Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 - Something about plugins SharedVariables

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 - Something about plugins SharedVariables

My SharedVariables problem 
I had 2 plugins:
1) Pre Validation (code: 10)
2) Post Operation (code: 40)
After adding new value to SharedVariables in PreValidation, I've failed getting it in the PostOperation.

Solution:
I've found this article which explains the subject very well and helped me with my issue:
http://thomasthankachan.com/2011/08/12/pass-data-between-plug-ins-using-sharedvariables/

Summary:
PreValidation and PostOperation are running under different pipelines, and you should get SharedVariables from the parent context in PostOperation plugin and not it's own context.

MyCode:


bool isUpdate = true;
if(context.SharedVariables.Contains("SkipPlugin") && ((bool) context.SharedVariables["SkipPlugin"]))
{
  isUpdate = false;
} else if(context.ParentContext != null && context.ParentContext.SharedVariables.Contains("SkipPlugin") && ((bool) context.ParentContext.SharedVariables["SkipPlugin"])) {
  isUpdate = false;
}

MSCRM 2011 early binding plugin using developer toolkit

In the past I've created a walkthough blog about how to create plugin running early binding in online environment.

http://dynamicslollipops.blogspot.com/2011/07/mscrm-2011-early-binding-plugin.html

This is the another option (easier one) for creating it using CRM developer toolkit which comes with the Dynamics CRM 2011 SDK.

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=24004

General knowledge about CRM developr toolkit

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm/archive/2011/11/03/developer-toolkit-for-microsoft-dynamics-crm.aspx

Other good step by step blog for building plugin using developer toolkit

http://mscrmshop.blogspot.com/2012/01/step-by-step-plugin-tutorial-using.html

Creating plugin using developer toolkit:

1) Install CRM developer toolkit

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh547459.aspx

2) Create new developer Project

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh547393.aspx

3) Create new plugin project. The great thing about it, it comes with all the relevant references in it.

http://community.dynamics.com/product/crm/crmtechnical/b/crminogic/archive/2011/11/14/crm-2011-developer-toolkit.aspx

4) Generate the wrapper (CrmSvcUtil)

5) Choose the entity you wish to add plugin for

6) Choose plugin configuration

And that's it, Start writing plugins..

MSCRM 2011 Debug plugin

I've just read it and wanted to share it.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh372952.aspx

It helps debuging plugins even when the Dynamics CRM is ONLINE.
It is great for unit testing.

It is what i was looking for.

Sum activities duration Dynamics crm 2011

Sum activities duration Dynamics crm 2011.

This is plugin that sums all completed activites into some custom entity.

Prerequests:

1. Early binding class. (not a most but makes code writing easier)
   Early binding walkthrough link : http://dynamicslollipops.blogspot.com/2011/07/mscrm-2011-early-binding-plugin.htm

The Plugin code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;
using Xrm;
using System.ServiceModel;

namespace MSCRM2011Plugins
{
    public class SumActivityPlugin : IPlugin
    {

        public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
        {
            IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)
serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));

            try
            {
                IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory =
                    (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(
                typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));
                IOrganizationService service =
                serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(context.UserId);

                XrmServiceContext xrm = new XrmServiceContext(service);
                
                // Extract the tracing service.
                ITracingService tracingService = (ITracingService)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(ITracingService));
                if (tracingService == null){
                    throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException("Failed to retrieve the tracing service.");
                }
                Entity postEntity = null;
                Entity preEntity = null;
                if (context.PostEntityImages.Contains("MyImage"))
                {
                    postEntity = context.PostEntityImages["MyImage"];
                }
                if (context.PreEntityImages.Contains("MyImage"))
                {
                    preEntity = context.PreEntityImages["MyImage"];
                }
                tracingService.Trace("MeesageName = " + context.MessageName);
                if (context.MessageName.ToLower().Equals("delete"))
                {
                    tracingService.Trace("Completed activity was delete recalc total duration for project");
                    CalcProjectActivities(xrm, tracingService, preEntity);
                }
                else
                {
                    tracingService.Trace("calc project total duration");
                    //change state
                    CalcProjectActivities(xrm, tracingService, postEntity);
                }
            }
            catch (FaultException ex)
            {
                throw new InvalidPluginExecutionException(
                "An error occurred in the plug-in.", ex);
            }

        }

        private void CalcProjectActivities(XrmServiceContext xrm, ITracingService tracingService, Entity reldEntity)
        {
           // tracingService.Trace("Get activity");
           // ActivityPointer activity = xrm.ActivityPointerSet.FirstOrDefault(ac => ac.ActivityId == new Guid(reldEntity["activityid"].ToString()));
            tracingService.Trace("Get all related activities");
            IQueryable activities = xrm.ActivityPointerSet.Where(ac => ac.RegardingObjectId != null && ac.RegardingObjectId.Id == ((EntityReference)reldEntity["regardingobjectid"]).Id && ac.ActualDurationMinutes != null && ac.StateCode.Value == ActivityPointerState.Completed);
            if (activities != null)// && activity != null)
            {
                int totalSum = 0;
                foreach (var a in activities)
                {
                    totalSum += a.ActualDurationMinutes.Value;
                }
                ActivityPointer activity = activities.FirstOrDefault();
                tracingService.Trace("total sum = " + totalSum);
                if (activity != null && activity.RegardingObjectId.LogicalName == new_project.EntityLogicalName)
                {
                    new_project relatedProject = xrm.new_projectSet.FirstOrDefault(proj => proj.new_projectId == activity.RegardingObjectId.Id);
                    if (relatedProject.new_totalhours == null && totalSum != 0)
                    {
                        relatedProject.new_totalhours = totalSum;
                        xrm.UpdateObject(relatedProject);
                        xrm.SaveChanges();
                    }
                    else if (relatedProject.new_totalhours != null && relatedProject.new_totalhours.Value != totalSum)
                    {
                        relatedProject.new_totalhours = totalSum;
                        xrm.UpdateObject(relatedProject);
                        xrm.SaveChanges();
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

*In this example the new_totalhour (int - duration format) attribute updated in custom entity name new_project, You can update any attribute you want.

General plugin code description:

1. Get the post / pre image of the activity type entity like fax, email appointment and etc.
   not the activity pointer since you can't register setstate, setstatedynamic or delete to activity pointer.
2. Get from it the regerdingobjectid and the duration of all the other completed activites releted to the same record.
3. Update the record with the new duration.

Last step is to register the plugin and the steps.
Entities: All the activites you would like to sum have to be registered.
Messages: setstate, setstatedynamic and delete.
Images:
add post image to setstate and setstatedynamic
add pre image to delete.