@jwikman/bc-code-intelligence-mcp 1.5.7-dev.1

package/embedded-knowledge/domains/sam-coder/samples/generic-method-patterns.md

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+# Generic Method Patterns in AL - Code Examples
+
+This sample demonstrates implementing generic method patterns for type-safe, reusable operations in AL.
+
+## Basic Generic Interface
+
+```al
+// Generic interface for comparable operations
+interface IComparable
+{
+    procedure CompareTo(Other: Interface IComparable): Integer;
+}
+
+// Generic interface for collection operations
+interface IGenericCollection
+{
+    procedure Add(Item: Variant);
+    procedure Remove(Item: Variant): Boolean;
+    procedure Contains(Item: Variant): Boolean;
+    procedure Count(): Integer;
+    procedure Clear();
+    procedure ToArray(): Array of [Variant];
+}
+```
+
+## Generic List Implementation
+
+```al
+// Generic list implementation with type safety
+codeunit 50800 "Generic List Manager"
+{
+    var
+        Items: List of [Variant];
+        ItemType: Text[50];
+
+    procedure Initialize(ExpectedType: Text[50])
+    begin
+        Clear(Items);
+        ItemType := ExpectedType;
+    end;
+
+    procedure Add(Item: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        if not ValidateItemType(Item) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        Items.Add(Item);
+        exit(true);
+    end;
+
+    procedure AddRange(NewItems: List of [Variant]): Integer
+    var
+        Item: Variant;
+        AddedCount: Integer;
+    begin
+        AddedCount := 0;
+        foreach Item in NewItems do begin
+            if Add(Item) then
+                AddedCount += 1;
+        end;
+
+        exit(AddedCount);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Get(Index: Integer): Variant
+    var
+        EmptyVariant: Variant;
+    begin
+        if (Index < 1) or (Index > Items.Count) then
+            exit(EmptyVariant);
+
+        exit(Items.Get(Index));
+    end;
+
+    procedure Set(Index: Integer; Item: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        if not ValidateItemType(Item) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        if (Index < 1) or (Index > Items.Count) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        Items.Set(Index, Item);
+        exit(true);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Remove(Item: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        Index: Integer;
+    begin
+        Index := IndexOf(Item);
+        if Index > 0 then begin
+            Items.RemoveAt(Index);
+            exit(true);
+        end;
+
+        exit(false);
+    end;
+
+    procedure RemoveAt(Index: Integer): Boolean
+    begin
+        if (Index < 1) or (Index > Items.Count) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        Items.RemoveAt(Index);
+        exit(true);
+    end;
+
+    procedure IndexOf(Item: Variant): Integer
+    var
+        i: Integer;
+        CurrentItem: Variant;
+    begin
+        for i := 1 to Items.Count do begin
+            CurrentItem := Items.Get(i);
+            if AreEqual(CurrentItem, Item) then
+                exit(i);
+        end;
+
+        exit(0);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Contains(Item: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        exit(IndexOf(Item) > 0);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Count(): Integer
+    begin
+        exit(Items.Count);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Clear()
+    begin
+        Items.Clear();
+    end;
+
+    procedure ToArray(): List of [Variant]
+    begin
+        exit(Items);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Filter(FilterFunction: Text): List of [Variant]
+    var
+        FilteredItems: List of [Variant];
+        Item: Variant;
+    begin
+        foreach Item in Items do begin
+            if ApplyFilter(Item, FilterFunction) then
+                FilteredItems.Add(Item);
+        end;
+
+        exit(FilteredItems);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Map(MapFunction: Text): List of [Variant]
+    var
+        MappedItems: List of [Variant];
+        Item: Variant;
+        MappedItem: Variant;
+    begin
+        foreach Item in Items do begin
+            MappedItem := ApplyMap(Item, MapFunction);
+            MappedItems.Add(MappedItem);
+        end;
+
+        exit(MappedItems);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Sort(): Boolean
