TFS Integration Tools - Issue: unable to find a unique local path

Published
Written by Martin Hinshelwood
2 minute read

When you are doing a Source Control migration using the TFS Integration Platform you receive a “unable to find a unique local path” runtime conflict.

TFS Integration Tools - Issue: unable to find a unique local path  

Figure: You get a “MigrationException: unable to find a unique local path”

At this point the migration fails and you are unable to continue.

Applies to

Finding

In order for the TFS Integration Platform to minimise the likelihood of hitting the 258 character limit of Windows it shortens the mapped path.

TFS Integration Tools - Issue: unable to find a unique local path  

Figure: Shortened Local Folders

This works only when there are enough characters after the last “” to be able to get a distinct path. If there are no enough characters then a Local path is unable to be mapped and the exception results.

Workarounds

The duplicates tend to come from multiple applications being stored under a single Team Project and all being mapped at once. If you chop your list of migrations down to a smaller list you are less likely to get duplicates.

TFS Integration Tools - Issue: unable to find a unique local path  

Figure: TFS Integration Tools - Issue: unable to find a unique local path Bad example, chance of collision is very high

Reduce the number of mappings by grouping them. You still want to include all of the things within a branch structure together, but make sure that you have distinct names.

Originally published at Where Technology Meets Teamwork by Martin Hinshelwood  , Senior ALM Consultant. ( source  )

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