Buck Hodges

Azure DevOps (formerly VSTS and Team Foundation Server)

Gated checkin for Git: Using Branch Policies to run a build in VSTS and TFS

March 20, 2016 Mar 20, 2016 03/20/16
Buck Hodges
Let’s start with what gated checkin is, which is a feature we shipped as part of TFS 2010. Gated checkin enforces that a change in a branch builds and optionally passes tests (and anything else you want to do as part of your build) before it is checked in and available to everyone else in the branch. The gated checkin process we shipped ...

Git Credential Manager is now installed by Git for Windows

March 18, 2016 Mar 18, 2016 03/18/16
Buck Hodges
Beginning with version 2.7.3, Git for Windows includes the Git Credential Manager (GCM) that makes authenticating with Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) a breeze with both Microsoft Accounts (MSAs fka LiveIDs) and Azure Active Directory (AAD) identities. Since GCM is installed by default, you’ll get prompted for credentials when running git...

Tenth anniversary of Team Foundation Server

March 17, 2016 Mar 17, 2016 03/17/16
Buck Hodges
Today marks the tenth anniversary of shipping TFS 2005, which was our first version. We shipped nearly six months late – VS 2005 shipped in November 2005. The product has evolved an incredible amount since then. The most infamous part of the first version was how hard it was to install (we completely rewrote our setup in TFS 2010). We spent...

Caching: What could go wrong?

August 11, 2015 Aug 11, 2015 08/11/15
Buck Hodges
There’s an old saying about regular expressions that I’ve always liked. I think it applies equally to caching. Here’s my version. Some people, when confronted with a performance problem, think “I know, I'll add a cache.” Now they have two problems. It’s so tempting to address a performance problem by adding a cache. After ...

NuGet packages for TFS and Visual Studio Online .NET client object model

August 10, 2015 Aug 10, 2015 08/10/15
Buck Hodges
For the past couple of releases we’ve released the Team Foundation Server/Visual Studio Online client object model as a downloadable installer (aka MSI). Additionally, the license for it did not include the right to package it in an application for redistribution. As a result, it was inconvenient for builds and added friction for installing ...

Fix: Windows 10 upgrade couldn’t update the system reserved partition

August 10, 2015 Aug 10, 2015 08/10/15
Buck Hodges
Disclaimer: This is what worked for me, and it’s not guidance from Microsoft. It may not work for you. Since this involves resizing partitions, it could wipe out all of your data. You may want to create a backup first. Proceed at your own risk. Over the weekend I upgraded my machines at home to Windows 10. I had two desktops and one Surface...

Add, edit, rename, and delete files in the web browser with Visual Studio Online and TFS 2015

March 18, 2015 Mar 18, 2015 03/18/15
Buck Hodges
Back in the December 17th update, we added the ability to make changes to files in the web UI, and it works for both TFVC and Git. Edit is easy to find, since it’s right above the content on the screen. Add, rename, and delete are available through drop down menus. Let’s take a look at where those are. To add files, you need to click on ...

Original Surface RT is a great digital photo frame

March 9, 2015 Mar 9, 2015 03/9/15
Buck Hodges
I have four Surfaces: the original RT, Surface 2 RT, Surface Pro, and Surface 3. When I got the original Surface RT, which Microsoft gave to every full time employee shortly after it came out, I bought the Type keyboard and stopped using my iPad. The device was sluggish, though, particularly with Outlook. I bought a Surface 2 RT when it came ...

Mainstream support for TFS 2010 ends in July

March 6, 2015 Mar 6, 2015 03/6/15
Buck Hodges
Time flies, and the end of mainstream support for Team Foundation Server 2010 is July 14th. Yep, we’re celebrating it on Bastille Day. If you are still using TFS 2010, now is a great time to upgrade to TFS 2013 Update 4. Also, our next public pre-release of TFS 2015 will be “go-live” (the current CTP is not), meaning you can ...