AL Object ID Suggester

🔢 The essential VS Code extension for Business Central AL developers!

Instantly find the next available Object ID for your Business Central AL development. No more manual counting or ID conflicts - this extension scans your workspace and suggests the perfect sequential ID for Pages, Tables, Codeunits, Reports, and more.

✨ Features

🚀 One-Click File Creation

Create AL Files Instantly: Generate complete AL object files with proper structure
Smart Templates: Pre-built templates for all AL object types
Auto-naming: Suggests filenames following AL conventions
Ready-to-code: Files include proper structure, fields, and procedures

🔍 Enhanced v1.1.0 Features

🔗 AL Language Integration: Enhanced compatibility with Microsoft AL Language extension
📊 Export ID Usage Reports: Generate comprehensive CSV/JSON reports with validation issues
✅ Bulk ID Validation: Workspace-wide validation for duplicates, gaps, and compliance
🎯 Advanced Filename Templates: Fully customizable templates with smart placeholders
🔄 Object Dependency Tracking: Analyze dependencies and references across your workspace
🚨 Enhanced Validation Engine: Comprehensive rules with configurable severity levels
📈 Gap Detection: Identify and suggest available IDs in number sequences
⚠️ Duplicate Detection: Find and report duplicate object IDs across workspace
📝 Metadata Collection: File sizes, modification dates, and detailed object information
⏳ Modern Progress Indicators: Enhanced UX with progress tracking for long operations

🎯 Smart Content-Based Parsing

Reads Actual Files: Parses AL file content to extract real object IDs
More Reliable: Works regardless of filename conventions
Range-Aware: Only counts objects within your project's ID range
Outside Range Detection: Shows objects outside your range (ignored in suggestions)

🎯 Smart app.json Integration

Project-Aware: Automatically reads app.json for ID range constraints
Range Validation: Respects Business Central project ID ranges (idRanges)
Fallback Support: Uses extension settings when no app.json exists
Project Display: Shows project name and publisher information
Real-time Updates: Reloads app.json when file changes

🎯 Smart ID Detection

Scans your entire AL workspace automatically
Recognizes all standard AL object types
Finds the highest used ID per object type within your range
Suggests the next sequential number

📋 Supported AL Object Types

Pages (PAG) - User interface pages
Tables (TAB) - Data storage tables
Codeunits (COD) - Business logic containers
Reports (REP) - Reports and documents
XMLPorts (XMP) - XML data exchange
Queries (QUE) - Data queries
Enums (ENM) - Enumeration types
Interfaces (INT) - Interface definitions
ControlAddIns (CON) - Control add-ins
Page Extensions (PAGEXT) - Page extensions
Table Extensions (TABEXT) - Table extensions

⚡ Multiple Access Methods

Quick Object Selector: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+I for instant access
Specific Commands: Direct shortcuts for Pages, Tables, Codeunits, Reports
Context Menus: Right-click on AL files for quick suggestions
Command Palette: Full command access via Ctrl+Shift+P

🎨 Developer-Friendly Interface

Visual object type icons and descriptions
Current ID range information
Suggested filename generation
Range validation warnings
One-click ID and filename copying

🔧 Configurable SettingsÍ

Custom ID ranges per object type
Default starting IDs (typically 50000 for partner objects)
Include/exclude extensions from scanning
Auto-refresh when files change
Filename suggestion formatting

☕ Like This Extension?

Support its development and keep it free for everyone:

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace:

ext install renni-dev.al-object-id-suggester

From VSIX file:
- Download the .vsix file
- Open VS Code → Extensions → Install from VSIX

Basic Usage

Method 1: Create AL File Instantly (NEW! 🚀)

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type: AL Object ID: Create AL Object File
Select object type (Page, Table, Codeunit, etc.)
Enter object name
Done! - File created with proper structure and next available ID

Method 2: Quick ID Suggestion

Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Alt+I (Mac)
Select your object type from the list
Choose from actions:
- 📋 Copy ID
- 📄 Copy Filename
- 🚀 Create File
- 📊 Show All Ranges

Method 3: Specific Object Commands

Pages: AL Object ID: Next Available Page ID
Tables: AL Object ID: Next Available Table ID
Codeunits: AL Object ID: Next Available Codeunit ID
Reports: AL Object ID: Next Available Report ID

