Requiring Exclusive Locks for Check-ins

With this application, you cannot force users to lock files before they make changes. However, if you have the required privileges, you can require all users to conform with the policies and processes of your company by exclusively locking files before they check them back into the application.

Although this requirement helps users to avoid merge situations, they still must:

• Notice whether a file is already exclusively locked by another user before they check it out to work on it.
• Lock each file before making changes, to alert other users to their intentions.
• Be sure that the status for each working file is Current to avoid changing older revisions of the files. If a file status is not Current, the file must be checked out before any changes are made.

To force users to lock files before checking them in, do the following:

1. Choose Project > Properties.

   The Project Properties dialog box opens.

2. Click the Options tab.

3. Check Require Exclusive Lock When Files are Checked In. When this option is selected, only a person who has exclusively locked a file can check it in.

   Note: If developers are using an application integration for a development environment, such as StarTeam Visual Studio Plugin, they cannot check in files from that environment if both the Require Exclusive Lock When Files are Checked In check box in the Project Properties dialog box, and the Use Non-exclusive Locks in Integrations check box on the Personal Options dialog box (File tab) are selected. In this situation, clear Use Non-exclusive Locks in Integrations to check files in.