Importing new process definition with "witadmin importprocessconfig" in TFS has no effect, and no error message

Question

After I customized the WIT definitions of an Agile process template, I got an TF400917 error trying to access the Backlogs in TFS. According to https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/hh500413.aspx I have to update the process config (which makes sense), but this is where I got issues. I updated and imported the process config file with witadmin importprocessconfig. The operation completed and I got no error messages after a few tries. Though the process definition is still not updated on the server. I can see that it's still the old file by exporting it with witadmin exportprocessconfig.

Can anyone give me a tip on what could be wrong, or what I can do next to try to update the file?

See Categories XML below.
Creating new WIT's, changing their states and working with queries work fine.
I have updated the categories definition to see if that would help. It worked fine to import the file but did not solve the problem.
I'm running VS 2015 with power tools, and I think the TFS server is 2013.

Best regards

Qanik

New process config XML (which did not work)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ibm850"?>
<ProjectProcessConfiguration>
  <BugWorkItems category="Microsoft.BugCategory" pluralName="Bugs" singularName="Bug">
    <States>
      <State type="Proposed" value="New" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="Programming" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="Testing" />
      <State type="Complete" value="Done" />
      <State type="Resolved" value="Released" />
    </States>
  </BugWorkItems>
  <FeedbackRequestWorkItems category="Microsoft.FeedbackRequestCategory" pluralName="Feedback Requests" singularName="Feedback Request">
    <States>
      <State type="InProgress" value="Active" />
      <State type="Complete" value="Closed" />
    </States>
  </FeedbackRequestWorkItems>
  <FeedbackResponseWorkItems category="Microsoft.FeedbackResponseCategory" pluralName="Feedback Responses" singularName="Feedback Response">
    <States>
      <State type="InProgress" value="Active" />
      <State type="Complete" value="Closed" />
    </States>
  </FeedbackResponseWorkItems>
  <PortfolioBacklogs>
    <PortfolioBacklog category="Microsoft.FeatureCategory" pluralName="Features" singularName="Feature" workItemCountLimit="500">
      <AddPanel>
        <Fields>
          <Field refname="System.Title" />
        </Fields>
      </AddPanel>
      <Columns>
        <Column width="100" refname="System.WorkItemType" />
        <Column width="400" refname="System.Title" />
        <Column width="100" refname="System.State" />
        <Column width="50" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.BusinessValue" />
        <Column width="200" refname="System.Tags" />
      </Columns>
      <States>
        <State type="Proposed" value="New" />
        <State type="InProgress" value="In Progress" />
        <State type="InProgress" value="Done" />
        <State type="Complete" value="Relesed" />
      </States>
    </PortfolioBacklog>
  </PortfolioBacklogs>
  <RequirementBacklog category="Microsoft.RequirementCategory" parent="Microsoft.FeatureCategory" pluralName="Stories" singularName="User Story" workItemCountLimit="500">
    <AddPanel>
      <Fields>
        <Field refname="System.Title" />
      </Fields>
    </AddPanel>
    <Columns>
      <Column width="100" refname="System.WorkItemType" />
      <Column width="400" refname="System.Title" />
      <Column width="100" refname="System.State" />
      <Column width="50" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.StoryPoints" />
      <Column width="200" refname="System.IterationPath" />
      <Column width="200" refname="System.Tags" />
    </Columns>
    <States>
      <State type="Proposed" value="New" />
      <State type="Proposed" value="Redy for development" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="Programming" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="Testing" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="Done" />
      <State type="Complete" value="Released" />
    </States>
  </RequirementBacklog>
  <TaskBacklog category="Microsoft.TaskCategory" parent="Microsoft.RequirementCategory" pluralName="Tasks" singularName="Task" workItemCountLimit="500">
    <AddPanel>
      <Fields>
        <Field refname="System.Title" />
      </Fields>
    </AddPanel>
    <Columns>
      <Column width="400" refname="System.Title" />
      <Column width="100" refname="System.State" />
      <Column width="100" refname="System.AssignedTo" />
      <Column width="50" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork" />
    </Columns>
    <States>
      <State type="Proposed" value="To do" />
      <State type="InProgress" value="In Progress" />
      <State type="Complete" value="Done" />
    </States>
  </TaskBacklog>
  <TypeFields>
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Activity" type="Activity" />
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Common.StackRank" type="Order" />
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Feedback.ApplicationLaunchInstructions" type="ApplicationLaunchInstructions" />
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Feedback.ApplicationStartInformation" type="ApplicationStartInformation" />
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Feedback.ApplicationType" type="ApplicationType">
      <TypeFieldValues>
        <TypeFieldValue type="ClientApp" value="Client application" />
        <TypeFieldValue type="RemoteMachine" value="Remote machine" />
        <TypeFieldValue type="WebApp" value="Web application" />
      </TypeFieldValues>
    </TypeField>
    <TypeField format="{0} h" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork" type="RemainingWork" />
    <TypeField refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.StoryPoints" type="Effort" />
    <TypeField refname="System.AreaPath" type="Team" />
  </TypeFields>
  <Weekends>
    <DayOfWeek>Sunday</DayOfWeek>
    <DayOfWeek>Saturday</DayOfWeek>
  </Weekends>
  <WorkItemColors>
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFCC293D" secondary="FFFAEAE5" name="Bug" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Code Review Request" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Code Review Response" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FF773B93" secondary="FFEEE2F2" name="Feature" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Feedback Request" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Feedback Response" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Issue" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FF773B93" secondary="FFEEE2F2" name="Requirement" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Shared Parameter" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Shared Steps" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFF2CB1D" secondary="FFF6F5D2" name="Task" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Test Case" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Test Plan" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FFFF9D00" secondary="FFFCEECF" name="Test Suite" />
    <WorkItemColor primary="FF009CCC" secondary="FFD6ECF2" name="User Story" />
  </WorkItemColors>
</ProjectProcessConfiguration>