Right-click any .al file → "Suggest Next Available Object ID"
Right-click folder → "Create AL Object File"

Method 6: Export ID Usage Report (NEW! 📊)

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type: AL Object ID: Export ID Usage Report
Choose format (CSV, JSON, or both)
Report Generated! - Comprehensive analysis with validation issues

Method 7: Bulk Validate Object IDs (NEW! ✅)

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type: AL Object ID: Bulk Validate Object IDs
View comprehensive validation results
Fix Issues! - Get suggestions for duplicates, gaps, and compliance

Method 8: Track Object Dependencies (NEW! 🔄)

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type: AL Object ID: Track Object Dependencies
Explore object relationships and dependencies
Analyze! - Understand your codebase structure

Method 9: Configure Filename Templates (NEW! 🎯)

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type: AL Object ID: Configure Filename Templates
Customize templates with placeholders
Personalize! - Use {PREFIX}, {ID}, {NAME}, {TYPE}, {DATE}, {TIME}

📖 Detailed Usage

Understanding the Results

When you request a suggestion, you'll see:

Next Page ID: 50124
Range: 50000-99999 | Current: 23 objects | Highest: 50123
Suggested filename: PAG50124.NewObject.al

What this means:

Next ID: 50124 (the suggested ID to use)
Range: Your configured ID range (50000-99999)
In range: 23 objects found within your ID range
Highest: 50123 (current highest ID in range)
Outside range: Objects found outside range (ignored)
Filename: Suggested complete filename

File Creation Templates

When creating files, the extension provides complete, ready-to-use templates:

Page Template:

page 50124 "My Custom Page"
{
    PageType = Card;
    ApplicationArea = All;
    UsageCategory = Administration;
    
    layout
    {
        area(Content)
        {
            group(GroupName)
            {
                Caption = 'General';
                // Fields here
            }
        }
    }
    // Actions and variables included
}

Table Template:

table 50124 "My Custom Table"  
{
    DataClassification = ToBeClassified;
    
    fields
    {
        field(1; "No."; Code[20]) { }
        field(2; "Name"; Text[100]) { }
        // More fields and triggers included
    }
}

All templates include:

✅ Proper AL syntax and structure
✅ Essential fields and properties
✅ Triggers and procedures where appropriate
✅ Ready for immediate development

ID Range Validation

The extension validates suggestions against your configured ranges:

✅ Green: ID is within your configured range
⚠️ Warning: ID is outside configured range (still usable)

Copying Results

After getting a suggestion, you can:

Copy ID: Copy just the number (e.g., "50124")
Copy Filename: Copy the complete filename (e.g., "PAG50124.NewObject.al")
Show All Ranges: View usage across all object types
Refresh Scan: Update the workspace scan

⚙️ Configuration

Access settings via File > Preferences > Settings and search for "AL Object ID":

`alObjectId.defaultStartId`

Default: 50000

Starting ID for new objects (Microsoft partner range):

{
  "alObjectId.defaultStartId": 50000
}

`alObjectId.customRanges`

Default: Partner ranges (50000-99999)

Customize ID ranges per object type:

{
  "alObjectId.customRanges": {
    "page": { "start": 50000, "end": 59999 },
    "table": { "start": 60000, "end": 69999 },
    "codeunit": { "start": 70000, "end": 79999 },
    "report": { "start": 80000, "end": 89999 }
  }
}

`alObjectId.includeExtensions`

Default: true

Include page and table extensions in ID scanning:

{
  "alObjectId.includeExtensions": false
}

`alObjectId.autoRefresh`

Default: true

Automatically refresh when AL files change:

{
  "alObjectId.autoRefresh": false
}

`alObjectId.suggestFilename`

Default: true

Generate suggested filenames with IDs:

{
  "alObjectId.suggestFilename": false
}

`alObjectId.showFullPath`

Default: false

Show full file paths in object lists:

{
  "alObjectId.showFullPath": true
}

New v1.1.0 Configuration Options

`alObjectId.filenameTemplates`

Default: Standard AL naming patterns

Custom filename templates for different object types:

{
  "alObjectId.filenameTemplates": {
    "page": "{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.al",
    "table": "{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.al",
    "codeunit": "src/{TYPE}/{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.al"
  }
}

