AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

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Friends,

All along my understanding was that only a development effort or hot fix can even manipulate (add few lines or delete few lines or both) source code in AX in general (even though our version is AX 2012 R3),. nothing else should change code.

We came across scenarios recently where when we turn on few features from parameter level / functional level & AX did add / change source code by itself and we see modified functions / table methods, etc. Can this ever be true? has anyone come across anything like this before? New Code were seen in USR layer (and after reviewing this change and the style of coding, this seems to come from AX itself, I'm referring to Microsoft coding style & patterns).

This is causing a lot of inconsistency between DEV & TEST platform:-(.

Any thoughts or story share is very much appreciated.

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André Arnaud de Cal... 299,576 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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RE: AX 2012 R3 adding / modifying source code by itself?

Hi AX_evangelist,

Please mention in detail the tables and functions where you have seen this. This will help us knowing where it can happen and we can explain it.

It is indeed possible that coding or properties will be changed. When you e.g. enable the Address book security by address book and/or legal entity, it will enable Security policies in the AOT.

Also the product configurator can do this.

If you have installed the Security development tool, this can also change coding on some methods.

So please be specific and it can be explained.

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Fx 425 on at

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RE: AX 2012 R3 adding / modifying source code by itself?

Hi ,

Some actions through the AX workspace UI can edit technical objects directly in the AOT. Find below two examples:

Example 1: Data Export Import Framework

The creation of a custom entity by using the wizard create a bunch of object and a Private project also.

Example 2: Override Permission

In the security part of the Administration module, if you override a permission regarding a Role, this change will update directly the security AOT object behind

Regards

FX

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Mea_ 60,284 on at

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RE: AX 2012 R3 adding / modifying source code by itself?

It's a standard behavior of AX when certain functions generate new code.

You can do it through DIXF, Security development tool, product configurator or AIF wizard.

Also you can write your own functionality that will generate code on the fly.

So what is your concern ?

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Community Member on at

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RE: AX 2012 R3 adding / modifying source code by itself?

Thanks everyone for your valuable feedback's. They help a lot. I will return with more details and screen shots, but quickly this is what we face now.

1. Developer has developer machine and all development activities happens here and code is moved to test as XPO only.

2. Consultants play with module level parameters both in DEV & TEST.

3. They would also be playing with Parameter changes at module level (this is the case 99%) of the time and at times play with DIXF as well which is totally unknown to developer at this time.

4. Next time when developer export an XPO that works perfectly fine in DEV, it fails in TEST.

5. Most time test consultants do not recall what all they tried. Even if we are able to figure out and turn OFF that feature or change back to what it was in original, the added code wont be removed.

Quick example.

1. We moved some customization that involves changes in VendTrans table fro DEV to TEST. All works great in DEV, Compiled, CIL, etc.

2. Code along with TABLE moved to TEST.

3. TEST compile failed.

4. Some testing or parameter ennoblement (or could even be DIXF testing) added a CFMParameters table in our DEV and added code in multiple places automatically, one example is in Table VendTrans, table method chkVendTransReorg. DEV has a Boolean variable reading from CFMParameter table and in TEST this table is not available (which by itself may be OK?).

DEV Code (Please see CFM parameters)

TEST Code snippet (CFM parameter code line is missing & TEST do not have CFMParameter table).

But when i move my VendTrans changes (for another customziatons) to TEST, this CFM code also gets moved to TEST (obviously), but remember i still do not know that a table CFMParameter was created automatically by AX in DEV. Lack of this table in TEST fails compiling of VendTrans table.

This to me is a big problem. Eager to hear from you all. (there are many other examples that occurred in our platform, but this is one of them)

Also, we do not prefer model store export from DEV to TEST just because DEV has lot of miscellaneous and partial projects that we dont want to clutter in TEST. We only moved tested and certified changes from DEV to TEST always.

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André Arnaud de Cal... 299,576 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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RE: AX 2012 R3 adding / modifying source code by itself?

Hi,

I have never heard of a CFMParameter table or other objects starting with CFM. It is for sure not related to DIXF.

Can you check with your partner if they have added some features in TEST which is not in DEV?

You can also compare the list with installed models between TEST and DEV.

Also think of creating a new administrator role for the consultants where they don't have access on the development environment. At some customers we created a role based on (almost) all privileges. Then they can access any part of the system functionally, but not the AOT. Also actions that creates objects will not be possible then. You can also assign multiple existing roles to have them access to the functionality they really need. Some forms like the workflow history is changing the lay-out and options based on the role a user has.

Another note: Changes for DIXF should be done initially in the DEV environment.

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Community Member on at

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RE: AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

Hi, thanks for the inputs. I also do not think it is from DIXF, as they usually have naming conventions for tables, etc.

Below are AOT table screen shots from DEV & TEST. DEV has a bunch of new CFM tables and TEST do not. More over, DEV objects (classes/table methods) are automatically modified with this change. (I'm leaning towards a parameter change or a hot fix, not sure yet). Also added objects do not refer to any parameter / hotfix as the source. This makes it very hard to undo or investigate further.

DEV

TEST

I very much appreciate your thoughts / feedback on this.

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Martin Dráb 236,570 Most Valuable Professional on at

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RE: AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

It means that your DEV and TEST environments don't have the same version of application.

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Community Member on at

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RE: AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

That is the first thing i confirmed, they both are exactly the same (Both app & kernel version matches across DEV & TEST). I did realize there are some hotfixes applied to DEV and not in TEST. Need to address them.

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Martin Dráb 236,570 Most Valuable Professional on at

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RE: AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

We already proved that the applications are different, because they contain different objects. This fact doesn't change even if you see the same application numbers.

You may want to investigate what's different (e.g. by comparing installed modules), but you can't ignore the fact that differences exist, especially when it it's the answer to your question. The changes didn't suddenly appear in your environment; they've been installed to the SYP layer.

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André Arnaud de Cal... 299,576 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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RE: AX adding / modifying source code by itself?

Hi,

The version numbers you mentioned are related to AX 2012 R3 with CU9. I have checked the exact same version and cannot still find the CFMParameter table or other related objects. As Martin said, they are located in the syp layer. Can you change a personal option on the Development tab of your user options (Tools, Options)?

On the Development tab page there is a field group Application Object Tree. Change the value of the field Application object model to Show on all elements. Then the model where this object belongs to will be displayed. This model name might give some more background if this functionality is e.g. related to a certain hotfix.

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