How to Move TFS 2010 Build Definition between Projects?

Question

I have some TFS 2010 build definitions that were created under ProjectX. Now the source code has moved to a folder subordinate to ProjectY. How can I move the build definitions to ProjectY so they display under the Builds node of the Team Explorer for ProjectY?

Answer 1

I don't think there is something out of the box to copy the build definitions from one project to another. However you should be able to do it using the TFS API. You will want to move the build process templates, which is what Pete is referring to, into the Build Process Template folder for the new project. After that you would do something like:

var server = TfsTeamProjectCollectionFactory.GetTeamProjectCollection(new Uri("<server uri>"));

IBuildServer buildServer = server.GetService<IBuildServer>();
var buildDetails = buildServer.QueryBuildDefinitions("Project X");
foreach(var build in buildDetails)
{
        var buildDefinition = buildServer.CreateBuildDefinition("Project Y");
        buildDefinition.Name = "Copy of " + build.Name;
        buildDefinition.BuildController = build.BuildController;
        // This finds the template to use
        buildDefinition.Process = buildServer.QueryProcessTemplates("Project Y")[0]; 
        buildDefinition.ProcessParameters = build.ProcessParameters;
        buildDefinition.Save();                
}

A couple of things to note. You will need deal with converting the workspace mappings from one project to the other. You will also need to change the buildDefinition.Process line to find the specific template.