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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Microsoft Dynamics GP (Archived) / Dexterity Development ...
Microsoft Dynamics GP (Archived)

Dexterity Development Question

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Posted on by Tim Foster 8,515

Could someone provide a list of the files that a *good* Dexterity Developer should provide to the Customer at the completion of a development Project?  Assume that at the end of the engagement the Customer owns everything - especially the source code.  The goal here is to have everything required to re-engage the existing developer or a new one in the future to make changes.

Thanks

Tim Foster

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  • Suggested answer
    coquisalsa Profile Picture
    coquisalsa 2,725 on at

    Hi Tim,

    For a Dexterity development, the basic files you should be provided if you agree with the developer to give you the source code are:

    • The development dictionary, this dictionary is the standard Dynamics.dic file with the new Dexterity code and new resources.
    • The DexUtil macro for creating the chunk file.
    • The compressed and/or uncompressed Chunk file.
    • Documentation: User guides, requirements, functional specifications, etc.

    There could be another files depending of the type of development.

    I hope this help

    Thanks

  • Tim Foster Profile Picture
    Tim Foster 8,515 on at

    When you say "development dictionary" - Do you mean the extracted version created by the utility?

    I have seen tips that say the Chunk should be protected by compression as it can be damages "in-transit" (i.e. accross networks)

    Thanks

    Tim

  • Suggested answer
    Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member on at

    Hi,

    As said by jorge it depends upon the development that is performed to the client. I would like to add couple of more points to the above. It could be Modified Forms & Reports which needs to be exported as a package file. It could be .net addins. It's purely based on the what kind of development that is performed to the client.

    Coming to your question. Development dictionary, it means the one on which the complete customization was development . The size of the dictionary will be bigger than the extract dictionary. The extract dictionary it actually came from the development dictionary where as it contains all the customization that was developed on the development dictionary. It size will be smaller than the development dictionary.

    Since, you have agreed to provide the source code at the time of completion of your project. I would say zip the complete development folder and give it to the client, so that it contains all the files within it.

  • Verified answer
    coquisalsa Profile Picture
    coquisalsa 2,725 on at

    When I say "development dictionary" I don't refer to the extracted dictionary created by the GP Utilities.

     

    The development dictionary is the Dynamics.dic file use by the developer as a development platform and where the new code and new resources are added.

     

    Development dictionary = Dynamics.dic + Extracted dictionary

     

    Therefore (as Shan mentioned) the size of the file of the Development dictionary is greater than the Dynamics.dic

     

    This development dictionary initially is the same dictionary of the GP folder and initially contains only all GP core resources. It is usually renamed to something different than Dynamics.dic. Then, the developer will open the development dictionary using Dexterity and add new code and new resources.

     

    It is important than the developer uses the same version of the Dynamics.dic which is in the production environment especially if there are alternate forms and alternate reports.

     

    The extracted dictionary contain only the new code and resources added by the developer.

     

    If you have only been provided with the extracted dictionary, it is still possible to build the Development dictionary using GP Utilities, but if the developer agrees giving you the Development dictionary it is even better, you will save time and money in any future development.

     

    Regarding to your questions of compressed chunk, in my 14 years as dex developer (perhaps I have been lucky) I have never came across with issues due to an uncompressed chunk.

     

    A compressed chunk is usually the file which is deployed to production.

     

    The uncompressed chunk file is usually deployed to the development or/and test environment and it is handy for debugging in case you ever need to.

     

    I hope this helps.

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