This post is the Third post out of Five that builds the TFS 2010 Work Items Basic Guide. See the first post: “TFS 2010 Work Items Basic User Guide – Introduction”

I have already published regarding the creation of new Work Items: “TFS 2010 Work Items Basic User Guide – Create New Work Items”

On this post I will talk about one of the big changes in TFS 2010 is the Link types between Work Items!

In any development process you will have many Work Items, Work Items in the development process are related to one another in many cases, in Team System 2005/2008 the relations between the work items are represented as the Work Item Links and the type of the link is “Related”.

The problem with one type of link between work items doesn’t show the real relation between the work items.

In TFS 2010 there is an extension to this solution that makes a revolution, there are many new link types between work items that shows the real relation between the linked work items.

In order to get to the Links of a Work Item go to the Links tab and click on the “Link to” button.

In my example there are two Work Items of type “Task” number 61 and 62, I will use all the link types to link between Work Item 62 as the initiator to Work Item 61.

Parent/Child – These two links are the most significant links, there can be only one parent to each child and each parent have no limit for the number of children he can have.
These types are significant when using the MSProject and Excel. (Different Post)

Predecessor/Successor – Use Predecessor when you need an item to be done before the current Work Item, for example a task that must be finished before the current task can start.
use Successor when you need the current item to be finished before the linked item can be started.
These types are the same as the MSProject Predecessor and Successor.

Tests/Tested By – These link types are very strong when used with the Test Case Work Items, Tests when used from a Test Case means that the Test Case covers the linked Work Item, it can be a bug, an issue or a requirement.
Tested By is the opposite direction of “Tests” link, you use it from bugs, issues, requirements etc. the linked Work Item will be Test Case.

Related – Not This is the regular related link type that we had in Team System 2005/2008, this link say that there is a relation between two work items it doesn’t say what is the relation’s nature.

Affects/Affected By – Not much to say about these link types, they are self explanatory.

Shared Step/Test Case – These link types are used only in two case, from Shared Steps Work Items you use the Test Case link to a Test Case Work Item, that means that the Shared Steps Work Item is used in the linked Test Case Work Item.
From a Test Case Work Item you use the Shared Step link to a Shared Steps Work Item, that means that the Teat Case Work Item is using the linked Shared Steps Work Item.

So we can see there is a grate verity of link types in TFS 2010 that helps us manage the development process in grater efficiency.

Next guide part: "TFS 2010 Work Items Basic User Guide – Create And Use Queries"

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This post is the second post out of Five that builds the TFS 2010 Work Items Basic Guide. See the first post: “TFS 2010 Work Items Basic User Guide – Introduction”

On this post I will show different ways to create new work items from the Team Explorer 2010.

In order to show the Team Explorer in Visual Studio click on its icon.

There are two main methods to create Work Items, from the Team Explorer --> Work Items menu or from the Team tab.

In order to create a new work item from the Team Explorer --> Work Items menu do the following:

Right click the Work Items menu item choose the "Add Work Item" and choose the Work Item type you like to create from the list of Work Item types.

In order to create a new work item from the Team tab do the following:

Click the Team tab choose the "Add Work Item" and choose the Work Item type you like to create from the list of Work Item types.

The result of both methods is the same, a new form of the chosen Work Item type.

Next guide part: "TFS 2010 Work Items Basic User Guide – Work Item Link Types"

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The problem is that some users can’t get to the Alerts section of the Web Access.

The cause of the problem is unknown, I have tried to go into the Database and find the cause for the problem in one of my clients sites and I was unsuccessful in doing that.

I have also tried to reinstall the Web Access with the same result.

Microsoft say that this is a known bug and it will be fixed in the next Web Access release version.

Has for Web Access 2008 SP1 it is not fixed yet.

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There is a new process management tool made by Talmia company.

The tool makes process management easier based on work flow concept.

The “Big Picture” of working in Talmia is:

You start by Defining your Scenarios, each in its own work flow:

You Deploy the Process and all its Scenarios after defining them and Talmia will automatically synchronize with the TFS by creating all the work items and activating them based on the work flow.

The Execute section is just following the work items Talmia activate and finish them.

During the all process you monitor the progress of the Scenarios and the total work flow of the process.

You can see a video that shows all the functionality in this link: http://www.talmia.com/video.aspx

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Team System is very powerful when it comes to manage development and QA, in order to manage development and QA you will need to have Requirements, Tasks, Bugs etc. and the links between them.

In Team System there is a generic object that covers all that is needed, it is called Work Item.

What is a Work Item?

A work item is a generic object that has types, for example: Requirement, Task, Bug, etc.

The Work Item types that are available "out of the box" in Team system are not the only types available, you can create new types as needed in your QA and development process.

Using these Work Items you can control your development and QA processes, for example using bugs will help you manage the quality of your product.

All Work Item types are configurable, it is required in order to have the System, Support the methodologies and process you are using and not the other way.

How to create new types and how to make configurations to the Work Item types, are subjects that will be covered in different guide.

In the following 4 posts that will be related to this user guide I will focus on the day to day tasks with Work Items using the Team Explorer 2010.

