NAV 2009 - How to - Simple Form Transformation

  • Article

This post describes the simplest possible way to transform a form into a page in NAV 2009. Both Pages and Transformation is documented in more details elsewhere. Here, I just want to make the simples possible example, just to get a simple form transformed into a simple page.

Prerequisites:

You need to have at least a NAV 2009 classic client and the Transformation tool. To test the page, of course you also need the Rolebased client. But to just transform a form, you don't need it.

 

Import the tool:

1)  Open a classic client, go to Object Designer and import the files DevTool.fob and TIF.fob from the folder TransformationTool\TIF Editor\
2)  Create a new form in NAV, as simple as possible. For example a Card form based on the customer table, with just a few fields on it. This is the form you want to transform.

Setup and use the Transformation tool:

3)  Run form 97000 "Transformation Forms"

4)  Click Import -> "Import PageType - FormType mapping", and select the file TransformationTool\TIF Editor\FormToPagetypeMapping.txt.

5)  Click Functions -> Get Forms. Filter on Type = Form, and ID = the new form, then click OK. This gets the form(s) that you want to transform.

6)  In the FormType field, select "Card" ("Form with TabControl only and a source table").

Run the transformation:

7)  Export the settings from form 97000: Click on Export -> "Transform Pages". You must export it to the TransformationTool folder, and it must be called TransformPages.xml.
8)  From Object Designer, export the form (Tools -> Export) as xml.You must export it to the folder TransformationTool, and it must be called Forms.xml.

You now have the form you want to transform, and the meta-data that tells the TranformationTool how to transform it.

9)  Run the file FormTransformation.exe from the TransformationTool folder. This generates a new file called Pages.xml. It also logs any progress or errors in the file Transformation.log.

Import the new page:

10) Back in NAV (classic client): Go to Object Designer, and import the file Pages.xml, and then compile it.

 

If all steps ran without any errors, you have now transformed your form into a page which can be displayed in the rolebased client.

 

 

Lars Lohndorf-Larsen

Microsoft Dynamics UK

Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA

These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.