Microsoft Dynamics AX (Archived)

Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by Mohsin Khalid

501

Hi;

Testing the Range functionality provided on Data Entities in D365

Scenario: I'm trying to apply a date range to my custom data entity in order to export only the records that were modified yesterday. This will be a recurring export job to daily export only modified records.

Problem: There is a Ranges property that is on Entity level where you can apply ranges to fields in your data entity but seems like it is not working as even a numeric field value range added on it does not filter the results. I am aware of filters available on a functional level as well as ranges available on the datasource level but I want to test out the Ranges on the data entity itself. I also do not see the range applied on SQL level when I see the script of the view for the entity; however they are visible ranges applied on a datasource level.

Question: What is this Ranges node for if not for applying a range to the resultant data set?

7752.range.png

*This post is locked for comments

All responses (13)

Answers (1)

TomJ77 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

I found that I had this problem whilst setting a range from a table with an outer join - I switched it to InnerJoin and the range worked as expected.
Community Member Microsoft Employee on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Hi,

Do you know if it is possible to use some functions in Value on Datasource range like tableNum? I need to filter records using refTableId, so I want to have for example tableNum(CustTable) but that does not work. It works only if I specify exact numeric value of CustTable tableId.
Mantas Sliogeris 20 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Hi, thanks for detailed conversation guys.

I have a similar problem as Mohsin - I can't get data entity ranges to work when adding a range on base enum field.

It works if I add it on datasource range, but it doesn't work if I add it on data entity range.

I've looked into Martin's example LedgerAccountStructureActiveOnlyEntity and I think it is not a good example, because not only it has range on data entity (which probably doesn't work), but it also have the same range on data source (which is actually working).

Lets take another example - BankJournalLineEntity. It has ranges only on data entity, no ranges on data source and if you go and check view creation script on SQL you can actually see that there are no filter applied for this data entity view.

We have the same situation with HcmSharedParametersEntity and some other.

It looks to me that data entity ranges don't work..

Please share your findings on this topic.

Regards,
Suggested answer

nmaenpaa 101,156 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Enable change tracking for the customer entity in D365 UI (Data entities form), and set incremental push for your data project. You will always get all new and changed customers. Does this meet your business requirement?
Muhammad Yasir 1,023 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Hi Mohsin,

Did u find any way to do that. i exactly have same requirement of adding the range to modifiedDateTime field of CustTable. If you know. then please share the way how u did that.

Thanks,
Verified answer

Martin Dráb 230,198 Most Valuable Professional on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Aha, so you want to use data management but you don't know how to add a filter. Create an export project and add an entity. Then find the Filter column and click the funnel icon:

It will open the usual "advanced filter" form, where you can add you filter.

This is dynamic; what you tried wouldn't be.

I have no idea what you're talking about regarding "change tracking would require a user to read from the table"; it doesn't sound like anything about change tracking. I'm talking about increment exports in data management. Let me quote AX documentation:

Change tracking is a feature that enables incremental export of data from Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, by using Data management. In an incremental export, only records that have changed are exported. To enable incremental export, you must enable change tracking on entities. If you don't enable change tracking on an entity, you can enable only full export each time.
Mohsin Khalid 501 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

"What you need is including the field which you want to filter (ModifiedDateTime) in the view. Then apply the range when querying the entity, e.g. in an export project or an OData query."

I meant it wont be a dynamic range/filter that filters each record by today's date whenever its run cause as far as I checked there is no option to apply a dynamic range on export project level filters. IF that is what you meant, like so:

"I assume you want to use ModifiedDateTime to identify changed records. That's exactly what change tracking is for."

Yes, however change tracking would require a user to read from the table, it would not push a file to a designated folder of the changed records(which is what im looking to do); correct?
Martin Dráb 230,198 Most Valuable Professional on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Can you please elaborate what you mean by "that would be out of the scope of a recurring data entity job"?

I assume you want to use ModifiedDateTime to identify changed records. That's exactly what change tracking is for.
Mohsin Khalid 501 on at

Like (0)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

Thank you for checking, I'll try to create a new one and see if it happens there as well.

I see, but that would be out of the scope of a recurring data entity job. Isnt there any method inside the data entity to modify the query or datasources? There is a mapDataSourceToEntity() method but that is to transform the result, i wonder if i could somehow use it to filter the record as well.

I haven't checked change tracking so will do but it seems more of a get then a push on change utility.
Martin Dráb 230,198 Most Valuable Professional on at

Like (1)

Report

RE: Data entity Ranges node does nothing in D365

I'm sorry, but I don't have enough information to identify what you're doing wrong with the numeric field. It works all right in my environment.