Using TFS API on a non-developer system

Question

I have written a program that makes use of TFS api to synchronize bugs between TFS and some other system.

This program runs as a windows service on a non-developer machine so that it can work in the background.

It seems that the program expects the system to contain several team foundation assemblies in the GAC (e.g. Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Proxy.dll location). Unfortunately, there aren't such assemblies.

Copying the assemblies in the program directory doesn't work. Though the program is starting I immediately receive a 'MissingMethodException'.

Does anybody know if this environment requires a regular installation of some VS/TFS component and maybe a client access license?

Answer 1

There is a stand-alone installer for the TFS Object Model which is what you want: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/f30e5cc7-036e-449c-a541-d522299445aa

As far as the CAL question, it's a little trickier than you might think. Anybody that is interacting with TFS Work Items either directly or indirectly needs a CAL. This means if you have an automatic synch between TFS and some other system, anybody using that other system to view/edit data that ultimately synchs with TFS will need a TFS CAL.

Answer 2

You can install Team Explorer on any system, even those that do not have Visual Studio installed. It will install:

• A standalone Team Explorer client that provides a GUI to source control, work item tracking, build, etc.
• The standalone tf command-line client
• The SDK libraries

This will, of course, require a Client Access License.