I am filled with solutions
Essays on testability, testing and being a better tester.
Getting Test Settings from Microsoft Test Manager into your tests
This code is by way of the awesome Ben Schaefer. This should have been a native function included...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 12/06/2010
Launching test runs from TCM.Exe
First skim this article: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd465192.aspx Next, run this script...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 11/04/2010
Team Build 2010 generic post processing scripting
My team is switching from the 2008 style builds to the workflow builds in 2010. We have a lot of...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 09/01/2010
TF215097: Cannot create unknown type when using pure XAML actions.
While trying to add some customization to my build process (you know, those wheel spinners) I ran...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/31/2010
Error Could not find type Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities in assembly 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow'
My next adventure is modifying my teams build template to allow us to do some custom post...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/27/2010
Running Tests cross domain with TFS and Visual Studio 2010
In part 1 I promised to continue the configuration to allow running tests from TFS with Microsoft...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/12/2010
Using Visual Studio 2010 to remotely debug ASP.Net crashes.
Suppose you have an ASP.NET page that is giving users some vague error message like "An error has...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/12/2010
Thinking better: Selection Bias
This is a super article on selection bias. weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=390 In...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/04/2010
UI testing with VS2010 and Microsoft Test Manager 2010 screencast.
Here is a screencast I created that it a quick tour and walkthrough of how to use the new manual...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 07/22/2010
Good and bad aspects of test sign off
Test Sign Off, n: 1. A promise from the test team that all tests have been run and are passing to...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 07/12/2010
It is wiser to find out than suppose. - Mark Twain
If you have found out, please share with the rest of us. The pen keyboard is mightier than the sword...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/28/2010
Top 3 must haves for writing good bugs (er, bug reports)
Top 3 must haves for writing good bugs bug reports Brian, another tester at Microsoft, and myself...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/21/2010
Bing Maps SDK release - Fixing "Bad Plugin Definition" error.
There is a problem with the Bing Maps map app test tool and the latest SDK we launched for Tech Ed....
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/08/2010
You’ll get it wrong - Simple Things can be deceptively hard.
Mark Pilgrim in his Dive Into HTML 5 recomends that you don't validate email address....
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 05/03/2010
Behaviors in Silverlight and Expressions Blend 3
Working on Bing Map Apps has gotten me a little deeper into Silverlight than I had been before. It...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/26/2010
Silverlight controls for Bing Maps
Here is a cool little application that will allow you to easily create a "virtual tour" in Bing...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 03/23/2010
Programming in 2009 isn't much different than R&D in 1898 it seems
The Australian Physicist, Sir Richard Threllfall (1861-1932) remarked in 1898 - "Though, no doubt, a...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/04/2009
Creating URL configurable Visual Studio Web Tests
Creating URL configurable Visual Studio Web Tests I recently joined a project with a lot of web...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/27/2009
Consider replacing strings with Enums in resource references.
Consider replacing strings with Enums in resource references. I see code like this all the time in...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 11/21/2008
The right and wrong way to create unique data for tests.
I have noticed some code in various places that creates some conditions for mysterious test...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 11/03/2008
Working with Permuations and Combinations
Something tests end up doing a lot of is working with permutations and combinations. For those of...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 10/24/2008
What constitutes a unit test?
When I speak of unit tests, sometimes there is a slight communication breakdown. Just becuase a...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/25/2008
Please stop re-inventing the wheel.
Please stop re-inventing the wheel. There are a lot of software wheels that get re-invented all the...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/25/2008
Writing code for today and tommorow
Writing code for today and tomorrow Any developer working at a pace that will allow them to stay...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/25/2008
Planning Software projects Part 1
Planning Software projects Part 1 Good planning is critical to delivering software. Anyone who has...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/07/2008
Planning software projects Part 2
Planning software projects Part 2 Plan how you will work Plan your infrastructure first In order for...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 08/07/2008
Hyper-v export to off machine share trick.
Today I wanted to export a hyper-v machine to a share on a computer with more disk space. However I...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 07/15/2008
Book Review: The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live with Technology by Kim Vicente
Book Review: The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live with Technology by Kim Vicente...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 07/09/2008
Working Smart in Test - a simple approach to personal workflow
Working Smart in Test A situation came up this week with two different testers in my team. They both...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/26/2008
Wordle
Ok, this is just plain old fun. Here is a "map" of my last 3 blog posts. Click for full size.
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/17/2008
Practical debugging; Apply some science to the problem
Practical debugging; Apply some science to the problem Untested software has bugs. As we test...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 06/17/2008
Give the monkey a banana; Why real change is hard for business groups.
Give the monkey a banana Living organisms have elaborate mechanisms to help them survive and even...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 05/29/2008
Software engineering lap times
This is a critical path in software development. Your average lap time controls the speed that you...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 05/13/2008
This is test driven development
Jason Gorman at www.parlezuml.com shows us how to do it in visual studio....
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 05/08/2008
How to get a free lunch in testing
How to get a free lunch in testing. I hear people talk about getting testing "for free" quite a bit....
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/25/2008
Why don't we actually focus on the customers for use cases and scenarios for a change?
Scenarios, also known as use cases, are key to getting people up to speed on what you plan to test...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/10/2008
I.M. Testy talks about UI automation and ROI
blogs.msdn.com/imtesty/archive/2008/03/28/gui-automation-and-roi.aspx I.M. Testy says...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/04/2008
When should (automated) testing be random?
When should (automated) testing be random? I recently posted a blog post about unit tests. In it I...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 04/03/2008
Go slow now to go fast later.
Again I shall recomend you read Jason Gorman's blog. Speed Comes Later. Start Slow. Focus On Getting...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 02/27/2008
8 minutes on holistic test approach: A proven way to get great results from test automation
I have another short video for you here. This one explains one proven approach to getting high...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 02/20/2008
I'm not the only one thinking unit tests.
Jason Gorman ruminates on unit testing on his excellent blog. He makes a strong case for doing all...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 02/19/2008
Screencast: 8 minutes with Visual Studio 2008. Easy unit tests and code coverage.
This week I spent my blogging allowance on creating a screencast. This video shows you how easy it...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 02/16/2008
Never automate anything bigger than your head: The cheaters way to get to 100% code coverage.
Never automate anything bigger than your head. :Cheat your way to 100% code coverage. I have been...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 02/08/2008
Putting code examples where my mouth is
I back up the high level preaching with code. I have had requests to back up the “high level...
Author: Dustin Andrews Date: 01/22/2008