I've done some research and found out that TFS 2013 has some limitations like no reporting, single server deployment, 5 devs etc. But I wonder if there would be any problem with using VS 2013 Pro with TFS 2013 Express.
To sum up :
Is there any problem with one of these two setups ? :
VS 2013 Pro (or Ultimate) - TFS 2013 Express - SQL Server Express
VS 2013 Community - TFS 2013 Express - SQL Server Express
Thanks in advance.
TFS is only limited to no reporting when you use SQL express which does not support those features.
If you have even a single MSDN licence they you are licenced to install TFS with SQL standard. That would give you the reporting capabilities as well.
Single server is also only a limitation of the free (without MSDN) version of TFS.
You can have as many MSDN licenced users AND 5 included users.
I do not believe that there are any issues with either configuration. However I would recommend that you use VSO indeed as you get TFS without having to use a server.
There is no relation between the "Express" name after Visual Studio and TFS. Visual Studio Express works perfectly fine with TFS Express as well as the fully licensed version of TFS and vice versa.
As Martin already mentions, if you have an MSDN subscription, you already have a full license to install and run Team Foundation Server.
If you don't have an MSDN subscription and do not own a Retail version of TFS, you can still use the free Express edition with a few limitations:
No Sharepoint integration
No report server integration
Limited in the number of users
Only a single server installation supported
You can always upgrade your Express installation to the full version at a later point in time.
Instead of the Express version, you should indeed consider visual-studio-online, while this also has a few limitations:
No reporting
No sharepoint integration
It has a number of advantages as well:
Much less administration required
Always up to date with the latest version
Online Build Service available
Integration into Azure
Related
I'm in the process of deciding whether or not to use Visual Studio 2012 Express for Desktop or purchase a retail copy of Visual Studio 2012 Professional for my desktop program. The program is built using C# though portions of it may include F#.
From what I've gathered so far, the express edition supports NuGet, Unit Testing, and Code Analysis. It mentions a subset of Code Analysis rules are used but I'm unsure how they compare to the professional edition as well as FxCop/StyleCop.
I'm assuming the express edition lacks extension support but the only extension I really cared about was NuGet. I also assume it doesn't include a TFS CAL despite having the ability to connect to TFS. This again isn't an issue as I'm using Perforce for source control. I also understand that this version is limited to desktop style applications only, but have so far only seen mention C++ and C#. Does it support F#?
Can someone clue me in as to any other limitations of 2012 Express for Desktop? Are there any license limitations for developing a commercial application?
In the past, MS included express editions as part of their version comparison. But when they updated their site for 2012, they separated out the express editions and offer little to no detail.
There are few limitation I can gather :
First of all there are different IDE's for different use
Visual Studio Express 2012 for Web.
Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows 8
Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Desktop.
Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Express 2012
Express editions of the IDE omit the following features included in the Professional editions
Multi-unit testing framework and refactoring support
Static code analysis, profiling, and HLSL editing and debugging
Third-party extensibility support (though the Extension Manager feature is still present)
OpenMP support
But there are few positives I explore in 2012 :
Unlike previous version
Solution is allowed, you can create multiple projects in a single solutions.
64bit compilations support is there.
If working in single or less than 5 person team, express is the way to go.
It definitely bring much more new and unlock features than it predecessors.
As you receive a product key if you register I think it confirms that you then are free to use VS 2012 Express as you like.
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng/downloads#d-2010-express say:
"After installation, you can try this product for up to 30 days. You
must register to obtain a free product key for ongoing use after 30
days."
"Productivity Power Tools 2012" cannot be installed on VS2012 Express edition, hence such features like "Entity Framework Reverse Engineer Code First" won't be available, which is critical to migrate existing apps's DB into Model's classes.
Portable Class Libraries are not supported in express versions. (You can reference PCL dlls, you just can't work with PCL projects.)
F# is available for VS Express 2012 for Web
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/fsharpteam/archive/2012/09/12/announcing-the-release-of-f-tools-for-visual-studio-express-2012-for-web.aspx
Looks like NuGet worked with VS 2010 Express Web so I would expect it to work with 2012
http://docs.nuget.org/docs/start-here/nuget-faq
Professional gives you a lot of the profiling and static analysis tools. I couldn't find out how the FxCop rules differ.
I have Visual Studio 2010 and BizTalk Server 2010.
I need to uninstall BizTalk.
Is it possible to continue to use Visual Studio for BizTalk development?
If so, what do I have to do?
From BizTalk Server 2010 Microsoft made it completely free for development and testing purpose. Only BizTalk Server is free, not the dependant components like Visual Studio and SQL. SQL Express is not supported (http://blogs.digitaldeposit.net/saravana/post/2009/06/01/BizTalk-Server-with-SQLEXPRESS.aspx) .
You also need to keep in mind, you can use BizTalk Server with your MSDN subscription for development and testing purpose. Check it out.
You cannot totally uninstall BizTalk and continue to develop for BizTalk in Visual Studio, because completely uninstalling BizTalk will remove the Developer Tools and SDK. If you want to remove the BizTalk Server components, you can do that:
In your Control Panel, select Programs and Features or (if your settings are organized by category) select Uninstall a program.
Double-click on Microsoft BizTalk Server 2010 Developer Edition (assuming that the version and edition installed).
The Microsoft BizTalk Server 2010 Installation Wizard will open up.
Ensure that the Modify radio button is selected and press the Next button.
On the Component Installation page, uncheck all of the available components except for Developer Tools and SDK. Then press the Next button.
On the Summary page, select Install to proceed with the features removal.
