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P4 for Visual Studio Documentation | 2025.2

# P4 - General

Set the following display and file behavior preferences:

## Display:

- Use OS format for dates: Use the date format that the operating system uses.
- Format dates using P4 standard (yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss): Use the P4 Server format.

## Files and folders:

- Warn before reverting files: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio displays a prompt before reverting files.
- Lock files on checkout: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio locks files every time you check them out. Locks prevent other users from checking in changes while you work on a file.
- [P4VS-2858] Prompt for changelist when checking out, adding, or deleting files: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio prompts you to select a changelist when files are about to be checked out, added, or deleted in P4 Server. If cleared, P4 Server performs the action but does not prompt you to select a changelist. Instead, it uses the active changelist, which is either the default or the changelist specified in the Connection toolbar.
- [P4VS-2858] Mark for delete in P4 Server when deleting files: If selected, files that you delete in Visual Studio are marked for delete in P4 Server.
- [P4VS-2760] Check out writable files on save: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio automatically checks out files that are writable in the workspace.

- Automatically add new files to P4 Server: If selected, P4 for Visual Studiomarks new files for add in a pending changelist.

  This option works together with the Prompt for changelist when checking out, adding, or deleting files option to determine prompting behavior when you add new files to a project or solution that is under P4 Server control:

  - If both this option and the Prompt for changelist option are enabled, P4 for Visual Studio prompts you to mark new files for add.
  - If this option is enabled and the Prompt for changelist option is disabled, new files are automatically added to the default changelist without any prompt.
  - If this option is disabled and the Prompt for changelist option is enabled, no prompts will appear; you must manually mark new files for add.

- Update related projects when reverting moved files: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio reverts file renames or moves in Visual Studio when you revert a P4 Server rename/move operation.

  If you do not select this option, Visual Studio continues to show the new file name or location despite the fact that P4 Server has reverted the file to its original name or location.

  If you revert a folder rename/move in P4 for Visual Studio, you must manually revert the name or location in Visual Studio, regardless of your preference selection.

- Use Visual Studio to view file versions: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio shows previous revisions of a file (from the File History dialog, for example) in a Visual Studio editor window.

  You can use this option to view file revisions or shelved files the same way that you would view an editable file in the Visual Studio IDE.

- When starting to edit an out of date file: If Always ask to sync the file is selected (default), P4 for Visual Studio prompts you before syncing to prevent you from losing any work. If the check box is cleared, P4 for Visual Studio always syncs the file, without prompting.

## Project and solution files:

- Tag project and solution files as controlled by P4 for Visual Studio: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio writes tags to the solution and project files that are under P4 Server control. The default is not to tag project and solution files; P4 for Visual Studio does not need to tag these files to know that they are under P4 Server control.
- Set the location of new projects to the current workspace root directory: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio puts new projects in the current workspace root directory. The Location field in the New Project dialog will be populated by default with the current workspace directory.
- Warn if solution is outside workspace root: If selected, P4 for Visual Studio displays a warning message when a solution is not in the client map. If you do not store solutions in source control or you do not want to be alerted if a solution is created outside the workspace root, you can clear this check box.

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