How to: Use the #macrolib Directive for AOT Macro Libraries

Article
05/18/2015

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

In the Application Object Tree (AOT) under the Macros node, there are many library nodes that contain sets of macro directives. Both #define and #localmacro often appear in the contents of these macro libraries.

You can use the #macrolib.MyAOTMacroLibrary to include the contents of an AOT macro library in your X++ code.

Note

The directive #macrolib.MyAOTMacroLibrary can also be written as #MyAOTMacroLibrary. The #macrolib prefix is recommended because it is never ambiguous to a person who later reads the code.

Prerequisites

For this topic, you must understand the information in How to: Use the #localmacro and #globalmacro Directives.

Using a System Provided Macro Library from the AOT

Microsoft Dynamics AX has an AOT macro library that is named Event. This macro library contains the directive #define.DefaultEventPollFrequency(15). The following code sample shows that the #macrolib.Event directive makes the macro #DefaultEventPollFrequency available.

    static void SystemProvidedMacroLibraryJob(Args _args)
    {
        ;
        #macrolib.Event // Contains: #define.DefaultEventPollFrequency(15)
    
        info("# DefaultEventPollFrequency == "
                + int2str(#DefaultEventPollFrequency));
    
    /***************  Actual Infolog output
    Message (06:31:26 pm)
    # DefaultEventPollFrequency == 15
    ***************/
    }

#if and #undef Do Not Apply to #macrolib

The #if and #undef directives do not apply to #macrolib names. However, they do apply to #define directives that are the contents of a #macrolib macro.

Precedence Between #macrolib and #define When the Same Name is Used

The following code example shows what happens when you write a #define for a name that is already the name of a node in the AOT under Macros. For this example, the AOT has a node under Macros that is named MacLib23, and its contents are one #define as follows:

#define.DefinInMacLib23("_This is inside AOT macrolib MacLib23.")

After a #macrolib directive is issued for MacLib23, #define and #undef directives have no effect on the #macrolib macro (see output _BB). However, a #define in the contents of a #macrolib macro can be overwritten by a subsequent #define or #undef in the code (see output _DD).

    static void PrecedenceMacrolibDefineJob(Args _args)
    {
        ;
        #define.MacLib23("_11:  Plain #define value for MacLib23, same name as the AOT macrolib macro.")
        info("_AA: " + #MacLib23);
    
        #macrolib.MacLib23
        info("_BB: " + #DefinInMacLib23); // Defined inside the macrolib macro.
    
        info("_CC: " + #MacLib23); // Output shows plain #define, not the macrolib macro contents.
    
        #define.DefinInMacLib23("_33:  Plain #define in the job code, overwrite of same macro name defined inside the macrolib macro.")
        info("_DD: " + #DefinInMacLib23);
    
    /***************************  Actual Infolog output
    Message (10:53:13 am)
    _AA: 11:  Plain #define value for MacLib23, same name as the AOT macrolib macro.
    _BB: This is inside AOT macrolib MacLib23.
    _CC: 11:  Plain #define value for MacLib23, same name as the AOT macrolib macro.
    _DD: 33:  Plain #define in the job code, overwrite of same macro name defined inside the macrolib macro.
    ***************************/
    }

Creating a Macro Library in the AOT

The following steps describe how you can create your own macro library in the AOT.

To create your own macro library in the AOT

Right-click the Macros node, and then select New Macro.
An editor window appears.
Type #define.BestShape(circle).
Click the save icon (or press CTRL+S).