+    begin
+        exit(SortItems(Items));
+    end;
+
+    procedure SortBy(CompareFunction: Text): Boolean
+    begin
+        exit(SortItemsBy(Items, CompareFunction));
+    end;
+
+    local procedure ValidateItemType(Item: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        ActualType: Text[50];
+    begin
+        if ItemType = '' then
+            exit(true); // No type constraint
+
+        ActualType := GetVariantType(Item);
+        exit(ActualType = ItemType);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure GetVariantType(Item: Variant): Text[50]
+    begin
+        case true of
+            Item.IsText:
+                exit('Text');
+            Item.IsInteger:
+                exit('Integer');
+            Item.IsDecimal:
+                exit('Decimal');
+            Item.IsBoolean:
+                exit('Boolean');
+            Item.IsDate:
+                exit('Date');
+            Item.IsTime:
+                exit('Time');
+            Item.IsDateTime:
+                exit('DateTime');
+            Item.IsCode:
+                exit('Code');
+            else
+                exit('Unknown');
+        end;
+    end;
+
+    local procedure AreEqual(Item1: Variant; Item2: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        // Implement type-specific equality comparison
+        if GetVariantType(Item1) <> GetVariantType(Item2) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        exit(Format(Item1) = Format(Item2));
+    end;
+
+    local procedure ApplyFilter(Item: Variant; FilterFunction: Text): Boolean
+    begin
+        // Simplified filter implementation
+        case FilterFunction of
+            'NOT_EMPTY':
+                exit(Format(Item) <> '');
+            'POSITIVE':
+                begin
+                    if Item.IsInteger then
+                        exit(Item > 0);
+                    if Item.IsDecimal then
+                        exit(Item > 0);
+                    exit(false);
+                end;
+            'NOT_ZERO':
+                begin
+                    if Item.IsInteger then
+                        exit(Item <> 0);
+                    if Item.IsDecimal then
+                        exit(Item <> 0);
+                    exit(true);
+                end;
+            else
+                exit(true);
+        end;
+    end;
+
+    local procedure ApplyMap(Item: Variant; MapFunction: Text): Variant
+    var
+        MappedValue: Variant;
+        TextValue: Text;
+        IntValue: Integer;
+        DecValue: Decimal;
+    begin
+        case MapFunction of
+            'TO_UPPER':
+                begin
+                    if Item.IsText or Item.IsCode then begin
+                        TextValue := UpperCase(Format(Item));
+                        MappedValue := TextValue;
+                    end else
+                        MappedValue := Item;
+                end;
+            'TO_LOWER':
+                begin
+                    if Item.IsText or Item.IsCode then begin
+                        TextValue := LowerCase(Format(Item));
+                        MappedValue := TextValue;
+                    end else
+                        MappedValue := Item;
+                end;
+            'DOUBLE':
+                begin
+                    if Item.IsInteger then begin
+                        IntValue := Item * 2;
+                        MappedValue := IntValue;
+                    end else if Item.IsDecimal then begin
+                        DecValue := Item * 2;
+                        MappedValue := DecValue;
+                    end else
+                        MappedValue := Item;
+                end;
+            else
+                MappedValue := Item;
+        end;
+
+        exit(MappedValue);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure SortItems(var ItemList: List of [Variant]): Boolean
+    var
+        i, j: Integer;
+        temp: Variant;
+        swapped: Boolean;
+    begin
+        try
+            // Bubble sort implementation
+            for i := 1 to ItemList.Count - 1 do begin
+                swapped := false;
+                for j := 1 to ItemList.Count - i do begin
+                    if CompareVariants(ItemList.Get(j), ItemList.Get(j + 1)) > 0 then begin
+                        temp := ItemList.Get(j);
+                        ItemList.Set(j, ItemList.Get(j + 1));
+                        ItemList.Set(j + 1, temp);
