Editing TFS2010 build definitions

Question

We are currently creating a number of collections in TFS2010 for our various projects / solutions.

We have a large number where structure and paths, etc. are almost identical, but one word can change (for example, using all Integration workspaces in comparison with our Trunk workspaces).

In TFS2008, I would simply edit the XML directly and do some kind of creative search and replace or some magic in the text panel before saving the file. However, I do not see an immediate way to do this in TFS2010 - so I am stuck in the assembly definition user interface.

I know that when executing SQL Trace it all ends up as XML - is there any way to directly access this XML for manual editing or to force all changes through the interface?

Thanks!

Edit for added clarity.

I have Power Tools installed, etc., and I can clone my assemblies, but my editing options are still limited by the user interface, so if I have a large number of changes to the workspace path, I have to do it manually (one for a while).

My goal is to be able to directly edit XAML for a specific build definition so that I can clone, open XAML, and then do a bulk search / replace.

Answer 1

Download and install Team Foundation Server Power Tools . You can also get them through the Visual Studio extension gallery. After installation, you can right-click the assembly definition in Team Explorer and select the Clone Build type definition command (added by the Power Tools installation) to make a copy of the existing assembly definition. Then you can configure it for another branch, etc.

Answer 2

The following tool (VS Addin) will meet your requirement>

TFS Community Build Manager

http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/16bafc63-0f20-4cc3-8b67-4e25d150102c

Answer 3

Build definitions are all .xaml files are WF4 workflows and they are XML files.

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Jim Lamb is right. Assembly templates are now .xaml files. These definitions are accessed through web services.

I'm going to experiment with quickly submitting an HTML form at /tfs/_tfs_resources/Build/V3.0/BuildService.asmx/QueryBuildDefinitionsByUri . I noticed that when I clicked on the build definition in Team Explorer, it has a URI associated with it: vstfs:///Build/Definition/2 . Stay with us.