I have been looking at options to assist a tfs installation.
Microsoft have bought the ALM tool InRelease
Codeplex has a tool that extracts change details.
Stackoverflow article on cleaning up Azure Logs
Here it is. I do have one of the answers there.
A key point is how the WADLogs table key is generated.
Logging Analytics
On my current project I have found an urgent need to improve the general instrumentation.
This started by adding a few useful trace statements that will show how long certain key operations will take.
Typically this will involve reading some logs (or in fact querying the WADLogsTable).
I have just realised that without some useful log reporting queries then I am just setting myself up for a lot of manual work.
Indeed on a large scale system there is no point in adding logging unless you have something that can read and display these in a useful form.
I am wonding about the analysis side. I have seen lots of articles about writing logging but very little on reading logging.
I am thinking of having a set of classes that act like reports to perform prebaked queries on WADLogs. These could expose this data as restful web services allowing other applications (powershell scripts, excel, reporting services…) to display the data.
Here is an article on logging analytics.
Powershell Assertion Framework
# Based upon: http://www.leeholmes.com/blog/2005/09/05/unit-testing-in-powershell-%E2%80%93-a-link-parser/
# Updated to Powershell 2
Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
## A simple assert function. Verifies that $condition
## is true. If not, outputs the specified error message.
function assert
{
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[bool] $condition,
[string] $message = “Test failed.”
)
if(-not $condition)
{
write-host “FAIL. $message”
}
else
{
write-host -NoNewLine “.”
}
}
## A simple “assert equals” function. Verifies that $expected
## is equal to $actual. If not, outputs the specified error message.
function assertEquals
{
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[AllowNull()]
$expected,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[AllowNull()]
$actual,
[string] $message = “Test failed.”
)
if(-not ($expected -eq $actual))
{
write-host “FAIL. Expected: ‘$expected’. Actual: ‘$actual’. $message.”
}
else
{
write-host -NoNewLine “.”;
}
}
Simple MEF Example
using System;
using System.ComponentModel.
Composition; // This is the assembly
using System.ComponentModel.Composition.Hosting;
using System.Reflection;
using System.ComponentModel.Composition.Hosting;
using System.Reflection;
namespace SimpleMEF
{
public class Class1
{
static void Main()
{
AssemblyCatalog catalog = new AssemblyCatalog(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly());
CompositionContainer container = new CompositionContainer(catalog);
User user = new User();
container.ComposeParts(user);
user.Start();
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
class User
{
[Import]
private IExecute execute;
public void Start()
{
Console.WriteLine(execute.Execute());
}
}
[InheritedExport]
public interface IExecute
{
string Execute();
}
class First : IExecute
{
public string Execute()
{
return “First”;
}
}
}
Useful powershell about_ commands
powershells get-help system is wonderful (not quite sure about the new update-help).
Here are some useful get-help topics:
about_Aliases HelpFile Describes how to use alternate names for cmdlets and commands in Windows
about_Arithmetic_Operators HelpFile Describes the operators that perform arithmetic in Windows PowerShell.
about_Arrays HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Assignment_Operators HelpFile Describes how to use operators to assign values to variables.
about_Automatic_Variables HelpFile Describes variables that store state information for Windows PowerShell.
about_Break HelpFile Describes a statement you can use to immediately exit Foreach, For, While,
about_Command_Precedence HelpFile Describes how Windows PowerShell determines which command to run.
about_Command_Syntax HelpFile Describes the syntax diagrams that are used in Windows PowerShell.
about_Comment_Based_Help HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_CommonParameters HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Comparison_Operators HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Continue HelpFile Describes how the Continue statement immediately returns the program flow
about_Core_Commands HelpFile Lists the cmdlets that are designed for use with Windows PowerShell
about_Data_Sections HelpFile Explains Data sections, which isolate text strings and other read-only
about_Debuggers HelpFile Describes the Windows PowerShell debugger.
