Getting Master Copies Locally

To work and test locally, you need copies of your Web files in your local Web application. You can get copies of the master versions from the master Web server.

You have the option of getting a write-enabled or a read-only copy of the files. If you want to edit the files, get write-enabled copies of the files. For testing your Web application, you also need to get copies of related files you might want to use during testing. These related files can be either write-enabled or read-only.

To get a write-enabled copy of a file

1. In the Project Explorer, select the file you want to edit.
   
   
2. From the Project menu, point to Web Files, and then choose Get Working Copy.

Note   If you are using source control, you may need to choose Checkout from the Source Control submenu on the Project menu.

A write-enabled working copy of the file is placed in your local Web application. With write-enabled copies of your files in your local Web application, you are ready to begin editing, and saving files in your application. For more information about these operations, see Web Project Management, Web Basics, and Editing Basics.

To test pages with links specified with relative paths, you need to copy the related files from the master Web application to your local directory. For example, if you want to test a link in the file MyFile.htm, which points to the file TargetFile.htm, you need to have a copy of TargetFile.htm in your local Web application. Relative paths for links between files within the same application are recommended as they portable if the Web application is copied to another Web server.

To get related files

1. In the Project Explorer, select the related files you want.
   
   
2. From the Project menu, point to Web Files, and then choose Get Latest Version.

Note   If you are using source control, you may need to choose Get Latest Version from the Source Control submenu on the Project menu.

The latest master version is copied to your local Web application. If the local file was read-only, it will be read-only in your local Web application. If you already had a write-enabled copy and the master version is newer, you will be prompted to merge the two versions, replace the local with the master, or skip updating and keep the local version.

You might want to place a copy of the entire Web application on your local computer. Depending on the size of your application, this operation may take quite a bit of time and space on your computer.

To copy the entire Web application to your local directory

1. In the Project Explorer, select the project you want to get.
   
   
2. From the Project menu, point to Web Project, and then choose Refresh.
   
   
3. From the Project menu, point to Web Project, and then choose Get Latest Version.

Note   If you are using source control, you need to select the files individually and choose Get Latest Version from the Source Control submenu on the Project menu.

If you have any write-enabled copies and the master version is newer, you will be prompted to select merge, replace, or skip.