Check Out Files

Unless you have configured the SQL Server Management Studio environment to permit checked-in files to be edited, you must check out a file before you can modify it. When you check out a file, a copy of the file version is copied to your local disk, and the read-only attribute of the file is removed.

You can check files out either exclusively or in shared mode. When you check out a file exclusively, no other user can check out the file until you check it in. When you check out a file in shared mode, other users can check out and modify the file, and when you check it in, you may need to merge the version you have checked out with the versions created by other users.

Use the Check Out command to check out source-controlled projects and files. If you use this command to check out a solution or project, all the files in the solution or project are also checked out. However, checking out an individual source code file does not result in the check out of the project or solution to which it belongs.

Note

If the Microsoft Visual SourceSafe database for your project is configured to allow multiple checkouts, and you want to check out a file exclusively, you must clear the Allow multiple checkouts option in the Advanced Check Out Options dialog box before checking out the file. You must restart the SQL Server Management Studio for this setting to take effect.

To check out a file

1. In Solution Explorer, select the project or file.

2. On the File menu, point to Source Control, and then click Check Out for Edit.

3. If the Check Out for Edit dialog box is displayed, select the items you want, and click Check Out. If you have configured the Management Studio environment not to display the Check Out dialog box, the items selected in Solution Explorer and any children they might have are checked out immediately.

   Check Out
   Check out all the selected items.

   Columns
   Identify the columns to display and the order in which they are displayed.

   Comments
   Specify a comment to associate with the checkout operation.

   Don't Show Check Out dialog box when checking out items
   Suppress the dialog box during checkout operations.

   Flat View
   Display the items you are checking out as flat lists under their source control connection.

   Edit
   Modify an item without checking it out. The Edit button appears only if you have SQL Server Management Studio configured to support the editing of checked-in files.

   Name
   Displays the names of the items available for checkout. Items that are selected appear with check boxes next to them. If you do not want to check out a particular item, clear its check box.

   Options
   Displays source control plug-in-specific checkout options when the arrow to the right of the button is clicked.

   Sort
   Sort the order of the displayed columns.

   Tree View
   Display the folder and file hierarchy for the item you are checking out.

See Also

Edit Checked-In Files
Automatically Check Out Files Upon Edit
Undo Checkouts
Manage Checkouts