### 12.1 The VCS Explorer

The VCS Explorer provides an overview of source files and their status. A file edited in GPS will be automatically added on the VCS Explorer with a Modified status (see below).

The easiest way to bring up the VCS Explorer is through the menu `VCS->Explorer`. The Explorer can also be brought up using the contextual menu `Version Control->Query status` on files, directories and projects in the file and project views, and on file editors. See The Version Control Contextual Menu.

The VCS Explorer contains the following columns:

Project / File
  This is a two levels tree, the first level contains the name of the project and the second the name of files inside the project. Next to the project name the VCS name, if any, is displayed. This is the only information available for a project. The columns described below are for the files only. This column can be sorted by clicking on the header.
Status
  Shows the status of the file. This column can be sorted by clicking on the header. The different possible status for files are the following:
  `Unknown`
    The status is not yet determined or the VCS repository is not able to give this information (for example if it is unavailable, or locked).
  `Not registered`
    The file is not known to the VCS repository.
  `Up-to-date`
    The file corresponds to the latest version in the corresponding branch on the repository.
  `Added`
    The file has been added remotely but is not yet updated in the local view.
  `Removed`
    The file still exists locally but is known to have been removed from the VCS repository.
  `Modified`
    The file has been modified by the user or has been explicitly opened for editing.
  `Needs merge`
    The file has been modified locally and on the repository.
  `Needs update`
    The file has been modified in the repository but not locally.
  `Contains merge conflicts`
    The file contains conflicts from a previous update operation.
Log
  This column indicates whether a revision log exists for this file.
Activity
  The name of the activity the file belongs to. See The VCS Activities for more details.
Working rev.
  Indicates the version of the local file.
Head rev.
  Indicates the most recent version of the file in the repository.

The VCS Explorer supports multiple selections. To select a single line, simply left-click on it. To select a range of lines, select the first line in the range, then hold down the <Shift> key and select the last line in the range. To add or remove single columns from the selection, hold down the <Control> key and left-click on the columns that you want to select/unselect. It is also possible to select files having the same status using the `Select files same status` menu entry. See The Version Control Contextual Menu.

The explorer also provides an interactive search capability allowing you to quickly look for a given file name. The default key to start an interactive search is <Ctrl-i>. See Interactive Search for more details.

The VCS contextual menu can be brought up from the VCS explorer by left-clicking on a selection or on a single line. See The Version Control Contextual Menu.