Performing AIS Form Service Calls

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53430_01/EOTMD/config_ais_calls.htm#EOTMD140
 
 
AIS Server Capabilities
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53430_01/EOIIS/capblties_endpts.htm#EOIIS185

Application Interface Services (AIS)

AISprovides the communication interface between the applications which have the ability to perform REST calls and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
Modern day developers of Mobile, web, and IoT have never been great fans of SOAP because of the extra overhead which makes it rather sluggish for the sort of “User Experience” and agility you need on today’s modern mobile, social and “chatty” apps
The AIS Server provides a JSON over REST interface, which is a light-weight interface that AIS clients (including mobile enterprise applications, AIS Java API clients, and the Simplified Applications Framework) use to interact with EnterpriseOne applications and forms
With the REST based engine for JD Edwards and now having not just AIS (REST API Engine for E1) but also an IoT orchestration (IoT Orchestrator available from TR 9.1.5.5) layer on top is the best as far as it can get.
The interaction with EnterpriseOne requires an AIS Server configuration with the EnterpriseOne HTML Server
Oracle has provided prebuilt integrations with JD Edwards EnterpriseOne for the following applications:

• Mobile Application Framework (MAF)
• Application Development Framework (ADF)
• IoT Orchestrator

The purpose of the red paper is to give an overview of how can you connect to JD Edwards and work on its applications to pass and retrieve data.
This will enable to develop web/mobile applications using .NET, Java or any other frameworks available.

Pre-Requisites

1. Application Interface Services Component
2. JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Tools Release 9.1.4.x and above

AIS Architecture

AIS and ADF

AIS Server Architecture

The Application Interface Services (AIS) Server provides a JSON over REST interface to EnterpriseOne Applications and forms through the EnterpriseOne HTML Server. The AIS Server exposes this interface to enable communication between JD Edwards Enterprise one and other applications.
The interaction with EnterpriseOne requires an AIS Server configuration with the EnterpriseOne HTML Server

I shall start with how to go ahead in the next post!

Keeping this article simple for the timebeing
The source of the image holder in your RTF will have to be something that a QR Code API will return.
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=500×500&choe=UTF-8&chld=H&chl=http://www.jdesource.com
or
https://api.qrserver.com/v1/create-qr-code/?data=www.jdesource.com&size=500×500%22%20alt=%22%22%20title=%22%22
Ideally for dynamic images we use the URL

File System: url:{concat(../IMG_DIR_PATH,'/',IMGFILE)}
URL: url:{concat(../IMG_SERVER,'/',../IMG_DIR,'/',IMGFILE)}

For our case
URL: url:{'http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=500x500&choe=UTF-8&chld=H&chl=http://www.jdesource.com'}

More info on the google apis – https://developers.google.com/chart/infographics/docs/qr_codes

Documentation on C APIs that are available with Tools Release 9.1.5 for implementing JD Edwards EnterpriseOne In-Memory applications on all supported platform and databases.
This document applies to JD Edwards EnterpriseOne In-Memory Tools Release 9.1.5 and above only.
Oracle Support Document 1952465.1 (JD Edwards EnterpriseOne In-Memory Tools C API Reference)
Some interesting things.
jdeCallObjectThreaded and JdeCallObjectThreadedJoin – Looks like we can do our own threading inside of BSFNs now
JDB_SetHaving – To add Having clause in SQL statements
XRCS_parseAppQueryWhere – To retrieve the selection criteria from a Form’s query field into BSFN (like QBE, FC, including ER set selection)

“Dream, Dream Dream
Dreams transform into thoughts, And thoughts result in action.”
“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.”

Dream until you succeed is a phrase often used. Very few make it into reality. Very true, ain’t it? if you day dream about something, anything you need badly – you just can’t be relaxed. Day in-day out you would think about it. Yes! Think About It. Figuring out your dreams, visions, and taking calculated risks is the first step onto succeeding.

2. Attitude makes the difference.

“All Birds find shelter during a rain. But Eagle avoids rain by flying above the Clouds.”

“Problems are common, but attitude makes the difference!!!”

Its true that attitude matters, and possibly the most. The fact is that, this determines our belief in what is possible, determines the questions we ask and the quests that we embark upon. Attitude is everywhere; it determines our limits and those that we expect of other. It is the underlying attitudes that determine the outcomes and progress of students in classrooms and schools/academies.
Think Out of the Box. Draft your own way.

