Is it possible to generate a word document when a work item's state changes to closed

Question

Hi,

I want to generate a document when a work item's state changes to closed.

Is it possible and if so can someone point me to the relevant link.

Thank you 

Answer 1

Hi,

to do that, you should write a web service and subscribe to state change event. With alerts explorer in TFS Power Tools you can call a web service on your TFS on such event. In this web service you can create a word document.

You can download power tools here:

http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/c255a1e4-04ba-4f68-8f4e-cd473d6b971f

Alerts Explorer provides a graphical user interface that supports flexible subscription of alerts based on check-in, work item change, or build completion. On alert you can either send an email or call a web service. 

Here is an example how to generate an event handler in a web service

http://geekswithblogs.net/jakob/archive/2010/10/27/devleoping-and-debugging-server-side-event-handlers-in-tfs-2010.aspx

Best Regards,

Ivan

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Ivan Kardum
PMP, MCSD, MCPD, MCTS:TFS
Blog: Kardum Software Development Storyboard
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Answer 2

Hi Billy,

I would recommend using the codeplex community project Team for Word http://tfw.codeplex.com/ 

Ready to spend some money, consider Team Spec, http://www.teamsystemsolutions.com/teamspec/features/microsoft-word-integration.aspx 

If you would like to go down Ivan's route (it's always a good option to build a bespoke solution) after you recieve the alert notification you will need to interact with the WorkItemStore using the TFS object model, have a look at an example here on how to read work item information programmatically. http://geekswithblogs.net/TarunArora/archive/2011/08/21/tfs-sdk-work-item-history-visualizer-using-tfs-api.aspx 

HTH
Cheers, Tarun

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