How to update a custom TFS field programmatically

Question

We have a custom build process (not using MS Build) and during that process I am adding a "fake" build to the global builds list. The reason I am doing that is so that you can select the build for a given work item (found in build). We have a custom field, build included, which is intended to show which build that work item was fixed in. I am having trouble figuring out how to update this field programmatically. The idea is I will have a small app that does this that I will call during the build process, finding all work items since the last build, then updating the field for those work items. Any ideas?

Helot

Can you be more specific about the global builds list part. Are you using a custom build template (in Windows Workflow Foundation)? Are you adding to a variable or argument in that template? – Mcquoid

Sorry, I am using the global list in TFS. I am not using a build template, we are using a product called Automated Build Studio for the actual build itself. I was just going to write a standalone app to call from ABS for this functionality. – Helot

Answer 1

Something like this should work for you:

public void UpdateTFSValue(string tfsServerUrl, string fieldToUpdate, 
   string valueToUpdateTo, int workItemID)
{   
    // Connect to the TFS Server
    TfsTeamProjectCollection tfs = new TfsTeamProjectCollection(new Uri(tfsUri));
    // Connect to the store of work items.
    _store = (WorkItemStore)tfs.GetService(typeof(WorkItemStore));
    // Grab the work item we want to update
    WorkItem workItem = _store.GetWorkItem(workItemId);
    // Open it up for editing.  (Sometimes PartialOpen() works too and takes less time.)
    workItem.Open();
    // Update the field.
    workItem.Fields[fieldToUpdate] = valueToUpdateTo;
    // Save your changes.  If there is a constraint on the field and your value does not 
    // meet it then this save will fail. (Throw an exception.)  I leave that to you to
    // deal with as you see fit.
    workItem.Save();    
}

An example of calling this would be:

UpdateTFSValue("http://tfs2010dev:8080/tfs", "Integration Build", "Build Name", 1234);

The variable fieldToUpdate should be the name of the field, not the refname (ie. Integration Build, not Microsoft.VSTS.Build.IntegrationBuild)

You could probably get away with using PartialOpen(), but I am not sure.

You will probably need to add Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client to your project. (And maybe Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Common)

Chengtu

Not sure if they changed something or if everyone just figures this out but you need to do: workItem.Fields[fieldToUpdate].Value in TFS 2012 otherwise you'll get an error about the field collection being readonly; – Rogatory

Answer 2

This has changed for TFS 2012, basicly you have to add workItem.Fields[fieldToUpdate].Value

Updated Version of what @Vaccano wrote.

public void UpdateTFSValue(string tfsServerUrl, string fieldToUpdate, 
   string valueToUpdateTo, int workItemID)
{   
    // Connect to the TFS Server
    TfsTeamProjectCollection tfs = new TfsTeamProjectCollection(new Uri(tfsUri));
    // Connect to the store of work items.
    _store = (WorkItemStore)tfs.GetService(typeof(WorkItemStore));
    // Grab the work item we want to update
    WorkItem workItem = _store.GetWorkItem(workItemId);
    // Open it up for editing.  (Sometimes PartialOpen() works too and takes less time.)
    workItem.Open();
    // Update the field.
    workItem.Fields[fieldToUpdate].Value = valueToUpdateTo;
    // Save your changes.  If there is a constraint on the field and your value does not 
    // meet it then this save will fail. (Throw an exception.)  I leave that to you to
    // deal with as you see fit.
    workItem.Save();    
}

Pilcher