List of new tools released for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

1.   Application analysis Tool (Beta): The Application Analysis tool is designed to enable developers to easily understand how the application has been constructed. The tool can analyze X++ code, create UML sequence diagrams of the data model using progressive discovery.

2.   Data Migration Framework Tool (Beta): The Data Migration Framework (Beta) is an extension to Microsoft Dynamics AX that provides a way to migrate data from external sources to source Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

The framework also supports exporting and importing data (for entities defined in the Data Migration Framework) from a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 instance to another one.

3.   Combine XPO Tool (Beta): The Combine XPO Tool (Beta) 1.0 is a command line program that combines a set of interdependent XPO files into a single XPO. For example, if a team of developers is making code changes to different aspects of an application, use this tool to merge those changed files into one file.

4.   Security Development Tool (Beta): The Security Development Tool (Beta) is intended to simplify the creation and maintenance of security artifacts such as roles, duties and privileges. It displays entry point permissions for a given role, duty or privilege and allows you to create new security artifacts on the basis of access through various entry points. The tool allows you to test newly a created\modified security role, duty or privilege from the same interface without using a different test user account. In addition, the tool also allows you to record business process flows and identify the entry points used.

5.   Code Upgrade Service Tool (Beta): The Code Upgrade Service Tool (Beta) is designed to help Microsoft Dynamics AX developers upgrade their X++ code to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. The service analyzes X++ code patterns and automatically fixes some patterns, provides suggestions on how to fix other patterns, categorizes upgrade tasks, and enables developers to add their own patterns to be analyzed.

6.   Security Upgrade Advisor Tool (Beta): The Security Upgrade Advisor Tool (Beta) is intended to help simplify the process of upgrading security settings from an earlier version of Microsoft Dynamics AX to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. It compares entry point and permissions between systems and generates a list of matching privileges that can be used a particular role. The role-to-privilege mapping is based on the user group-to-access right mapping in earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX systems. The tool is designed as an aid for upgrading security settings and is not one click solution. Developers are advised to review each suggestion carefully before making any changes.

7.   Intelligent Data Management Framework Tool: The Intelligent Data Management Framework Tool is designed to help system administrators optimize the performance of Microsoft AX installations. The Intelligent Data Management Framework assesses the health of the Microsoft Dynamics AX applications, analyses current usage patterns, and helps reduce database size.