Customizing Ribbon Buttons in Dynamics 365: Hiding Buttons on Specific Entities and Forms

 

Customizing Ribbon Buttons in Dynamics 365: Hiding Buttons on Specific Entities and Forms

Customizing the visibility of ribbon buttons in Dynamics 365 can significantly enhance the user experience by ensuring that users see only relevant options. One effective way to achieve this is by using the hideSubgridButton function in conjunction with the Ribbon Workbench. Below, we explore how to implement this solution, using the provided hideSubgridButton function as an example.

Understanding the hideSubgridButton Function

The hideSubgridButton function is a JavaScript function designed to determine whether a button in a subgrid should be hidden, based on the current entity and form. Here’s the provided function for reference:

javascript
// ***************************************************************
// hideSubgridButton - Determines if a button in a subgrid should be hidden
// based on the current entity and form name.
// Parameters:
//   primaryControl: Reference to the form context
//   entityName: The name of the entity to hide the button
//   formName: The name of the form to hide the button
// Returns true to hide the button, false otherwise.
// ***************************************************************
function hideSubgridButton(primaryControl, entityName, formName) {
    var formContext = primaryControl;
    if (!formContext) {
        return false; // In case primaryControl is not available
    }
    // Check if the current entity matches the specified entity name
    var currentEntityName = formContext.data.entity.getEntityName();
    if (currentEntityName !== entityName) {
        return false; // Different entity, do not hide the button
    }
    // Check if the current form matches the specified form name
    var currentFormName = formContext.ui.formSelector.getCurrentItem().getLabel();
    if (currentFormName !== formName) {
        return false; // Different form, do not hide the button
    }
    // If the entity and form name match, return true to hide the button
    return true;
}

Implementing the Function in Ribbon Workbench

1. Create a Web Resource: The first step is to add this function to a JavaScript web resource within Dynamics 365 and publish it.
2. Use Ribbon Workbench: Open Ribbon Workbench in your Dynamics 365 solution and select the entity where you want to customize the ribbon buttons.
3. Identify the Button: In Ribbon Workbench, identify the button you wish to conditionally hide. This could be in the main form or within a subgrid.
4. Create an Enable Rule: Create a new Enable Rule for the button. This rule will use the hideSubgridButton function to determine the button's visibility.
5. Set Parameters: Configure the Enable Rule to pass the PrimaryControl, along with the specific entityName and formName where you want the button to be hidden.
6. Publish Changes: After setting up the rule, publish your changes in Ribbon Workbench.
7. Test the Functionality: It's crucial to test the functionality in Dynamics 365 to ensure that the button visibility behaves as expected. Check different entities and forms to confirm that the button is hidden where specified.

Benefits and Considerations

• Customized User Experience: This approach allows for a tailored user interface, showing or hiding buttons based on the user's current context.

• Control and Flexibility: It provides control over the user interface without needing to modify the underlying entity forms directly.

• Testing and Validation: Make sure to validate this functionality under various scenarios to ensure consistent behavior.

Conclusion

By utilizing the hideSubgridButton function with Ribbon Workbench, administrators and developers can effectively manage the visibility of ribbon buttons in Dynamics 365. This customization ensures that users interact with an interface that is contextually relevant, streamlined, and aligned with their specific needs and roles.