Development Matters Blog

I recently had a problem with the CEO role center, specifically the KPIs on that role center which were always loading. I have set up IE security as it was described in this MSDN article.

KPIs and Business Overview keep loading all the time and never end.

If the whole Role Center content in enterprise portal comes up except the Business Overview webpart and it keeps displaying the loading progress image for a long time with no error message in the event log, it may be because IE security setting prevents the webpart from asynchronously getting the data. To resolve this issue add the EP site to the intranet site zone in IE or disable IE Enhanced Security Configuration from Add / Remove programs -> Add / Remove Widnows Components. It still did not show the KPI web parts, but just kept loading it. I have used win2008R2.

The other problem I had with this Installation was that I was not able to modify any role center page. Whenever I would try to modify it I would receive an error message from SharePoint: Error occurred contact your administrator.

A strange thing was that when I tried to view the Role Center through Google’s Chrome browser, I could see the KPIs and modify the role center web parts. That was really frustrating.

In the event viewer I had a message:

An unexpected error has occurred.
Validation of viewstate MAC failed. If this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster, ensure that <machineKey> configuration specifies the same validationKey and validation algorithm. AutoGenerate cannot be used in a cluster.

Then I saw this other article on MSDN.

EP Site creation is successful and able to view most of the pages. But when trying to access lookup or sorting on grid (any postback to the page) it gives an unexpected error and in eventlog it has:

An unexpected error has occurred.
Validation of viewstate MAC failed. If this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster, ensure that <machineKey> configuration specifies the same validationKey and validation algorithm. AutoGenerate cannot be used in a cluster.

Check and make sure the Machine name or the host header does not contain any non alphanumeric characters such as “_”or “-“ etc. The machine name should just contain only alphanumeric characters.
For example mey1 is a valid machine name. mey_1 is not. If you have any other character in the machine name, then validation of viewstact MAC fails. So to resolve this issue, check and make sure the machine name contains only alphanumeric characters and EnableViewStateMac is set to true in the web.config and in case of load balancing, the same machine key is used in the web.config of all participating web server machines.

And see that I have the character _ in my computer name.

When I changed the name of my computer so I have only alphanumeric characters, I was able to see the KPIs from IE and I was also able to modify my role center pages with IE.

My opinion is that this step should be included on the AX Installation guide and put it on first place there, because it is very hard to change the name of computer when you install all of EP in AX 2009.

Merit Solutions Advanced Lot Management (ALM) is the application that allows efficient control of lot tracked materials (raw or finished goods) within Microsoft Dynamics GP (versions 9 and 10).

The system requirements correspond to requirements of Microsoft Dynamics GP. ALM version 9 requires GP’s Manufacturing module to run, while ALM version 10 does not require Manufacturing module.

ALM is focused on two pieces of information: Lot Status and Expiration Date. These information affect when and how material can be used.

Installation:

Like the rest of Merit Solutions applications, the installation of Advanced Lot Management (ALM) application is simple and quick:

1. Copy the 3037MS.cnk file into the Microsoft Dynamics GP installation folder.

2. Launch Microsoft Dynamics GP and click “Yes” when prompted to accept new code.

This way, the software component has been installed to Microsoft Dynamics GP, creating corresponding dictionary file

as well as entry to Dynamics.set file. 

3. Login to GP as “sa” user, or corresponding power user.

4. When Microsoft Dynamics GP loads, open Shortcuts menu and select Add > Add Window

5. On Add Window Shortcut screen, expand Advanced Lot Management item > expand 3rd Party item > select “Install Adv Lot Mgmt”

6. On Add Window Shortcut screen, click Add button > click Done button

7. On Shortcuts bar, click “Install Adv Lot Mgmt”

8. Confirm that you have read the EULA > click “Yes”

9.On the Install Adv Lot Mgmt window > click Install button

10. As soon as installation is complete, Status will change to Done > click OK button to close the window.

This way ALM tables MXLC0300, MXCFG700, MXLC1500, MX10021, MX10025, mxItemLo, mxLotM, MX10022, MX10023, MX10024, MX10020, MX10026, mxLots, MX10003, MX10005, MX10002, MX10001, MXLC4000, mxREG002, MXREG001, MXSFG700, MXSYS001, MX10004, MXALMHT, MX60101, MXLC0301 are added to the company database.

Users must be aware that installation steps 1 - 2 should be made for each client Microsoft Dynamics GP installation. Steps 3 - 10 should be made only once per company, regardless of number of clients.