HOWTO: Use NAS to implement auto linking
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ZTN4121
ID: ZTN4121
This Zetadocs technical note applies to:
- Zetadocs for NAV v4.1 onwards.
- Microsoft Dynamics NAV versions 4, 5 and 6
Summary
Using NAS and the NAV Job Queue, Zetadocs for NAV can be set up to automate the linking of documents from a custom Document Queue. This technote provides some sample code of how to write a CodeUnit which can be run from a NAS service, please note that these steps are not compatible with NAV 2013 as it uses a different type of NAS as part of the service tier - NST. The example code writes a log file for troubleshooting errors, however, it is recommended that you implement your own error handling method.
Prerequisites
- You have a configured your Navision Application Server to run jobs from the job queue. (i.e. Ensure the NAS service is started and the Start-Up Parameter is set to JOBQUEUE)
- You have installed the Zetadocs for NAV Client components on the machine where your NAS service runs. You must choose to install the licensing and configurations components (Administrator or Custom install).
More information
Follow these steps to schedule auto linking:
- Copy the content from the Zetadocs-Autolink section below, into a text file called Zetadocs-Autolink.txt.
- Import this Zetadocs-Autolink.txt file into the Object Designer of NAV ensuring that it will not overwrite any other CodeUnits. It will have an ID of 50000 unless you wish to edit it by altering the number at the top of the code.
- Use the job queue to schedule this CodeUnit to run at a convenient time. Preferably when the queue is not in use.
- By default the CodeUnit will run auto link on the first Document Queue. You can change this by editing the CodeUnit. Ensure whichever queue you intend running auto link on has the Auto Link Documents checkbox ticked via the Zetadocs Document Queue Setup.
- A log file will be written to C:\Zetadocs-Autolink. Change this if you would prefer it to be written somewhere else.
For more information see section 15.6 of the Zetadocs for Nav Installation Guide – “Additional code required for document linking and archiving (Custom Queues Only)” and follow the Sales Shipment example.
Zetadocs-Autolink CodeUnit
OBJECT Codeunit 50000 Zetadocs-Autolink PageInterval
{
OBJECT-PROPERTIES
{
Date=01/04/11;
Time=14:56:13;
Modified=Yes;
Version List=;
}
PROPERTIES
{
OnRun=VAR
LogFileName@1000000000 : Text[250];
BEGIN
// Get the queue settings.
IF NOT QueueSettings.FIND('-') THEN
BEGIN
EXIT;
END;
// Set up the log file.
LogFileName := 'C:\Zetadocs-Autolink '+QueueSettings." No." +'.txt';
IF EXISTS(LogFileName) THEN
BEGIN
ERASE(LogFileName);
END;
WriteToLog(LogFileName, 'Zetadocs-Autolink started.');
// Initialize the queue by specifying the queue number.
IF NOT ZdCapture.Initialize(QueueSettings." No." ) THEN
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Could not initialize the queue. '+ ZdCapture.GetLastErrorMessage);
EXIT;
END;
// Check that the autolink flag is set. This can be done via the Document Queue Settings form.
IF NOT QueueSettings." Auto Link" THEN
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Auto linking is not enabled for this document queue.');
EXIT;
END;
// This gets the items from the queue.
IF NOT ZdCapture.Refresh THEN
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Could not refresh the queue.');
EXIT;
END;
QueueItems.RESET;
QueueItems.SETRANGE(QueueItems." Zetadocs Doc. Queue No." , QueueSettings." No." );
ProcessAll(LogFileName);
WriteToLog(LogFileName, 'Zetadocs-Autolink finished.');
END;
}
CODE
{
VAR
QueueSettings@1000000000 : Record 9009989;
QueueID@1000000002 : Code[20];
ZdUtilities@1000000005 : Codeunit 9009959;
QueueItems@1000000006 : Record 9009998;
ZdCapture@1000000004 : Codeunit 9009970;
PROCEDURE ProcessAll@1000000003(LogFileName@1000000000 : Text[250]) result : Boolean;
VAR
tmpQueueItemRec@1000000001 : TEMPORARY Record 9009998;
queueCount@1000000002 : Integer;
BEGIN
// We loop through the queue items, autolinking them.
IF QueueItems.FIND('-') THEN
BEGIN
REPEAT
WriteToLog(LogFileName, STRSUBSTNO(' Processing queue item: %1', QueueItems." Document Key" ));
IF NOT (QueueItems.Locked) THEN
BEGIN
tmpQueueItemRec.DELETEALL(FALSE);
tmpQueueItemRec := QueueItems;
tmpQueueItemRec.INSERT;
// We call process on the queue item, making sure UIEnabled is set to FASLE
IF NOT ZdCapture.Process(tmpQueueItemRec,FALSE) THEN
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Processing failed.');
// Unlock the file if it has been locked
tmpQueueItemRec.FIND('=');
ZdCapture.Release(tmpQueueItemRec);
// If we run into any problems we see if the stop batch processing flag has been set.
// If not then just continue to the next queue item.
IF ZdCapture.GetStopBatchProcessing THEN
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Stop batch processing flag set while processing this queue item.');
EXIT(FALSE);
END;
END
ELSE
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Processing successful.');
END;
END
ELSE
BEGIN
WriteToLog(LogFileName, ' Could not process this queue item as it is locked.');
END;
UNTIL QueueItems.NEXT = 0;
END;
EXIT(TRUE);
END;
PROCEDURE WriteToLog@1000000000(LogFileName@1000000000 : Text[250];LogLine@1000000001 : Text[250]);
VAR
LogFile@1000000002 : File;
BEGIN
IF EXISTS(LogFileName) THEN
BEGIN
LogFile.WRITEMODE:=TRUE;
LogFile.TEXTMODE:=TRUE;
LogFile.OPEN(LogFileName);
LogFile.SEEK(LogFile.LEN);
END
ELSE
BEGIN
LogFile.TEXTMODE:=TRUE;
LogFile.CREATE(LogFileName);
END;
LogFile.WRITE(STRSUBSTNO('%1 %2', CURRENTDATETIME, LogLine));
LogFile.CLOSE;
END;
BEGIN
END.
}
}
References
Zetadocs for NAV Installation Guide, section 15.6.
Last updated: 13th April 2011 (LD/MW)