about_Do HelpFile Runs a statement list one or more times, subject to a While or Until
about_Environment_Variables HelpFile Describes how to access Windows environment variables in Windows
about_Escape_Characters HelpFile Introduces the escape character in Windows PowerShell and explains
about_Eventlogs HelpFile Windows PowerShell creates a Windows event log that is
about_Execution_Policies HelpFile Describes the Windows PowerShell execution policies and explains
about_For HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Foreach HelpFile Describes a language command you can use to traverse all the items in a
about_Format.ps1xml HelpFile The Format.ps1xml files in Windows PowerShell define the default display
about_Functions HelpFile Describes how to create and use functions in Windows PowerShell.
about_Functions_Advanced HelpFile Introduces advanced functions that act similar to cmdlets.
about_Functions_Advanced_Methods HelpFile Describes how functions that specify the CmdletBinding attribute can use
about_Functions_Advanced_Param… HelpFile Explains how to add parameters to advanced functions.
about_Functions_CmdletBindingA… HelpFile Describes the attribute that makes a function work like a
about_Functions_OutputTypeAttr… HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Group_Policy_Settings HelpFile Describes the Group Policy settings for Windows PowerShell
about_Hash_Tables HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_History HelpFile Describes how to get and run commands in the command history.
about_If HelpFile Describes a language command you can use to run statement lists based
about_Jobs HelpFile Provides information about how Windows PowerShell background jobs run a
about_Job_Details HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Join HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Language_Keywords HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Line_Editing HelpFile Describes how to edit commands at the Windows PowerShell command prompt.
about_Locations HelpFile Describes how to access items from the working location in Windows
about_Logical_Operators HelpFile Describes the operators that connect statements in Windows PowerShell.
about_Methods HelpFile Describes how to use methods to perform actions on objects in Windows
about_Modules HelpFile Explains how to install, import, and use Windows PowerShell modules.
about_Objects HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Object_Creation HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Operators HelpFile Describes the operators that are supported by Windows PowerShell.
about_Operator_Precedence HelpFile Lists the Windows PowerShell operators in precedence order.
about_Parameters HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Parameters_Default_Values HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Parsing HelpFile Describes how Windows PowerShell parses commands.
about_Path_Syntax HelpFile Describes the full and relative path name formats in Windows PowerShell.
about_Pipelines HelpFile Combining commands into pipelines in the Windows PowerShell
about_PowerShell.exe HelpFile Explains how to use the PowerShell.exe command-line tool. Displays
about_PowerShell_Ise.exe HelpFile Explains how to use the PowerShell_Ise.exe command-line tool.
about_Preference_Variables HelpFile Variables that customize the behavior of Windows PowerShell
about_Profiles HelpFile Describes how to create and use a Windows PowerShell profile.
about_Prompts HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Properties HelpFile Describes how to use object properties in Windows PowerShell.
about_Providers HelpFile Describes how Windows PowerShell providers provide access to data and
about_PSSessions HelpFile Describes Windows PowerShell sessions (PSSessions) and explains how to
about_PSSession_Details HelpFile Provides detailed information about Windows PowerShell sessions and the
about_PSSnapins HelpFile Describes Windows PowerShell snap-ins and shows how to use and manage them.
about_Quoting_Rules HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Redirection HelpFile Explains how to redirect output from Windows PowerShell to text files.
about_Ref HelpFile Describes how to create and use a reference variable type.
about_Regular_Expressions HelpFile Describes regular expressions in Windows PowerShell.
about_Remote HelpFile Describes how to run remote commands in Windows PowerShell.
about_Remote_Disconnected_Sess… HelpFile Explains how to disconnect from and reconnect to a PSSession
about_Remote_FAQ HelpFile Contains questions and answers about running remote commands
about_Remote_Jobs HelpFile Describes how to run background jobs on remote computers.
about_Remote_Output HelpFile Describes how to interpret and format the output of remote commands.
about_Remote_Requirements HelpFile Describes the system requirements and configuration requirements for
about_Remote_Troubleshooting HelpFile Describes how to troubleshoot remote operations in Windows PowerShell.
about_Remote_Variables HelpFile Explains how to use local and remote variables in remote
about_Requires HelpFile Prevents a script from running without the required elements.
about_Reserved_Words HelpFile Lists the reserved words that cannot be used as identifiers because they
about_Return HelpFile Exits the current scope, which can be a function, script, or script block.
