Debugging Tips

This page walks users through the debugging process for the Lasernet for Dynamics solution. Some checks can be carried out to ensure that everything is configured properly by validating the connections, forms, and data. Lasernet Monitor can also be used to check if Lasernet has identified any errors in the configuration.

Connections

The Lasernet for Dynamics solution works by connecting Finance and Operations to Lasernet, so one key place to check if things stop working is those connections. There are two key conditions to check: all the connection strings must be validated and matched in FO and Lasernet.

To check that the connection strings validate in FO, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Lasernet > Setup > Administration > Connections.

The connections form opens and displays all of the different connections saved in this configuration. In this example, there are only two - one for the Azure Service Bus and one for Azure Storage.

2. Select Azure Service Bus.

3. Click Validate, and a “Validation successful” message should be displayed.

If there is an error with the connection, an error message will be displayed showing the issue:

4. Carry out the same aforementioned steps for the Azure Storage connection.

To validate that the connection strings match, follow these steps:

1. Copy and paste the connection strings from FO by using the Copy icons on the connections and paste them into Notepad.

2. From within the Lasernet Developer, navigate to Modules.

3. Select the Azure Service Bus module and double-click it. The Azure Service Bus Properties window is displayed.

4. Copy the connection string into Notepad and visually check that it matches the string copied from FO. You can also test the connection string in the Lasernet module by clicking Test Connection.

A “Connection succeeded” message is displayed. This means the connection string is valid, but it must also match the string in FO, so the visual check is very important.

5. A similar check can be performed for the Azure Storage by navigating to Commands and selecting the relevant Azure storage:

It is possible to paste the string from the storage into FO from within the storage command and use the Test Connection button to verify.

Form Setup

Once the connections are set up and validated, another common error is unexpected forms being displayed. Users can see this as the form output when they run their query from FO.

This is not an error, but it reveals that one of the steps for setting up the report has not been completed. Lasernet matches the XML Query with a form using certain criteria, and for the form to match, those criteria need to be set.

Follow these steps to set the criteria:

1. In the Form drop-down menu, select Criteria.

2. On the Criteria form, define the rules for when the form should be run. Usually, this is linked to a JobInfo, such as the report name.

Once this is set and the changes are deployed, the correct form should be displayed.

If a blank output is being displayed when the correct form is being matched, check the master sheet for the PDF output on that form. Sometimes, when a new form is created from the blank template, users forget to update the master sheet. To check this, follow these steps:

1. Open the form and navigate to the PDF sheet.

2. Right-click the sheet tab and select Sheet Options.

3. Select the Master Sheet tab and ensure that the form is set correctly.

Data

If the connections are all valid and the forms are correctly set up, but the output is still not correct, it is likely that the data in the XML is not correct. Follow these steps to carry out a check:

1. Navigate to Lasernet > Common > Archive.

2. Select your report from the list and click Preview > Show XML.

The XML file will be displayed on the screen, and the data being sent in each field can be checked.

Lasernet Monitor

Lasernet Monitor is an excellent tool for tracking Lasernet's activity. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu, search for “Lasernet Monitor”, and open the application.

2. Log in with your usual Lasernet credentials to open Lasernet Monitor.

3. It is possible to select the latest message by clicking Fetch newest.

Errors in the log are highlighted in red, and the module in which the error occurred is indicated along with the error message. For example, in the following image, it is obvious there is an issue with the Azure Service Bus that is being used.

It will then be necessary to open the Azure Service Bus input module to investigate.

Further Resources

Watch our feature videos for further help with troubleshooting and optimizing performance: Troubleshooting and Performance.

If you need further help, contact your delivery partner or the Formpipe Support Portal.