Tip #1348: Convert CER to a PFX like a boss

I have nothing but respect for Nick Doelman but his affinity with a mouse device is starting to wear me off. Yes, I’m talking about his recent post on conversion of a CER file into a PFX file. Screen after screen after screen. Phleee-a-a-se… Just looking at those give me a mental carpal injury. Plus you end up with a certificate in your local store wasting precious bytes. It should not be that difficult.

tl;dr

Future me, pay attention, this is all you need to know:

openssl pkcs12 -export -out cert.pfx -inkey priv.key -in cert.crt -certfile bundle.crt

What is this sorcery?

I assume if you’re dealing with certificates, you’re not adverse to a bit of developer’s jiggery-pokery a.k.a command line. I also assume you are here because you don’t trust an online converter and you did not find these or these instructions easy to understand. Let me compare creating the pfx certificate to one of the greatest culinary achievements ever: strawberry 2-ingredients sorbet.

Ingredients

CertificateSorbet
2-3 text files:
  • cert.crt (or .cer) – contains the actual certificate
  • priv.key – contains the key (this one you should really keep a secret)
  • bundle.crt – CA and intermediate certificates bundle optionally provided by your certificate issuer
1 lb / 455g strawberry
1 openssl.exe (any good cook should already have one but we also provide instructions how to make one from scratch) ¼ cup / 85g honey

Preparation

CertificateSorbet
If you have Linux or Mac, you’re all set. If you have Git for Windows, OpenSSL is already in C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\openssl.exe.Hull the strawberries by using a straw to push out the stem of each strawberry.
If you have Chocolatey then this should do the trick of installing openssl:
choco install openssl		Cut strawberries in half and place on a parchmen paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until hardened.
Otherwise head off to openssl wiki and pick your favorite.Add the frozen strawberries and honey to a food processor and combine until evenly mixed.
Magic command line:
openssl pkcs12 -export -out cert.pfx -inkey priv.key -in cert.crt -certfile bundle.crt		Transfer to a loaf pan and transfer to freezer until completely frozen.
Enjoy!Enjoy!

Cover photo by Pressmaster

Tip #1346: Where to find Azure AD B2C Metadata endpoint for this policy

Rapid release cadence is great when it comes to innovation, bug fixes, and new features. One thing it’s not very good for is the documentation. It’s virtually impossible to keep one up to date.

Take, for example provisioning Azure AD B2C and configuring Power Apps portals to use it. Documentation talks about Metadata endpoint for this policy which no longer exists in the new UI.

Here’s how to get one today in Azure AD B2C:

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Tip #1345: When Power Automate picks the wrong type

When using the Parse JSON action in Power Automate, flow will guess what type of data your fields are. Sometimes it guesses incorrectly, such as thinking a number field should be a text string.

When this happens, you will only be able to select the field for test fields, not number fields in update record steps.

To fix this, simply delete the “type” line from the JSON schema. Then the field will be available to be selected for all field types.

Tip #1344: Video guide to 2020 Wave 1: Improved Event Management in Dynamics 365 Marketing

In today’s tip, MVP Amey Holden reviews the revamped event management experience in Dynamics 365 management.

From the official documentation:

  • Use marketing forms in events: Event planners are able to use forms within the Marketing application to create forms for event registration, which enables event planners to build registration forms using a familiar drag-and-drop interface and to include more types of fields.
  • Embed registration forms into any CMS: For the first time, event registration forms can be embedded into any third-party content management system (CMS), just like other forms in the Marketing application.
  • Design forms within the event: Event planners can design event registration forms from the event entity without leaving the event.
Watch the video

Tip #1343: Video guide to 2020 Wave 1: Resource utilization analytics in Dynamics 365 Field Service

Dynamics 365 2020 Wave 1 introduces new Power BI powered visualizations for analyzing your field service resource’s utilization. This dashboard does not require you to have a Power BI license. In today’s video tip, MVP’s Shawn Tabor and Scott Lefante show you the new resource utilization analytics dashboard.

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Tip #1341: Video guide to 2020 Wave 1: Time entry in Dynamics 365 Field Service

Traditionally, doing time entry in field service required customization of the application. In Wave 1 2020, time entry becomes a native feature of Field Service.

In today’s video tip, MVP’s Scott Lefante and Shawn Tabor show how to configure time entry, including how to automatically record time from work orders.

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Tip #1340: Video guide to Wave 1: Next generation schedule board in Dynamics 365 Field Service

Dynamics 365 2020 Wave 1 includes a major makeover for the schedule board. In today’s video tip, MVP’s Shawn Tabor and Scott Lefante show how the new board loads faster, is more accessible for people with visual challenges, and makes users more productive.

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Tip #1339: The easiest CDS/Dynamics 365/CRM connection ever

Question

I need to write a small console app that can authenticate to an online CRM instance with multi-factor authentication turned on. Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to accomplish this?

Stephen Smith

We’ve been through the topic of connections a few times before but this conversation is just too good to pass.

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