+                        swapped := true;
+                    end;
+                end;
+                if not swapped then
+                    break;
+            end;
+
+            exit(true);
+
+        except
+            exit(false);
+        end;
+    end;
+
+    local procedure SortItemsBy(var ItemList: List of [Variant]; CompareFunction: Text): Boolean
+    begin
+        // Custom sorting based on compare function
+        exit(SortItems(ItemList)); // Simplified
+    end;
+
+    local procedure CompareVariants(Item1: Variant; Item2: Variant): Integer
+    var
+        Type1, Type2: Text[50];
+        Text1, Text2: Text;
+        Int1, Int2: Integer;
+        Dec1, Dec2: Decimal;
+        Date1, Date2: Date;
+    begin
+        Type1 := GetVariantType(Item1);
+        Type2 := GetVariantType(Item2);
+
+        if Type1 <> Type2 then begin
+            Text1 := Format(Item1);
+            Text2 := Format(Item2);
+            case true of
+                Text1 < Text2:
+                    exit(-1);
+                Text1 > Text2:
+                    exit(1);
+                else
+                    exit(0);
+            end;
+        end;
+
+        case Type1 of
+            'Integer':
+                begin
+                    Int1 := Item1;
+                    Int2 := Item2;
+                    case true of
+                        Int1 < Int2:
+                            exit(-1);
+                        Int1 > Int2:
+                            exit(1);
+                        else
+                            exit(0);
+                    end;
+                end;
+            'Decimal':
+                begin
+                    Dec1 := Item1;
+                    Dec2 := Item2;
+                    case true of
+                        Dec1 < Dec2:
+                            exit(-1);
+                        Dec1 > Dec2:
+                            exit(1);
+                        else
+                            exit(0);
+                    end;
+                end;
+            'Date':
+                begin
+                    Date1 := Item1;
+                    Date2 := Item2;
+                    case true of
+                        Date1 < Date2:
+                            exit(-1);
+                        Date1 > Date2:
+                            exit(1);
+                        else
+                            exit(0);
+                    end;
+                end;
+            else
+                begin
+                    Text1 := Format(Item1);
+                    Text2 := Format(Item2);
+                    case true of
+                        Text1 < Text2:
+                            exit(-1);
+                        Text1 > Text2:
+                            exit(1);
+                        else
+                            exit(0);
+                    end;
+                end;
+        end;
+    end;
+}
+```
+
+## Generic Dictionary Implementation
+
+```al
+// Generic dictionary with type-safe key-value operations
+codeunit 50801 "Generic Dictionary Manager"
+{
+    var
+        Keys: List of [Variant];
+        Values: List of [Variant];
+        KeyType: Text[50];
+        ValueType: Text[50];
+
+    procedure Initialize(ExpectedKeyType: Text[50]; ExpectedValueType: Text[50])
+    begin
+        Clear(Keys);
+        Clear(Values);
+        KeyType := ExpectedKeyType;
+        ValueType := ExpectedValueType;
+    end;
+
+    procedure Set(Key: Variant; Value: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        ExistingIndex: Integer;
+    begin
+        if not ValidateKeyType(Key) or not ValidateValueType(Value) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        ExistingIndex := FindKeyIndex(Key);
+        if ExistingIndex > 0 then begin
+            Values.Set(ExistingIndex, Value);
+        end else begin
+            Keys.Add(Key);
+            Values.Add(Value);
+        end;
+
+        exit(true);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Get(Key: Variant; var Value: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        KeyIndex: Integer;
+    begin
+        KeyIndex := FindKeyIndex(Key);
+        if KeyIndex > 0 then begin
+            Value := Values.Get(KeyIndex);
+            exit(true);
+        end;
+
+        Clear(Value);
+        exit(false);
+    end;
+
+    procedure TryGet(Key: Variant): Variant
+    var
+        Value: Variant;
+        EmptyVariant: Variant;
