TF31003 with VS2012, Team Foundation Service, multiple Microsoft accounts, and Windows 8

TF31003 with VS2012, Team Foundation Service, multiple Microsoft accounts, and Windows 8 by SteveElmer

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as By Design Help for as By Design

Type:	Bug
ID:	775828
Opened:	1/4/2013 11:28:35 AM
Access Restriction:	Public

Workaround(s)

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User(s) can reproduce this bug

I do work for two different companies and have a Microsoft account/identity for each. I created a Team Foundation Service account (http://gallerygorilla.visualstudio.com) for the first company under my first Microsoft account and successfully connected via Visual Studio and created and checked in a simple test project. I then created a Team Foundation Service account (http://metrix411.visualstudio.com) for the second company under my other Microsoft account and was again able to create a simple test project and check it in.

However, when I now go back and attempt to connect to the first TFS account, I get a TF31003 error. The "Retry" link does not work. Neither does the "Sign In" link. I have since tried using the "Open new instance of Visual Studio" link from the browser based viewer of the first account but still get the same error.

The first account is still good as I have been able to connect to it from a virtual machine. But I have had absolutely no luck on my main dev machine. It seems as if VS 2012 has fixated attached itself to my second Microsoft account and there is no way to get it to "forget" the second account and use the first account. I would have expected that when clicking the "Sign In" link on the "Connect to Team Foundation Server" dialog, I would be presented with fields to enter the credentials for my first Microsoft account. However, it appears to be simple trying to connect to the first TFS account using the credentials associated with the second TFS account.

Details (expand)

Visual Studio 2012

1) create a Microsoft account - (e.g. acct1@domain1.com)
2) go to http://tfs.visualstudio.com and sign up for a TFS account (e.g. domain1.visualstudio.com) associated with acct1@domain1.com.
3) using VS2012 under Win 8 and the new MS acct, connect to the new TFS account and play around - create a project, check some files in, etc.

4) create a second MS account (e.g. acct2@domain2.com)
5) now go to http://tfs.visualstudio.com, log in under the 2nd MS acct and create a second TFS account (e.g. domain2.visualstudio.com)
6) as with the first account, using VS2012, connect to the 2nd TFS account using the credentials of the 2nd MS account. (as I recall, I had to first disconnect VS from the initial TFS account). play around, create a project, check it in, etc.

7) a couple of days later, I launched VS and attempted to connect back to the first TFS account but have been unable to do so.

English

Windows 8

English

My "Connect to Team Foundation Server" dialog in VS2012 displays three TFS servers in the "Select a Team Foundation Server" dropdown: 1) my original, local, TFS server; 2) the cloud-based TFS service associated with my original MS account; 3) the cloud-based TFS service associated with my 2nd MS account. I am able to switch between #s 1 and 3 without difficulty. When I attempt to select #2, I receive the TF31003 error with a "Retry" link. Selecting the "Retry" link or the "Sign In" link at the bottom of the dialog box both have the same result - TF31003.

Additionally, if I go through Internet Explorer and browse to domain1.visualstudio.com and log in using my original MS account, I can navigate my TFS project fine. If I attempt to open up a new instance of VS through the "portal", VS opens up fine, but still does not connect to TFS with the TF30063 message stating "You are not authorized to access domain1.visualstudio.com\".

I expected to be able to easily switch between various TFS accounts from within VS2012 via the "Connect to Team Foundation Server" dialog. I.e. by selecting any of my TFS servers from the "Select a Team Foundation Server" dropdown, I would be able to seamlessly connect. Or at least be able to select the "Sign In" link to enter credentials for the appropriate server.

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Posted by Microsoft on 2/21/2013 at 5:48 AM

Hi Steve - sorry again for the inconvenience. We are working to improve this experience in the next major release. Our goal is to allow you to define as many connections as you want, but we would use a different approach for authenticating with TFS (an approach that would not rely on cookies). This will allow you to quickly switch between between different accounts/identities without jumping through hoops.

Once we start public betas of the next release of VS, I encourage you to try this new functionality out.

Will Smythe
Program Manager on Team Foundation Server

Posted by Microsoft on 2/18/2013 at 6:14 PM

Sorry for the inconvenience. Please try this workaround and let us know if it doesn't work for you: from the Connect to TFS dialog in VS, select your active TF Service account from the drop-down, click the Sign Out link at the bottom of the dialog, switch to your other account and attempt to sign in.

Posted by Microsoft on 1/6/2013 at 11:24 PM

Thanks for your feedback.

We are rerouting this issue to the appropriate group within the Visual Studio Product Team for triage and resolution. These specialized experts will follow-up with your issue.

Posted by Microsoft on 1/4/2013 at 11:51 AM

Thank you for your feedback, we are currently reviewing the issue you have submitted. If this issue is urgent, please contact support directly(http://support.microsoft.com)

Posted by SteveElmer on 1/5/2013 at 8:19 AM

Okay, so it appears that the workaround is to use the web browser in VS to first log out of the second Microsoft account and then log in using the first Microsoft account.

In a post at http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/TFService/thread/212e536c-2868-46d4-8226-70c1359acc6f

The following steps are described:

1. Open VS

2. Disconnect TFS if its connected. If its not then close the connect TFS dialog.

3. Go to VS Menu ->View -> Other Windows -> Web Browser

4. A web browser will open inside VS. Go to www.live.com

5. If it login in your live id then logout. Else enter the live id (xxxx@live.com) and password. Login then logout.

6. Close VS then open again and this time connect to your TFS and see if it can log you in.

7. It will show you "Use different credential" and you can login.

This led me down the path of using the VS web browser to control which Microsoft account VS was using.

STILL: it would be nice I didn't have to jump through all these hoops just to switch TFS accounts. When I attempt to switch TFS accounts, Visual Studio should PROMPT me for credentials if it is unable to connect using it's cached credentials