`alObjectId.exportFormat`

Default: "csv"

Default export format for ID usage reports:

{
  "alObjectId.exportFormat": "both"
}

`alObjectId.dependencyTracking`

Default: true

Enable object dependency tracking and analysis:

{
  "alObjectId.dependencyTracking": false
}

`alObjectId.validationRules`

Default: Flexible validation

Configure bulk validation rules:

{
  "alObjectId.validationRules": {
    "requireSequentialIds": false,
    "allowGaps": true,
    "warnOnDuplicates": true,
    "enforceNamingConvention": false
  }
}

📊 Export Reports and Validation (NEW in v1.1.0)

ID Usage Reports

Generate comprehensive reports for analysis and documentation:

JSON Format includes:

{
  "timestamp": "2025-06-08T10:30:00.000Z",
  "projectInfo": {
    "name": "My Business Central App",
    "publisher": "My Company",
    "totalObjects": 45,
    "rangeSource": "app.json"
  },
  "objectRanges": [...],
  "objects": [...],
  "validationIssues": [...]
}

CSV Format includes:

Object Type and ID
Object Name and Filename
Range compliance status
Dependencies list
File modification dates
File sizes

Bulk Validation

Comprehensive workspace analysis:

❗ Errors: Duplicate IDs, critical issues
⚠️ Warnings: Out-of-range objects, naming issues
ℹ️ Info: Available gaps, optimization suggestions

Validation Rules:

Duplicate ID detection across object types
Range compliance checking
Sequential ID validation (optional)
Naming convention enforcement (optional)
Gap analysis and suggestions

Dependency Tracking

Understand your codebase relationships:

Page 50001: Customer Management
├── Table: Customer
├── Codeunit: Customer Functions
└── Report: Customer List

Tracks:

Table references (Record, RecordRef, Database::)
Page references (Page.)
Codeunit references (Codeunit::)
Report references (Report.)

Advanced Filename Templates

Customize filename generation with placeholders:

Available Placeholders:

{PREFIX}: Object prefix (PAG, TAB, COD, etc.)
{ID}: Object ID number
{NAME}: Object name
{TYPE}: Object type (Page, Table, etc.)
{DATE}: Current date (YYYY-MM-DD)
{TIME}: Current time (HHMMSS)

Examples:

{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.al              → PAG50001.CustomerList.al
{TYPE}_{ID}_{NAME}.al               → Page_50001_CustomerList.al
{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.{DATE}.al       → PAG50001.CustomerList.2025-06-08.al
src/{TYPE}/{PREFIX}{ID}.{NAME}.al   → src/Page/PAG50001.CustomerList.al

🎯 Use Cases

Development Workflow

Need a new Page? → Ctrl+Shift+Alt+I → Select "Page" → Get ID 50124
Copy the suggested filename: PAG50124.NewObject.al
Create your file with the correct ID
No conflicts, no counting, no hassle!

Team Development

Consistent ID allocation across team members
Avoid duplicate IDs in version control
Quick verification of current ID usage
Range management for different object types

Large Projects

Instant overview of ID usage across hundreds of objects
Efficient gap detection in numbering sequences
Custom range enforcement for organized development
Quick conflict resolution

📋 Business Central ID Ranges Reference

Microsoft Standard Ranges

1-9,999: Microsoft base objects
10,000-49,999: Microsoft add-on objects
50,000-99,999: Partner/ISV objects ⭐ (Your range)
100,000+: Customer-specific objects

Common Naming Conventions

PAG50001.CustomerList.al          # Page
TAB50001.CustomerData.al          # Table  
COD50001.CustomerManagement.al    # Codeunit
REP50001.CustomerReport.al        # Report
XMP50001.CustomerImport.al        # XMLPort
QUE50001.CustomerQuery.al         # Query
ENM50001.CustomerStatus.al        # Enum
PAGEXT50001.CustomerListExt.al    # Page Extension

🛠️ Development

Building from Source

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/renni-dev/al-object-id-suggester
cd al-object-id-suggester

Install dependencies:
```
npm install
```
Compile:
```
npm run compile
```
Test:
- Press F5 to launch Extension Development Host
- Test with a Business Central AL workspace

