Connect to TFS with Team Explorer 2008 or 2005

To add Team Foundation Server to the Visual Studio IDE

If you are using Team Explorer 2008 or 2005 make sure you have the compatibility pack installed before trying to connect: Note: You will only have permissions for connecting to the CodePlex Team Foundation Server if you have been added as a Coordinator or Developer to one or more CodePlex projects.
  • Open a browser and navigate to the CodePlex website.
  • Log into the CodePlex website using your already registered username and password.
  • Browse to the Source Code tab of the project that you are a Coordinator or Developer on.
  • Near the top of the tab there will be connection information. Make a note of the:
    • Team Foundation Server Name
    • Path
    • Port Number
    • Protocol
    • Project Collection
    • Username
  • Run Microsoft Visual Studio.
  • If the Team Explorer isn’t currently displayed, click the View menu and then select Team Explorer. -or- Click the team_explorer.gif button from the toolbar.
  • At the top of the Team Explorer tool window, click the button (Add Existing Team Project).
  • In the Connect to Team Foundation Server dialog box, click Servers.
  • In the Add/Remove Team Foundation Server dialog box, click Add.
  • In the Add Foundation Server name dialog, enter the full Team Foundation Server Name url. For example if your project's TFS name url was https://tfs.codeplex.com/tfs/TFS02 this step should look like this:
h28-spacer.gifh28-spacer.gif2008_AddTFSServer.png
  • Click OK to connect to the server. If the information you entered is correct, you will be prompted for your user name and password.
  • In the Connect to ServerName dialog, type in the username that was on the connection instructions from the Source Code tab, and your CodePlex Password, and then click OK. The CodePlex project(s) to which you are a member will appear.
  • Select the CodePlex project(s) to which you want to connect, and then click OK.
h28-spacer.gif -or-

h28-spacer.gif Clear the selection of any project, and then click Cancel to add the server connection without connecting to a project.

Last edited Aug 19, 2010 at 6:21 PM by Ethetica, version 16

Comments

hinst Feb 26, 2012 at 1:35 PM 
Can someone help me please?
I have installed Team Foundation Client from the disk image from some help webpage on this page...
Then I continued to this page and tried to install the forward compatibility update from the "2005 forward campatibility pack" link. When I launch it, it says "No such product installed". So... It detects that there is nothing to update on my PC, doesn't it... What is wrong with it?

premkumaranand Jan 5, 2012 at 1:35 PM 
Everything was fine for me. But it is not prompting me for username/password. Could somebody throw some light on this please.

hanzibal Jul 22, 2011 at 12:13 AM 
Like the others say, install VS2008, VS2008 SP1 and then VS2008 Forward Compatibility Pack. Then add the server on the form "https://tfs.codeplex.com:443/tfs/TFS23" where "TFS23" should be replaced by the ""Project Collection" specific to your project. That's the only way it worked for me.

andym1978 Jun 29, 2011 at 4:44 PM 
Following the instructions by leqid was the only way I could get it working. I will break leqid's instructions down into a simple step-by-step.

If you cannot connect and have already installed SP1, TeamExplorer, and the KB update, do the following:
1. Re-install Team Explorer (Repair). A reboot may be required.
2. Re-install VS2008 SP1 (Repair).
3. Re-install VS2008 Forward Compatibility Pack.
4. When adding the TFS server, manually type out the url and protocols as shown below:
https://tfs.codeplex.com:443/tfs/<Project Collection Name>
EXAMPLE: https://tfs.codeplex.com:443/tfs/TFS23

:::TECHINICAL INFO:::
When I was having the problem, the add TFS server window was not letting me input any characters like / and :. This was preventing me from manually entering the URL that leqid was referring to. After following leqid's steps exactly, the add TFS server window started letting me enter those characters. Problem solved!

thenna Jun 22, 2011 at 5:57 AM 
Same problem "2008 forward campatibility pack does not want to install on my laptop saying "None of the products that are addressed by this software update are installed on this computer." -- Somebody please help....!

leqid Jan 19, 2011 at 4:32 AM 
The long, strange tale of connecting to Team Foundation Server from Visual Studio 2008.

Prior to joining Codeplex, I had Visual Studio 2008 and VS2008 SP1. After joining Codeplex, I installed Team Explorer and the 2008 Forward Compatibility Pack. I was unable to connect to my project.

I then re-installed Team Explorer, VS2008 SP1, and the 2008 Forward Compatibility Pack, in that order. Success! (Although not before attempting several dozen different permutations of server names... thus the longness and strangeness of the tale.)

In the "Add Team Foundation Server" dialog box, I had to enter the following in order to connect:

https://tfs.codeplex.com:443/tfs/TFS23

This was calculated from my project site's Source Code tab, Source Control Setup section, Visual Studio Team Explorer link: <Protocol>://<Server Name>:<Port number>/<Path>/<Project Collection>. Without entering the Protocol too, Team Explorer tried to connect to <https://tfs.codeplex.com/tfs/TFS23:443>. Now that's just silly.

Don't forget to use your Codeplex password when connecting, *not* your Windows Live password.

What a long, strange trip it's been.

michael9000 Nov 26, 2010 at 11:06 AM 
Team Explorer must be installed before SP1 is applied on VS2008, otherwise it wont work with the compatibility pack.

1. Install VS2008
2. Install Team Explorer (if it isn't allready)
3. Install VS2008 SP1
4. Install 2008 Forward Compatibility Pack

dirkgalle Nov 4, 2010 at 2:38 PM 
You first have to install SP1, I believe.

Yanal Oct 27, 2010 at 12:22 AM 
2008 forward campatibility pack does not want to install on my laptop saying "None of the products that are addressed by this software update are installed on this computer."