How can a compiled Visual Studio Test Project be run & results monitored without the IDE installed?

Question

I'd like to copy a compiled Visual Studio Test Project (assemblies) to a target machine and run everything from there without having a license for Visual Studio on the target machine (note: only .net framework is installed on target machine).

Considering Test Projects are compiled down to IL dll code I don't see it a big stretch to run them on another machine except maybe for the GUI which shows the test results: it seems tightly integrated with the Visual Studio IDE.

I'm looking for visual output of the results without installing VS IDE, or at least to see test results without shelling out $$$ for another VS licence to only run tests.

Answer 1

You can run MSTest test on another machine with the Gallio testrunner.

You create a buildscript that uses the Gallio MS Build Task and run it with MSBuild.

Answer 2

Well, I finally found some talk about mstest's existence distinct from VS (in 2005) but it doesn't appear to have happened yet. Summary is:

request

Include mstest in the .NET Framework SDK

"mstest should be included in the .NET Framwork 2.0 SDK so that unit tests created using Visual Studio Team System can be executed on test enviornments where VSTS cannot be installed."

response

Posted by Microsoft on 9/20/2005 at 7:34 PM Thank you for your suggestion Brian. Unfortunately it is too late to do this for the current release (2.0) of the .NET SDK, but we will make sure to push for this in the next release. regards Hari Sekhar haris@microsoft.com .NET Framework SDK

Update 1: Through other answers, I've learned Microsoft makes available a version of Visual Studio test tools.

Answer 3

There is a Test & performance tools which will install beside and inside each Visual Studio IDE.

I you do not like to install Visual Studio IDE, just Run VS setup and then just select the Persormance & test tools. This tool only needs .net Framework and then will provide a heavy test &performance tool with charting and analyzing component

[ Update by jdk: From comments, link to Microsoft Visual Studio Test Professional 2010 RC – ISO ]