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VSTS FAQ

The place to go for VSTS answers.


February 2006 - Posts

What functionality is lost if the network connection between the Team Proxy and the Foundation Server?

The ability to check out and check in is disabled if the network connection is lost. However, the product supports methodologies for offline work with the purpose of re-syncing once connectivity is re-established. Read More...

How are check-ins/outs propogated through a remote Team Proxy?

Check-outs and Check-ins continue to work against the central server. Only “Get Latests” go through the remote Team Proxy. Read More...

How are changes propogated to a remote Team Proxy?

When the first remote user downloads (Get Latest) a file, it is then stored in the proxy server’s cache. When the same file is requested at the same remote site, the proxy determines if it has the latest version. If it does, then it is retrieved Read More...

Does Team Foundation Server support remote repositories?

The underlying repository, SQL Server 2005, does support remote sites and two-way replication; this is not a tested or supported scenario for Team Foundation Server usage. Remote development shops are supported through a remote proxy server that caches Read More...

Does Team Proxy replicate all data or only a portion?

Any downloaded files are cached as needed. Depending on the max cache size, infrequently used files are flushed out when space is required. Read More...

How are binary files supported?

Binary files are supported. They can be as large as the underlying file system (i.e. > 4GB). In addition, the repository does provide delta binary file storage so as to minimize the bloat for each revision in the repository. Read More...

Does VSTS support shadow folders?

Shadow Folders are a specific concept supported by VSS. Shadow Folders are typically used as part of a build process.. There is no direct equivalent in Team Foundation Server. To purely replicate this functionality you can create a separate workspace Read More...

How are uncommitted changes tracked?

Uncommitted changes remain on the developers’ workstation. The repository does keep track of who has checked out what files (and what revision they checked out from). Developers have the option of checking in or “shelving” their work Read More...

How are changes reported? Are there per file commit messages?

ChangeSets are the published artifact in the database repository. This provides a list of all the files changes and using the tools, can easily display the differences between the current, previous, or workspace version. Read More...

Does VSS support check-in/check-out of a single directory?

The “tf checkout” command supports a /recursive switch checks out all files that match the itemspec in the current directory or specified location and all of its subfolders. Read More...

Are multiple checkouts of a single file(s) supported?

This is an option to enable/disable on a per project basis. Read More...

Does Team Foundation Server track line-by-line file changes?

The diff tool can be used to compare between revisions when showing the history of a file. The diff tool will highlight portions of code that differ, even if it’s a single line of code. The internal deltas stored in the repository are not directly Read More...

How are File Moves and Renames handled by VSTS?

Unlike many past source control plug-ins for Visual Studio, when you rename, move, or delete a source-controlled item, you do not have to worry that your change will not be properly shared with your teammates. The change is isolated in your local workspace Read More...

What level of branch management does VSTS provide? Does it support branching, sharing and pinning of files with similar or better capabilities than Microsoft VSS? Can these functions operate on whole directories or projects?

More traditional branching models are supported by TFS which are not directly comparable to Shared Projects with pinned files. The Team Foundation Server approach is more robust and scalable than VSS. Read More...

Does VSTS have a Graphical view of branches/sharing/pinning/history?

Somewhat. There is a hierarchical view, but not really on a file by file history basis. Read More...

Does Visual Studio Team System provide version comparson between different versions and variants? What file types are supported?

Yes the built-in merge/diff tool provided supports comparing all the primary text based file types commonly used in Visual Studio (i.e. .cs, .csproj, .vb, etc.) Any file type can be associated with either the built-in tool or any external merge/diff tool Read More...

What level of merge functionality does Visual Studio Team System Provide? Can merges be automated if there are no conflicts? What types of files are supported?

TFS supports both manual and automatic merge resolution through its diff/merge tool/engine. Most of the native “source” file types a supported (i.e. .vb, .cs). You can associate any file type to Team Foundation Server and specify which ones Read More...

How are basedlines implemented in Visual Studio Team System?

http://blogs.msdn.com/adamsinger/archive/2005/04/19/409773.aspx ) Read More...

Does Visual Studio Team System have a staging area in which the changes can be grouped together and developed before being committed/checked-in?

There are two options here. For individual work in process, work transfer, or work interruption, files can be checked-in to a ShelveSet which does not affect the primary branch. The other option is to create multiple branches to segregate development Read More...

Does Visual Studio Team System support attomic commits/check-ins?

Yes. Multiple files checked-in at the same time are atomically committed to a SQL Server 2005 database and a referencable artifact known as a ChangeSet is published. This can be used at a later point in time to view the contents of a check-in, associate Read More...