3. Failures are Stepping pad to success

“Man needs difficulties in life because they are necessary to enjoy the success.”

“If you want to shine like a sun. First burn like a sun.”

Failure is not an option – Who said that? As kids we are always taught to succeed. Failures are never encouraged. Folks who have been through such pressures, simply quit after a try, or just back off before they smell it. As always said, diamond was just a stone until it was cut and chiseled before it twinkled, and similarly gold had to go through blistering furnaces before it glittered.
As a person, we need to learn to accept failures and analyze them; only to have a better success. In some organizations, failures are celebrated. Biggest failures are voted, and given off awards based on the risks they took and creativity they fumbled on.

4. Humility & being Amiable Matters

“It is very easy to defeat someone, but it is very hard to win someone”

It indeed takes a lifetime to get someone into confidence, and just a moment to break it. Humility is the key essence of mankind. But with the self-marketing approach being taken up by most, amiability is fast losing ground. There is no harm in being simple and grounded.
Instead of expressing your busyness, just look up, give a smile, say ‘Hi’ and listen. This gesture alone will get you 70% of the other person’s confidence and trust. The rest 30% is on your response

5. Grab up, take calculated risks

“All of us do not have equal talent. But, all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.”

This needs no definition.It does not take courage to take risks. If you calculate your risks, you can very well define and work within the constraints. Opportunities are galore. Some say you should wait for the right opportunity to grab it, I would rather say we create the opportunity. Drive your way through to streamline and create the aura for the opportunity to breed. No one hands you an opportunity unless you show the mettle to work through it.

6. Keep Learning

“Learning gives creativity
Creativity leads to thinking
Thinking provides knowledge
Knowledge makes you great.”

“When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms. When creativity blossoms, thinking emanates. When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit. When knowledge is lit, economy flourishes.”

Continual Learning is absolute essential. Learning can happen through books, ebooks, classes, training and such other avenues. But Prime learning happens only during interactions with people, formal or informal. In this changing digital world, where nuclear families are becoming atomic, it is a cause worth thinking for. Kids have to interact with others, participate in large events and forums to share their piece of knowledge, in-turn learn more.
Moreover, they need to be apprised about the purpose of learning, the outcome, and where it helps. Rightly said, creativity blossoms out of purposeful learning.

7. Slow and Steady Wins

“Be more dedicated to making solid achievements than in running after swift but synthetic happiness.”

Some forwarded joke said, ‘Creativity needs time. Under extreme pressure what comes out is sh*t’. Fast food, fast success, fast money is all that anyone cares about – shortcuts?!! Remember grounded accomplishments stay for ever; shortcuts get vaporized in moments.

8. Thought processing and Hard work should never stop

“Thinking should become your capital asset, no matter whatever ups and downs you come across in your life.”

“Thinking is the capital, Enterprise is the way, Hard Work is the solution”

Our Brain is the most powerful supercomputer. The fastest supercomputer takes 40 minutes to perform an activity which an average brain completes in about 1 second. Ever heard of Human Brain Project? Go check it out.
So powerful is our brain, our dreams and our thoughts that we can just focus and convert any dream into reality. Never stop dreaming, never stop thinking.

9. Immerse yourself

“Without your involvement you can’t succeed. With your involvement you can’t fail.”

Ever noticed kids watching cartoons? you call them! shout at them! great chances, that they won’t even know. Soo engrossed are we into activities of interest that we just lose track of our surroundings. When immersed into the area of interest we live every moment, absorb every detail, and work towards its success.
10. Victory is not equal to Success.

“Don’t take rest after your first victory because if you fail in second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.”

No explanation needed. There is no level point scale, which can define Success. Continuous improvement is the way forward.

Here is an excellent way to kick start the Intellisense feature in VC++ for all the BSFN freaks. The article has been triggered based on Brian Oster‘s JDE List post

Getting straight to the point

1. Start Visual Studio (VS) (I’ve used version 2010) directly. *Do not open it from JDE.
2. Create a VS Makefile project
   
3. Go through the wizard. At the following point
   Add the following:
   Include Search Path: D:\E910_1\DV910\include;D:\E910_1\DV910\include;D:\E910_1\system\includev;
   D:\E910_1\system\includev\unicode;D:\E910_1\system\include\database;
   D:\E910_1\system\include\Metadata;D:\E910_1\system\include\xml;
   D:\E910_1\system\include\workflow;D:\E910_1\system\include\netmessaging
   Build Command:
   D:\E910_1\system\bin32\activConsole.exe 
   Your paths may vary based on the setup. Build Command is optional.
   It allows you to launch JDE for debugging as an alternative to attaching to the process.
4. Add your .c and .h files by selecting “Existing Item” (right click the Source Folder in the left navigation bar).
   You only need to add the files you are editing, Intellisense will dynamically parse all #includes.
5. Enjoy code completion, reference lookup, and Intellisense
   

