Storing TFS Credentials in VS2010

Visual Studio 2010 have not got an option to store credentials of TFS login which make you really cranky at times. So to store the credentials and avoid the prompt when connecting to external TFS server please follow the steps below:-

Using windows 7

1. Go to Control Panel -> User Accounts and Family Safety -> User Accounts
2. Select "Manage your credentials"
3. Select "Add a Windows credential"
4. Specify the network address (for eg:- tfs.codeplex.com)
5. Now provide username and password, select "Ok" to save your credentials.

Now when you try to connect to external TFS servers you will not see login prompt, but remember to update your password if its changed.

There are three kinds of death in this world. There's heart death, there's brain death, and there's being off the network. ~Guy Almes

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Setting up FileZilla Server and Client for transferring files with FTP

FileZilla is a free FTP solution that allows you to setup an FTP site with in minutes. Refer to filezilla site for more details

Setting up the FileZilla Server

Installing FileZilla Server

1. Goto FileZilla Server and download the "FileZilla_Server-0_9_41.exe"
2. Run "FileZilla_Server-0_9_41.exe" and select Next
3. Choose components to install

4. Choose Install location (use default location)
5. Select service start-up settings

6. Select FileZilla interface start-up settings

This should complete the installation

Configuring FileZilla Server

Configure Group

1. Start FileZilla service (Start -> All Programs -> FileZilla Server -> Start FileZilla Server)
2. Now open FileZilla Interface (Start -> All Programs -> FileZilla Server -> FileZilla Server Interface)
3. Use default settings on the connect to server dialog

4. Connection should succeed and display FileZilla Interface

5. Select Edit -> Groups

6. Select "Add" and specify group name

7. Now select "Shared folders" and add a directory (eg: D:\MyFTPShare\csharptechies)

Configure Users

8. Select Edit -> Users and add a user account

9. Select "Password" and assign a password 10. Select "Shared folders" and add a directory (eg: D:\MyFTPShare\csharptechies)

Note: Assuming this is admin account assign all permissions for the directory 11. Add another user (like a friend or colleague who belong to same group)

12. Select "Password" and assign a password 13. Select "Shared folders" and add a directory (eg: D:\MyFTPShare\csharptechies\saif)

Note : Instead of giving permissions for the directory that belongs to the admin, create a sub directory under that for each user. Repeat steps 11,12 & 13 for all users in the group.

Installing FileZilla Client

1. Goto FileZilla Client and download the "FileZilla_3.5.3_win32-setup.exe"
2. Run "FileZilla_3.5.3_win32-setup.exe" and select Next
3. Choose components to install

4. Run to completion

Connecting FileZilla Client to Server

1. Open FileZilla Client (Start -> All Programs -> FileZilla FTP Client -> FileZilla)
2. select File -> Site Manager
3. select "New Site" and specify details (port number is not required if firewall is not enabled)

4. Now select "connect"

Now looking at FileZilla Server interface will show the list of users (clients) connected

All done !!!!. Now you can transfer (upload/download) files between server and your clients.

Other ways of connecting clients to FileZilla Server

- Open windows explorer and specify ftp location ftp://129.86.76.32/, then provide the user credentials
- Open firefox browser and provide the url as ftp://saif@129.86.76.32/ (needs firefox plugin fireftp)

“We have to stop optimizing for programmers and start optimizing for users.”
– Jeff Atwood

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