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VSLive Orlando 2015: Real World SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)
As promised, here are the slides and code samples from the Real World SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) talk that I did this week at VSLive Orlando 2015. Here’s the abstract: SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) help you manage your database schemas and let you do it under source control. Great. Got it. But every…
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Fixing the empty drop problem with Visual Studio Online Java builds
A while back, Visual Studio Online (aka TFS in the cloud or TFS Azure or TFService) added the ability to do automated builds of Java code. That’s a pretty handy feature when you’re working in a cross-platform environment/company. We’ve been able to do this kind of thing “on prem” in Team Foundation Server for a…
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From TechEd Houston 2014: “Using Functional, Exploratory and Acceptance Testing to Release with Confidence”
I spoke at Microsoft TechEd 2014 in Houston, TX last week. One of the talks I did was on using Team Foundation Server 2013 (TFS2013) and Microsoft Test Manager 2013 (MTM 2013) to test your software. Specifically, how do you perform your tests and track your testing efforts so that you know that your application…
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Howto: Compose a TFS build from the output of previous builds with a configuration file
Ever needed to create a build out of a lot of smaller builds? Let’s say that you’ve got a Team Foundation Server (TFS) build that is supposed to take a bunch of different work streams and combine them to create a single installer (MSI). In TFS this can get a little tricky if you don’t…
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VSLive Chicago 2013: TFS2012 Build Customization talk
Thanks to those of you who came to my TFS2012 Build customization talk at VSLive Chicago 2013 yesterday. As promised, here are the slides and samples from the talk. Team Foundation Server 2012 Builds: Understand, Configure, and Customize The Build system in TFS2012 could be the best feature in the product. Actually, it’s almost definitely…
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VSLive Las Vegas 2013: TFS2012 Build Customization talk
Thanks to those of you who came to my TFS2012 Build customization talk at VSLive Vegas 2013 yesterday. As promised, here are the slides and samples from the talk. Team Foundation Server 2012 Builds: Understand, Configure, and Customize The Build system in TFS2012 could be the best feature in the product. Actually, it’s almost definitely…
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Slides & code from TFS Builds talk at VSLive Orlando 2012
Thanks to everyone who came to my Team Foundation Server 2012 Builds talk at VSLive Orlando last week. As promised, here are my slides and the source code for the demos. The “TfsBuildTalk” folder is a complete zip of the team project that I was using during the demos. This contains the build scripts, the…
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Updated TFS2012 Build Activities – Now with IIS Reset and Database Deploy!
I updated my Team Foundation Server 2012 Build Activities last week. If you’re trying to deploy or configure your application during a TFS automated build, you might find these helpful. When you add these activities to a customized TFS build process template, they’ll help you to do common activities for generating a release candidate and/or…
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Tip: Make TFS2012 build logging easier using extension methods in Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities
I’ve been writing a lot of custom Workflow Activities for Team Foundation Server 2012 (TFS2012) Builds lately. A custom Workflow Activity lets you drop application-specific logic and steps into theout-of-the-box TFS build scripts (aka. “build process templates”). When you write one of these Activities, you almost always need/want to write to the TFS build log…
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Team Foundation Server 2012 Illustrated Install Guide v1.0
I do a lot of Team Foundation Server installations and – well, they can be a little tricky. There are a lot of steps and, while they’re not that hard, you really have to pay attention to the steps. Over the years, I’ve found that it’s helpful to have a step-by-step guide with screenshots to…