Add $OEM$ Folders to TFS source control

Question

I have created an answer file and have set up $OEM$ Folders with all the custom file that are required for the installation. The problem is that I would like to add both the answer file and the $OEM$ Folders directory to source control however TFS doesn't accept the $OEM$ Folders path because it contains a dollar sign. Is there any way of working around this restriction?

Note, at the moment I am using an old version of TFS 2005, which may be part of the problem.

Thank you.

Answer 1

While there is no way to rename the $OEM$ Folder to something different, you also don't need to store your files in the $OEM$ Folder. That folder is really just a convenient place for you to dump your files, and for our tools to look for them.

Instead, you can just place your 3rd party files in whatever directory you like. Then to insert them into your answer file, use the Insert\Oem Folders Path... menu item in ICE.

This should solve your problem, unless you're also using the $ commands within your OEM folder, as described here: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/18/

If you're using the folder layout with the fancy $ escape sequences to specify drive letters or specific directories, you're out of luck. However, you can still use folder layout and drive letter names to put the files where you want them to go. For example, if you point ICE to the OEM folder C:\mystuff, where c:\mystuff has the folders  c:\mystuff\c\users\username\documents set up, then that would go to C:\users\username\documents on your device.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

I find this in 2012 and this appears to still be unfixed bug in TFS?

If the DS should be checked into souce control as a best practice, and the DS contains paths that start with $ (and there are several, such as $OEM$, etc.), and TFS does not list $ as an illegal character.   Once the DS is in source control, a new developer should be able to check out the whole tree, include standard WES7 objects such as $OEM$.

msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa980550.aspx#SourceControl

connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/763666/tf10122-tfs-not-allowing-files-which-start-with-a-to-be-added

I have Sean Liming's book and there is no mention of this (not that he has to mention this).

Are there any other updates to this issue?

Answer 3

Can you zip up the distribution share and store the zip in version control? Maybe script the unzip process on check out?

Does GIT or SVN have teh same issue?

-Sean

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www.annabooks.com / www.seanliming.com / Book Author - Pro Guide to WES 7, XP Embedded Advanced, Pro Guide to POS for .NET

Answer 4

I expect that zipping up will work to get the job done, but then you lose some usefulness of the source control system.   For example, an easy change to a script file where the source control system can easily shows diffs from one version to another.   It would be a big file.   Interesting suggestion, should be workable.

I have not tried GIT or SVN - the project is currently using TFS and a change for this TFS bug is probably not feasible.   But it is also a good suggestion.

I suspect I will probably wind up either zipping the files as you say, or map the contents of the OEM folders seperately and script the differences as necessary.