Automatic Checkout with TFS

Question

I recently moved to a new client where the source control system is TFS 2008. I have been using Subversion for almost 4 years so this is quite a change for me. One of the first things I noticed is that every time I try to modify a file Visual Studio (2008) tells me that the file is read-only. I spoke to the guy in charge of TFS and he informed that I need to manually check-out that file before I can modify it. So basically automatic checkouts aren't working for me.

The only advice I have gotten thus far is to enable it in Tools->Options->Source Control->Environment->Prompt for check-out. Which didn't work - it was enabled already. (Plus Visual Studio isn't even prompting me for a check-out - it just tells me the file is write-protected)

Is it possible that TFS is setup to not allow automatic checkouts? (I'm not allowed to touch the TFS setup - we have a whole department for that) Or am I just being blind?

Answer 1

It sounds like the solution isn't “bound” to the version control provider. From Visual Studio's main File menu, select Source Control, Change Source Control…. You'll see this dialog:

http://alinconstantin.members.winisp.net/webdocs/scc/Bindings1.png

Make sure the the server bindings are correct and that each solution/project is “connected”.

Answer 2

TFS is of course able to automatically check out as soon as you start editing the file.

The option is under Source Control -> Environment -> Checked-in items

You should choose Editing: Check out automatically in the drop-down list.

Answer 3

Probably a strange case, but I found Visual Studio wouldn't do auto-checkout or prompt for checkout on edit if I was trying to edit an ascx or aspx file that had a resx file in the filesystem but not included in the project. It just played the error sound and didn't give any message. Deleting the resx files fixed the problem.