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Early Bound Generator

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Daryl LaBar edited this page Jun 12, 2018 · 8 revisions

#Early Bound Generator This plugin extends and automates the creation of Early Bound Xrm classes.

Looking for a walk though??? Checkout the video!

Early Bound Generator Features:

  • Generates Enums for the OptionSet
  • This is the same basic feature that's included as a part of the SDK.
  • Sorts the OptionSets alphabetically
  • This is extremely helpful when comparing the OptionSets generated by two different environments, since by default, they are listed in the order they were added to the solution.
  • Adds an AnonymousType Object Constructor to each early bound entity class
  • Simplifies LINQ Projections, and allow for LINQ CRM queries to include readonly properties in select portion of Entities.
  • Appends the System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode attribute to all generated properties / methods
  • This keeps developers from accidentally stepping into the properties of the generated code, but still allows them to debug custom code in any partial classes.
  • Generates OptionSetEnum properties for each OptionSet property of every class
  • This allows for early bound interactions with OptionSets, enabling intellisense, and catching bugs at compile time where the wrong OptionSetEnum is being used.
  • Allows specific Entities to not be generated.
  • Allows specific OptionSets to not be generated.
  • Can generate a single file per Entity, rather than one big file with all Entities.
  • Can generate a single file per OptionSet, rather than one big file with all OptionSets.
  • Can generate a single file per Action, rather than one big file with all Actions.
  • Allows for overriding the capitalization of Entity properties.
  • All settings are stored in a separate xml configuration file for ease of use when sharing settings
  • The tool updates the CrmSvcUtil.exe.config, and shells out to the CrmSvcUtil.exe in parallel (if creating both Entities and OptionSets), verbally announcing when it's been completed.
  • Allows the tool to be used once to create the command line, and then for another process to execute it automatically in the future
  • Ensures that OptionSets that would normally result in invalid C# names ("1st", "#1", "OK!", etc) are converted into valid Enum Names. (Normally an underscore is added to make the name valid, unless the Option Set contains invalid characters, then these are just removed)
  • Will automatically check out any auto-generated files from TFS.
  • Generates Attribute Logical Names in a Field Struct for each Entity.
  • Allows for using the Microsoft.Xrm.Client.CrmOrganizationServiceContext instead of using the OrganizationServiceContext for the base class of the ServiceContext
  • Can be run directly from the command line as a part of a build process
  • When the tool is run, it populates the config file for the CrmSvcUtil.exe with the settings selected, and outputs the command line used. As long as the config file and required dlls are in the same folder as the CrmSvcUtil.exe specified in the command line, the command line can be called directly from a build. The UI would only be needed in this case to tweak the settings if required.

Main Screen

Early Bound Generator Main Screen

Configuration Options:

Main Settings Section

  • Include Command Line In Output
  • Specifies whether to include the command line in the early bound class used to generate it
  • If Create One File Per Action/Entity/Option Set is selected, the command line will only be added to a single file. This prevents all files from being updated if you switch environments for each release. The single file for each file generation type is the Service Context for Entities, actions.cs for Actions, and OptionSets.cs for OptionSets
  • Mask Password
  • Masks the password in the command line
  • Use TFS to attempt to check out Files
  • Will use TFS to attempt to check out the early bound classes. Only files that have actually change will get checked out.
  • Namespace
  • The Namespace has to match for Entities and OptionSets for the enum OptionSet functionality to work.
  • Create All Button
  • This will generate Entities, OptionSets and Actions. (Actions will only get generated if the connected version of CRM supports it)

Entities Tab

  • Enum Mappings
  • Manually specifies an enum mapping for an OptionSetValue Property on an entity
  • Entities To Skip
  • Allows for the ability to specify Entities to not generate
  • Specify Attribute Names
  • Allows for the ability to specify the capitalization of an attribute on an entity
  • Unmapped Properties
  • Allows for the ability to specify an OptionSetValue Property of an entity that doesn't have an enum mapping
  • Add Debug Non User Code
  • Specifies that the DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute should be applied to all generated properties and methods.
  • Create One File Per Entity
  • Specifies that each Entity will be created in it's own file
  • Generate Attribute Name Consts
  • Creates a Struct in each entity that contains all of the Attribute Logical Names for the Entity. Helpful if you're in a late bound situation like working with FetchXml.
  • Generate AnonymousType Constructors
  • Adds an Object Constructor to each early bound entity class to simplify LINQ Projections
  • Generate OptionSetEnum Properties *Adds an additional property to each early bound entity class, for each OptionSet property it normally contains, with "Enum" post-fixed to the existing OptionSet name
  • Use the Xrm Client
  • Allows for using the Microsoft.Xrm.Client.CrmOrganizationServiceContext instead of using the OrganizationServiceContext for the base class of the ServiceContext. This could cause an issue if referenced from plugins and workflows.

Option Sets Tab

  • OptionSets To Skip
  • Allows for the ability to specify OptionSets to not generate
  • Create One File Per Option Set
  • Specifies that each OptionSet will be created in it's own file
  • Prefix For Invalid Names
  • Specifies the prefix that should be used when an Option Set's enum value would result in an invalid C# Enum value, i.e. "1st". -> "_1st"

Actions Tab

  • Actions To Skip
  • Allows for the ability to specify Actions to not generate
  • Create One File Per Action
  • Specifies that each Action will be created in it's own file

Settings Path - INFO HERE FOR SAVING SETTINGS FOR LATER USE

If you want to save your settings., i.e. filtered setting for example. Do the following:

  1. Set all your settings.
  2. Navigate to the location in Settings Path.
  3. Copy the .xml (DLaB.EarlyBoundGenerator.DefaultSettings.xml) file from this location to the location you want to back it up to. For instance TFS.

Why would we want to do this?

If you are on a development team it will speed up development by not needing to set these values every time you need to generate an updated early bound entity classes. Also if you filter out the same entities for each of your deployments (i.e. different clients). You can use the same settings .xml, so you don't have to redo the "Entities To Skip" and setup all the settings. Also you can create a template as a starting point when settings up a new client. This greatly speeds things up. To apply your saved settings do this:

  1. Navigate to your saved settings .xml.
  2. Copy it to %appdata%\Roaming\MscrmTools\XrmToolBox\Settings\ -OR- Change settings path to point to the settings .xml file you have saved.
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