+    begin
+        if Get(Key, Value) then
+            exit(Value)
+        else
+            exit(EmptyVariant);
+    end;
+
+    procedure ContainsKey(Key: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        exit(FindKeyIndex(Key) > 0);
+    end;
+
+    procedure ContainsValue(Value: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        StoredValue: Variant;
+        i: Integer;
+    begin
+        for i := 1 to Values.Count do begin
+            StoredValue := Values.Get(i);
+            if AreEqual(StoredValue, Value) then
+                exit(true);
+        end;
+
+        exit(false);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Remove(Key: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        KeyIndex: Integer;
+    begin
+        KeyIndex := FindKeyIndex(Key);
+        if KeyIndex > 0 then begin
+            Keys.RemoveAt(KeyIndex);
+            Values.RemoveAt(KeyIndex);
+            exit(true);
+        end;
+
+        exit(false);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Clear()
+    begin
+        Keys.Clear();
+        Values.Clear();
+    end;
+
+    procedure Count(): Integer
+    begin
+        exit(Keys.Count);
+    end;
+
+    procedure GetKeys(): List of [Variant]
+    begin
+        exit(Keys);
+    end;
+
+    procedure GetValues(): List of [Variant]
+    begin
+        exit(Values);
+    end;
+
+    procedure GetKeyValuePairs(): List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]]
+    var
+        Pairs: List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+        Pair: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+        i: Integer;
+    begin
+        for i := 1 to Keys.Count do begin
+            Clear(Pair);
+            Pair.Set('Key', Keys.Get(i));
+            Pair.Set('Value', Values.Get(i));
+            Pairs.Add(Pair);
+        end;
+
+        exit(Pairs);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure FindKeyIndex(Key: Variant): Integer
+    var
+        i: Integer;
+        StoredKey: Variant;
+    begin
+        for i := 1 to Keys.Count do begin
+            StoredKey := Keys.Get(i);
+            if AreEqual(StoredKey, Key) then
+                exit(i);
+        end;
+
+        exit(0);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure ValidateKeyType(Key: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        ActualType: Text[50];
+    begin
+        if KeyType = '' then
+            exit(true);
+
+        ActualType := GetVariantType(Key);
+        exit(ActualType = KeyType);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure ValidateValueType(Value: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        ActualType: Text[50];
+    begin
+        if ValueType = '' then
+            exit(true);
+
+        ActualType := GetVariantType(Value);
+        exit(ActualType = ValueType);
+    end;
+
+    local procedure GetVariantType(Item: Variant): Text[50]
+    begin
+        case true of
+            Item.IsText:
+                exit('Text');
+            Item.IsInteger:
+                exit('Integer');
+            Item.IsDecimal:
+                exit('Decimal');
+            Item.IsBoolean:
+                exit('Boolean');
+            Item.IsDate:
+                exit('Date');
+            Item.IsTime:
+                exit('Time');
+            Item.IsDateTime:
+                exit('DateTime');
+            Item.IsCode:
+                exit('Code');
+            else
+                exit('Unknown');
+        end;
+    end;
+
+    local procedure AreEqual(Item1: Variant; Item2: Variant): Boolean
+    begin
+        if GetVariantType(Item1) <> GetVariantType(Item2) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        exit(Format(Item1) = Format(Item2));
+    end;
+}
+```
+
+## Generic Repository Pattern
+
+```al
+// Generic repository interface
+interface IGenericRepository
+{
+    procedure Create(Entity: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): Variant;
+    procedure Read(Id: Variant): Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+    procedure Update(Id: Variant; Entity: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): Boolean;
+    procedure Delete(Id: Variant): Boolean;
+    procedure FindAll(): List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+    procedure FindWhere(Criteria: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+}
+
+// Generic repository implementation for customers
