Export and Import your build definitions. Useful for recreating all the build steps, variables, schedules, etc in a different team project.
This extension is now unpublished from Marketplace. You can choose to uninstall it.
Release notes
Feb 2017
For additional validations, current version of extension now depends on few additional scopes which are available only in TFS 2017 and above. If you are not on TFS 2017 but using TFS 2015 Update 2 and above, please use v0.0.2 and install extension manually.
Additional validations of JSON file before importing.
The extension now checks existence of service endpoints before importing.
UI changes to Import dialog, code cleanup and refactor.
Disable analytics and trust customers will report issues :-)
Remove preview flag.
Uses latest version of typescript.
Aug 2016
Improved the import logic - If the project/repository/service endpoint from the file cannot be found (in the importing project) extension tries to first resolve from the first available build definition. Extension will throw error only when it cannot find the definition too.
Minor changes to UI style.
Jun 2016
Initial version (preview)
This extension will help you to export your build definition and then import it in same or another team project or even different collection/account!
Thus helping you to
Version control your definitions (exported file is JSON which can be checked in as any other file).
Avoid manually duplicating the definition in another team project/account.
No need to manually add steps and set their values.
The extension also highlights any missing service endpoints.
Get Started
Note: The extension only supports new (non XAML) build definitions.
Once you install the extension, go to Builds hub and right-click on any build definition. You will see a two new menu items Export and Import.
Export build definition
Right-click and click Export on the build definition you would like to export.
You will be prompted save the definition as a file.
Save the file with JSON extension.
Import build definition
Right click on any existing build definitions and click on Import
You will be prompted to upload a build definition file.
You can either drag and drop a file or use the Browse button to select the file you want to import.
Once you upload the file, the file will be parsed and the dialog will highlight you if any issues with the definition.
Click Import. If import is successful, you will have your build created, with all your steps, variables, schedules and other build definition parameters.
Limitations/Known issues
Known issues
If you are on on-premise TFS (including TFS 15 RC1), Export and Import menu items only appear on build definition context menu and do not appear on All build definitions context menu.
If you do not have any existing build definitions, you need to create a temporary empty build definition to see these menu items.
You might get an error when you are importing a build definition and,
Repository/project settings from import file do not match the project in which you are importing.
Import file has build step from custom extension and you do not have extension installed on the importing project.
Import file has service endpoints which do not exist in importing project.
