Installing the Check for Comments Check-In Policy

Why doesn't Team System include a "must have comments" policy for check-ins out of the box? I have no idea. It seems like an obvious oversight to me, but it doesn't.

But the good news is that it's relatively easy to install the missing comment policy.

In a previous entry on adding a new check-in policy, I provided the source code for a comment policy. I re-packaged that source into an easy one-click installer:

Once you install this policy, it can be enabled for the entire Team Project. Enable it through the Team, Team Project Settings, Source Control Settings dialog. Once you enable the code comments policy, developers who have the policy installed will see this:

And developers who don't have the policy installed will see this:

In other words, developers who don't have the policy installed will be treated to a mandatory checkin policy failure on every single checkin. If that's not enough motivation to install the proper policy, I don't know what is..

posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 3:39 PM by jatwood

Comments

# Check-in policy: Requiring a comment

A check-in policy to require a comment has always been a frequent request.  Jeff Atwood has posted...
Wednesday, August 23, 2006 7:39 PM by Buck Hodges

# re: Installing the Check for Comments Check-In Policy

What I don't understand is why the policy has to be distributed on the developers machines? Doesn't it naturally belong to the place where source database is?
I know, I know - it works this way. But why?!!!!
Friday, August 25, 2006 7:35 PM by Laboremus

# re: Installing the Check for Comments Check-In Policy

I don't understand that - in the case of not havinf installed the policy on the client - i'm still being able to "avoid" the policy instruction by selecting "override policy .." and checkin my source. Very strange and not restrict. enough in my opinion.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:18 AM by Oliver

# VSTS: Installing the Check for Comments Check-In Policy

Vertigo Software have released a neat check-in policy that verifies that comments are checked. See http://blogs.vertigosoftware.com/teamsystem/archive/2006/08/22/3417.aspx
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 5:46 AM by Willy-Peter Schaub

# List of excellent widgets and the realisation that coffee is a science in the US

Some interesting TFS artifacts which have become defacto in my VSTS toolbox. Thanks Steven for maintaining
Thursday, October 19, 2006 9:00 AM by Willy-Peter Schaub

# TFS Check-In Policies Pack

There was a recent TFS Version Control Blog post which asked the community for feedback regarding TFS
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 1:47 AM by Mike's Blog

# Enforce comments TFS Check-in policy

Use this tool to enforce comments being added by developers when the check-in their code to a tfs source
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 2:06 AM by Merrick Chaffer's Blog

# Available Check-In-Policies for Team Foundation Server

Included in Visual Studio 2005 Team System: Work Items Code Analysis : Check-in policy can be used to
Friday, December 08, 2006 2:34 PM by Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) Blog

# Installing the Check for Comments Check-In Policy

It Would have been better if this policy would have directly Flowed to the Client Machines as Windows Group Policy when user connects to TFS server.Now each user has to install this tool individually in their machine so that policy will work.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:19 AM by Ben

# Available Check-In-Policies for Team Foundation Server

Included in Visual Studio 2005 Team System: Work Items Code Analysis : Check-in policy can be used to
Wednesday, January 31, 2007 6:58 AM by Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) Blog

# List of Tools and Add-ins for TFS/VSTS

I received this from a colleague today and it’s so helpful I thought I’d post it to my blog
Thursday, March 08, 2007 9:45 PM by It's Way Too Early For This

# List of Tools and Add-ins for TFS/VSTS

TEAM FOUNDATION SERVER Utilities Capacity planning spreadsheet and tools (Unsupported) Team Foundation
Thursday, March 08, 2007 11:10 PM by It's Way Too Early For This

# List of Tools and Add-ins for TFS/VSTS

[EDIT] I neglected to mention that I received this listing from a colleague on the day I posted it. But
Saturday, March 10, 2007 9:16 PM by It's Way Too Early For This

# Team Foundation Server Tools

A dump, of various tools, thanks to Zeeshan Shah. Note: this is not an endorsed list. Utilities Team
Sunday, March 11, 2007 3:39 PM by Team Individualism

# Team Foundation Server Tools

A dump, of various tools, thanks to Zeeshan Shah. Note: this is not an endorsed list. Utilities Team
Sunday, March 11, 2007 3:40 PM by Team Individualism

# Available Check-In Policies for Team Foundation Server

Included in Visual Studio 2005 Team System: Work Items Code Analysis : Check-in policy can be used to
Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:34 PM by Srikanth R - A VSTS and TFS Blog