Querying Date Effective Tables in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, valid time state tables (date effective tables) were introduced to help organizations keep track of data that changes over time. For example, currency exchange rates change over time and it is necessary to view exchange rate data at a specific point in time.

For this blog, the exchange rate table will be used as an example.

This blog discusses how developers can query data in date effective tables and examines the results when using forms, queries, views and X++ code. If not properly understood by the developer, incorrect or incomplete data will be returned when querying the database.

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Michael Oakes

Senior Consltant

Exchange Rate Table

The exchange rate table holds exchange rate data between two (2) currencies. The standard Microsoft Dynamics AX form can show current, past and future the exchange rate data as show below.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 1

Creating Custom Forms

A custom screen was created to display the exchange rate table. The exchange rate table was used as a data source and a grid was added to display the data.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 2

The data that is returned only shows data that is current based on a current date of 1/2/2015. Prior and future exchange rates are excluded.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 3

The ExchangeRate datasource property ‘ValidTimeStateAutoQuery’ is used to control what data is returned.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 4

Change this to ‘DateRange’ and all records will be returned.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 5

Querying the Data Using A Query

A custom query was created to query the ExchangeRate table.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 6

The following code is used to run this query:

static void AXMExchangeRateQuery(Args _args)
{
    QueryRun        queryRun;
    ExchangeRate    ExchangeRate;
    ;
    query = new query(queryStr(AXMExchangeRateQuery));
    
    queryRun = new QueryRun(query);
    
    while (queryRun.next())
    {
        ExchangeRate = queryRun.get(tableNum(ExchangeRate));  
        info(strFmt("%1 %1", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate));
    }
}

Running the query returns only current records.

Infolog in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 7

It is possible to change the behavior of the query results set to return data at a previous point in time, for example prior exchange rates.

The following code can be used to query data for different date ranges:

static void AXMExchangeRateQuery(Args _args)
{
    QueryRun        queryRun;
    ExchangeRate    ExchangeRate;
    FromDate        FromDate = mkDate(1,1,2014);
    ToDate          ToDate   = mkDate(1,6,2015);
    ;
    query = new query(queryStr(AXMExchangeRateQuery));
    query.validTimeStateDateRange(FromDate, ToDate);
    
    queryRun = new QueryRun(query);

    
    while (queryRun.next())
    {
        ExchangeRate = queryRun.get(tableNum(ExchangeRate));  
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

Running the query returns the following data.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 8

Use the validateTimeStateASOfDate method to return data that is valid at a specific date. For example, if you want to know what the exchange rate should be for a transaction with a date of 3/7/2014, run the following code:

static void AXMExchangeRateQuery(Args _args)
{
    QueryRun        queryRun;
    ExchangeRate    ExchangeRate;
    TransDate       TransDate = mkDate(3,7,2014);
    ;
    query = new query(queryStr(AXMExchangeRateQuery));    
    query.validTimeStateAsOfDate(TransDate);
    
    queryRun = new QueryRun(query);

    
    while (queryRun.next())
    {
        ExchangeRate = queryRun.get(tableNum(ExchangeRate));  
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

The following data is returned.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 9

Querying the Data Using X++

The following x++ code is used to access the data:

static void AXMExchangeRateAccess(Args _args)
{
    ExchangeRate ExchangeRate;
    ;
    while select ExchangeRate
    {
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

The following data is returned, again only current data is returned with a current date of 1/2/2015. It is important to note this as not all records are returned from the databse, despite no filtering applied in the X++ while select statement.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 10

It is possible to return data as of a specific point in time using the validTimeState keyword.

The following code can be used to find data that is valid for a given data range:

static void AXMExchangeRateAccess(Args _args)
{
    ExchangeRate    ExchangeRate;
    FromDate        fromDate = mkDate(1,1,2014);
    ToDate          toDate = mkDate(1,1,2016);
    ;
    while select validTimeState(fromDate, toDate) ExchangeRate
    {
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

The following data is returned. By changing the from and to dates, we can control the amount of data being returned.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 11

If you want to know what the exchange rate should be for a transaction with a data of 3/7/2014, run the following code:

static void AXMExchangeRateAccess(Args _args)
{
    ExchangeRate    ExchangeRate;
    TransDate       TransDate = mkDate(3,7,2014);
    
    while select validTimeState(TransDate) ExchangeRate
    {
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", ExchangeRate.ValidFrom, ExchangeRate.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

The following data is returned.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 12

Creating A View

Microsoft Dynamics AX Views can be created in the AOT to return data from data effective tables. This can be used to overcome issues when you need to return all data from a date effective table and cannot use the query object or X++ parameters to control the date effective options.

The following view was created in the AOT.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 13

Using a View in a Form Data Source

A new form was created and the view above was used as datasource.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 14

The following records are shown, the date effective filters do not apply.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 15

Using A View In A Query

A custom query was created to query the ExchangeRate table using a view.

AX exchange rate in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 16

The following code is used to run this query:

static void AXMExchangeRateViewQuery(Args _args)
{
    queryRun                queryRun;
    AXMExchangeRateView     AXMExchangeRateView;
    ;
    queryRun = new queryRun(queryStr(AXMExchangeRateViewQuery));
    while (queryRun.next())
    {
        AXMExchangeRateView = queryRun.get(tableNum(AXMExchangeRateView));   
        
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", AXMExchangeRateView.ValidFrom, AXMExchangeRateView.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

Running the query returns all records, the date effective filters do not apply.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 17

Using A View In A X++ While Select

The following X++ code is used is used to access data in the view:

static void AXMExchangeRateViewAccess(Args _args)
{
    AXMExchangeRateView AXMExchangeRateView;
    ;
    while select AXMExchangeRateView
    {          
        info(strFmt("%1 %2", AXMExchangeRateView.ValidFrom, AXMExchangeRateView.ExchangeRate));
    }
}

Running the code returns all records, the date effective filters do not apply.

message queue in Microsoft Dynamics 365
Figure 18

Modifying the View Properties

By default, using a view to display data form a date effective table disables the date effective search results, which is useful when it is necessary to always return all data. However, it is possible to enable the date effective parameters, by changing the view property below

Valid time state enabled screenshot in Dynamics 365
Figure 19

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