Business Objects Programming Demo

Yahoo Archive
1
> Mark, you're a fine human being!

Depends on who you ask... ;-)

> I'm curious if you've gotten any feedback from Epicor on what writing
> code against the Business Objects does to your "support status". Will
> they completely punt on your problems if you touch the API in this
> manner? Seems like it should be equivalent to using Service Connect

Except for the speed, I think it's exactly like using SC. I believe that
WebServices are generated automatically with the SDK and no special code is
added "for your protection".

I would add that using the Business Objects is considerably safer than using
the Epicor supplied "update table buffer" program and certainly far safer
than using the unsupported ODBC or T-SQL path. It is no different than
buying the SDK and modifying the "Rich Client" I suppose.

> since the web services are fairly thin wrappers around the BOs, and the
> helper code (as I understand it) in the web services is mostly there as
> a convenience to save you some annoyance and effort.

I don't have SC. Does the "helper code" just give you help on the parameters
and the types? If so, that is provided in Visual Studio too. If not, I'm
curious what it does do for the "webservice choreographer".

I guess Epicor can always claim user-inflicted damage to the database with
SC, BPMs, or customizations as well. But if the marketing literature is
accurate:

"Epicor 9 is unparalleled because it is designed for the way people work
today, is built for business, and is ready for change. Our strategy is to
provide both new and existing customers with unprecedented flexibility and
choice. It's about delivering business without barriers."

Why advertise a self-describing service oriented architecture when the only
person who's going to use it is the developer?

Mark W.
2
At the suggestion of Brian, I've uploaded a C# program (Files | C# folder)
that shows how to use the Vantage Business Objects to change data in your
database. This program will search for a directory in your external file
references and update them to a new location. I've always wanted a utility
that does this and there's been some talk on the group about external file
references recently.

I used C# Visual Studio Express 2008 as I wanted to learn C# because only C#
customizations will translate to JavaScript in Epicor 9's Web access
screens. VB.Net programmers will find it easy to translate the code. You'll
need to update the Epicor references to the locations of the dlls on your
system. Write them down (there's five I think), delete them and then add
them back to the project.

The program displays a form that prompts for login credentials (username,
password, server, and port number). Once logged in, the user chooses a
directory to find and it replacement. The user clicks the Find button and it
will display the number of records that match. If the user wants to change
the reference to a new folder, she checks the Update box and clicks apply.
The program creates a logfile named XFileRef.log in the applications folder.
The program checks to make sure that the file is indeed in the new location.
If it is not, then it does not update the record and records the missing
name in the log. BTW, if you make the "Find" and "Replace" folders the same,
the program will list all of your broken file links.

Standard caveats apply: use at your own risk, do a backup before running any
mass changing utility, don't call me if you schwack your database, etc. You
can modify as you wish. It's there to learn.

Mark W.
3
Thankyou.

--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@...> wrote:
>
> At the suggestion of Brian, I've uploaded a C# program (Files | C# folder)
> that shows how to use the Vantage Business Objects to change data in your
> database. This program will search for a directory in your external file
> references and update them to a new location. I've always wanted a utility
> that does this and there's been some talk on the group about external file
> references recently.
>
> I used C# Visual Studio Express 2008 as I wanted to learn C# because only C#
> customizations will translate to JavaScript in Epicor 9's Web access
> screens. VB.Net programmers will find it easy to translate the code. You'll
> need to update the Epicor references to the locations of the dlls on your
> system. Write them down (there's five I think), delete them and then add
> them back to the project.
>
> The program displays a form that prompts for login credentials (username,
> password, server, and port number). Once logged in, the user chooses a
> directory to find and it replacement. The user clicks the Find button and it
> will display the number of records that match. If the user wants to change
> the reference to a new folder, she checks the Update box and clicks apply.
> The program creates a logfile named XFileRef.log in the applications folder.
> The program checks to make sure that the file is indeed in the new location.
> If it is not, then it does not update the record and records the missing
> name in the log. BTW, if you make the "Find" and "Replace" folders the same,
> the program will list all of your broken file links.
>
> Standard caveats apply: use at your own risk, do a backup before running any
> mass changing utility, don't call me if you schwack your database, etc. You
> can modify as you wish. It's there to learn.
>
> Mark W.
>
4
Mark, you're a fine human being! I'm sure this will be very useful to
folks.



I'm curious if you've gotten any feedback from Epicor on what writing
code against the Business Objects does to your "support status". Will
they completely punt on your problems if you touch the API in this
manner? Seems like it should be equivalent to using Service Connect
since the web services are fairly thin wrappers around the BOs, and the
helper code (as I understand it) in the web services is mostly there as
a convenience to save you some annoyance and effort.



-bws



--

Brian W. Spolarich ~ Manager, Information Services ~ Advanced Photonix /
Picometrix

bspolarich@... ~ 734-864-5618 ~
www.advancedphotonix.com



From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Mark Wonsil
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 11:54 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Vantage] Business Objects Programming Demo



At the suggestion of Brian, I've uploaded a C# program (Files | C#
folder)
that shows how to use the Vantage Business Objects to change data in
your
database. This program will search for a directory in your external file
references and update them to a new location. I've always wanted a
utility
that does this and there's been some talk on the group about external
file
references recently.

I used C# Visual Studio Express 2008 as I wanted to learn C# because
only C#
customizations will translate to JavaScript in Epicor 9's Web access
screens. VB.Net programmers will find it easy to translate the code.
You'll
need to update the Epicor references to the locations of the dlls on
your
system. Write them down (there's five I think), delete them and then add
them back to the project.

The program displays a form that prompts for login credentials
(username,
password, server, and port number). Once logged in, the user chooses a
directory to find and it replacement. The user clicks the Find button
and it
will display the number of records that match. If the user wants to
change
the reference to a new folder, she checks the Update box and clicks
apply.
The program creates a logfile named XFileRef.log in the applications
folder.
The program checks to make sure that the file is indeed in the new
location.
If it is not, then it does not update the record and records the missing
name in the log. BTW, if you make the "Find" and "Replace" folders the
same,
the program will list all of your broken file links.

Standard caveats apply: use at your own risk, do a backup before running
any
mass changing utility, don't call me if you schwack your database, etc.
You
can modify as you wish. It's there to learn.

Mark W.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]