Today, I got re-awarded as a Visual Studio ALM MVP for the 8th time.
The Visual Studio ALM brand is used to refer to Team Foundation Server (and service) as the core, surrounded by clients like the Visual Studio IDE, Microsoft Test Manager, Team Explorer, Microsoft Feedback Client, Team Web Access, and some more).
Here’s how Microsoft describes the MVP Award Program:
Today, 885 exemplary community leaders around the world were notified that they have received the MVP Award! These individuals were chosen because they have demonstrated their deep commitment to helping others make the most of their technology, voluntarily sharing their passion and real-world knowledge of Microsoft products with the community.
While there are more than 100 million social and technical community members, only a small portion are selected to be recognized as MVPs. Each year, around 4,000 MVPs are honored. They are nominated by Microsoft, other community individuals, or in some cases themselves. Candidates are rigorously evaluated for their technical expertise, community leadership, and voluntary community contributions for the previous year. They come from more than 90 countries, speak over 40 different languages, and are awarded in more than 90 Microsoft technologies. Together, they answer more than 10 million questions a year!
MVPs are recognized each quarter for this annual award, which continues to grow and evolve to reflect the development of Microsoft technologies.
Congratulations to the new MVPs, and welcome back to renewed MVPs. We are very excited to recognize your amazing accomplishments!
--Neno
Description
In this podcast, Hassan Fadili talks to Neno Loje, both VS ALM MVP’s, about new features in Visual Studio ALM & Visual Studio Team Foundation Server (and Service) 2012. Besides features, they also talk about success stories and areas of interest in this space.
Link to Podcast: (19 minutes, 24 seconds)
Additional Links
--Neno
The Problem
On the TFS application, if you try to access TFS using its FQDN you receive a “Not authorized” or “Unauthorized” error.
How to fix
Try disabling the authentication loopback check as described in KB 887993 (there are two methods, where setting BackConnectionHostNames is the preferred one).
Q: Do Coded UI Tests support <some Technology>?
A: I don’t know. But Microsoft is maintaining a support matrix at:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2012/10/05/visual-studio-2012-rtm-coded-ui-test-support-matrix.aspx
Note: this screenshot is not updated. Please refer to the link above.
There are three places where you might want to configure SMTP settings:
- On TFS itself via » TFS Admin Console » Email Alert Settings:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms400808(v=vs.110).aspx - SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) via » Reporting Services Configuration Manager: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345234.aspx
- SharePoint (SP) via » Central Admin » System Settings » Outgoing e-mail settings:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288949.aspx
Here are some screenshots:
TFS Admin Console:
Reporting Services Configuration Manager:
SharePoint Central Administration:
As a MSDN subscriber, the product key for Team Foundation Server 2012 does appears under the “Visual Studio 2012” section of “My Product Keys”:
See also: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc668758(v=vs.110).aspx
Q: Why is the backlog view missing in TFS 2012 Web Access?
A: In TFS 2012, web access permissions control what Web Access features are available to users. By default users get “Standard” permissions.
Here’s how to fix it: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2012/06/04/enabling-feedback-requests-the-backlog-and-sprint-planning-in-team-foundation-server-2012.aspx
Note: Make sure that all users with “Full” permission have either Visual Studio Premium, Ultimate or Test Professional (more info can be found here).
It can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center:
Notes:
- The “Installer” versions download necessary update files from the internet.
- (*) = Install the GDR updates if you want to use TFS 2012 or TF Service.
Answer: It’s not supported, and thus not recommended.
If you want to use SQL Server 2012 consider upgrading to TFS 2012, which fully supports it.
In order to restart the TFS app tier, you can run these commands on the AT itself:
%windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd recycle apppool /apppool.name:"Microsoft Team Foundation Server Application Pool"
net stop tfsjobagent
net start tfsjobagent
You can download the ready-to-use script file here.
Note: You need to run this script as administrator.
