.csproj.user issues when checked into TFS

Question

We made the mistake of allowing .csproj.user files to be checked in to TFS so we could set "Start external program" defaults. This worked poorly, especially when branching.

Now we're trying to undo this.

If I delete the .csproj.user file for a project and then try to set new project debug properties, I get:

TF14050: Cannot change item $/xxx.csproj.user because it already has a pending change that is not compatible.

If I check in the delete and make changes, TFS then tries to re-add my .csproj.user file.

How can we fix this for existing projects in source control?

Update:

I think destroying them is the best option; we ended up just deleting them with the TFS Power Tools, though. The trick was to first Remove the Source Control File Type we had for *.user, even though it was already disabled. Now TFS appears to completely ignore these files.

Answer 1

I also wanted to check in .user files to do what the asker wanted, to provide defaults for the debug/run options. It turns out that the .user file is just another MSBuild Project XML file, and you can just "merge" the property group in there into your project. No need for .user files.

  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU'">
    <StartAction>Program</StartAction>
    <StartProgram>$(VS100COMNTOOLS)..\IDE\devenv.exe</StartProgram>
    <StartArguments>/rootsuffix Exp</StartArguments>
  </PropertyGroup>