Increase Performance When Editing TFS 2010 Build Process Templates

For the longest time, opening a build process template (.xaml) file for TFS 2010 has been pretty painful.  It took a while for the workflow designer to eventually show up and the toolbox to be populated with the TFS Build Activities.  Nearly 30-45 seconds at times!

Recently, I applied a workaround that has dramatically reduced the time down to around 2 seconds!  Try it out:

1. Create a file called empty.xaml and place the following text in it:
   <Activity xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2009/xaml/activities">
   </Activity>
2. Open this file in Visual Studio.
3. In the toolbox panel, add a new tab called “Team Foundation Build Activities”.  Note that it is important to get the tab name correct because if it is not correct then the activities will be reloaded.
4. Inside the new tab, right click and select “Choose Items”
5. Click the Browse button
6. Load the file C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow\v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.dll
7. Click OK to add the toolbox items to the tab.
8. Create another new tab called “Team Foundation LabManagement Activities”.
9. Inside the new tab, right click and select “Choose Items”
10. Click the Browse button
11. Load the file C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Lab.Workflow.Activities\v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Lab.Workflow.Activities.dll
12. Click OK to add the toolbox items to the tab.

Ed Blankenship