After some search I've found the way to do it:

1. Open the table in Server Explorer and select the column in which you want to store the automatic timestamp.
2. Under Column Properties, modify "Default Value or Binding" to hold: (getdate()).
3. Save, and you're done!

Now everytime you insert a record into the database, the timestamp will be generated for you.

Now, I've managed to create my own database in my Solution in VS, created some (preliminary) tables, and I got it all working on my XP machine. But then we have that thing about transferring it to the VPC to get it to work in Windows Server 2003. Not so easy as I thought.

First of all, let's talk about my tables. This is just a preliminary design, but I think we will keep it somehow intact:

This table is called "SavedEntries". Everytime someone evaluates code metrics and sends the result to TFS, a new row will be added to this table in the database. ID is the primary key, ProjectName (or whatever ww in the future will choose as an artifact) will hold artifact-information. TimeStamp stores time and date for when the metrics were performed. We will perhaps need to store more attributes, so it is possible to extend the table with more columns.

This table is called "MetricsData". It speaks for itself. ID is the primary key for the table, EntryID is a foregin key mapped to SavedEntries.ID (see SavedEntries table above). The meric reults are stored in his table.

That was the tables. Now to my problems. I've created a new SQL Database called CodeMetricsDB.mdf and it is stored in the App_Data folder (together with its CodeMetricsDB_log.LDF file). It works fine on XP with the following connection string:

        string connstring = "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;" +
                            "AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|CodeMetricsDB.mdf;" +
                            "Integrated Security=True;" +
                            "User Instance=True;";

However, when I transfer the webservice files to the VPC for TFS, I get a severe exception. After some search on the net I found that it is probably the attaching of the CodeMetricsDB.mdf file that makes it all go to hell.

Mr. König helped me out a bit by telling me that I shouldn't use SQLEXPRESS but instead a "real" SQL server, and attaching the database by using some database tool. The problem is that I can't find any tool (or other way to do it) on the VPC. And even if I use the Server Explorer inside Visual Studio 2008, when I try to add a new connection, all I can choose as server is ORCASBETA2_TFSV\SQLEXPRESS. Why? Shouldn't I be able to choose some "non-Express-SQL-server"? I'm really confused.

So I'm stuck again, with something working on XP but not on the VPC. And I don't know if the Integrated Security + User Instance in the connection string is a wise thing to do. Perhaps I should use SQL authentication instead. But then again, I need to find some way to add users to the SQL server databases (which I don't know how to do in the VPC).

One positive thing is that I at least know how I should read information from the database usin C# (same connection string [conn] as above - it works on my local computer but not on the VPC):

 1     SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connstring);
 2 
 3         try
 4         {
 5             conn.Open();
 6         }
 7         catch (Exception e)
 8         {
 9             return e.ToString();
10         }
11 
12         // try to read data from the DB
13         try
14         {
15             SqlDataReader myReader = null;
16             SqlCommand myCommand = new SqlCommand("select * from SavedEntries", conn);
17             myReader = myCommand.ExecuteReader();
18             string result = "Result: ";
19             while (myReader.Read())
20             {
21                 result = result + myReader["ProjectName"].ToString() + "....";
22             }
23             return result;
24         }
25         catch (Exception e)
26         {
27             return e.ToString();
28         }
29 
30         conn.Close();

Lines 15-17 performs the reading operation. Everytime myReader.Read() is called, it consumes one row of the results returned from the SQL database. (In the above examples, it returns a string containing all ProjectNames stord in the SavedEntries table, separated by four dots).

I'll have to figure out how to solve this XP <--> VPC problem. As I've tried so far, developing on the VPC instead doesn't seem to help me at all. I'm pretty sure that it all will work fine if I could figure out a way to (1) attach the database to the SQL Server in the VPC and (2) create a correct connection string for the scenarioa in (1).

I managed to make a short program which connects to the TFS Server and extracts information from it. The program is written in C#, and is not really hard to make. I'm not sure though if that's the right way to go. I know that I can implement some C# code in my webservice, but it's still not clear to me if I should connect to TFS this way or another.

Anyway, I do it like this, in a simple C# console application (yes, it is from an article at MSDN - I just don't remember the source right now):

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client;
using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client;

namespace MyFirstApplicationForTFS
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Let the user choose a TFS Server
            Console.Write("Please enter a valid TFS Server or URI: ");
            String tfsServer = Console.ReadLine();
            tfsServer = tfsServer.Trim();

            // Connect to the TeamFoundation Server
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.Write("Connecting to Team Foundation Server {0}...", tfsServer);
            TeamFoundationServer tfs = TeamFoundationServerFactory.GetServer(tfsServer);

            // Example: Connect to the WorkItemStore 
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.Write("Reading from the Work Item Store...");
            WorkItemStore workItemStore = (WorkItemStore)tfs.GetService(typeof(WorkItemStore));