In addition to intellisense you can have project for what ever you are working on and if you have to go back you can see all the C source code files saved along with notes, breakpoints, bookmarks, etc.
Thanks to Brian Oster

Few other guys have been asking for the net change documents between tools & application releases. Just keeping track of them down here.

Visit the following link – Interactive Net Change Viewer for extensive information

Information on each tools release can be found below.

• Tools Release 9.1.X
  • https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24705_01/doc.91/e27431/toc.htm
• Tools Release 8.98
  • http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17984_01/doc.898/e27599/toc.htm
• JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Release Information Overview (Doc ID 876932.1)
• Understanding and Managing Net Change – Change Management – From EnterpriseOne Xe to 9.1 (Doc ID 626395.1)
• At times there are sessions on Upgrade and Net Changes on
  Advisor Webcast JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Schedule and Archived Recordings (Doc ID 1450327.1)

Please do help update this list, with Net Application/Process documents/Changes as well.

Ever wondered, if we can enable/disable controls, change the font, hide/show grid columns, do subform actions from a BSFN?
Well, all those FDA system functions have an equivalent JDE API and can be used in a wide array of scenarios, like creating a pivot table from data.
The list of API’s are as as follows. (You can see the Control ID of a form control within the FDA.)

Form Control Actions

void ClearControlError(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId);
void SetControlError(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, JCHAR* szErrorId);
void EnableControl(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, BOOL bEnable);
void ShowControl(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, BOOL bVisible);
void SetControlText(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, JCHAR* szText);
void SetControlDataDictionaryItem(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, JCHAR* szDDAlias);
void SetEditControlColor(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, int iColor);
void SetEditControlFont(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, int iColor, JCHAR* szFontName, int iHeight, BOOL bItalic, BOOL bStrikeOut, BOOL bUnderLine, BOOL bBold);
void EnableTabPage(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTabControlId, long lTabPageId, BOOL bEnable);
void ShowTabPage(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTabControlId, long lTabPageId, BOOL bVisible);
void SetCurrentTabPage(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTabControlId, long lTabPageId);
void SetTabPageText(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTabControlId, long lTabPageId, JCHAR* szText);

Grid Control Actions

void SetGridCellError(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, long lColumn, JCHAR* szErrorID);
void ClearGridCellError(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, long lColumn);
void EnableGrid(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, long lColumn, BOOL bEnable);
void SetGridColor(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, long lColumn, int iColor);
void SetGridFont(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, long lColumn, int iColor, JCHAR* szFontName,
int iHeight, BOOL bItalic, BOOL bStrikeOut, BOOL bUnderLine, BOOL bBold);
void ShowGridRow(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, BOOL bVisible);
void SetGridRowBitMap(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, int iBitMapValue);
void SetGridRowFormat(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int Value);/ *value 13= default, 14 = alternate* /
void ShowGridColumn(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, long lColumn, BOOL bVisible);
void SetGridColumnDataDictionaryItem(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, long lColumn, JCHAR* szDDAlias);
void SetGridColumnHeading(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, long lColumn, JCHAR* szText);

General Actions

void PushButton(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId);
void SetControlFocus(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lObjectId);
void SetFormTitle(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, JCHAR* szTitle);
void SupressDefaultVisualAssitant(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom);

Media Object Actions

void SetGridTextIndicator(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lGridId, int iRow, BOOL bVisible);

Text Block Control Actions

void AddSegment(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTextControlId, JCHAR* szText, int iColor, JCHAR* szFontName, int iHeight, BOOL bItalic, BOOL bStrikeOut, BOOL bUnderLine, BOOL bBold, BOOL bClickable, long lSegmentId);
void RemoveSegment(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTextControlId, long lSegmentId);
void UpdateSegment(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lTextControlId, JCHAR* szText, int iColor, JCHAR* szFontName, int iHeight, BOOL bItalic, BOOL bStrikeOut, BOOL bUnderLine, BOOL bBold, BOOL bClickable, long lSegmentId);

