[Announcement] Warehouse App task validation framework (RSAT for WMA) now available on Tier 2 environments

Refresher

In a recent post, I talked about testing, using the ATL framework to write easy-to-read test automation. 

This is a developer activity recommended for ISVs and partners, to ensure their customizations against regressions. 

At a customer site, if a developer team is unavailable, or for testing E2E scenarios in the system, Microsoft recommends using the RSAT tool. You can see a quick summary of those recommendations in the below picture:

Test classification pyramid

RSAT is well suited for recording and replaying tests that use the web client of Dynamics 365 SCM.

As such, it was not providing much support when it came to validating scenarios, that required the use of the Warehouse management mobile app.

To fill that gap we had shipped the RSAT for WMA a while back, officially called "Warehouse App Task Validation Framework". If you are not familiar with its capabilities and use cases, please watch the corresponding Tech Talk to familiarize yourselves.

Problem statement

This framework with the initial release was only supporting Tier 1 environments (like, DevBoxes). 

This was not ideal, as many customers wanted to run their RSAT validation on Sandbox ("perform") environments to replicate real production performance and behavior more closely. 

Also, with more and more customers being moved to Self-Service environments, they lose easy access to free Tier 1 environments.

Announcement

Starting with Dynamics 365 SCM version 10.0.19 the Warehouse App Task Validator is now supported on Tier 2 environments! 

Configuration

All you need to do to start capturing of the warehouse mobile device operations as part of RSAT is to enable this under Warehouse management parameters, as shown below:

Enable RSAT support for WMA on Tier 2 environments

You can now navigate to the Warehouse app task validation page (under Warehouse management \ Periodic Tasks) and start creating validation scripts.

Word of caution

As stated in the help text for the configuration flag, do NOT enable this on a PROD environment, as it carries a significant overhead for each operation. 

Request for ideas

The current user experience with RSAT for WMA is OK, but not great. A lot of people are timid when presented with the large XMLs.

If you have ideas on how to improve the user experience in RSAT for WMA, let us know!

Tutorial: Debugging AX while still using restricted roles (non-admin)

Saw this on our internal forum today, and thought it's a nice thing to share with all of you.

1.       Close All AX instances

2.       Open AX Development Environment (ax32.exe -development)

3.       Open AX Application (ax32.exe)

4.       Add Role that you would like to test to your UserId

a.       System Administration > Common > Users

b.      Find yourself and double click to get to the detail window

c.       Assign role that you want to test

5.       Close AX Application

6.       Set break points in AX Development Environment

7.       Create a job and add this line

             SecurityUtil::sysAdminMode(false);
 

8.       From the AX Development Environment “Ctrl W” to open the application

9.       You are now in a reduced permission user and have the ability to debug. J

 

To get your environment back to full admin, re-execute the job in step 7 with a true.

Note: This will not work for EP, Services, direct BC.NET and cases using runas(), as the SecurityUtil::sysAdminMode is limited to the current session.


Ed Budrys from our Security team deserves the credit for the above.

Let me know if you found this to be useful.
Thanks