about_Run_With_PowerShell HelpFile Explains how to use the “Run with PowerShell” feature to run
about_Scopes HelpFile Explains the concept of scope in Windows PowerShell and shows how to set
about_Scripts HelpFile Describes how to run and write scripts in Windows PowerShell.
about_Script_Blocks HelpFile Defines what a script block is and explains how to use script blocks in
about_Script_Internationalization HelpFile Describes the script internationalization features of Windows PowerShell 2.0
about_Session_Configurations HelpFile Describes session configurations, which determine the users who can
about_Session_Configuration_Files HelpFile Describes session configuration files, which can be used in a
about_Signing HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Special_Characters HelpFile Describes the special characters that you can use to control how
about_Splatting HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Split HelpFile Explains how to use the Split operator to split one or more strings into
about_Switch HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Throw HelpFile Describes the Throw keyword, which generates a terminating error.
about_Transactions HelpFile Describes how to manage transacted operations in Windows PowerShell.
about_Trap HelpFile Describes a keyword that handles a terminating error.
about_Try_Catch_Finally HelpFile Describes how to use the Try, Catch, and Finally blocks to handle
about_Types.ps1xml HelpFile Explains how to use Types.ps1xml files to extend the types of objects
about_Type_Operators HelpFile Describes the operators that work with Microsoft .NET Framework types.
about_Updatable_Help HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Variables HelpFile Describes how variables store values that can be used in Windows
about_While HelpFile Describes a language statement that you can use to run a command block
about_Wildcards HelpFile Describes how to use wildcard characters in Windows PowerShell.
about_Windows_PowerShell_3.0 HelpFile Describes some of the new features that are included in
about_Windows_PowerShell_ISE HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_WMI HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_Wmi_Cmdlets HelpFile Provides background information about Windows Management Instrumentation
about_WQL HelpFile SHORT DESCRIPTION
about_WS-Management_Cmdlets HelpFile Provides an overview of Web Services for Management (WS-Management) as
Automated Deployment Tool
Here is a great tool for deploying software: chocolatey
This gives a nuget based tool that is intended to deploy software rather than deploy source code assemblies.
software installation is as simple as:
chocolatey install vim
Javascript Checking Just The Good Parts
http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/1a417c37-4d6f-43ca-b753-6ea6eb5041fd
This enforces the rules of the “javascript: just the good parts”.
Specflow Scenarios example
Here is a great example of table based specflow.
Minimal Scaffolding for Visual Studio
Here is an article that explains the setup.
However to get started in four lines:
New Project
From NuGet Console:
Install-Package t4scaffolding
Scaffold CustomScaffolder MinimalDemo
Then you can simply use:
scaffold MinimalDemo -Project MinimalScaffolding
I will experiment with performing database and filessytem queries.
The demo project creates a MinimalDemo.ps1 and a minimal demo t4 template.
The demo looks like:
[T4Scaffolding.Scaffolder(Description = “Enter a description of MinimalDemo here”)][CmdletBinding()]
param(
[string]$Project,
[string]$CodeLanguage,
[string[]]$TemplateFolders,
[switch]$Force = $false,
[string]$Filename = “ExampleOutput”
)
$outputPath = $Filename # The filename extension will be added based on the template’s <#@ Output Extension=”…” #> directive
$namespace = (Get-Project $Project).Properties.Item(“DefaultNamespace”).Value
Add-ProjectItemViaTemplate $outputPath -Template MinimalDemoTemplate `
-Model @{ Namespace = $namespace; ExampleValue = “Hello, world!” } `
-SuccessMessage “Added MinimalDemo output at {0}” `
-TemplateFolders $TemplateFolders -Project $Project -CodeLanguage $CodeLanguage -Force:$Force
Note in this instance I have edited the param list to allow the filename to be specified on the command line.
Since data is passed into the template via the model parameter it is trivial to perform database or filesystem queries to enrich the data being passed to the item generated.
Combine this with version control and you can overwrite the existing version and merge back existing customisations.
We have MVC style one-shot code generation (with the force option to overwrite).
This is incredibly powerful. A few of these templates could save hours of work. Especially across a team.
Developer Rants 