Team Foundation Server/Visual Studio Team Services/Azure DevOps Services Integration Overview

InstallAware integrates with Team Foundation Server/Visual Studio Team Services/Azure DevOps Services to provide automated source/version control from within the InstallAware IDE itself.

Supported Versions

InstallAware supports versions 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2018 of Team Foundation Server.

To enable Team Foundation Server functionality in the InstallAware IDE for versions 2010, 2012 or 2013, you must install the Team Foundation Object Model, also known as the TFS Client, for the server version you want to use, on the same system where you have installed the InstallAware IDE. A simple way to do this is to install the Team Foundation Server Explorer tool for the server version to you want to use.

To enable Team Foundation Server functionality in the InstallAware IDE for versions 2015, 2017 or 2018, no third party installs are necessary.

InstallAware also supports Visual Studio Team Services. No third party installs are necessary for this functionality.

InstallAware also supports Azure DevOps Services. No third party installs are necessary for this functionality either.

To turn on Team Foundation Server or Visual Studio Team Services or Azure DevOps Services functionality in the InstallAware IDE, simply enable it in the IDE Options.

Available Functionality

First, review your integration settings within the InstallAware IDE. Integration is active by default, but InstallAware always chooses the latest available integration version, which you may want to review. InstallAware recommends that you standardize on only one server version during the lifetime of any single setup project. Note that you must already have the necessary clients installed on your system before you may access any server.

InstallAware's integration provides the following functionality directly inside the InstallAware IDE. To access any of the functionality below, simply click the InstallAware button, and point at the Team Foundation submenu:

Connecting to a Server

Choose the Connect to Server item to establish a connection with a server. You cannot access any source/version control settings until this step is complete.

Adding a Project to Source/Version Control

Adding a Project

Once you have established a connection, choose the Add Project item to add your active setup solution to a server.

Your active setup solution will store its source/version control URL inside of the #TFS_SERVER# pre-defined compiler variable after you add it successfully to a server. You may delete this compiler variable at any time to forcibly dissociate your setup solution from a server; however this is not recommended.

Once you have added a project, at any time you are loading a setup solution, if for any reason the InstallAware IDE cannot connect to your server, you will be offered the option to take your project offline temporarily.

Bringing a Project Online

If your project becomes temporarily disconnected from source/version control, the Go Online item will become enabled. Choose this item to bring your setup solution online again, after a temporary disconnection.

Included File Types

The following InstallAware file types are automatically included under source/version control:

• Main project file (.MPR)
• Main script file and include scripts, such as application runtime installation scripts (.MIA)
• Dialog files (.DFM)
• Support files/creatives, such as license agreements, localization resources, etc. (various file extensions)
• Merge modules (.MSM)
  

Any time you save your setup solution, the InstallAware IDE automatically updates the source/version control state by adding, removing, or updating files of the above types.

Checking-In and Checking-Out

With an online project, choose the Check-In or Check-Out item.

Directly Acquiring Remote Projects

You may directly acquire an InstallAware project from a Team Foundation Server or Visual Studio Team Services or Azure DevOps Services. To take advantage of this functionality:

1. Click the InstallAware button.
2. Point at the Team Foundation submenu.
3. Choose the Get Remote Project menu item to display the Get Remote Project dialog.

The Get Remote Project dialog allows you to:

1. Specify the server to connect to.
2. Browse available projects on the selected server.
3. Select an InstallAware project to acquire.
4. Choose a local destination for project acquisition.

From the Get Remote Project dialog you may also:

• Map an acquired project automatically into the local workspace.
• Acquire the project without folder mapping (download only).
• Acquire an entire root project, along with any subfolders.

You may also open a locally downloaded project inside the InstallAware IDE, following a successful acquisition.

 Notes

• The Get Remote Project menu item is enabled only when you have chosen the 2017/2018/VSTS/Azure selection from the Available versions(s) combo box in the IDE Options dialog.
• Only files that are contained directly inside your project folder (the same folder as your .MPR file) are included under source/version control.