            // Example: Display the details about the teamFoundationServer
            Console.WriteLine("\n");
            Console.WriteLine("Team Foundation Server Details");
            Console.WriteLine("Server name: " + tfs.Name);
            Console.WriteLine("Uri: " + tfs.Uri);
            Console.WriteLine("AuthenticatedDisplayName: " + tfs.AuthenticatedUserDisplayName);
            Console.WriteLine("AuthenticatedUserName: " + tfs.AuthenticatedUserName);
            Console.WriteLine("workItemStore:");

            // Example: List the projects in the WorkItemStore.
            Console.WriteLine("    Projects.Count: " + workItemStore.Projects.Count);
            foreach (Project pr in workItemStore.Projects)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("     " + pr.Name);
            }
            Console.WriteLine("\n\nDONE!");
        }
    }
}

It works fine, I've tried it on the TFS VPC. But as I said, I'm not sure that I'm on the right track here. Perhaps webservices that are to be a part of TFS should communicate in some other way with the server. I'll have to study some more. Please do give me some feedback on my thoughts!

Now, there are obviously more things to do. First of all I need a client which sends the code metrics data to the web service (I did implement a simple client, but Magnus is taking a deeper look into making a client via a package for VS 2008). Secondly, the web service needs a method that receives these code metric data and finally forwards them into the Data Tier on TFS. I know how to construct a method that receives the data. Now I need to concentrate on two primary things regarding the web service:

• How does TFS register that my web service exists? (I think I’ve read about that somewhere but forgot it by now… typical!)
• How does the web service push the data into our operational store?
• Furthermore, after these two things have been dealt with, I need to find out:
• Where and how do we implement the operational store? (Yeah I know, in the SQL server in TFS – but I need more details! Preferably a guide or walkthrough)
• …and then all the things concerning the adapter, the XML schema and those things in that area.

• Learn WCF
• Build a web service
• Make XML schema for the adapter
• Create Adapter
• Create operational store
• Write some parts of the master thesis (theoretical)

It's been a while since I wrote something here, so I think it's time I'll give you all an update on what's going on in the project.

On monday this week we had a Live Meeting with Mr. König, where we showed this presentation with our findings and questions. The black hole as we saw it then was how to implement the operational store where we should store our data in the TFS server.

The answer to that question were pretty straightforward. We have to create a new database in the same SQL-Server. Then we have to build our own Web service layer on TFS. Finally, we have to implement a client which communicates with the web service. This client should send the code metrics down to our operational store (database). The webservice we implement should then be added to the IIS on the TFS server. As an endpoint to which the client can communicate, we need to provide an URL for the service.

The Team Foundation Object Model that I've been wondering about will apparently be created when you supply the URL to the client. I didn't really understand how that works, but I think It'll be clear as soon I start experimenting with it.

We should have our emphasis on the Adapter + operational store + the report, and not spend too much time constructing the web service.

One thing to think about is how to map our dimensions we'll create to those that already exist in the data warehouse in TFS.

We still need to put our emphasis on the server part of the project, not the client. Next week we will meet with an American gentleman who has been responsible for the (now existing) Code Metrics in Visual Studio 2008. Depending on the outcome of that meeting, we'll see what twist & turns the project will take on the client side. Some suggestions were uttered during the meeting; you could for example see if it is possible to extend the Code Analysis engine to get our code metrics. Or, we could use some kind of external open source tools that performs the code analysis in Visual Studio.

Regarding the reports, we should use MDX and the Report Designer to create them.

So Magnus and I have splitted up the work between us. I will take care of:

• Figuring out how to create the Operational Store
• Create a Web Service
• Create an Adapter
• Create a XML schema for the Adapter

Magnus will take care of:

• Creating the report (MDX + Report Designer)
• Take a look at the Dashboard-part; how to implement that in the project portal
• Figuring out how to use the TFC API to create our client

As for the master thesis part, work is not going so well. We still haven't got a project context to work with (delimitations on project type, role, size of project etc) so we can't do any empirical research. We're at a complete halt here, and it is very concerning! Time is running out and I'm really worried if we'll make it on time. To add up to all this we still haven't got the books we need to do a good job. None of these things are at our table, so I really really do hope that it gets sorted out soon, preferrably already yesterday.

Anyway, my TODO-list:

• Learn WCF
• Build a web service
• Make XML schema for the adapter
• Create Adapter
• Create operational store
• Write some parts of the master thesis (theoretical)

• Common Structures
• Work Item Tracking
• Source Control
• Team Foundation Build
• Team Test

• void Initialize(IDataStore ds)
  Initializes the adapter, and holds a reference to the IDataStore object (keeps the adress of the TFS server and the tools the adapter will work with).
  
• SchemaChangeResult MakeSchemaChanges()
  Provides means by which an adapter can indicate whether it will change a schema on this run.
  
• DataChangesResult MakeDataChanges()
  Does the primary work of the adapter. Pulls data from the operational store and writes to the warehouse using the object model.
  
• void RequestStop()
  Stops the adapter in an orderly fashion in the event the service is taken down.

