TF26204 error when importing WorkItems in TFS08 SP1

Recently,
I have run into a problem while importing a workitem template from one TFS project to another. The error I got was slightly misleading at first:
TF26204: The account you have entered is not recognized. You do not persmission, please contact your TFS Administrator.

After, traditional WTF (mummbling) and Googling for an error I have narrow down the problem to the rules used on the template. This MSDN article was a big clue!

The Work Item template I was importing had rules with regards to user lists.
Specifically the original Project Template had a custom security group "Testers" and the WI template has rules specific to this group, in my case it was: , the new project was created with a different template and did not contain mentioned group.

At this point I had two options:
1. Modify WI template and remove all references to the non-existent security group. Good starting point is here or here.
2. Add the missing group to the TFS Project. From VS menu click Team Team Project Settings Group Memebership and click New.

I have choosen option 2. This error may also show up if you have custom lists that use "\" in this case I recomend to replace "\" with "" via option 1.

Failed to setup TFS 2008 with SQL Server 2008 on Windows 2008

Finally got around to installing a brand spanky new TFS 2008 + SQL 2008 + Win2008 and out of gate run into a problem:

"The System Health Check has detected a problem that will cause Setup to fail. "
Description A compatible version of SQL Server is not installed.

So, I go over the guide and SQL install to make sure that I did install supported version for TFS08: SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition or Standard Edition and of course everything looks good.

On my second pass through the guide and find a small gotcha that I missed in the Prerequisite Installation: Team Foundation Server with a data-tier server that is running SQL Server 2008, you must integrate this service pack with files from the installation DVD for Team Foundation Server.

So to resolve the problem, one must follow instructions from the install guide: How to:

Integrate the Installation of Team Foundation Server and Service Pack 1.

bottom line: pay attention to the TFS Install Guide! ... and you may save a few hours of WTF is going on.

COALMG cross 30

Dan Rigsby did a great job on presenting Agile Project Management with Scrum and we have a record attendance of 31 people out 56 members.

Looking forward to our next meeting in January, hopefully we will be able to pull it off before the Codemash

Set a Guinness World Record with downloading FF3

Central Ohio ALM Group meeting

First of all I would like to aplogize to everyone who signed up for the email notifications for the ALM User Group. That list was mis-placed and I was not able to add people.
so we will try it one more time with list sign up, or you can subscribe to our blog or sign through codezone.

An now i am proudly announce that we have our first meeting on 4/29/08 at 5:30 pm.
See more details at the site.

Pictures from Detroit VS2008 Launch Event & Geek Dinner

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69157670@N00/sets/72157604167260604/

How does an TFS geek pack?

Since I have been challenge to respond by my Boss, known in the company as a QUITTER to the moving, here is how I see moving and packing from the TFS point of view:

First of all the shipping boxes would be known as a “Changesets” that may contain many different items. As each item is packed it will get a unique version id. As I move item around I would create new boxes to hold a newly moved item. Interestingly I may actually be able to “clone the item”, since the same item will be part of the different boxes. I may require a Packing Review before any of the packing is committed and the box filled. Once the box is full of the continents an automatic shipping process will kick off to verify that all my packing is done according the shipping standards and that my packing does not break other people packing, the shipping company and all other parties that subscribe to Alerts will be notified of the filled boxes. Not only one shall be able to see the contents and status of the box, but also all the requirements that prompted the filling of the box and how many times it has been re-packed due to the changing shipping/moving rules.

FRAG! I have checked in the code in TFS05 I did not mean. What do I do now?

Hypothetically speaking...

Lets assume that one of my "friends" made a big mistake and have checked in the code into TFS, and broke the build, and screw up the code that was frozen & suppose to be ready to go to the production!

So, what can the "friend" do at this point, considering that once the code is checked in into the TFS source control it does become part of the permanent record.

Well the "friend" has found that the easiest thing to do, besides blaming the PM is to do following:

1. Find the Changeset that was preceding the check-in, one can do it by right clicking on the solution/project/file(s) (I think solution or project would be preferred to ensure that all changes will be rolled back) and selecting "Get Specific Version"; from the Type dropdown select "Changeset" and using the Changeset dialog to display all change for the day or person.

2. Once the code for the selected Changeset is loaded, you still have nothing to check-in, so trigger the checking process, select solution/project/file(s) and select "Check Out for Edit".

3. Now one should be able to check-in the back into the source control by selecting "Checkin Pending Changes".

4. Here is where the fun comes, during the check-in process "Conflict" dialog will popup, one should select the file(s) and click on "Resolve" choice and select "Discard Server Changes".

5. Now that all conflicts has been resolved, repeat step 3.

 

Alternatively, one may download Team Foundation PowerToys (TFPT.exe) and use one of the nifty commands: tfpt rollback /changeset:###; if there are any conflicts detected user is presented with a "Merge" dialog.