Tasktop

What is the current status of Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio is currently generally available effective March 22, 2011.

What are the requirements to run Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

View System Requirements.

Do I need to run Tasktop in a standalone application in addition to Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio works by running a plug-in in Visual Studio and the Tasktop standalone application. With the Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio plug-in installed, Tasktop is automatically started when needed.

How do I install a Team Foundation Server connector into Visual Studio?

The Visual Studio plugin works by communicating with a version of Tasktop Dev built on Eclipse, which in turn communicates with repositories. This Tasktop companion application runs in the background. You will need to add a plugin into the Tasktop Dev-Eclipse program.

To see the the Tasktop companion application program, go to the System Tray, and select an icon that looks like "<=>"; that will open the Tasktop companion application application. From there, you will need to install a Microsoft component (TEE) into the Tasktop companion application, then install the connector into the Tasktop companion application.

• Go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=53c27216-c4f0-48b6-9bed-fe1718a2e3b0 and download the TFSEclipsePlugin-UpdateSiteArchive Zip file to your local hard drive.
• Next, in Tasktop companion application, select Help > Install New Software... then press the Add button, press the Archive button, and browse to the .zip file you just downloaded.
• Put a checkbox next to "Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere 2010"; accept the license, and finish.
• The Tasktop companion application will then restart. You will need to select Help > Install New Software... again.
• On the Install New Software page, click Add and enter http://tasktop.com/downloads/update/release/ide for the Server: and something for the Name: (I suggest "Tasktop Updates"). Select OK, and you will (after a moment) see a few lines with checkboxes. Open the triangle next to "Tasktop Enterprise", then put a check in the box next to "Tasktop Enterprise for Microsoft Team Foundation Server (Requires TEE 10.1 or later)".
• Click on Next, accept the license, and Finish.

What connectors are available for Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio supports all Tasktop Certified connectors for task repositories. Other non-certified connectors may work, however they are not verified. Supported connectors include:

When will code-focusing be available in Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

Code focusing will not be available in the first release of Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio. A release date has not been set for this feature.

When will connector X be available in Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio?

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio works for most Tasktop Certified connectors now. Connectors that are not Tasktop Certified but are available for Eclipse may also work. Please try out your favorite connector and let us know if you run in to any problems. If a Tasktop Certified connector does not yet exist for your repository, please vote for it.

Can I use a non-Tasktop Certified Connector with Visual Studio?

Tasktop Certified connectors are tested with Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio and are known to work reliably. Connectors that are not certified may also work. Please try out your favorite connector and let us know if you run in to any problems.

How do I install a Mylyn connector to make a task repository accessible from Visual Studio?

Install your connector into Tasktop using Connector Discovery. Connector Discovery can be accessed by pressing the "New Query..." button, then "Install More Connectors...". If you don't find your connector in Connector Discovery, additional connectors can be installed using either the Eclipse Marketplace or the "Install New Software..." feature of Eclipse.

How much does Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio cost?

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio is bundled with Tasktop Dev Enterprise. View the Tasktop downloads for a free trial and pricing information.

This is due to Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio being unable to locate the Tasktop companion application. When started, the Tasktop companion application creates a file called .tasktopHTL which contains information on how Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio can access it to get information about your Task List. This file is generally stored in your home directory (i.e. C:\Users\username or C:\Documents and Settings\username) however in some cases the file is not created in the expected location.

Workaround:

If you are using a version of Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio version 2.0.1 or earlier, you can try adding the following on a new line at the end of the Tasktop.ini file in the Tasktop installation directory (i.e. C:\Program Files\Tasktop):
-Duser.home=<path to your user home> i.e. -Duser.home=Z:\Users\sminto

If this does not fix your problem, please contact help@tasktop.com so that we can assist you further.

Known Issues & Limitations

Tasktop Dev for Visual Studio provides access to your task list in Microsoft Visual Studio with the following limitations. For most limitations, unless otherwise specified, the known workaround is to open and use the Tasktop companion application. To access the Tasktop companion the application while Visual Studio is open, double click on the <=> icon in your system tray.

