Using multiple TFS Service accounts

The problem

If you ever wanted to add another account to your Visual Studio, you have probably faced the following error:

Figure: Error message – Inappropriate permissions

Permissions issues

The question is why it says you don’t have permissions if you didn’t have a chance to log in?

The catch is that Visual Studio is using your existing (cached) credentials.

Figure: Current credentials used to access TFS Service

Solution

Solution is to Sign Out before adding a new server. You’ll have to repeat this procedure each time you’ll switch the servers.

Figure: Shows steps needed to add a new Team Foundation Server.

 

I’m a Visual Studio ALM MVP

I’m glad to announce that I’ve been recognized as a Visual Studio ALM MVP. I can’t explain the feelings right now as I’m out of words.

See you at NTK conference soon.

www.ntk.si

 

Tip: Change screenshot settings in Microsoft Test Manager

Problem

I was never really happy when I had to snip screenshots that were taken during testing. I always wished to have this functionality available straight away. So I started to look around Microsoft Test Manager for a setting that would allow me to use my favorite tool for making screenshots. Here’s the solution.

Solution

When in Microsoft Test Manager follow the steps from Figure 1 to start Exploratory Testing. Wait for testing to start. Continue with step from Figure 2 to open settings.

Figure 1: Test Manager Exploratory Testing

Figure 2: Test Manager in Docked mode

If you followed the procedure described above you should see the exact screen as on Figure 3. As you can see there’s a section for screenshot settings. Press the Browse button and select a path to your favorite tool.

Figure 3: Microsoft Test Manager settings

 

Microsoft Feedback Client

The procedure is almost the same so there’s no need for additional explanation. Just look at figures bellow and you’ll see that’s even more straightforward than MTM.

Figure 5: Microsoft Feedback Client

Figure 6: Microsoft Feedback Client – Settings

Tools

If you don’t already own a good tool for making screenshots you should try one of the following tools:

• WinSnap (easy to use, but powerful tool)
• SnagIt (advanced tool capable of nearly everything)
• SnippingTool – due to unknown reasons you can’t use a built-in SnippingTool.

 

Book Review: Visual Studio 2012 Cookbook

Background

A few weeks ago I received an email from PacktPub with a proposal to review their new book – Visual Studio 2012 Cookbook. They asked me to do an independent review about it. To be clear: I was NOT paid for doing that and except from receiving a free copy of the book there’s nothing else I gained in terms of material goods.

Review

Due to really busy schedule it took me around 3 weeks to get trough it although the book has only 247 pages. Yes, it’s a pretty tiny book which covers basics and tricks from Web Development to Windows Store to working with Team Foundation Server. As you can imagine it covers a lot, but as mentioned before, don’t expect any deep diving. This book is amazing for developers who already have some mileage under their belt and who wants to get known with new things from Visual Studio 2012. I haven’t noticed anything big that was omitted. Exactly the opposite. The author uses a really good technique leading you step by step trough entire book. At times it feels like he’s going to much into basics, but from the other point of view this means you can open it anywhere and start reading. His writing is very consistent trough the book. Even if you’re an experienced developer or an expert you might find this book very useful as it has plenty of things you might never knew. Trust me. I thought nothing won’t surprise me, but it did!
There’s one more thing worth a mention: if you prefer writing in C# you might won’t be happy looking at VB.NET samples or vice-versa. The book is a mesh-up of both languages.

Conclusion

Overall I found this book very useful and I would recommend it to everyone who’s doing development using Visual Studio 2012. It covers pretty much all new things and important improvements, and as long as you’re clear with your expectations you should enjoy reading it.

Pros:

• Lots of various technologies covered well enough
• Code samples included
• Kindle version

Cons:

• At times it goes too much in basics

Rating

Links

• PacktPub Store
• Amazon

 

Windows Phone 7 Emulator – HTC Mozart Skin

I’m a proud user of HTC Mozart Windows Phone 7 and I’m really excited about it. However, I’m not always in the mood to deploy and test my applications on it, so I still use Windows Phone Emulator. Emulator performs very well, but it’s looks awful, especially if you’re used to hold a real phone in your hand day-in day-out. That’s why I decided to create my own skin for it. Yes you guessed…it looks the same as my HTC Mozart

Installation guide

This is a two step procedure in which we’ll change the skin of emulator and Visual Studio designer. Make sure you backup all files before overwriting!!!

In ZIP file you’ll find two folders. Each one contains corresponding skin.

• Visual Studio Designer
• Windows Phone Emulator

1. To install skin for Visual Studio designer, extract content from “Visual Studio Designer” folder to “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Phone\v7.0\Emulation”. On 64-bit machines is the corresponding folder “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Phone\v7.0\Emulation”.

2. To install skin for emulator, extract content from “Windows Phone Emulator” folder to “C:\Program Files\Microsoft XDE\1.0”. On 64-bit machines is the corresponding folder “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft XDE\1.0”.

That’s it. Happy coding.

Download Skin

 

Expression Blend – Keyboard Add-in (Preview)

Expression Blend is one of my favorite tools, but at moments it becomes awkward, especially as I’m used to do most of the work with a keyboard. So I got an idea to create an add-in, which will allow me to customize keyboard shortcuts.

Here’s a description and a few screenshots:

• Create a new keyboard schemes (blank or from an existing one)
• Remove current keyboard scheme (unless it’s a default one)
• Filter commands for easier access
• Assign or remove shortcuts to a command
• Display a list of shortcuts for a selected command
• Display a list of commands used by a current shortcut

If you’re familiar with Visual Studio, then you won’t have problems in using it, as it’s nearly the same

Before I publish it (that should happen in very close future), I have to fix some bugs and get around some “nasty features” of Expression Blend. However, I’d be glad to receive some feedback prior to official publication.

 

Two quick tips for Windows Phone 7 Emulator

1. Hit Pause/Break to toggle the use of a computer keyboard. Alternatively you can use PageUp and PageDown keys. After keyboard is activated, you can notice an icon with keyboard language in the top right corner.
2. Hit Alt to switch among character options. A menu shows up at the bottom of the screen with all possibilities for a character located before the caret. The menu is automatically closed unless you hold the key for a while.