I have just released 1.4.7 of the release notes VSTS extension. This provides a new advanced options that allows you to switch the authentication model. The default remains the same i.e. use a personal access token provided by the server, but you have the option to enable use of the 'defaultcredentials' (via the …

I use a virtual NAT Switch to allow my VMs to talk to the outside world. The way I do this is documented in this post, based on the work of Thomas Maurer. The upgrade to Windows 10 Anniversary messed this up, just seemed to loose the virtual network completely, VMs failed to start with invalid configurations and would …

I have been using the Microsoft Band (both version Band1 and Band2) since they came out, and been reasonably happy. However, a year or so on my issues with it have remained the same Poor battery life, I can live with charging it each day, but even with GPS Power-saver mode on I can’t go for any exercise over about 4 …

The RadioTFS show that I was the guest on has just been published at http://radiotfs.com/Show/117. If you don’t listen to RadioTFS why not? It is a regular podcast (as you can see with over 100 episodes) on all things TFS and VSTS. A great way to keep up what is new in the technology space. Links to this and all my …

Just published a new VSTS extension with a couple of tasks in it. The aim to to help formalise the end of a release process. The tasks Allow you to set the retension ‘keep forever’ flag on a build (or all builds linked to a release) Update increment a build variable e.g. all or part of a version number, in a build (or …

I have been using Visual Studio Code for PowerShell development, but got a bit behind on reading release notes. Today I just realised I can make my Integrated Terminal a Code a PowerShell instance. In File > Preferences > user Settings (settings.json) enter the following 1// Place your settings in this file to …

I recently posted on my development process for VSTS Extensions, it has been specifically PowerShell based build ones I have been working on. During this development I have come across a few more gotcha’s that I think are worth mentioning 32/64 bit The VSTS build agent launches PowerShell 64bit (as does the PowerShell …

I wanted to add some level of static analysis to our Typescript projects, TSLint being the obvious choice. To make sure it got run as part of our build release process I wanted to wire it into our SonarQube system, this meant using the community TSLintPlugin, which is still pre-release (0.6 preview at the time of …

I thought I had a problem with our TFS Lab Manager setup, 80% of our environments had disappeared. I wondered if it was rights, was it just showing environments I owned? No it was not that. Turns our the issue was a UX/Scrollbar issue. I had MTM full screen in ‘Test Center’ mode, with a long list of test suites, so …

Background I am finding myself writing a lot of PowerShell at present, mostly for VSTS build extensions. Here I hit a problem (or is it an opportunity for choice?) as to what development environment to use? PowerShell ISE is the ‘best’ experience for debugging a script, but has no source control integration – and it is …