Combo Box Actions

void SelectItem(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lComboControlId, JCHAR* szKey);

Subform Actions

void EnableSubform(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, BOOL bEnable);
void ShowSubform(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lControlId, BOOL bVisible);
void UpdateParent(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom);
void NotifyParent(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom);
void NotifyChild(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lSubformId);
void TriggerDefaultChildAction(LPBHVRCOM lpBhvrCom, long lSubformId, int iDefaultAction);
You can see these API’s implemented in BSFN – B4210960

1. Technical Upgrade
   1. Technical Upgrade without Enhancements (As-Is upgrade)
   2. Technical Upgrade with Enhancements (New features)
2. Hybrid Upgrade
   1. Re-Implementation with New features and existing mods
3. Transformational Upgrade
   1. Complete Re-Implementation with New features and processes

Technical Upgrade

Technical upgrade refers to upgrade of JD Edwards without any or minimal changes to business processes. Similarly efforts and cost are on the lower side for tech upgrade. Even the customized processes are brought forward. There are two types of Technical upgrades
As Is Upgrade – Here, upgrade is done without performing any module/processes upgrade. Thus newer features and enhanced processes are not available. The advantages of As-is would be that the down time is less, hence faster, and complete historical data is available.
But, if the business has changed considerably then As Is would be a failure. Similarly junk of objects and customized processes would still remain back.
Technical upgrade with enhancements – Here newer features and processes are implemented. Hence a little slower than As Is upgrade. Only extension to the As Is would be that the organization gets additional modules and processes to work with.

Hybrid Upgrade

In a hybrid upgrade, we re-implement the ERP system with new functionalities and existing customizations alongwith a technical upgrade. New functionalities would replace existing processes as well.
Organizations which have changed a lot since last implemented can utilize these improved processes, and probably replace their customized solutions with new modules are apt cases for a hybrid upgrade. Even as for such organizations, they would be at an advantage to revisit their business processes and enhance them.
In a Hybrid upgrade organizations can identify their inefficiencies, issues, and verify their customizations with respect to new functionality in the new release. Once done, it can be scoped out with the functional upgrade having the modifications list and transformational activities.

Transformational Upgrade

Very much as the name suggests, in a Transformational Upgrade, all the customizations are taken off, and vanilla JD Edwards is re-implemented using newer enhanced business processes. The flip side of a transformational upgrade would be that historical data is unavailable and hence can affect planning systems, as of reports, aging reports, etc.
Transformational upgrade also helps revisit the processes, inefficiencies like that in a hybrid upgrade. This way, an organization gets an opportunity to design their business activities and processes over again. It is a mature approach since, we would already know what is our process, what are our capabilities, where can we improve.
Organizations opting for transformational upgrade would be those who have acquired new businesses viz Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A). Such orgs’ will have a need to standardize their processes across businesses and can utilize this opportunity to take away the best of all.

Why would an organization propose/need an Upgrade?

Typically following are the points that drive an enterprise towards Upgrade.

1. Business issues
   • Support Dates
     -Your current product’s support ends soon. (check your End Of Life for JDE)
   • Competitive advantage
     -Gives better solutions, integrations, look and feel
   • Functional improvements
     -New and Improved solutions
   • Technical improvements
     -New functionalities, performance, advanced end-user capabilities and usability.
   • Investments and innovations
     -Better integrations with 3rd party apps, and lower TCO.
2. Resources for building your upgrade business case
   – Upgrade assessment etc.
3. Upgrade vs. Implementation
   – Decide what is better.

But in reality pushing a client towards upgrade is a difficult task. There are many questions asked, many crucial points brainstormed, WHY, wHy, whY is asked every time.

1. CFO : What do I get if I go for an upgrade? What is our Cost to Benefit?
2. CIO : What will be the business Impact? Can we deliver on time and within budget?
3. IT Mgmt : Can we upgrade without losing the current functionality? Can we migrate/utilize newer processes?
4. Users : Will an upgrade address our issues? Can we get the new features and modules that other competitors have?

Finally convincing each of these sect will lead to an upgrade. You could visit http://goo.gl/e7bCSF for more information on Key Upgrade Drivers.
Please put in your comments, tips and questions. Lets build up ourselves.
Next we will look upon the Types of Upgrade, or Upgrade Paths. Continued here…!