Project Structure

al-object-id-suggester/
├── src/
│   └── extension.ts           # Main extension logic
├── images/
│   └── icon.svg              # Extension icon
├── .vscode/                  # VS Code configuration
├── package.json             # Extension manifest
├── tsconfig.json           # TypeScript configuration
└── README.md               # This file

🐛 Troubleshooting

No AL Files Found

Ensure you have .al files in your workspace
Check that files follow standard naming conventions
Verify workspace folder is properly opened

Wrong ID Suggestions

Use "Refresh Object Scan" command
Check filename patterns match AL standards
Verify custom ranges in settings

Extension Not Loading

Ensure workspace contains .al files
Check VS Code's Extension Host output for errors
Restart VS Code if needed

Performance Issues

Large workspaces may take longer to scan
Consider disabling auto-refresh for very large projects
Use "Refresh Object Scan" manually when needed

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and enhancement requests.

Planned Features

app.json integration for project-specific ranges (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Integration with AL Language extension (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Export ID usage reports (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Bulk ID validation (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Advanced filename templates (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Object dependency tracking (✅ COMPLETED in v1.1.0)
Git integration for conflict detection
Team synchronization features

📝 Changelog

Version 1.0.0

Initial release
Support for all standard AL object types
Configurable ID ranges and settings
Quick Pick interface with visual icons
Context menu integration
Keyboard shortcuts and command palette access
Auto-refresh and caching for performance
Filename suggestion generation
Range validation and warnings

Made with ❤️ for Business Central developers who need better ID management!

☕ Support This Extension

If this extension has saved you time and improved your AL development workflow, consider supporting its development:

Your support helps:

✨ Keep the extension free for everyone
🚀 Fund new features and improvements
🐛 Fix bugs and maintain compatibility
📚 Create better documentation

Thank you for using AL Object ID Suggester! 🙏

AL Object ID Suggester - Next Available ID Finder

GingerTurtle

AL Object ID Suggester

✨ Features

🚀 One-Click File Creation

🔍 Enhanced v1.1.0 Features

🎯 Smart Content-Based Parsing

🎯 Smart app.json Integration

🎯 Smart ID Detection

📋 Supported AL Object Types

⚡ Multiple Access Methods

🎨 Developer-Friendly Interface

🔧 Configurable SettingsÍ

☕ Like This Extension?

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

Basic Usage

Method 1: Create AL File Instantly (NEW! 🚀)

Method 2: Quick ID Suggestion

Method 3: Specific Object Commands

Method 4: Context Menu

Method 6: Export ID Usage Report (NEW! 📊)

Method 7: Bulk Validate Object IDs (NEW! ✅)

Method 8: Track Object Dependencies (NEW! 🔄)

Method 9: Configure Filename Templates (NEW! 🎯)

📖 Detailed Usage

Understanding the Results

File Creation Templates

ID Range Validation

Copying Results

⚙️ Configuration

alObjectId.defaultStartId

alObjectId.customRanges

alObjectId.includeExtensions

alObjectId.autoRefresh

alObjectId.suggestFilename

alObjectId.showFullPath

New v1.1.0 Configuration Options

alObjectId.filenameTemplates

alObjectId.exportFormat

alObjectId.dependencyTracking

alObjectId.validationRules

📊 Export Reports and Validation (NEW in v1.1.0)

ID Usage Reports

Bulk Validation

Dependency Tracking

Advanced Filename Templates

🎯 Use Cases

Development Workflow

Team Development

Large Projects

📋 Business Central ID Ranges Reference

Microsoft Standard Ranges

Common Naming Conventions

🛠️ Development

Building from Source

Project Structure

🐛 Troubleshooting

No AL Files Found

Wrong ID Suggestions

Extension Not Loading

Performance Issues

📄 License

🤝 Contributing

Planned Features

📝 Changelog

Version 1.0.0

☕ Support This Extension

`alObjectId.defaultStartId`

`alObjectId.customRanges`

`alObjectId.includeExtensions`

`alObjectId.autoRefresh`

`alObjectId.suggestFilename`

`alObjectId.showFullPath`

`alObjectId.filenameTemplates`

`alObjectId.exportFormat`

`alObjectId.dependencyTracking`

`alObjectId.validationRules`