Gerry and Craig,

(sorry to post again, but I wanted to stay on this line to maybe help clarify things...)

>>>>Is the latest version in the VCX or the text file? What happens if I check in the text file instead of the VCX? What happens if one developer makes changes in the text file and forgets to put the changes in place, then another makes changes to the VCX or even a different text file of the same class library?

Craig, there is no such thing as "applying" the text file to the VCX. There is NO VCX. There is only the single text file as source.

Now, enter the two-way IDE. It reads in the text file, and shows you a visual representation of what the text says. Sounds crazy, I know, but JBuilder has been doing it since version 1.0. If you move a button, you can watch INTERACTIVELY as the text changes to show the new coordinates. it is _not possible_ to get the visual representation out of sync with the text file, because the visual represenation is never in file form...it is just rendered by the IDE from the glorious, wonderful text file. Don't get two-way tools confused with having two files. You still only have the one text file.

Are we converging on an understanding yet? As I said in my other post, we might all have opinions on what we like, but regardless, the pure text concept of source surely has some attractive qualities for you?

JoeK