El Bruno

Good,

delete a WorkItem is not a task that is the most recommended. Mainly because if you’ve created a WI is not useful, i.e. you have the wrong, because who said you make no mistake and delete a WI which is not correct. So on this basis, our friends in Redmond had hidden this option very in the guts of TFS and until the power tools of TFS2008, we had no option to remove a WI.

Team Foundation Server 2010 has incorporated a new tool called WitAdmin which among other things allows us to eliminate a WorkItem from the command-line with the following syntax:

C:\Program Files (x 86) \Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE > destroywi /collection witadmin.exe:http:// < tfs>: 8080/tfs/< tpc > / id: < WorkItemId >

where < tfs > is the name of our server, < tpc > is the team Project collection on which we will work and finally < WorkItemId > is the id of the WI you want to delete.

In addition to be able to eliminate a WI, there are other options provided by the tool:

• changefield

  Changes properties of the field.

  Usage: witadmin changefield /s server d_typename /n [/name newname]
  [/syncnamechanges true|false] [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the application-tier server name, or to fully
  specified URL such as http://tfs:8080.
  /n The reference name of the field.
  /name The new name of the field.
  /syncnamechanges Indicates whether or not the field’s values should be
  updated in response to identity name changes.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• deactivatelinktypeDeactivates the specified link type. Users will no longer be able to create
  new links with this type. Existing links of this type will continue to function
  correctly.

  Usage: deactivatelinktype /s server d_typename /n witadmin

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /n Specifies the link type to society using either the link type name
  or reference name.

• DeleteField

  Deletes the specified field using the reference name.

  Usage: witadmin deletefield /s server d_typename /n [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /n Specifies the reference name of the field to be deleted.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• deletelinktype

  Deletes the specified link type from the specified server.

  Usage: witadmin deletelinktype /s server d_typename /n [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /n Specifies the link type to delete. The link name or type
  reference name can be used.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• destroygloballist

  Destroys a global list.

  Usage: witadmin destroygloballist /s server d_typename /n [/noprompt] [/ force]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /n Specifies the name of the global list to destroy.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.
  / force Turns off validation that the an item is not in use before being
  destroyed.

• destroywiDestroys a work item or work items. Currently, work items can only be
  destroyed. Destroying a work item means the item is physically deleted work
  and cannot be restored. The system does not support logical (and thus)
  (recoverable) deletion of work items.

  Usage: witadmin destroywi /s server /id id [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /id Specifies the ID of the work item to destroy. Supports multiple
  IDs delimited by commas such as 12,15,23 (with no whitespace).
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• destroywitdDestroys a work item type. Currently, work item types can only be destroyed.
  Destroying a work item type means that work items of that type are physically
  deleted and cannot be restored. It does not support logical (and thus)
  (recoverable) delete of work item types.

  Usage: witadmin destroywitd /s /p /n d_typename project server [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /p Specifies the name of the team project.
  /n Specifies the name of the work item type to destroy.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• exportcategories

  Exports the XML definition of a project’s work item type categories.

  Usage: witadmin exportcategories /s /p project server [/f filename] [/e]
  [encoding]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /p Specifies the name of the team project.
  /f Specifies the destination file for exporting the work item type
  XML category. If not specified, the XML is output to the display.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.

• exportgloballistExports the XML definition of global lists defined on a Team Foundation
  Server.

  Usage: witadmin exportgloballist /s server [/f filename] [/e encoding]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /f Specifies the destination file for exporting the global list XML. When
  It is not specified, the XML is output to the display.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.

• exportlinktype

  Exports the XML definition of a link type.

  Usage: witadmin exportlinktype /s server [d_typename /n] [/f filename] [/e]
  [encoding]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /n Specifies the name of the work item link type that is to be exported.
  /f Specifies the destination file for exporting the link type XML. When it
  is not specified, the XML is output to the display.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.

• exportwitd

  Exports the XML definition of a work item type.

  Usage: witadmin exportwitd/s server project d_typename /n /p [/f filename] [/e]
  [encoding] [/exportgloballists]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server.
  Either use the application-tier server name, or to fully
  specified URL such as http://tfs:8080.
  /p Specifies the name of the team project.
  /n Specifies the name of the work item type to export.
  /f Specifies the destination file for exporting the work
  item type XML. If not specified, the XML is output to
  the display.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding
  used to import the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use
  Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By default, encoding is
  automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  can not be detected automatically, is UTF-8 encoding
  used.
  /exportgloballists Exports the definitions of referenced global lists. If
  not specified, global list definitions are omitted.

