A quick overview of the areas where the tf4mono TF client may be more useful and where it is currently less useful than the standard MS TF client.

Shortcomings

1. Help documentation not as extensive.
2. Not as many GUI popup dialogs.
3. No current support for branch merges.
4. No current support for graphical conflict resolution.
5. Missing branch, lock, merge, merges, resolve, shelve, unshelve, and undelete commands.
6. Implemented commands may not support all options available in standard TF client.

Improvements (YMMV)

General

1. tf explore command for built in viewer GUI supporting multiple repository views, syntax highlighting (on unix platforms only), etc.
2. Get Latest on Checkout option (will be in Orcas release of TF)
3. Multiple commands can be chained together in a single TF execution separated by the "%" character. For example, tf online % checkin /comment:"applied patch 501". Commands can feed their output to the next command in the chain with %%, for example tf ls-files /others %% add to add all unknown files.
4. Supports file attributes on unix.
5. Command argument ordering much more forgiving than standard client.
6. tf undo with no args will undo all pending changes
7. builtin general help and per-command help, accessible via tf help

<cmd>

Diffs

1. Unified diffs are actually appliable with gnu patch.
2. Does tree wide diffs
3. Can show what files you've changed locally but haven't checked out with tf diff /modified.
4. Can show what files are out of date with latest server version with tf diff /old.
5. Can show pending changes as a diff with tf diff.

Configuration

1. Supports read-write working folders.
2. Supports credential caching via XML files or the Gnome Keyring.
3. Supports numerous persisted configuration options, including Checkin.Validate, File.Excludes, Get.Recursive, History.DefaultToCwd, History.Recursive, Online.Recursive
4. Can display local workspace cache configuration with tf cache.

Powertool Commands

1. Integrated tfpt treeclean command.
2. Integrated tfpt online command. Online command supports /added, /modified, and /deleted options. Standard client only supports "/deleted". Also supports passing a list of files to speed up operation (rather than scanning the entire working folder). Useful in scenarios when you've applied a patch. Than do tf online lsdiff <name of patch>;

File Listing

The ls-files command shows known, deleted, modified, old, or unknown files under the given path via the options /deleted, /modified, /old, /unknown .