Microsoft patterns & practices published a new book.
What’s the book all about?
“Testing is potentially an obstacle to agile software deployment. The smallest change in your code could require the whole application to be retested. This book shows you how to minimize these costs by using the testing infrastructure of Visual Studio 2012. The code samples gives you a starting point to test your infrastructure.”
Who should read the book?:
“This book is aimed at test engineers, managers, developers, and folks interested in understanding the changing world of test.”
Read online: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj159345.aspx
Download: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35380
The issue
On the TFS Project Portal, you get a 404 error from SharePoint instead of the dashboard.
Background
Then that project were probably created with the Visual Studio Scrum 1.0 template, and that template is not available on the new SharePoint server.
How to fix
- Download and install Visual Studio Scrum 1.0
- In the Project Portal subfolder, look at Readme.txt
- Execute the batch commands listed in that Readme.txt to upload the missing .WSP file
(on the first line, starting with “SET STSADM”, make sure to replace version “12” with “14” if you are using SharePoint 2010, or accordingly for any newer versions).
(Big thanks to Trevor Hancock, Hassan Fadili, and Wes MacDonald for the solution.)
Shipping as part of Visual Studio 2012:
- Builds – Requires that build was successful (CI builds) and therefore build breaks must be fixed before a new check-in.
- Changeset Comments Policy – Requires that user provide comments on check-ins. (new in VS 2012)
- Code Analysis – Requires that Code Analysis is run before check-in. [More]
- Work Items – Requires one or more work items be associated with the check-in.
Note: The Testing Policy that shipped with VS 2010 is not longer available.
Added after installing TFS 2012 Power Tools (needs to be installed an all VS clients):
- Custom Path Policy – Allows you to scope other check-in policies to specific folders or file types. [See here for how to use it.]
- Forbidden Patterns Policy – Prevents users from checking in files with filenames that contain forbidden characters or patterns.
- Work Item Query Policy – Requires that the associated work items need to be part of the result of a specified work item query.
Note: When using an older version of VS (2008/2010) you need to install the corresponding version of the TFS Power Tools (VS 2008 requires 2008 Power Tools, etc.)
Developed by the Community:
- Code Review Checkin Policy – allows to enforce Code Reviews prior to check-in (by Colin Dembovsky). Get it here.
- Checkin Time Tracker v3 – allows you to gather effort values from developers during check-in (by AIT TeamSystemPro Team). Get it here.
- Column Limit Check-in Policy – prevents users from checking in files that don't comply with your column limit coding style guidelines (by Gambitrex). Get it here.
- Merge / Branch Only Check in Policy – Block check ins that are not part of either a branch or merge operation (by Leon Mayne). Get it here.
Note: When using an older version of VS (2008/2010) you need to install the corresponding version of the check-in policies (for a list of check-in policies for VS 2010, see here).
What about the "Override Warnings" link?
How can I deploy custom Check-In Policies to all team members?
How can I create custom Check-In Policies?:
Do you know another great check-in policy for TFS 2012? Let me know!
--Neno
Updated (May 17th, 2013): Added Merge / Branch Only Check in Policy.
Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2012: Adopting Agile Software Practices
From Backlog to Continuous Feedback (3rd Edition)
Sam and I updated our book on agile software engineering to reflect the feature set of the new Visual Studio & Team Foundation Server 2012.
How to get it:
ISBN-10: 0321864875
Promotional Offer
Use code VSTFS2012 at InformIT to get 35% off the printed copy or the DRM-free PDF. Offer valid until December 31st, 2013.
