What's the customization language for web-based Saleslogix? C#? VB.net? VB Script? or Java?

C# is really the primary language. You can use VB.NET is most areas, but not all (there are some places where only C# can be used). Javascript in some areas. 

But mostly C#.

Thanks Ryan

Thanks Chris

The other questions:

(1) To customize web-based SLX, is there a development environment like Lan version Architect? Or use Visual Studio directly?

(2) Can JQuery and Ajax be used in the customizations of web-based SLX?

Thanks

1) Yes. There is an app named Application Architect where you can do 100% of everything (although IMO using Visual Studio is preferable)

2) Yes. You can use Ajax/jQuery/Dojo/etc

Thanks Ryan.

Our existing SLX system is lan version with many customizations. We are evaluating to convert it to web version. 

In lan version, all of the plugins are saved in SLX db. For web version, where do the pages locate? Inside SLX db or outside SLX db? Just like a regular asp.net website that saves pages in a physical working folder? How does it do source control?  

For the database structure, are there big differences between lan version and web wersion?

For lan version, every table has the 12-character SLX-Style Primary key. What about the PK of web version table?

In SLX web, all customizations can either reside in the database or outside in the file system (keeping them outside is preferred since it makes using external tools and source control possible). The files are for the most part XML files along with some CS and ASCX files. When you build your web platform, it takes the metadata in the XML files and builds it into ASP.NET ASPX/ASCX/CS files. You don't edit these files directly since they'll be overwritten the next time you build.

Database structure is the same. Also the same 12-character ID values.

Thanks Ryan

We developed some 3rd-party web pages related to SLX, which use SLX sp slx_dbids to create/get the 12-character IDs through SLX provider from outside SLX server (lan version). For the web-based SLX, how do you create/get the 12-character IDs for the 3rd-party web pages?

ID values are created exactly the same way (you do have a few more options too), but the solution you've built already using slx_dbids will shold work as-is without changes.

Thanks Ryan

For lan SLX system, its structure is SLX windows client --> SLX server --> SLX database.

For web SLX system, is there still a SLX server? Is it SLX web client --> SLX server --> SLX database? If so, I can still use SLX provider/slx_dbids to get SLX table ID values through SLX server, right?

Yes.

In SLX web *everything* that you have in your current version is still there. The SLX OLEDB Provider and everything that it currently has is all still there. The benefit in SLX web is that you have a new entity model on top of all of that to make working with things easier since you can use a modern language, modern dev tools, unit testing, etc.

But underneath all of that goodness is the same stuff you're using now. However, in SLX web, you don't really need to call slx_dbids since the entity model handles all of that for you, but it's there if you want it or need it.

Thanks David and Ryan.

For now, we use slx_dbids/SLX provider to get new SLX table ID values from 3-party web pages.

After the system is upgrade to web version, is there a new approach to get the SLX table ID values for 3-party applications? Is there a simple template?

For 3rd party apps you can either continue to use things like slx_dbids and the SLX provier as you do now, or you can use the new entity model exposed via SData. Here's a few articles on SData if you wanted to get a quick overview http://customerfx.com/pages/crmdeveloper/pages/saleslogix-sdata-series.aspx

Thanks Ryan.

For Web version, it's said there is no Object like Lan version Application. Is there a substitution in Web version? Are there some Objects in SLX Web version?
It is said there are some SLX classes which have the functions as Lan version Scripts, VB Scripts (e.g. SLX Database Support, SLX_Common and so on) do, right?
For Web version, are there any downloadable Developer's References to list/introduce the SLX APIs/Classes? 

There are a few functions inside the application to help with different tasks like your mentioning above. Each entity has a few and you can always create your own business rules which can act much the same.

I don't know if there is any one document that outlines these, best bet is to look at each entity in visual studio or in App Architect to find them.

Maybe an Idea for Stephen Redmon.. ??

Thanks RJ

Can I fully use Visual Studio to develop SLX Web version as we did in a general ASP.net application?

For SLX Web version, in VS, can I see all of pages, user controls and the files about java script, jquery and ajax as we see in a general ASP.net application?

If I modify a smart part or something else with Visual Studio, when I open the smart part with Application Architect again, what will happen?

You can't use VS for everything, there are some things that can only be edited inside the Application Architect. If you open the deployed website in VS, yes, you can see only ASP.NET things, pages, controls, master pages, etc. However, you don't edit the deployed website. Well, you can, but that is not where you are supposed to since those changes are lost the next time you do a deploy. You can use Visual Studio for custom smartparts and any logic (business rules, entity events, code behind forms, etc)

The typical workflow for working with SLX web involves a lot of work inside the Application Architect. This tool is where everything comes together. In this tool you would create a form, add controls, wire up some logic, and then add this form to a specific page. Also things like create a new entity (table), add properties (fields), add business rules for this entity (coded logic), events that fire when the entity is saved/deleted/created/etc (coded logic), etc. For many parts of this implementation you can wire in custom DLLs that you create in VS. You can also create custom ASP.NET ASCX controls (forms) and plug them in as forms on a page inside of Application Architect. However, all in all, Application Architect is the main tool you use for this process, not VS. When you're done creating these things (forms & business logic) inside of Application Architect, you build your web platform, this takes everything in Application Architect and builds the meta data into ASP.NET things, taking form metadata and builds it into an ASP.NET ASCX control, page metadata into ASP.NET ASPX pages, and compiles business logic into .NET DLLs. Then all of this result of building your metadata in Application Architect into ASP.NET things is then deployed, or copied, to the file system. This is where you see a full ASP.NET website. While you can open this ASP.NET website in VS and make changes, all of these changes will be lost the next time you build and deploy from the Application Architect. The ASP.NET website is the result of what you did in the Application Architect (with things plugged in from VS). 

Hope that helps.

Very helpful.

Thanks Rayn.

Are there any reference materials with examples to introduce SLX Entities?

Quote: Originally posted by Jordan Are there any reference materials with examples to introduce SLX Entities?

I don't know of anything official, but there are several hundred blog posts on the subject on the blogs on my website http://customerfx.com/pages/default.aspx?GroupID=2

In Lan version, the Application.BasicFunctions.CurrentAccountID and Application.BasicFunctions.CurrentUserID can be used to get the current AccountID and UserID. In Web version, what's the best way to get the current IDs in the quick forms?

In web wersion, what's the substitution of Application.BasicFunctions.GetIDFor("ACCOUNT")?

Can I think the "C# Snippet Action Item" of "Form Load Actions" as the Page_Load() of the .net ascx.cs (user control)? Likewise, can I think the "C# Snippet Action Item" of a button click as its clicking event handler? If so, in the event handlers, I can get the controls (e.g textBox1.text, …&hellip and can do whatever I want as I do in a regular .net user control, right?