Download or get files from the server

Azure DevOps Services | Azure DevOps Server 2022 - Azure DevOps Server 2019

Visual Studio 2019 | Visual Studio 2022

In general, you should get the latest files from the server on a regular basis so that the code you develop is compatible with the code developed by others on your team, and to minimize the risk of creating bugs when you check in your code. You can download the latest version or a previous version of one or more files from your Azure DevOps server to your workspace on your dev machine.

Prerequisites

You must be one of the Contributors for your project. To learn more, see Default TFVC permissions.

Get the latest version of files

You should get the latest files from your server after you set up your dev machine. Then you can begin developing your app.

Later, as you develop functionality in the workspace on your dev machine, your code is isolated from the changes that are made by other developers. But when you're ready, for example you've completed and checked in the code that completes a task, you should get the latest version of your team's files.

To get the latest version of files

  • In Visual Studio Source Control Explorer, browse to the files or the folders that contain the files that you want to get. Right-click the files and choose Get Latest Version.

Get a specific version of files

In special cases, for example to fix a regression bug, you might need to get and work with a specific version of one or more files.

Note

Keep in mind that if you get an older version of a file, make changes to it, and then try to check it in, there's an increased chance that you'll need to resolve conflicts before you can complete the check-in.

To get a specific version of files from the History window

  1. In Team Explorer or Source Control Explorer, browse to the folder or file, right-click it, and choose View History.

  2. In the History window, right-click a version and choose Get This Version.

To get a specific version of files from Source Control Explorer

  1. In Source Control Explorer, browse to the files or the folders that contain the files you want to get, right-click the files, and select Advanced > Get Specific Version.

  2. In the Get dialog box, choose an option from the Type drop-down list:

  3. (Optional) Select the Overwrite writable files that are not checked out option.

    If selected, files from the server will overwrite all files that don't have the read-only attribute associated with them and aren't checked out. Only files on the server that are different will overwrite the files in the local workspace. By default, this option isn't selected.

    Tip

    This option is equivalent to running the command tf get /overwrite.

  4. (Optional) Select the Overwrite all files even if the local version matches the specified version option. If selected, files from the server overwrite all files.

    Tip

    This option is equivalent to running the following command: tf get /force.

  5. Choose Get.

  6. A Source Control Explorer informational message appears. Select OK.

    If you chose Latest Version, the system updates the Latest column with the status Yes.

Work from the command prompt

Tips

  • When you get files and folders from the server, the system also deletes any checked-in files from your local workspace that have been deleted from the server. Files that have been renamed or moved on the server are changed in your workspace to match the changes on the server.

  • In Source Control Explorer, you can verify whether you have the latest version of a file in the Latest column. You can see specific version information about an item by right-clicking it and choosing Advanced > Properties.

  • If you're using a server workspace, and you've accidentally deleted some files that you want to restore, you must use the tf get /all command to restore the deleted files.