• importcategoriesThis command imports a work item type categories XML file into a team project on
  a Team Foundation Server. If a category with the same name already exists, the
  new category definition will overwrite the existing definition. If the work
  item type does not already exist, a new category will be created.

  Usage: witadmin importcategories /s /p /f filename project server [/e]
  [encoding]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /p Specifies the team project in which the categories are imported.
  /f Specifies the work item type categories XML file to import.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.

• importgloballistImports global lists from an XML definition file onto to Team Foundation
  Server. If a global list that has the same name already exists, the imported
  definition will overwrite the existing definition. If a global list does not
  already exist, a new one will be created.

  Usage: witadmin importgloballist /s /f filename server [/e encoding]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /f Specifies the global list XML definition file to be imported.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.

• importlinktypeImports to link type XML definition file into Team Foundation Server. If a link
  type with the same reference name already exists, it will be updated to match
  the imported link type. If the link type does not already exist, a new link
  type will be created.

  Usage: witadmin importlinktype/s server /f filename [/e encoding] [v]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /f Specifies the file that contains the link type XML to import.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.
  /v Validates the work item type or link type XML without importing it.

• importwitdThis command imports a work item type XML definition file into a team project
  on a Team Foundation Server. If a work item type with the same name already
  exists, the new work item type definition will overwrite the existing
  definition. If the work item type does not already exist, a new work item type
  will be created.

  Usage: witadmin importwitd/s server [/p project] /f filename [/e encoding]
  [v]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /p Specifies the team project in which the new work item type is imported.
  This is required, except when the validation-only option is used.
  /f Specifies the work item type XML definition file to import.
  /e Specifies the name of the.NET Framework 2.0 encoding used to import
  the XML. For example, /e utf-7 will use Unicode (UTF-7) encoding. By
  default encoding is automatically detected when it is possible. If the
  encoding can not be detected automatically, UTF-8 is used.
  /v Validates the work item type or link type XML without importing it.

• indexfield

  This command turns indexing for a field on or off.

  Usage: witadmin indexfield server name /index on|off /n /s

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use
  the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /n The reference name of the field whose information will be indexing
  updated.
  /index Specifies whether the field should be indexed.

• ListFieldsShows field information. By default, this lists all fields on the Team
  Foundation Server. Optional parameters can be used to list only specific
  fields.

  Usage: witadmin listfields /s server [/n d_typename] [/unused]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use
  the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /n The reference name of the field to display.
  /unused Shows all fields that are not being used on the Team Foundation
  Server.

• listgloballist

  Lists the names of the global lists on a server.

  Usage: listgloballist /s server witadmin

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.

• listlinktypes

  Lists the available set of link types on a server.

  Usage: listlinktypes /s server witadmin

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.

• listwitd

  Lists the names of the work item types in the given project.

  Usage: listwitd /s /p project server witadmin

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /p Specifies the name of the team project.

• reactivatelinktypeActivates the specified link type. Users will be able to create new links
  with this type.

  Usage: reactivatelinktype /s server d_typename /n witadmin

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either use the
  application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL such as
  http://TFS:8080.
  /n Specifies the link type to activate using either the name or reference
  name.

• rebuildcacheThis command invalidates cached data about work item types on all clients.
  Each client will refresh its cache the next time that it connects to the
  Server. To avoid server performance issues, you should not run this command
  during typical operating hours.

  Usage: witadmin rebuildcache /s server [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• renamewitdRename an existing work item type. Changes the display name of a work item
  type within a specific project. Also, the work items of that type are updated
  to reflect the new work item type name.

  Usage: renamewitd /s /p /n d_typename /new newname project server witadmin
  [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /p Specifies the name of the team project.
  /n Specifies the name of the work item type to rename.
  /new Specifies the new name for the work item type.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

• reportfieldSpecifies whether and how the field is included in the data warehouse for
  reporting. For more information about how to use fields for reporting, see
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId = 78060.

  Usage: witadmin reportfield /s server /t type d_typename /n [/formula formula]
  [/noprompt]

  /s Specifies the Team Foundation application-tier server. Either
  use the application-tier server name, or to fully specified URL
  such as http://tfs:8080.
  /n Reference name of the field.
  /t Specifies how the field is used in the warehouse for reporting
  (dimension, detail, measure, disable).
  /formula Specifies to formula when the field is reported as a measure. The
  only supported formula is sum.
  /noprompt Turns off the confirmation message.

Greetings @ Alicante

The Bruno

WitAdmin references: http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/shair/archive/2009/05/20/visual-studio-2010-witadmin-command-line-utility-commands.aspx