1. In Visual Studio, create a Visual C# project type by using the Class Library template.

2. In the project, add references to the following assemblies:

   • Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.dll assembly
     By default, the path of the assembly is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\71\RoleTailored Client. This reference is required for all control add-ins.
     
   • System.Windows.Forms
     Contains classes for creating user interfaces for Windows-based applications.
     

   Add additional references as required.

3. Open the class.cs file and add the following using directives.

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   using Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility; using Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.WinForms; using System.Windows.Forms;

   Add additional references as required.

4. Declare a class for the control add-in that uses the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.ControlAddInExportAttribute attribute. Derive the class from an abstract base class and implement the control add-in definition interface, as shown in the following examples.

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   [ControlAddInExport("MyCompany.MyProduct.MyAddin")] public class MyFieldPopupAddin : WinFormControlAddInBase, IObjectControlAddinDefinition

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   [ControlAddInExport("MyCompany.MyProduct.MyAddin")] public class MyFieldPopupAddin : StringControlAddInBase

   For information about the base classes and interfaces, see Client Extensibility API Overview.

   The Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.ControlAddInExportAttribute attribute declares the class in the assembly to be a control add-in that is identified by its Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.ControlAddInExportAttribute.Name property, which in this case is MyCompany.MyProduct.MyAddin in C#. Because an assembly can contain more than one control add-in, the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client uses the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.ControlAddInExportAttribute attribute to differentiate each control add-in that is found in an assembly. The Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.ControlAddInExportAttribute.Name is used to register the control add-in in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server. For more information, see How to: Register a Windows Client Control Add-in.

5. Implement the abstract base method Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.WinForms.WinFormsControlAddInBase.CreateControl and add code that defines the control add-in.

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   protected override Control CreateControl() { /// Include control add-in code here. }

6. Add code to override additional base class members as required for your control add-in.

   For example, a field control on a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client can have a caption. If you do not want a caption, then override the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.WinForms.WinFormsControlAddInBase.AllowCaptionControl property and return false (the default value is true).

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   public override bool AllowCaptionControl { get { return false; }

   The caption will span the caption column and the data column of the page.

7. To bind the control add-in to data in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database, add the following code that gets or sets the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.IValueControlAddInDefinition.Value property.

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   /// Gets a value indicating whether the Value property has /// changed its value. public bool HasValueChanged { get; set; } /// Gets or sets the Value Property. public object Value { get { // Include value handling code here. return null; } set { // Include value handling code here. } }

   Note
   The Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.WinForms.StringControlAddInBase class already overrides the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.IValueControlAddInDefinition.Value property to transfer data between the control add-in and the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database.

   For more information, see Binding a Windows Client Control Add-in to the Database.

8. To define events that call the OnControlAddin C/AL trigger of a page field control, add the following C# code to declare an event handler.

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   public event ControlAddInEventHandler ControlAddIn;

   Add code to raise the event where appropriate.

   For more information, see Exposing Events and Calling Respective C/AL Triggers from a Windows Client Control Add-in.

9. To add an event that will be represented by a new trigger in C/AL code of a Microsoft Dynamics NAV page object, use the managed attribute ApplicationVisibleAttribute and add code for C# methods and properties.

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   [ApplicationVisible] public void DrillDown(int nodeId) { … } public int SelectedNode { get {…} set {…} }

   The methods and properties must be public. For more information, see Exposing Methods and Properties in a Windows Client Control Add-in.

10. To add a method or property that can be called from the C/AL code of a Microsoft Dynamics NAV page object, use the managed attribute ApplicationVisibleAttribute and add code for C# methods and properties.

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    /// <summary> /// Event will be fired when the AddIn is ready for communication through its API /// </summary> [ApplicationVisible] public event MethodInvoker AddInReady;

    The methods and properties must be public. For more information, see Exposing Methods and Properties in a Windows Client Control Add-in.

11. Build and sign the solution.

To use an assembly that contains a control add-in with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client, it must be signed. Signing gives the assembly a public token key, which is a unique identity that is used to make sure that the control add-in runs code from a trusted assembly. When you register a control add-in in Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server, you provide the public token key. At run time, the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client uses the public token key to load the appropriate control add-in.

Assemblies are signed with a key file that contains the public key token and an optional password. You can sign an assembly that contains a control add-in by creating a new key file or using an existing one. For more information about how to sign assemblies, see How to: Sign Assemblies and Strong-Name Signing for Managed Applications.

To sign the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client add-in assembly

The following code illustrates a control add-in that implements the Microsoft digital ink control on a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client page field. For example, you could use this control add-in on a sales order page to allow customers to sign their sales orders with a tablet PC. The control add-in is designed to bind with a table field in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database to store and retrieve signatures. Because the signatures are transferred as binary data, the example implements the Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.IObjectControlAddInDefinition interface.

C#

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using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Text; using Microsoft.Ink; using System.Drawing; using Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility; using Microsoft.Dynamics.Framework.UI.Extensibility.WinForms; using System.Windows.Forms; namespace NavInkControl { [ControlAddInExport("MyCompany.MyProduct.MyNavInkControlAddin")] public class NavInkContol : WinFormsControlAddInBase, IObjectControlAddInDefinition { InkPicture _inkControl; private bool _loaded = false; /// Creates the control for displaying and adding signatures. protected override Control CreateControl() { _inkControl = new InkPicture(); _inkControl.BorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.BorderStyle.Fixed3D; _inkControl.MinimumSize = new Size(40, 50); _inkControl.MaximumSize = new Size(Int16.MaxValue, 100); return _inkControl; } #region IObjectControlAddInDefinition Members public event ControlAddInEventHandler ControlAddIn; /// Gets a value indicating whether the Value property instance has changed. true if this instance has changed its value; otherwise, false. public bool HasValueChanged { get { return _inkControl.Ink.Dirty; } } /// Gets or sets the value. public object Value { get { return this._inkControl.Ink.Save(); } set { if (value is byte[]) { byte[] data = (byte[])value; /// Specifies that the data loads only once so that data cannot load while the user is drawing. if (data != null && !this._loaded) { this._inkControl.Ink.Load(data); this._loaded = true; } } } } #endregion }

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