I didn't know there is a free version of BizTalk.
nonnb's comment helped to resolve my license issue.
This doesn't seem to make sense to me - if you need to continue developing Biztalk projects, it will make life difficult without a local Biztalk (BizTalk dev edition is free and you can use SQL Express if you like). The Biztalk Deployment Framework (biztalkdeployment.codeplex.com/discussions) might assist with deploying to a remote server. – nonnb 2 days ago
I've read from a non reliable source that purchasing VS2010 Upgrade Edition (As opposed to full retail) is a valid licensing route when 'upgrading' from VS Express (free) - Can anyone confirm or refute this?
Thank you
It looks like this is true:
Before you buy
Eligible for upgrade with any previous
version of Visual Studio or any other
developer tool.
Visual Studio 2010 Professional
includes a 12-month MSDN Essentials
subscription. MSDN Essentials gives
you access to core Microsoft
platforms: Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows
Server 2008 Enterprise R2, and
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Datacenter
R2.
Special information for trial users
If you're using a trial version of
Visual Studio Professional and you buy
the Visual Studio 2010 Professional
Upgrade, you can use the product key
you get on the receipt page to convert
your trial version to a full version.
This seems to say that you can upgrade from any competing product or any existing version of Visual Studio, even a trial one. It doesn't explicitly mention the Express edition, but you could always install the trial version and upgrade that instead.
I sell software and didn't want to violate the license agreement. So, I chatted with a MS rep (and have the chat log), then called the licensing number and was told the same thing from both. The upgrade license is valid from ANY prior version (including express). I asked about express specifically and more than once and was told this was just fine.
I've been using the trial edition of Visual Studio 2008 Team System to develop projects and work with my client's Team Foundation Server. I am using the Team Explorer integration / source control plugin.
My trial is expiring and I'm having trouble finding information on what exactly I need to purchase. I don't need to actually run a TFS server myself, but I do need the ability to connect to my clients and get/put files, and the integration with Team Explorer in VS is really nice, hence I'd rather not have to use an external 3rd party tool.
Do I need Team System to accomplish this or does Visual Studio 2008 Professional have the same TFS Plugin, and if so does it work the same?
I can't believe I'm having such a hard time finding the differences between the versions... if anyone has a good resource that'd be nice before I shell out $3,000 on something I don't need. I develop mainly ASP.NET Solutions if that matters. Thanks!
Visual Studio 2008 Product Comparison Guide
I don't need to actually run a TFS server myself, but I do need the ability to connect to my clients
Whoever is running TFS should procure CALs (Client Access License) so that any client that works with this server is covered. I believe you buy them separately per client machine (somewhat around 400$ each). Also VS Team System editions have one or two CALs included. That may be or may not be worth it for you.
And yes, you can access TFS from VS 2008 Pro, just need to install the integration plugin.
I don't know if that is possible at all for you, but if you can, I would wait for Visual Studio 2010 (to be released in march 2010). Not only is it a better product than VS2008 but also they have simplified the versioning/licensing part, also Team Foundation Server 2010 Basic may be suitable for your source control needs.
If you want to take a look, you can download the beta versions of VS2010 and TFS2010.
I'm currently in the process of investigating TFS 2010, as it's been agreed that we'll be getting VS2010 Professional when it's released and it comes with TFS Basic (we're currently stuck with VSS, and were considering moving to SubVersion prior to the TFS Basic announcement).
I've downloaded an installed the Beta 2 of TFS 2010 and installed it using the Basic installation, which I'm led to believe is what the actual TFS Basic would be equivalent to. I configure it all, install the Team Explorer into Beta 2 of VS2010, and begin nosing around. I see lots of interesting looking options, and turn on one for my test project that says Check-in Policy - Code Analysis. I then try checking in something to that project, and a little dialog pops up saying
Evaluation of Code Analysis Policy
requires Visual Studio 2010 Premium
Beta 2 or Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate
Beta 2 to be installed
However, I can't find any reference to this or other limitations online anywhere. The MS VS 2010 feature comparison page gives all three versions 4 stars for TFS product features, and the pages I've read on the limitations of TFS Basic only say it lacks Sharepoint and Reporting capabilities.
Am I missing something here? Is there an article somewhere on the limitations, or perhaps some confusion between a product TFS Basic and a basic install of the full version?
Sorry this is so confusing. Few things first of all.
VS 2010 Professional with MSDN comes with TFS. Not just TFS "Basic" but a full server license to TFS and a CAL (client access license) to access it. When you install TFS you can then pick what installation option you require. You can go for "Basic" which configures all the pre-requisites for you (such as IIS, SQL Express etc). Or you can go for Advanced if you want the more traditional TFS installation where you can install IIS, MOSS, full SQL Server with reporting services etc first and then install a full TFS that is integrated with these products. You can think of "TFS Basic" - as "Easy TFS". It's the same TFS, just easy to install (including on non server operating systems such as Windows 7 etc). You can move your project collection created on a basic installation of TFS to a full blown TFS installation in the future if you find you outgrow the basic installation.
Check-in policies are bits of client side code that run every time you perform a check in. The particular one that you selected actually runs some features in visual studio to do with code analysis. The problem you are running into is that those features are only available with the premium editions of Visual Studio and is not included in Professional. The feature on the TFS (server) side is just being able to run check-in policies. The feature on the client side is what the check-in policy is calling. Confusing I know.
My tip with check-in polcies would be to not enable them at first and switch them on gradually (see http://www.woodwardweb.com/vsts/policy_override.html for my rationale behind this).
Hope that helps.
Martin.