Xrm.Utility methods in MS Dynamics CRM UR8

• Have you ever used the unsupported javascript-function openObj to open a form in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011?
• Have you ever cursed out loud over getting correct paths and parameters for URL Addressable Forms?
• Have you ever implemented your own functionality to open a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 webresource in a new window?

Stop that. Now.

At last, in UR8 Microsoft has included supported javascript-functions for those actions, providing a better user experience as well as nicer code than using the functionality of URL Addressable Forms and Views.

No new SDK version has been released yet, so you cannot read about it or find any examples there, it was just recently announced in The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Blog.

Basic description

There is a javascript library called Xrm.Utility which is available "everywhere" as long as you have a CRM context.

Xrm.Utility.openEntityForm(name, id, parameters)
Xrm.Utility.openWebResource(webResourceName, webResourceData, width, height)

Both functions return the window object that is created which allows you to e.g. move and resize the window.

The parameters parameter can be used to set default values when creating a new record and to specify which form to display.

One of the best things though – is that the openEntityForm function takes the LogicalName of the entity instead of forcing us to make a metadata request to get the ObjectTypeCode…!

Usage examples

openEntityForm

• Open a record from a custom html or Silverlight displaying CRM data
• Open a new record form from a custom ribbon button populating with default data
• Create a new record in javascript and then opening that new record

openWebResource

• Open a webresource from a custom ribbon button (e.g. html page with Bing map integration)
• Prompt user for confirmation using your own nicely styled Confirm dialog (instead of ugly styled window.confirm(…))

Thank's Markus for enlightening me about this news!

Labels: Forms, JavaScript, Rollup