Add link type definitions to a process template

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Azure DevOps Server 2022 - Azure DevOps Server 2019 | TFS 2018 - TFS 2013

You can define additional link types that team members can create between work items for a project. A link type defines the labels and rules that govern the relationships or links between work items of that type. The link types that you specify supplement the default types for hierarchical, dependent, and related links.

You specify the definition file for each link type in a separate file, or you can specify them all in one file. You then add entries to the taskxml element of the WorkItemTracking plug-in for each definition file to upload.

The default process templates defines several link types that the work item type (WIT) definitions reference. These are in addition to the system-defined link types. For more information, see LinkTypes.

The type definitions for links must be uploaded before the type definitions for work items. For more information, see Define dependencies for task groups and tasks.

After a project is created, you can add, remove, rename, and change the types of links for a project collection by using the witadmin command-line tool. For more information, see Manage link types.

You specify a link type using the LinkType element.

The following example shows the syntax structure that defines the TestedBy link type.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>  
<LinkTypes>  
  <LinkType ReferenceName="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.TestedBy" ForwardName="Tested By" ReverseName="Tests" Topology="Dependency" />  
</LinkTypes>

You can customize or add a link type definition in the LinkTypes folder. For more information about how to define a type of link, see Define a custom link type.

To upload a link type definition in the process template, you specify the LINKTYPE element within the taskxml element. The filename attribute is a relative path of the definition file for the link type. For example, the following syntax specifies that the TestedBy.xml file will be uploaded.

<LINKTYPE fileName="WorkItem Tracking\LinkTypes\TestedBy.xml" />

The following example shows how to specify a task that creates the two types of links that are defined in the Agile process template. These types correspond to the SharedStep and TestedBy link types.

<task id="LinkTypes" name="LinkType definitions" plugin="Microsoft.ProjectCreationWizard.WorkItemTracking" completionMessage="Work item link types created">  
      <taskXml>  
      <LINKTYPES>  
         <LINKTYPE fileName="WorkItem Tracking\LinkTypes\SharedStep.xml" />  
         <LINKTYPE fileName="WorkItem Tracking\LinkTypes\TestedBy.xml" />  
      </LINKTYPES>  
      </taskXml>  
</task>

LINKTYPES element reference

The following table describes the elements that you use to upload link type definitions. You specify these elements within a taskXml container element in the WorkItemTracking plug-in file.

Note

You specify the file that defines link types to upload by using the LINKTYPE (WorkItemTracking) element. You specify the name of a link type to define by using the LinkType (Definition) element.

Element Description and syntax
LINKTYPE Required child element of LINKTYPES.Specifies the path and name of a file that contains a link type definition to upload.
<LINKTYPE fileName="LinkTypeFilePathName" />
LINKTYPES Optional child element of the WorkItemTracking plug-in. Contains a collection of LINKTYPE elements that each specify a definition file to upload.
<LINKTYPES>
<LINKTYPE /> . . .
</LINKTYPES>