+codeunit 50802 "Customer Repository" implements IGenericRepository
+{
+    procedure Create(Entity: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): Variant
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerNo: Code[20];
+        Name: Text[100];
+        Address: Text[100];
+    begin
+        Customer.Init();
+        Customer."No." := '';
+        Customer.Insert(true);
+        CustomerNo := Customer."No.";
+
+        if Entity.Get('Name', Name) then
+            Customer.Validate(Name, Name);
+
+        if Entity.Get('Address', Address) then
+            Customer.Validate(Address, Address);
+
+        Customer.Modify(true);
+
+        exit(CustomerNo);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Read(Id: Variant): Dictionary of [Text, Variant]
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerData: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+        CustomerNo: Code[20];
+    begin
+        CustomerNo := Id;
+
+        if Customer.Get(CustomerNo) then begin
+            CustomerData.Set('CustomerNo', Customer."No.");
+            CustomerData.Set('Name', Customer.Name);
+            CustomerData.Set('Address', Customer.Address);
+            CustomerData.Set('City', Customer.City);
+            CustomerData.Set('PostCode', Customer."Post Code");
+            CustomerData.Set('PhoneNo', Customer."Phone No.");
+            CustomerData.Set('Email', Customer."E-Mail");
+            CustomerData.Set('CreditLimit', Customer."Credit Limit (LCY)");
+            CustomerData.Set('Blocked', Customer.Blocked);
+        end;
+
+        exit(CustomerData);
+    end;
+
+    procedure Update(Id: Variant; Entity: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): Boolean
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerNo: Code[20];
+        Name: Text[100];
+        Address: Text[100];
+        City: Text[30];
+        PhoneNo: Text[30];
+        Email: Text[80];
+    begin
+        CustomerNo := Id;
+
+        if not Customer.Get(CustomerNo) then
+            exit(false);
+
+        try
+            if Entity.Get('Name', Name) then
+                Customer.Validate(Name, Name);
+
+            if Entity.Get('Address', Address) then
+                Customer.Validate(Address, Address);
+
+            if Entity.Get('City', City) then
+                Customer.Validate(City, City);
+
+            if Entity.Get('PhoneNo', PhoneNo) then
+                Customer.Validate("Phone No.", PhoneNo);
+
+            if Entity.Get('Email', Email) then
+                Customer.Validate("E-Mail", Email);
+
+            Customer.Modify(true);
+            exit(true);
+
+        except
+            exit(false);
+        end;
+    end;
+
+    procedure Delete(Id: Variant): Boolean
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerNo: Code[20];
+    begin
+        CustomerNo := Id;
+
+        if Customer.Get(CustomerNo) then begin
+            Customer.Delete(true);
+            exit(true);
+        end;
+
+        exit(false);
+    end;
+
+    procedure FindAll(): List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]]
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerList: List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+        CustomerData: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+    begin
+        if Customer.FindSet() then
+            repeat
+                Clear(CustomerData);
+                CustomerData.Set('CustomerNo', Customer."No.");
+                CustomerData.Set('Name', Customer.Name);
+                CustomerData.Set('Address', Customer.Address);
+                CustomerData.Set('City', Customer.City);
+                CustomerList.Add(CustomerData);
+            until Customer.Next() = 0;
+
+        exit(CustomerList);
+    end;
+
+    procedure FindWhere(Criteria: Dictionary of [Text, Variant]): List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]]
+    var
+        Customer: Record Customer;
+        CustomerList: List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+        CustomerData: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+        CityFilter: Text[30];
+        BlockedFilter: Boolean;
+    begin
+        if Criteria.Get('City', CityFilter) then
+            Customer.SetRange(City, CityFilter);
+
+        if Criteria.Get('Blocked', BlockedFilter) then
+            Customer.SetRange(Blocked, BlockedFilter);
+
+        if Customer.FindSet() then
+            repeat
