Finding Table and Field Information in Microsoft Dynamics GP

By David Musgrave

To get information about tables and fields in Microsoft Dynamics GP, you can
use any of the following 10 methods:

1.
Open the Microsoft Dynamics GP window that contains the data you are
interested in, and then select Tools -> Integrate -> Table Import to see the
tables associated with the Dexterity Form.

2.
Open the Microsoft Dynamics GP window that contains the data you are
interested in, and then select Tools -> Customise -> Customise Current
Window. Once you’re in Modifier Layout mode, look at the window object
properties. Usually the most important table for a form is linked as the
AutoLink table. Then close the layout window and look at the Tables tab of
the Form Definition window to see the attached tables (these will be the same
as shown in method 1).

Note: Using this method can create additional windows in the Modifier that
have not actually been modified. You should check whether the window already
exists in the Modifier before using this method. That way, you will know
whether the window can be deleted.

3.
Try using SQL logging by adding the following lines into the DEX.INI file:

SQLLogSQLStmt=TRUE

SQLLogODBCMessages=TRUE

SQLLogAllODBCMessages=TRUE

Then delete the DEXSQL.LOG just before performing the actions you are
interested in and look at the DEXSQL.LOG file immediately after.

4.
Load the SDK (Software Developers Kit). The kit contains transaction flow
documents that show which tables to use for specific transactions. It also
contains PDF E-R (Entity-Relationship) diagrams that show the tables and
their relationships.

5.
Select Tools -> Resources -> Tables, and use the Table Resource window to
look up tables.

6.
Use a tool such as SnapShot (available from the Development page of
Winthrop Dexterity Consultants). This tool can display and export information
about tables. However, its main function is to provide platform and account
framework independent data transfer, backup, and migration.

7.
Load Dexterity (from the Tools folder on the second Microsoft Dynamics GP
CD), open the dictionary, and look at the form definition to get the attached
tables. This will be the same list as provided in methods 1 and 2.

8.
Open the window and print the associated report to the screen. Next select
Tools -> Customise -> Modify Current Report. Then look at the tables attached
to the report from the Report Definition.

Note: Using this method can create additional reports in the Report Writer
that have not actually been modified. You should check whether the report
already exists in the Report Writer before using this method. That way, you
will know whether the window can be deleted.

9.
This is probably the most powerful of all the methods listed and is
normally available only to the Dexterity developer. Add the following lines
into the DEX.INI file in the application folder to turn Debug mode on.
(Please do not use these settings for live systems.)

ScriptDebugger=TRUE

ScriptDebuggerProduct=0

The zero represents the product ID for Microsoft Dynamics GP (as shown in
the DYNAMICS.SET launch file). If you are interested in another product, you
can use the product ID for that product.

Launch Microsoft Dynamics GP. You should now see a Debug menu on the right
side of the menu bar. Get to where you want to start logging and profiling.
Select Debug -> Profile Scripts, Debug -> Clear Profile, Debug -> Log Scripts
and select a filename. Then perform the actions you want to log. Next select
Debug -> Log Scripts to stop the logging, Debug -> Save Profile to save the
profile, and Debug -> Profile Scripts to turn off profiling.

Now look at the script log and the script profile files. The script log
shows all the Dexterity calls with their parameters and hierarchy. The script
profile shows you the scripts called, how many times they were called, and
how much time was spent inside the call. Here is the trick: The bottom half
of the script profile shows all the tables that were touched and what actions
took place.

Note: This step only logs Dexterity-based table actions. If a stored
procedure is called, Dexterity cannot see what is happening. Therefore,
Dexterity will not log those table actions.

10.
As a final option, you can turn on SQL activity tracking from Enterprise
Manager to see what actions Microsoft SQL Server is doing.

Regards,
--
Mohammad R. Daoud
MCP, MCBMSP, MCTS, MCBMSS
Software Development Manager
+962 - 79 - 999 65 85
Dynamics Innovations
daoudm@dynamicsinnovations.com
http://www.dynamicsinnovations.com/