• Correctability is quantified by using the metrics Fault counts and Effort
• Testability is quantified by using the metrics Degree of testing and Effort
• Expandability is quantified by using the metrics Change counts and Effort

• functionality
• reliability
• efficiency
• usability
• maintainability
• portability
  

• Define Code Metrics
• Find VSTS/TFS books in the library and notify Dag which were found (if any)
  
• Come to a conclusion if we will get an office at the university or not (urgent!)
  
• Get some answers on how to solve the practical problem with laptops to borrow (urgent!)
  
• Check out Reflector and code metrics (low prio as of now)
• Finish watching the on-demand webcasts on VSTS/TFS
  

Definition of Software Metrics

”An objective, mathematical measure of software that is sensitive to differences in software characteristics. It provides a quantitative measure of an attribute which the body of software exhibits”

“Software metrics measue specific attributes of a software product or a software-development process. In other words, they are measures of success.”

“An attempt to quantify some aspect of a product generated during a software project.” (Note: product could mean source code as well as documentation)

”A measure of some property of a piece of software or its specifications”

NASAs definition: “Software metrics are measurements of software attributes. For example, Total Lines of Code is a measurement of the number of lines of code  (executable statements, comments and blank lines) for a given module.”'

Our conclusion: Software Metrics are measurements, a quantification of an attribute that an artifact in a software project possesses.

The purpose of Software Metrics

”Software metrics are computed for the purpose of evaluating certain characteristics of the software developed”

“[Software metrics are] indicating how well the software is designed and coded according to measurable quantifiable criteria. This is where “metrics” fit into software quality assurance. They should relate to software quality “attributes” or “factors” of interest acknowledged by the community of software developers and users.”

“Software metrics are used to obtain data to support the software goals for the project, for the divisions and, ultimately, the business goals of the corporation.”

“Metrics data collected during the project track the status and progress of the project. These actuals are compared with the estimates to indicate and avoid problems.”

“A goal of software metrics for the projects is to provide data to management for controlling software development”

“As applied to the software project, a software metric measures (or quantifies) a characteristic of the software.”

“You cannot control what you can’t measure”

"Measurement is important for three basic activities: Understanding, Controlling and Improving." We also found out that the purpose of the metrics differ depending on the role you have in a software project. For managers, the metrics serves the purpose of answering questions like:

• What does each process cost?
• How productive is the staff?
• How good is the staff?
• How good is the code being developed?
• How can we improve?

• Are the requirements testable?
• Have we found all the faults?
• Have we met our product or process goals?
• What will happen in the future?
  

• Evaluate characteristics of an artifact in a software project
• Present a value on a defined quality factor of an artifact.
• Help the management (business management or project manager) to make the right decision so problems could be avoided (in other words: gives control over the project).
• Determine if you have reached your goals or nog.
• Learn from earlier projects to determine what went wrong and why, so you don't repeat the same mistakes again

Classification

”Software metrics and Software metric attributes are classified into three broad categories:

• Metrics relating to the organization
• Metrics relating to the processes
• Metrics relating to products"

• Processes (collections of software related activities)
• Products (artifacts, deliverables or documents that are the results of a process activity)
• Resources (entities required by a process activity, for exampel staff)

• Metrics of the organization/resources
• Metrics of the processes
• Metrics of the products
  • Metrics on code (code metrics)
  • Metrics on documentation (functional metrics)

Requirements on Software Metrics

• Indicate its quality
• Indicate its generality
• Indicate its timeliness

Examples of software metrics

Here are some examples of software metrics:
Lines of Code | Fan-in | Executable statements | Blank lines | Lines of Comments | Cyclomatic Complexity | Error rate | Error Density | Cohesion | Weighted methods per class (WMC) | Depth of Inhertance tree (DIT) | Number of Children (NOC) | Coupling between object classes (CBO) | Response For Class (RFC) | Lack of Cohesion Metric (LCOM) | Change Counts | Effort | Degree of testing | Fault counts

etc. It should be noted that e.g maintenance is not a software metric. It is a quality factor.

That's it!

• Define Code Metrics
• Find VSTS/TFS books in the library and notify Dag which were found (if any)
  
• Come to a conclusion if we will get an office at the university or not (urgent!)
  
• Get some answers on how to solve the practical problem with laptops to borrow (urgent!)
  
• Check out Reflector and code metrics (low prio as of now)

• Check out Reflector and code metrics (low prio as of now)
  
• Read more about Software Metrics
  
• Find more reading material about Software Metrics (underway, going to look up some IEEE articles in the library...)
  
• Come to a conclusion if we will get an office at the university or not (urgent!)
  
• Get some answers on how to solve the practical problem with laptops to borrow (urgent!)
  
• Check out the virtual labs and other material on VSTS/TFS (still working hard on this point)

• Check out Reflector and code metrics (low prio as of now)
  
• Read more about Software Metrics
  
• Find more reading material about Software Metrics
• Come to a conclusion if we will get an office at the university or not (urgent!)
  
• Get some answers on how to solve the practical problem with laptops to borrow (urgent!)
  
• Check out the virtual labs and other material on VSTS/TFS (still working hard on this point)