Refresh form after dialog is finished when launched from ribbon button

This article is an extension to “Create a Dialog Short-Cut Ribbon Button” tutorial provided by develop1.

In the original article, we use ribbon workbench to add short-cut to a dialog using a button. What if we want to reflect data or updated status on the form, during or after execution of this dialog? That simply means, we do need a form refresh once dialog is finished/closed.

Problem

Launch a dialog from a button in the command bar and refresh form once dialog is finished/closed.

Solution

Fortunately, we have a very simple solution to this problem but it is un-supported. Although I tested it with CRM 2013, 2015 and 2016.
I am dividing this solution into 3 major but very simple steps:

1. Add a JavaScript webresource to call dialog and refresh the form afterwards.
2. Extract Dialog ID.
3. Add a button to form’s command bar.

Please note, If you have already followed original article, you just need to see step 1.

Step 1: Add a JavaScript webresource to run dialog and refresh form:

In this particular example, I am going to work on case entity. So first I created a CRM Solution and added Case entity to it. You need to create a new webresource using following steps:

1. Add a new webresource to solution and set the type to Script (JScript).
2. Add following script to this web resource:
   // Java Script code
   CRMLogs_RunDialogAndRefresh = function (objectTypeCode, dialogId) {// Run Dialogvar primaryEntityId = Xrm.Page.data.entity.getId();
   var rundialog = Mscrm.CrmUri.create(‘/cs/dialog/rundialog.aspx’);
   rundialog.get_query()[‘DialogId’] = dialogId;
   rundialog.get_query()[‘ObjectId’] = primaryEntityId;
   rundialog.get_query()[‘EntityName’] = objectTypeCode;var hostWindow = window;// use ‘openStdDlg’ instead of ‘openStdWin’ in order to launch dialog as a modal dialogif (typeof (openStdDlg) == ‘undefined’) {
   hostWindow = window.parent; // Support for Turbo-forms in CRM2015 Update 1
   }if (typeof (hostWindow.openStdDlg) != ‘undefined’) {openStdDlg(rundialog, null, 615, 480, true, false, “maximize:yes;minimize:yes”);
   }// Refreshes page once dialog is finished/closed
   Xrm.Utility.openEntityForm(“incident”, primaryEntityId);}Please note, I have used “hostWindow.openStdDlg()” function instead of “hostWindow.openStdWin”. openStdDlg() opens the CRM dialog window as a modal window, that means user can’t move back to form until dialog is finished or closed.
3. Give a name to webresource like ‘/Scripts/RunDialog’ and then save, publish and close.

Step 2: Extract Dialog ID from Dialog:

To extract dialog id follow these steps:

1. Open the Dialog you want to run. Click Actions –> Copy Link. Paste copied link to the notepad and you will see something like this:
   <http://<server>/<OrgName>/sfa/workflow/edit.aspx?id=%7b<Dialog ID>%7d>.
2. Extract the dialog id and save it for later.

Step 3: Add a button to form’s command bar to launch dialog:

1. Launch Ribbon Workbench and load your solution.
2. In the ‘Solution Element’ panel, add the following EnableRule and mark ‘IsCore=True’ in the properties:-Mscrm.FormStateNotNew
   This will ensure that the button is only enabled record is existing.
3. Under Command in the Solution Elements Panel, add a command like:-new.incident.RunDialogForm.Command
   
4. Right-Click on the Command ‘new.contact.RunDialogForm.Command’ and select ‘Edit Enable Rules’.
5. Add the following Enable Rule:-Mscrm.FormStateNotNew
   This will ensure that the button is only enabled record is existing.
6. Righ-click on the Command ‘new.incident.RunDialogForm.Command’ and select ‘Edit Actions’
   Add a Javascript Command and set the following properties:

   Function Name	CRMLogs_RunDialogAndRefresh
   Library	Use the lookup button to select the webresource you created above
   Parameters	1: Type = Crm Parameter, Value = PrimaryEntityTypeName 2: Type = String, Value = Dialog ID found from the Copy Link in the previous steps

   

7. Select the Form ribbon and drag a new button into the ‘Process’ Group or any other group. Give a meaningful name to this button like ‘Run Settlement Dialog’.
8. Select above created command for this button and click ‘Publish’.

That’s all, you did it!