General:

• Task Repository View
  There is no way to list all repositories to open their properties, delete a repository or mark it as disconnected. Repository properties can be openned from the Repository > Properties context menu on a query or by clicking the repository name in the header of the task editor.
• Task Activation
  As there is currently no support for activating a task in Visual Studio, there is no ability to track time, focus code views or automatically create commit messages based on the active task.
• Task Repository Search
  There is no way to invoke a repository search from within Visual Studio. Currently, the only way to access tasks is by creating a query. The Task List view can be filtered based on the ID or summary of the task by entering text in the Find box.
• Task Categories
  There is no way to create or manipulate categories within Visual Studio. Tasks that are already in categories are visible in that category in Visual Studio and Local Tasks can be created in a category by selecting the category before creating a new task using the context menu.
• Working Sets
  Task working sets are not supported in Visual Studio. Working sets can be used to group queries and categories into separate projects and minimize the number of elements shown in the Task List view.
• Open Task by ID
  There is no way to open a task based on the task ID. To view a task in Visual Studio, the task that you are interested in must be included in a query that you have created.

Task List:

• Scheduling
  There is currently no way to schedule a task for a particular day within Visual Studio. Also, there is no way to view scheduling information or tasks in a scheduled mode of the Task List view. Due dates may be specified on tasks where supported by the underlying task repository. Overdue tasks are displayed in red.
• Filtering and Sorting
  There is no advanced filtering or sorting of the Task List view such as using Focus on scheduling by Workweek. Completed tasks can be filtered by using the Hide Completed Tasks tool bar button. Tasks are sorted using the default sort order (Priority, Rank, Date Created). The sort order can be changed in the Tasktop companion application from the Task List menu. Changes to the sort order are visible after restarting Visual Studio.
• Mark as Read/Unread
  There is no ability to mark a task or query as read from the task list. Tasks are automatically marked as read by opening the corresponding task editor.
• Rename Query
  Renaming a query is not provided as a context menu action, but you can rename a query by opening the properties of the query and editing the Title.
• Delete Query
  Queries cannot be deleted from the Task List view using either the context menu or the Delete key.
• Open with browser
  Tasks can be opened in a web browser from the button in the task editor, but not by using the context menu in Task List view. Queries cannot be opened in a browser.
• Copy Details
  There is no way to copy the details of a task from the Task List view. To get the URL of a task to copy, you can open the task in the web browser using the Open With Web Browser action in the task editor and copying the URL from the web browser window.
• Send To
  Tasks cannot have their contents re-created in a different repository using the normal Send To action. To send a task to a different repository, all of the properties that you would like copied must be copied manually between the existing task and new task.
• Keyboard commands
  Many common keyboard bindings are not currently configured and cannot be used on an item selected in the Task List view (i.e. Delete, F5 to Synchronize, Enter to open, etc)
• Actions on Multiple Items
  Currently, all actions work only on a single element in the Task List view. To delete or synchronize multiple tasks, the action must be performed on each element in question.
• Tool Tips
  There is no advanced tool tip for tasks or queries in the Task List view. To see details of a task, open the corresponding task editor.

Task Editor:

• Attachments
  There is currently no support for task attachments in Visual Studio, so you cannot view existing attachments or create a new one from within Visual Studio.
• Associations
  Cross-repository associations can be viewed but cannot be configured in Visual Studio.
• Private Notes
  There is no support for storing private notes that should not be submitted to the Task Repository.
• Subtask Creation
  There is no button to quickly create a subtask from the header of the task editor. Subtasks can be created using the context menu in the Task List view.
• Time Tracking
  As there is no way to activate a task to track the time spent while working on it, there is no Time Tracking section available in the Visual Studio task editor.
• Context Menu
  There is no context menu in the task editor. You can use the actions in the header of the task editor or the context menu actions in the task list to perform necessary actions.
• WikiText
  The long text fields in Visual Studio (i.e. description, comments, etc.) do not render wiki syntax but instead display these fields in plain text.
• Hyperlinking
  Text fields currently do not allow the user to click on a link or bug reference to navigate to that item. If you wish to open a URL, you can copy the URL from the comment by selecting the text and using the Copy action from the context menu. If you are looking for a task, you can enter the ID of the task in question into the Find box in your Task List view to find that task in your task list. There is currently no way to navigate task relations and references if they are not in your task list.
• Custom Task Editor Actions
  You may use the Tasktop companion application to gain access to additional task editor actions that are not available in Visual Studio. These actions are meant to enhance the user experience and should not impact the ability to use a connector in Visual Studio (i.e. open email message in Outlook).
• Comments
  There is no action to copy the user ID of the user that made the comment or to reply to a comment.
• Scrolling
  There is currently no horizontal scrolling for the task editor. If the attributes do not fit in the editor window, the window must be made larger to view them all.
• Unsupported Editors
  Some task repositories are unsupported and their tasks cannot be opened using the Task Editor. When a task editor is opened for either Rally or Rational Team Concert, the Tasktop companion application will open instead and display the task editor there. The Tasktop companion application will also be opened when opening an HP ALM task that supports workflow.