TFS Devops. Can not find the external project file - tfs

I have a c# solution with external project added. This external project is in another TFS Project, then when I generate the build, TFS show next error
"Error MSB3202: The project file can not be found "...csproj".
In the GetSource step (Before Agent Job), i can't add this project because it's in another TFS Project.
The structure is like this:
TFS Collection
... TFS Project Main
... Branch 1
... Solution 1
... TFS Another Project
... Branch 2
... Solution 2
Solution 2 has Project 2.
Solution 1 has Project 1 and add Existing Project 2.
Is it possible build Solution 1 in TFS Devops?
I work with Visual Studio 2015 and TFS 2018.
Thanks so much.

When you select the sources in the build definition on Project 1 you can select the files from Project 2 (even if it's a different TFS project):
Now in the build agent you have both projects and you can build all.

Related

TFS 2015 Gated Checkin Build Issue

I am having and issue with TFS 2015 doing a continuous integration build. I have added 3 projects to my Questionnaires solution which are meant to be shared code between other solutions as well. Therefore those projects each have their own folder structures under TFS not under Questionnaires.
When I go to do a checkin, TFS is getting the path wrong to one of the projects and therefore won't build. The path it is looking for is-
C:\Builds\1\Questionnaires\Questionnaires\src\Source2\Questionnaires\Dev\Questionnaires\Questionnaires.sln.metaproj: The project file "C:\Builds\1\Questionnaires\Questionnaires\src\Source2\Questionnaires\Dev\Questionnaires......\Common\Main\Common\Common.Utilities\Common.Utilities.csproj" was not found.
That should be the correct path as that is the way it is in TFS under it's own folder.
Where the code is actually ending up is:
C:\Builds\1\Questionnaires\Questionnaires\src\Source2\Common
the \Main\Common folder is missing.
You need to correct your workspace mapping under the "source settings" tab. This sets the folders that will be downloaded from source control to your build server's working folder for the build.

New project in TFS 2015 does not have XAML build definition

We are trying to upgrade to TFS2015 and have done a test configuration for TFS 2015.
I have noticed that if we create a new project in TFS2015 the project is all empty, it does not even have the BuildProcessTemplates folder.
Can anyone guide me on how to get the Default build definition?
You are right that there is no BuildProcess Template folder created when you create a team project in TFS 2015.
If you have configure XAML build, you can download the build process template by creating a XAML build definition:
By the way, you can also check the new build system in TFS 2015, which is based on windows services, and doesn't need build process template. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vs/alm/build/feature-overview

How to create a web deploy package for a website project during TFS build process?

My current TFS build process just build my website project and output all the files, such as assemblies, web.config, etc.
From here, I learned how to create a web deploy package with MSBuild in command line.
But I want to know how to insert this package step into my current TFS build process.
Thanks for any insight.
Create your release package by creating a publish profile through Visual Studio. For this example mine is called Release. this will create you a Release.pubxml file in a folder called Publish Profiles, under your project, check this into source control.
Then in your build definition, under the process tab.
Expand the 02. Build > 5 Advanced or similar depending on the version of TFS you are using, add the following to the MSBuild argument text box
/p:DeployOnBuild=true;PublishProfile=Release
ensure the PublishProfile has the same name as the one you created earlier (Release)
this will create your deployment package as part of the build

Linked file in WCF RIA service does not build in TFS Build server

I've just setup a TFS (2012) server and now I'm trying to build the complete code (written in .NET 4.0 in VS 2010) via the TFS Build server. But in my solutions I have also a WCF RIA project which contains linked files because they are used somewhere else also and there is no possibility to add a reference to a general .NET binary in WCF/Silverlight.
Everything builds without any problem on my development machine but when I check it all in, create a standard build definition and run that build definition I get the following problem. The linked files have usings (UsingNamespace for example) to other projects that are also build by us and build before the WCF/Silverlight but the following error pops up while building through TFS Build server:
The type or namespace 'UsingNamespace' could not be found (are you
missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)'
Is there any solution for this problem that I looked over?
EDIT 1
Just tried to set the Copy to Output Directory propertie of the linked files to Copy Always but this still gives me the same error as I was expecting. The problem is that the linked file is placed somewhere that it can use the usings but the WCF RIA service cannot access/find that using.
EDIT 2
Just tried out my local test TFS where I can do what I want and there I made a build definition with just the solutions needed to make that the project with the linked files builds. This worked without any problem. Then I tried the same on our TFS server with a new build definition that has the same solutions as on my test TFS and here it did not work. The only difference that I know for sure is that my test TFS is TFS 2012 Update 1 and that my production TFS does not have the update 1 yet. I'll try to install it next week.
EDIT 3
I've just updated our production TFS to Update 1 but it is still not working with my temporary build definition which only contains the projects that are needed to build the silverlight application with the linked files. The 2 workspaces are the same on both server and the projects to build are also the same.
You need to specify the workspace information in the Build Definition for the build to use. The workspaces are what the build process copies from source control to the build server. If you don't have everything in the build server's workspace, it can't build properly.
The Source Control Folder in the workspace tab is the location of the files you need from TFS. The Build Agent Folder is a relative path from the build server's pre-defined base location. You'll usually use $(SourceDir)\Folder to specify the "Folder" that your build process needs.
This sounds like an $(Outdir) problem. A build definition in TFS automatically overrides the Bin folder. All Binaries are redirected to the bin folder upon compile. Sounds to me that you are using a mixture of project references and file references. The file references are probably what is causing your build failures.
Example if you compile in the same build the following solutions
Solution1.sln (TFS Build Pass)
project1.csproj
project2.csproj (references project 1)
Solution2.sln (TFS Build Failure)
project3.csproj (references binary output of project 1)
Expectations from TFS out of the box without customizing your workflow is that this simple build will fail. The reason is that in your development box all projects produce output to one destination while in a tfs build your projects will build to $(Outdir).
Some Things to try
Simple (best practice in my view)
Create 1 solution and use project references instead of file references.
Complex
Build using MSBuild project files
Modify your windows workflow to not override the $(Outdir)
Copy the binaries after a build is complete.
Best practice on Automating Builds
Build from command line
Build from cmd a NON vs2010 command line.
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe FullpathtoSolutionFile.sln
Cheers!
Apparently there was just missing the WCF RIA services V1.0 SP2 on the TFS server. If that was installed the problem was solved.

Automated build visual studio 2008

I have vs2008.i have 10 projects in it TFS. is there any way i can automate there build process one after the other.
You can have TFS build multiple projects by specifying them in the SolutionToBuild item group: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb399127(VS.90).aspx
You may have to adjust your workspace mapping (in the build definition dialog) to ensure that all projects are available to the team build.

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