How to troubleshoot auto-install feature?

Question

I am unable to get auto-install for Check-in Policies to work. I have added a folder called “[ProjectName]/TeamProjectConfig/CheckinPolicies" in TFS but when the client selects the Download option the Check-in policies are not applied to the client machine. So how does on troubleshoot this feature? Does anyone have this working on their system?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I figured out how to get some troubleshooting information. Look in the Output window. When I did that I noticed the following errors: Error installing custom component: The strong name key for C:\myusername\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\2.0\Cache\625d8656-78b2-4ffe-bbaf-5609cb91b5bd\MyProject\TeamProjectConfig\CheckinPolicies\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.PowerTools.CheckinPolicies.ChangesetComments.dll is not authorized. So I turned off Verify Strong Names before installing (so why don't these come with strong names???). Now it seems that the check-in policies have installed. I notice one other error message: Error installing custom component: The specified path, file name, or both are too long. The fully qualified file name must be less than 260 characters, and the directory name must be less than 248 characters. But this is not as useful as it does not indicate which file. Any ideas?

Answer 2

Hi

There is a real issue with the auto-install feature.
I get always the path length exception and I don't see any configuration possibilities to change the temp path.

Error installing custom component: The specified path, file name, or both are too long. The fully qualified file name must be less than 260 characters, and the directory name must be less than 248 characters.

C:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\2.0\Cache\80a7ebbd-9846-414b-9205-f79ffbf1c7a8\MYCOOLPROJECT\TeamProjectConfig\CheckinPolicies\2.0\SLCustomPolicies.dll


Is there a workaround to resolve the problem?

Thanks
Nicolas

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Consultant, Trivadis AG

Answer 3

I too am having this same issue.  Most people on our team can install the checkin policies without any problem, but many of them get the following error when they click the Download Now button in the Team Members -> Personal Settings window.  The local path of the DLL file is "C:\dev\RQ4TeamProject\TeamProjectConfig\CheckinPolicies\3.0\TFS.iQmetrix.CheckinPolicies.dll", which is no where close to even 200 characters. 

 

Error installing custom component: The specified path, file name, or both are too long. The fully qualified file name must be less than 260 characters, and the directory name must be less than 248 characters.

 

We tried deleting our TFS cache on the local PC, since that's where it seems to be getting the dll from ("C:\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Team Foundation\3.0\Cache") and why the path is so long, but it did not help.

 

We are using Visual Studio 2010, TFS 2010, and the March 2011 version of the TFS Power Tools.  Any suggestions?

 

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- Dan - "Can't never could do anything"

Answer 4

While this used to be a blocking issue, it doesn't seem to be anymore.  If employees receive this error message when downloading the check-in policy, just having them close and restart visual studio seems to have the check-in policy installed anyways.

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- Dan - "Can't never could do anything"