How to Extend the Dynamics CRM Entity Class to enable Indexing for Late Binding

by Carmel Schvartzman

1. In this walkthrough we will learn Step-By-Step  How to Extend the CRM2011 Entity class enabling Indexing while calling a Web Service in Dynamics CRM 2011. We'll call the CRM 2011 WCF Web Service and perform CRUD operations using Indexing on the generic Entity class.  We'll consume the CRM 2011 Organization (SOAP) services from a class which can also be used by a console application, or a Windows Service, or a Windows Form application.
   We'll not use the Microsoft CRM SDK designed for Early Binding; instead we'll reach directly the CRM 2011 WCF SOAP endpoint to perform the CRUD operations for Late Binding.
2. By enabling Indexing we mean that we could access an Entity property getting/setting its value, by using an " entity["field_name"]  "  sintax, while reaching Crm2011 from a WIN app via its Organization Web Service. Therefore, a code like the following....:
   
   
   ... will allows us to create a new Contact, for example:
   
3. In order to create a client for the CRM2011 Organization Service, we'll create a .dll which will send requests to the CRM2011 Organization Web Service Endpoint. Then, we'll create a WIN project to use that assembly and fetch the CRM data, and also create new entities.
4. So let's create a new Class Project in Visual Studio 2010 or 2008, selecting the target framework to be version 3.5:
   
5. Next, add the CRM 2011 Web Service reference to the project:
   
6. Remember that we'll be using the Organization CRM Web Service, so type the address:
   
7. After adding the Web Service, rename the Class :
   
8. Code an static method returning an IOrganizationService object. This function will receive as parameters the host, organization and user logon data:
   
9. Now add the following security code for reaching the CRM Web Service :
   
   
   
   
   
   SymmetricSecurityBindingElement security = new SymmetricSecurityBindingElement();
   security.ProtectionTokenParameters = new SspiSecurityTokenParameters();
   HttpTransportBindingElement httpTransport = new HttpTransportBindingElement();
   httpTransport.MaxReceivedMessageSize = Int32.MaxValue ;
   CustomBinding binding = new CustomBinding();
   binding.Elements.Add(security);
   TextMessageEncodingBindingElement encoding =
   new TextMessageEncodingBindingElement(MessageVersion.Soap12WSAddressing10, Encoding.UTF8);
   binding.Elements.Add(encoding);
   binding.Elements.Add(httpTransport);
    
10. Now add the WCF Endpoint code:
    
    
    
    EndpointAddress endpoint =
    new EndpointAddress(new Uri(string.Format("{0}/{1}/XRMServices/2011/Organization.svc", host, organization)),
    EndpointIdentity.CreateUpnIdentity(string.Format("{0}@{1}", user, "")), new AddressHeader[] { });
     
11. And finally add the code to create the Client:
    
    
    
    
    
    OrganizationServiceClient client = new OrganizationServiceClient(binding, endpoint);
    client.ClientCredentials.Windows.ClientCredential = new System.Net.NetworkCredential(user, password, "");
    
     
12. Check that we have all the "usings" we need:
    
13. Also, check whether all the references are listed:
    
14. Now, in order to perform the testings on our class, create a new console Project , which will call our CRM assembly:
    
15. Add the following references:
    
16. First, add the Runtime.Serialization assembly:
    
17. Second, add our class assembly:
    
18. Now, code a call to the IOrganizationService:
    
19. Add the corresponding using:
    
20. ... and type the relevant logon data, for security reasons:
    
21. Next, select some columns that you want to retrieve, and instantiate the entity object:
    
22. Check in the QuickWatch window that you get an account with the required attributes:
    
    
    
23. Now, try to use the  "account["field_name"]" sintax, that means to use Indexing on the Entity class:
    
24. It seems that,  if we want to use the "account["field_name"]" sintax, we'll be confronted with an error:
    
25. Same thing will happen if we try to create a new record, let's say a new Contact:
    
26. According to the error message, Indexing cannot be applied to an Entity.
27. To solve the problem, let's add Indexing support to the Entity class. We'll extend the Entity class by using two collections: the FormattedValueCollection and the RelatedEntityCollection:
    
28. Loockup also the RelatedEntityCollection documentation on MSDN:
    
29. Both collections are defined as OptionalFieldAttribute on the Serialization assembly, meaning that the formatters will not require such fields while serializing the Entity class:
    
30. Take a look at the FormattedValuesField in the "References" .cs file on your project:
    
    
    As you can see, the Entity class is partial, can be extended, and the FormattedValuesField is an optional collection.
    
31. Therefore, the first thing we'll do is instantiate those two fields in the partial Entity constructor:
    
32. Next, we'll add the Indexing feature to allow a "entity["field_name"] " sintax:
    
33. Then, code the get/set functions of the indexing using the AttributeCollection class:
    
34. Press "F12" on the AttributeCollection to see that object:
    
    
    It's a generic List<> of  KeyValuePair<string,object>, therefore let's code according to that.
35. Create a static class to hold the Extensions we need to interact with that List<>. Inside the static class, type the get - set extension methods for that List<>:
    
36. There are two simple cases that can happen while getting-setting a value from-to a collection. Let's code against them first. In the case of the "get" extension method, prepare to throw an exception if the key does not exists:
    
37. In the case of the "set" extension method, the value does not exists in the collection, so just add it to the List.
38. Next, the two important cases are when the value is in the collection , and we need to know the index it is in, in order to fetch it....:
    
    
    ...and when the value is in the collection, and we must override it with the new value. In both cases we'll use a method to get the index of the cell holding the value: GetIndex<K,V>(IList<> col,K key, out i).
39. Create the  GetIndex<K,V>(IList<> col,K key, out i) method:
    
40. Code the basic case in which the collection is null:
    
41. .. Next add the code for the Index search:
    
42. We're done. Compile and run the WIN Startup Project which uses the assembly:
    
    We can see that the Indexing is now working, and we can fetch the Account name, and also create a new Contact record.
43. Finally, let's check our CRM 2011 Workplace to see the new Contact added:
    
    
    
    
    That's all...Enjoy Dynamics CRM
    
    
    
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