+                Clear(CustomerData);
+                CustomerData.Set('CustomerNo', Customer."No.");
+                CustomerData.Set('Name', Customer.Name);
+                CustomerData.Set('Address', Customer.Address);
+                CustomerData.Set('City', Customer.City);
+                CustomerData.Set('Blocked', Customer.Blocked);
+                CustomerList.Add(CustomerData);
+            until Customer.Next() = 0;
+
+        exit(CustomerList);
+    end;
+}
+```
+
+## Usage Examples
+
+```al
+// Example of using generic patterns
+codeunit 50803 "Generic Patterns Usage"
+{
+    procedure DemonstrateGenericList()
+    var
+        StringList: Codeunit "Generic List Manager";
+        NumberList: Codeunit "Generic List Manager";
+        Items: List of [Variant];
+        FilteredItems: List of [Variant];
+        Item: Variant;
+        Count: Integer;
+    begin
+        // String list example
+        StringList.Initialize('Text');
+        StringList.Add('Apple');
+        StringList.Add('Banana');
+        StringList.Add('Cherry');
+
+        Message('String list count: %1', StringList.Count());
+
+        // Filter and map operations
+        FilteredItems := StringList.Filter('NOT_EMPTY');
+        FilteredItems := StringList.Map('TO_UPPER');
+
+        foreach Item in FilteredItems do
+            Message('Filtered item: %1', Item);
+
+        // Number list example
+        NumberList.Initialize('Integer');
+        NumberList.Add(10);
+        NumberList.Add(5);
+        NumberList.Add(15);
+        NumberList.Add(3);
+
+        NumberList.Sort();
+        Items := NumberList.ToArray();
+
+        foreach Item in Items do
+            Message('Sorted number: %1', Item);
+    end;
+
+    procedure DemonstrateGenericDictionary()
+    var
+        CustomerIndex: Codeunit "Generic Dictionary Manager";
+        CustomerName: Variant;
+        CustomerKeys: List of [Variant];
+        Key: Variant;
+    begin
+        // Initialize dictionary with type constraints
+        CustomerIndex.Initialize('Code', 'Text');
+
+        // Add customer mappings
+        CustomerIndex.Set('CUST001', 'Acme Corporation');
+        CustomerIndex.Set('CUST002', 'Beta Industries');
+        CustomerIndex.Set('CUST003', 'Gamma Solutions');
+
+        // Retrieve values
+        if CustomerIndex.Get('CUST001', CustomerName) then
+            Message('Customer CUST001 is: %1', CustomerName);
+
+        // Iterate through all keys
+        CustomerKeys := CustomerIndex.GetKeys();
+        foreach Key in CustomerKeys do begin
+            CustomerName := CustomerIndex.TryGet(Key);
+            Message('Customer %1: %2', Key, CustomerName);
+        end;
+
+        Message('Dictionary contains %1 customers', CustomerIndex.Count());
+    end;
+
+    procedure DemonstrateGenericRepository()
+    var
+        CustomerRepo: Codeunit "Customer Repository";
+        CustomerData: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+        AllCustomers: List of [Dictionary of [Text, Variant]];
+        FilterCriteria: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+        NewCustomerId: Variant;
+        Customer: Dictionary of [Text, Variant];
+    begin
+        // Create new customer
+        CustomerData.Set('Name', 'Generic Customer Ltd.');
+        CustomerData.Set('Address', '123 Generic Street');
+        CustomerData.Set('City', 'Generic City');
+
+        NewCustomerId := CustomerRepo.Create(CustomerData);
+        Message('Created customer with ID: %1', NewCustomerId);
+
+        // Read customer back
+        Customer := CustomerRepo.Read(NewCustomerId);
+        Message('Retrieved customer: %1', Customer.Get('Name'));
+
+        // Update customer
+        Clear(CustomerData);
+        CustomerData.Set('Address', '456 Updated Avenue');
+        CustomerData.Set('PhoneNo', '555-0123');
+
+        if CustomerRepo.Update(NewCustomerId, CustomerData) then
+            Message('Customer updated successfully');
+
+        // Find customers by criteria
+        FilterCriteria.Set('City', 'Generic City');
+        AllCustomers := CustomerRepo.FindWhere(FilterCriteria);
+        Message('Found %1 customers in Generic City', AllCustomers.Count);
+    end;
+}
+```
+
+This comprehensive implementation demonstrates generic programming patterns in AL, providing type-safe, reusable operations for collections, dictionaries, and repositories while maintaining AL's strong typing benefits.