProperty("name", "Fabrikam Inc.");
StringProperty accountnumber = CrmTypes.CreateStringProperty("accountnumber", "AZ1200");
PicklistProperty shippingmethodcode = CrmTypes.CreatePickListProperty("address1_shippingmethodcode", CrmTypes.CreatePickList(2));
accountDynamicEntity.Name = EntityName.account.ToString();
accountDynamicEntity.Properties = new Property[] { name, accountnumber, shippingmethodcode };
//Create a strongly typed class account to copy the Dynamic Entity into
account coreAccount = new account();
//Calling the method that converts the Dynamic Entity to strongly typed business entity classes
coreAccount = (account)ConvertDynamicEntityToCoreEntity(accountDynamicEntity);
this.textBox1.AppendText(coreAccount.name + " " + coreAccount.accountnumber + " " + coreAccount.address1_shippingmethodcode.Value);
}
//Converts a DynamicEntity to its equivalant strongly typed business entity class
public BusinessEntity ConvertDynamicEntityToCoreEntity(DynamicEntity entity)
{
string coreEntityName = entity.Name;
//ConvetDynamicEntity is my project name and CRM is the name of my web reference
Type entType = Type.GetType("ConvertDynamicEntity.CRM."+coreEntityName);
ConstructorInfo init = entType.GetConstructor(new Type[] {});
object ent = init.Invoke(new object[] {});
foreach(Property p in entity.Properties)
{
FieldInfo entField = entType.GetField(p.Name);
if(null == entField)
{
this.textBox1.AppendText("Could not find attribute:"+p.Name+" on entity:"+coreEntityName);
}
else
{
entField.SetValue(ent, this.GetAttribute(entity, p.Name));
}
}
return (BusinessEntity)ent;
}
//Returns an object that represents the value of a Dynamic Entity
public object GetAttribute(BusinessEntity entity, string attribute)
{
if(entity.GetType() == typeof(DynamicEntity))
{
DynamicEntity de = (DynamicEntity)entity;
foreach(Property prop in de.Properties)
{
if (prop.Name == attribute)
{
FieldInfo field = prop.GetType().GetField("Value");
return field.GetValue(prop);
}
}
return null;
}
else
{
FieldInfo entField = entity.GetType().GetField(attribute);
return entField.GetValue(entity);
}
}
}