Working with many clients on ALM and development processes I am often in a situation like this:
- I create a Process Template for the client and then create a Team Project based on it. The Team Project will become the “reference Team Project”, the main one for Process evolution.
- Then the client or I are making modifications on the existing Team Project (modify WIT, add new ones, create new WIQLs) when we want to upgrade the development process.
- Now it’s fine, but what happens when you have to start another Team Project (or you already had), and want it to be synchronized with the Work Item Types and WIQL of your “reference Team Project”?
It is possible, but it’s not as easy as it should be…. You have to export the WIT and WIQL definition in local, download the Process Template, replace the WIT definition XML files, add new WIT and WIQL, references them in the WorkItems.xml and finally uploading the Process Template back to your Team Foundation Server.
If you want to update a Team Project, the operation is less tedious, but still you have to perform the same set of tasks for each WIT and WIQL, one by one…
So as I don’t like to waste time and doing always the same thing, I decided to develop a little program, not a killer featured one, but a useful one for the day to day maintenance of you Team Foundation Server!
Here I present you: the WITSynchronizer!
I know, I’m still running for the “worst CodePlex project name ever” and wonder if it topped my “WICreator” one! [:)] Well, I hope it will top it in download count! [H]
You’ll find the project’s homepage here: http://witsynchronizer.codeplex.com/.
The first release can be found here.
Don’t hesitate to use it and give me feedback!
Here what it looks like:
What feature I’m pretty proud about is the Unhandled Exception one! If you encounter a problem while using the program, a bug for instance J, you’ll have the following dialog showing up:
With a nice link to the CodePlex Issue Tracker for you to fill a bug request!
Like you, I hope there won’t be too many, but in case there’s I expect people to use for me to fix it ASAP.
Enjoy it! And remember, all feedback and thanks are warmely welcome!
Profiles