Sample Chapters
Chapter 2: Scrum, Agile Practices, and Visual Studio (25 pages) Chapter 9: Lessons Learned at Microsoft Developer Division (23 pages) Table of Contents
Foreword to Third Edition by Brian Harry Foreword to Second Edition by Ken Schwaber Preface Chapter 1: The Agile Consensus Chapter 2: Scrum, Agile Practices, and Visual Studio Chapter 3: Product Ownership Chapter 4: Running the Sprint Chapter 5: Architecture Chapter 6: Development Chapter 7: Build and Lab Chapter 8: Test Chapter 9: Lessons Learned at Microsoft Developer Division Chapter 10: Continuous Feedback Authors
Sam Guckenheimer is the product owner for the Microsoft Visual Studio product line. Neno Loje is an independent Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) consultant and Visual Studio Team Foundation Server (TFS) specialist. Book Description
This is the definitive guide to applying agile development and modern software engineering practices with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2012—Microsoft’s complementary Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) platform. It focuses on solving real development challenges, systematically eliminating waste, improving transparency, and delivering better software more quickly and painlessly.
Previous Editions
3rd Edition, 2012: Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2012: Adopting Agile Software Practices: From Backlog to Continuous Feedback
The latest edition was an update. We revised it to reflect the new capabilities and tools in VS & TFS 2012 (especially the ones that support small and agile teams) as well as an updated chapter on lessons learned at Microsoft. (There we only minimal changes to the parts on Scrum and agile practices). 2nd Edition, 2011: Agile Software Engineering with Visual Studio
The second edition was essentially a complete rewrite, focusing on Scrum and software development in a modern and agile manner using tools from VS 2010 (not sure why this was marked as a 2nd edition as this really is more a entirely new book). 1st Edition, 2006: Software Engineering with Microsoft Visual Studio Team System
This was the initial version by Sam and Juan J. Perez, targeting VSTS 2005. What other’s say about the book
Brian Harry's blog: Sam and Neno’s VS 2012 Book Available at Launch Matteo Emili: Review - Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2012: Adopting Agile Software Practices: From Backlog to Continuous Feedback
Here’s my personal selection of books covering TFS 2012:
Have fun reading!
Sam and my book for TFS 2010 is now available in Japanese.
The Problem
- You are configuring SMTP Settings for TFS 2010 and want to specify a different port for your SMTP server than the default port (which would be port 25)
Figure: TFS 2010 does not allow to set a custom SMTP port.
Solution #1: Change config file
- As answered here and here, you could add the following XML to the TfsJobAgent.exe.config file (usually located in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2010\Application Tier\TFSJobAgent):
<mailSettings>
<smtp deliveryMethod="Network">
<network port="2525"/>
</smtp>
</mailSettings>
- Keep in mind that this is only valid for TFS notifications itself and not for notifcations from SQL Server Reporting Services or the SharePoint-based Project Portal.
The Solution #2: Install a local SMTP server
- Install the SMTP Service on Windows Server and ask it to route all SMTP traffic to a different SMTP server.
- On the Delivery tab, click Advanced, an enter the SMTP server name as "smart host".
- On the Delivery tab, click Outbound Connections, and set the TCP port (= SMTP port).
Figure: Setting up a local SMTP server has the great benefit that you can use it SMTP for other applications, too (like notifications from SQL Server Reporting Services or SharePoint).
Cross-posted from my other blog:
![Microsoft_SQL_Server_Logo_thumb[1]](http://msmvps.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles/vstsblog.metablogapi/6013.Microsoft_5F00_SQL_5F00_Server_5F00_Logo_5F00_thumb1_5F00_thumb_5F00_260A3614.png "Microsoft_SQL_Server_Logo_thumb[1]")
The Problem
- You have a database (e.g. TFS collection database) in SQL Server Enterprise Edition.
- You want to backup and restore this database on a SQL Server Standard Edition.
- You get an error message on restore that some features are not supported.
The Solution
…
[Read the full post]
The Problem
- You are using DevExpress components.
- Compilation fails with the message:
'Cannot resolve dependency to assembly 'Microsoft.Windows.Design.Extensibility, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
The Solution
- Check your references and remove any reference to DevExpress.*.Design.dll's.
(Thanks to "Kookiz" who solved this.)
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