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Rosario: What is the “Name” attribute for on Links Control XML

  • Article

Last post, I talked about how to filter on link types. Here’s an example:

<Control Type="LinksControl" Name="UniqueName">

   <LinksControlOptions>

    <WorkItemLinkFilters FilterType="includeAll" />

    <ExternalLinkFilters FilterType="excludeAll" />

</LinksControlOptions>

</Control>

 

Some of you may have wondered want the “Name” attribute is for?

Well, it does have a purpose. :-)

The TFS Client uses this name to store the column widths for the links control. If you, the user, would adjust a column width on a links control, the TFS Client will remember that width by storing it in the client machine’s registry. It uses the Name value to retrieve that information. This allows a form designer to move the links controls to a different location on the form, and as long as the Name value is still the same, the TFS Client retains the user-defined column widths.

Therefore, changing the value of the Name attribute will result in all of the users who have set the column widths just the way they like them to lose them. Not the end of the world, but something to be aware of.

Other than the fact that the name must be unique for a work item type, it is arbitrary and set by you. So you decide what you want it named.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 21, 2007
    Rosario is next release of TFS after upcoming Orcas release. You can read a lot about Rosario from Brian's