These are the blog posts subjects:

1. Create new Work Items in different ways
2. Explanation On Work Items Links that are one of the big changes In TFS 2010 
3. Create and use queries
4. Create new Work Items out of existing work items

This guide will help new users to start using the Team System and it will help existing users to use the Team System more efficiently.

The Guide will be published in my codeplex project: “Team System Guides” when finished.

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There are times when you need to know who are the users that are logged in to TFS, there are many reasons why you need this information starting from troubleshooting and ends with usage statistics.

In this blog I will answer another question that I am been asked all the time: “Why the hell do I need the TfsActivityLogging database?”

Here is why, in order for you to get the list of users logged in to TFS and the Log in history do the following:

Step 1: Open the SQL Server Management Studio (With Administrative rights)

Step 2: Connect to the SQL Server of the TFS

Step 3: Browse to the TfsActivityLogging database

Step 4: Query the tbl_Command table

Now you can see all the users that are logged in and the log in history and you know the answer to the big question: “Why the hell do I need the TfsActivityLogging database?”

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In TFS 2008 you could create Branches so what is the big change???

1. In TFS 2008 you don’t know which of the folders are Branches:  All folders looks the same, all have the folder icon.
2. In TFS 2008 you don’t have the tools to manage the Branches: You don’t have visual means to know which of the branches are related and what is the relation type.
3. In TFS 2008 you can’t track the changes path between the Branches: If you have made a merge in a Branch you can’t track from which Branch this Merge came from.

All these problems are addressed in TFS 2010!!!

Problem 1: In TFS 2008 you don’t know which of the folders are Branches

In TFS 2010 there is a new icon that shows which of the folder is a Branch, simple solution that fixes a very annoying problem.

In the example I have highlighted the branches, you can easily spot the Branches.

Problem 2: In TFS 2008 you don’t have the tools to manage the Branches

In TFS 2010 you have visual tools to see the Branches Hierarchy.

In order to see a Branch Hierarchy just Right Click the Branch and choose: Branching and Merging –> View Hierarchy

A new tab will be opened with the Branch’s Hierarchy.

Problem 3: In TFS 2008 you can’t track the changes path between the Branches

In TFS 2010 you have visual tools that shows the path of a change between the Branches, you can also see where the change was added on a timeline.

In order to track a change do the following:

Step 1: Right Click the Branch and choose “View History”

Step 2: Choose a changeset to track and click the “Track Changeset” button.

Step 3: Choose the branches that will be in the view and click “Visualize”.

What you will get is a view of the chosen branches where you can see in the example that Changesets 42 and 46 where merged from the “Production/1.0 DemoProject” Branch to the “DemoProject” Branch.

You can also see that the changeset was not merged to the “1.7 DemoProject” Branch yet.

You can also see the Merges on a Timeline by clicking on the “Timeline Tracking” button.

We have seen how TFS 2010 addressed each of the problems or lake in functionality we had in TFS 2008.

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There is a new SideKicks version that was released for TFS 2008 and TFS 2005.

Personally I don’t see any amazing new functionality that was released with the new version, a few bug fixes the best new functionality that I could find was the search for users in the server.

Any way if you are SideKicks fan (And I know of many that are) than this link is for you:

http://www.attrice.info/blog/2009/11/12/team-foundation-sidekicks-2-4-release/

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Microsoft has announced that they have purchased the Teamprise division of SourceGear.

By doing that Microsoft now supports all main development platforms and gives its customers the ability to work both with Microsoft Technologies and none Microsoft Technologies and still benefit from the amazing world of the Team System, Congratulations!!!

Brian Harry has posted regarding the purchase:

http://blogs.msdn.com/bharry/archive/2009/11/09/microsoft-has-acquired-the-teamprise-client-suite.aspx

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It seems that Microsoft doesn’t let us bread with all the new releases she makes.

Microsoft has released the first build for the Team Explorer 2010 Power Tools not all its functionality is available yet but it will be available with the official release.

The installation process is very simple and like with the Team Explorer 2008 Power Tools October release all will be installed using the “Next” button with the Exception of the Shell Extensions that are installed for the BPA tools.

In order to install the Shell Extensions you will need to explicitly choose it.

When you first launch the Visual Studio and the Team Explorer 2010 you get a warm feeling, feels like home again. (For users that used the Team Explorer 2008 Power Tools October Release)

You can immediately notice two things:

1. Icons are changed.
2. The Team Members tab is missing.

The Team Members tab will be added in the Release and will not be available for the Beta.

you can read more about the released features in Brian Harry’s post that was release a few weeks ago:

http://blogs.msdn.com/bharry/archive/2009/11/18/tfs-2010-power-tools-coming-soon.aspx

You can download the power tools from this link:

http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/0e69a28f-020c-488b-80b3-f4c89a20621d

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The popular template for SCRUM for Team System was released for Team System 2010 Beta 2 version.

The official site can be found

Links to download can be found here.

The “Task Board” was released too, a webcast can that shows the new functionality can be found in the following link:

http://www.scrumforteamsystem.com/webcasts/Beta3webcast.html

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