Several folks have asked why Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) was not implemented as a MSSCCI (Microsoft Source Code Control Interface) provider.  Typically, these are users who for various reasons need to continue using previous versions of Visual Studio including VB 6, VC 6, Visual Studio 2003, etc.  First, let me say that we will be delivering a MSSCCI provider for Team Foundation Version Control as a power toy.  Brian Harry discusses this in his blog and where you can get a drop now, there is a much improved drop coming early in February.   Improvements in the February drop include the following:

  • Support for VB 6, VC 6, and VS 2003. 
  • The checkin experience will include associated work items and checkin notes
  • Improved performance
      Team Foundation Version Control’s integration with Visual Studio was not written using MSSCCI primarily because it did not provide the control over the user interface needed.  The MSSCCI spec is optimized for quick and easy integration for version control providers at the expense of control over the user interface.  From the beginning TFVC was designed around a rich checkin experience that would be rather clunky if it were centered around the existing Pending Checkin toolwindow and checkin dialog.

      More version control vendors are moving to Visual Studios SCCI (Source Code Control Interface) as a means of providing integration.  This API requires more work by the vendor but gives more control to the vendor on the user experience. 

       If you need MSSCCI to access TFVC, please give the TFVC MSSCCI provider a try and give us feedback.