Is it possible to download source tree from TFS Azure without using Visual Studio?

Question

I'm looking around mysite.tfspreview.com and I can view individual files, but I couldnt find a download all or get solution option.

So if a colleague doesnt have Visual Studio 2010 available and they wish to download a solution from TFS Azure preview what are the available options?

Answer 1

You should be able to use the command line client in the Microsoft Team Explorer Everywhere 11 Beta. It's not a big download (11MB), but I don't think there is a way to download a source tree directly from tfspreview without a client unless a zip has been added. Other source control services work this way (github, jira etc)

Answer 2

You don't need visual studio, but you need Team Explore which is add-on for Visual Studio or can be stand alone, it exists on the TFS media (DVD) or ISO, once you install Team Explore, you can access TFS Preview using GUI or Command line, you can also install TFS Power Tool 11 Beta, that will give you windows shell integration, so the context menu of the windows (when right click) it will has command to interact with TFS, as @Simon said, you can install Team Explorer Everywhere 11 Beta, but this for none windows OS or for add-on for other IDEs

Answer 3

Visual Studio Online has provided a means to do this (partly). On the website, navigate to your project's 'CODE/Explorer' tab. Right-click on whatever source directory/branch you wish and click the Download as ZIP menu item.

This will download a snapshot of whatever it is you selected. While extracting this won't "magically" link the files back to Visual Studio Online (ie, changes made will not be able to be committed directly from Windows Explorer, etc) or give you direct access to history; it will retain any source control bindings in any Visual Studio projects. This may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your circumstances.