D.8 Disconnected Operation

VSS allows you to work offline—this means that you can edit files without being connected to the server on which the VSS database resides. This is useful if you regularly work on the move with a laptop. To work offline, you must disconnect from the database. You can do this with the File Change Source Control option, which presents the dialog shown in Figure D-9.

Figure D-9. Change Source Control dialog

To disconnect, select the projects with which you want to work offline and then press the Disconnect button at the top of the dialog. When you are ready to reconnect (e.g., when you get back to the office), open this dialog again (using File Source Control Change Source Control). This time, the Change Source Control dialog will have the Disconnect button grayed out, but the Connect button will be enabled. Click the Connect button to reconnect the solution to the VSS database. VS.NET will keep track of any changes that you made while disconnected and will attempt to check out the relevant files.