End to end TFSBuild pattern for BizTalk 2009, part 2 (Tools)

Ok, you finally got your build environment installed and tested with a simple Hello World build and you’re ready for the next phase.

Before I show you the good stuff J there is some tools that you need to succeed with this quest:

• You’ll need basic knowledge of MSBuild and TFSBuild or you could copy and paste my build pattern if you like J
• I mainly use the OOB tools that come with .Net framework and BizTalk i.e. BTSTask, [BTSWCFServicePublishing](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb245933(BTS.20).aspx and GacUtil with my builds because I find them to be stable, supported and generally well documented.
  These tools should already be installed in your environment but you’ll have to make sure that you have the correct permissions on your TFSBuild service account to use them.
• I use BizTalk MsBuild Generator to start and stop BizTalk applications so you will need to download the tool and extract BizTalk.BuildGenerator.Tasks.dll and BizTalk.BuildGenerator.tasks. These two files are then placed under source control with the teambuildtype.
• If you need automatic generation of the BizTalk binding-files from a template (for different target environment for instance) I have found the XMLPreprocess tool very helpful.
• In the early years I used the SDC tasks but it’s no longer supported but there is still a lot of good stuff in that package if you want to learn MSBuild in more depth. The replacement is called MSBuild Extension Pack if you want to check it out. While you’re at it you should really checkout MSBuild Explorer.

Try to install the tools in a common directory i.e. C:\BuildTools or something similar and keep these tools under source control at all time.

Until next time have a good one!

Hugo