In this tab you can set or change how files in the working folder are handled.
To display the Local Files tab:
On the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the Local Files tab.
Tab Options
Remove Local Copy After Add or Check In
This option causes VSS to automatically delete the local copy of files after add or checkin. It helps keep disk usage to a minimum, and ensures that you always get the most recent version when you start work on a file. Do not use this if you are using VSS integration with Visual Basic, Visual C++, or others.
Remove Local Copy After Delete
This option causes VSS to automatically remove the working folder copy of a file you delete in VSS. This helps keep disk clutter to a minimum. And, as long as you haven't destroyed or purged the file in the VSS database, you can always recover the file later.
Use Read-Only Flag for Files That Are Not Checked Out
Select this option to set the read-only flag on files in your working folder. VSS then assumes that files in your working folder that aren't checked out are read-only. It is highly recommended you leave this option turned on.
Copy Keyword-Expanded Files into Working Folder
Select this option to update keyword information in your working folder upon checkin. When you check in a file and have keyword expansion enabled, VSS updates the keyword information in your file. The modified file is replaced directly into VSS. If you do not check this option, a copy of the file will not be automatically placed in your working folder. Not using this option (clearing it) improves performance, but the copy in your working folder won't be up-to-date.
Append End-Of-Line To All Text Files
Set this option to append an end-of-line character whenever VSS retrieves a text file that does not already end with one. Some compilers require that all the files they compile end in an end-of-line character. If you are working in such an environment, you may want to set this option.
Compare Files By
This option allows you to set how VSS determines if your local copy is up-to-date. The following options are in order of increasing speed:
Contents Compares the full contents of your local file to VSS's copy. This is the slowest method, but is the most accurate.
Checksum Compares by a checksum stored by VSS. Use Checksum comparison for most VSS uses.
Time Compares the date/time flags. The exact method of date comparison depends on the setting of the Set Date/Time On Local Files option: If set to Check In, VSS replaces the local copy if the time of the last check in (or add) is more recent than the local copy's modification date. If set to Current (the default) or Modification, VSS replaces the local file if VSS file's modification time is different from the local file's modification time.
Replace Writable Files
When you get or check out a file, VSS copies the file into your working folder. If there is already a writable copy of the file in your working folder, replacing the file may erase your work. This option allows you to specify how you want VSS to handle writable files.
Ask Instructs a dialog box to ask you what you'd like to do for every operation.
Replace Replaces (overwrites) the local file.
Skip Does not replace the local file, and generates an error in the Results pane if you have it displayed.
Merge Merges the changes between the checked-out-file and the one you are now getting or checking out. If the file cannot be merged (that is, it is a binary file), an error is displayed in the Results pane if you have it displayed. Your VSS administrator must enable multiple checkouts on the files involved for this to work properly.
Set Date/Time on Local Files
This option allows you to specify how VSS sets the date/time for files in your working folder. The option you choose is the time you will see when you view files in the Windows Explorer.
Current Sets the date and time of the file to the current date and time, whenever VSS gets a file. This signals the compiler that the file has just changed, and needs to be recompiled. This is the default.
Modification Sets the local copy to the date and time the file was last modified.
Check In Sets the local copy to the date and time the file was last checked in.
Compares the full contents of your local file to VSS's copy. This is the slowest method, but is the most accurate.