I did spend some time investigating how we can incorporate the CheckBox control. But, considering the issues and troubles with install I will leave it for now. My findings are as below. Please give me your feedback if I have got it wrong. Thank you.
Deployment:
The checkbox control is deployed client side. That means all the client PCs accessing TFS needs to install the assembly files and the '.wicc' files.
Two ways to deploy it:
1. xcopy deploy - ask users to copy the required files.
On WinServer 2003 it will be;
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\Work Item Tracking\Custom Controls
2. Create a setup package. CodePlex has 'UKVSTSWorkItemControlsSetup.msi' for VS 2005.
Requirements:
1. VS SP1 is mandatory for Client PCs with VS 2005.
2. Client PCs with VS 2008 - The Custom Control was compiled against VS 2005 assemblies therefore if client has VS 2008 it will not load the custom control assemblies.
They will get an error 'TF210004: The control could not be loaded from the assembly.'
To resolve this the Custom Control needs to be re-compiled with VS 2008 version of TFS assemblies and re-deployed to client PCs.
The source-code can be downloaded from CodePlex but, we will have get all the assemblies etc before creating a build or setup project/package.
NOTE: We will have to remove the source control bindings and I guess we will still be in trouble for not having all the associated '.dll' files!
3. Doesn't work with Team System Web Access 2005.
Known Issues:
1. Using the TFS Power Tools updated WIT cannot be uploaded with Custom Controls as it will give an error message saying ' Instance Validation error :'WorkItemCheckBox is not
a valid value for ValidControlsType.'
Solution: Use Command line tool 'witimport' instead.
How to:
I take the bug work item from MSF agile as an example.
1. Export the WIT
2. Edit the template manually (Process template Editor is of no help as it doesn't give you the Custom Controls in the 'Type' dropdown list on the layout section.
3. take Issue as an example. We have under the FIELDS node;
<FIELD name="Issue" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Issue" type="String" reportable="dimension">
<HELPTEXT>Used to highlight the bug, e.g., to mark it as an issue.</HELPTEXT>
<REQUIRED/>
<ALLOWEDVALUES>
<LISTITEM value="Yes"/>
<LISTITEM value="No"/>
</ALLOWEDVALUES>
<DEFAULT from="value" value="No"/>
</FIELD>
Under the FORM section Replace the '<Control Type="FieldControl" FieldName="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Issue" Label="Iss&ue:" LabelPosition="Left" />' with the following:
<Control Type="WorkItemCheckBox"
FieldName="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Issue"
Label="Iss&ue:"
LabelPosition="Left"
Checked="Yes"
Unchecked="No"
Text="(Include in issue list)"/>
4. Import the updated WIT using 'witimport'
Cheers,
Raj Aravinthan