Team Foundation Server - Identifying All File Changes

Within Visual Studio 2008, it is very easy to view the Team Foundation Server history of either a given file, project, or solution.  All you have to do is right-click on the particular item, select View History from the context menu, and you are presented with a list of changesets as shown below.

 

 

From there you can double-click on a given changeset and see the files that were a part of that atomic check-in.

But how do you see a consolidated list of all files that have been modified since a particular date, label, or changeset?  That is a little less intuitive.

The first step is to open the Source Control Explorer from the Team Explorer client window of Visual Studio by double-clicking on the Source Control Explorer node in the tree as shown below.

From the Source Control Explorer window, select the node within the project (either Team Project, Solution, Project, or file) and right-click to select Compare.

From there you will be presented with the Compare dialog shown below.

You can select to compare to a Changeset, Date, Label, etc. from the list.  For purposes of this article, we have selected the compare by Date.  Make sure that the only View Option selected in the checkboxes at the end of the dialog is "Show files that are different."  Once you click the OK button, you will be presented with the following window displaying all of the files that have changed, grouped by solution and project.

Hope this helps.

The Effective Executive - Part 1

So, I picked up a copy (used, by the way, from Amazon Marketplace for only $0.56 + shipping/handling) of The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker.  It is by no means a new book, being released in 1966, but it has some very valuable wisdom on how to effectively execute as a knowledge worker that is as relevant today as it was then.

I am going to write several posts on the book, because I want to remember the important points from the book, and I would also like to share the most interesting portions with you.  This first post will be a quick intro to the book.

The book is a mere 174 pages, but it takes time to read and digest the content.  The first chapter discusses the need for effectiveness and idea that effectiveness can be learned by anyone. 

What is effectiveness you say?  Well, Drucker makes the distinction of doing the right things rather than do things the right way.  Too many are busy doing work with no clue as to what contribution that work is really making to the organization.

After establishing the fact that effectiveness is important to knowledge workers and that effectiveness can be learned, the author then launches into 6 chapters explaining the most important aspects of practicing the habit of being effective.

1.  Know where the time goes.

2.  Focus on outward contribution.

3.  Build on strengths - individual, peer, superior and subordinate.

4.  Concentrate on a few major areas to achieve results.

5.  Make effective decisions.

I have not read all of the chapters, but just skimming the book has provided invaluable insights into becoming effective.  I will try to discuss each of the aspects above in future posts.

Random Resolution for the New Year 2009

Well, it's that time of year again when we make New Year's resolutions.  I am not a big fan of doing this once a year, because I believe that we should be daily looking for ways to grow and help others.

However, I found out about a site that randomly chooses a resolution for you from Caleb Jenkin's blog post today.  It sounded simple enough.  So, here's what it came up with for me.

Pretty appropriate, no?  Try it out by clicking here.