Application Customization

The LN development environment enables you to customize the LN software. You can create package VRCs in which you can customize various types of software components, such as sessions, forms, reports, multi-language data field labels, questions, and messages.

  • Development parameters and authorizations
    To maintain or create software components, a developer requires default development settings and parameters and authorization to at least one package VRC.
  • Version and release management
    Software is constantly changing. Therefore, you must manage various versions of packages, corresponding releases, and all the various customizations on the standard software. Infor Enterprise Server offers a comprehensive solution with a version and release management concept.
  • Software configuration management (SCM)
    Developers can use the Software Configuration Management System (SCM) to make a copy of the software component and place the component into a dedicated development VRC. The component can then be modified, for example, to fix a bug. If the component is finished and tested, the component can be placed back into the run-time environment. This process is called the check-out and check-in process. The component can still have the same VRC code, but it has a different revision number. Older revisions of the component are still retrievable.
  • Messages
    Messages are language-independent software components that allow you to customize dialog messages.
  • Questions
    Questions are language-independent software components that are used to ask situation-dependent questions to which the user must respond. At runtime, the questions are displayed in the language that is specified for the current user.
  • Menus
    LN users can have their own customized menus. LN menus are created by LN developers or by LN administrators who have developer authorizations. The start menu for a user must be defined in LN user data.
  • SQL queries
    You can create stand-alone queries with Easy SQL or with the Text Manager. Easy SQL helps users to define queries in a simple, menu-driven way. Text Manager enables you to create more complex queries.
  • Forms
    The form is the user interface part of the session. Forms, which are presented to users, include data and actions that users can perform on that data. The session and form are integrated; one form per session is defined. The form definition in the session identifies the fields, labels, and options that are available in the session's overview display window and details window.
  • Reports
    Reports are used to show data on the screen, or print it on a printer or other output device. Reports are used in (print) sessions and SQL queries. A session can have multiple reports. When you run a session that has multiple reports, a list of available reports is displayed. An SQL query can have only one report.
  • Report scripts
    A report script allows you to customize the processing of the report. A report script consists of event sections in which you program actions to be performed at particular states of execution of the report. The statements programmed in a report script section consist of a combination of 3GL language statements and report script functions.
  • Charts
    Charts present data in a graphical format to the user. Charts are used in sessions and SQL queries. A session can contain multiple charts. An SQL query can have only one chart.
  • Business object modeling
    The business object repository (BOR) is a virtual space in which business objects are stored. A business object is an object with a business-oriented user interface, which serves as a single entry point to store all the business-related data and perform operations on this data.
  • Data dictionaries
    A data dictionary is a collection of descriptions about a data model or system. LN uses two unique data dictionaries: the Runtime Data Dictionary and the Application Data Dictionary.