Updates in the category XML (which did take effect).

  <CATEGORY refname="Microsoft.FeatureCategory" name="Feature Category">
    **<DEFAULTWORKITEMTYPE name="Requirement" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Feature" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Theme" />**
  </CATEGORY>

  <CATEGORY refname="Microsoft.HiddenCategory" name="Hidden Types Category">
    <DEFAULTWORKITEMTYPE name="Code Review Request" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Code Review Response" />
    **<WORKITEMTYPE name="Feature" />**
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Feedback Request" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Feedback Response" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Shared Steps" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Shared Parameter" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Test Plan" />
    <WORKITEMTYPE name="Test Suite" />
  </CATEGORY>
  <CATEGORY refname="Microsoft.RequirementCategory" name="Requirement Category">

What's the change you made on the customized WIT definitions? Can you share it? — Eddie Chen - MSFT, Jan 11 '16 at 09:15
Hi Eddie - MSFT Thanks for your answer. I have added the XML code for the process configuration to the question. As you can see I have updated the states for the bug, feature and requirement categories and added a colour for my new requirement WIT. To add the WIT definitions will be a lot of code since I have added quite a few states and transitions customized the UI on different WITs and added a new one. I have also added a release date field on 2 WIT's. Best regards Qanik — Qanik, Jan 11 '16 at 12:08
I didn't see any issue for the XML you provided. Can you try export the process config file and make a minor change on it (For example: Change color) and then import it to see if the xml file can be imported successfully? — Eddie Chen - MSFT, Jan 13 '16 at 05:40
If I only update a colour I get error messages saying that certain WITs doesn't have definitions for it's states (which is true :) ). See below. If I fix these errors, I get Operation complete in the command prompt. But nothing happens in the system. — Qanik, Jan 14 '16 at 08:36
Errorr messages: _The following element contains an error: TaskBacklog/States. TF400587: This element defines the states for work items that appear on your backlog. Each state must exist in at least one of the work item types belong to category defined in: 'TaskBacklog/States'. The following state does not exist in any of the work item types: New, Active, Closed._ — Qanik, Jan 14 '16 at 08:42
Error message: _The following element contains an error: TaskBacklog/States. TF400536: This element defines the states for work items that appear on your backlog. The initial state value for each work item type must match one of the states defined in this element. The following work item types have an initial state that is not included in the defined states: 'Task'._ — Qanik, Jan 14 '16 at 08:43

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 11 '16 at 09:26

0

When the error occurs, you can go to your TFS server "Computer Management\System Tools\Applications and Services Logs\Microsoft-Team Foundation Server\Debug". The logs should be generated for the error and you can check it for the root cause.

answered Jan 11 '16 at 09:26

Eddie Chen - MSFT

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Importing new process definition with "witadmin importprocessconfig" in TFS has no effect, and no error message

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