Release Notes for P4VFS, the P4 Virtual File Service Version 2025.2 Introduction P4VFS is a client-side agent that reduces the wait time for file delivery from the P4 Server to a client. Only file metadata is delivered on the initial transfer, such as a p4 sync command or P4V's "Get Latest". P4VFS downloads a specific file's content only if you perform an action that requires it. Perforce numbers releases YYYY.R/CCCCCC, for example, 2012.1/40716. YYYY is the year; R is the release of that year; CCCCCC is the bug fix change level. Each bug fix in these release notes is marked by its change number. Any build includes (1) all bug fixes of all previous releases and (2) all bug fixes of the current release up to the bug fix change level. For support of a technical nature, please email: support@perforce.com. Requirements * Supported Platforms (P4 Sync Client): * Windows 10/11 for 64-bit Intel (bin.ntx64) Note: The underlying P4 Server (P4D and P4API) must be: * P4D 2023.1 or later * P4API 2023.1 or later -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Important Product Rebrand Notice Helix Core is now P4 Perforce has a new look and logo that reflects our place in DevOps workflows. As part of these changes, Helix Core is now P4. Name updates and new icons to align with the P4 branding will be rolled out soon. To learn more, see: https://www.perforce.com/blog/vcs/introducing-the-p4-platform -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Documentation Please see the official documentation for how to use the product. The Guide also explains how a developer could create a custom solution. https://help.perforce.com/helix-core/server-apps/p4vfs/current See P4ALTSYNC in the "Environment and registry variables" section of the P4 Command-Line Reference (2025.2) at: https://help.perforce.com/helix-core/server-apps/cmdref/current Installation Download and run the p4vfs.appxbundle Uninstalling Right click on P4VFS in the start menu and select uninstall Technology Preview The Virtual File Service is promoted from Technology Preview as of 2024.2. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2025.2 (2025.2/2852755) (2025/11/14) #2773895 (Job #121709) Added support for dark mode. The dark theme is applied if the platform's theme setting is using dark mode. The system's theme is applied by default, and is customisable in the Settings menu. Bugs fixed in 2025.2 (2025.2/2852755) (2025/11/14) #2787100 (Job #127064) Fixed a crash if the cloud provider was not able to register. #2691924 (Job #124240) Fixed an issue where large amounts of extra padding was present in the Settings menu when connected to an older server version that does not support client-side hotfile rules. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2025.1 (2025.1/2761716) (2025/05/09) #2744822 (Job #123637) A new option, that if set, considers already hydrated files as hotfiles, has been added. This will require server version >=25.1, enabling this option will prevent P4VFS freeing the already hydrated files and creating placeholders when syncing newer revisions or reverting. 'Don't free downloaded files on sync/revert' is enabled by default but can be disabled from the P4VFS settings. #2691924 (Job #123313, #124164) Server version is now included in the JSON value passed to the altsync agents, this can be checked by accessing the 'server' key value. If the server version of the selected workspace is <24.2 then the hotfiles mapping ui will be hidden from the user. Bugs fixed in 2025.1 Update 1 (2025.1/2811652) (2025/08/08) #2784267 (Job #125870) Fixed an issue where the Hotfile rules box would not be present immediately after adding a new cloud provider. #2778294 (Job #125264) Fixed an error that prevented +w files from initially syncing to a no-clobber client when they were marked as hotfiles. #2778293 (Job #126492) Fixed File Type Modifiers not being accepted as client-side hotfile rule mappings. #2772035 (Job #126577) Improved performance of placeholder-creation during sync operations. The default maximum log level has been reduced from level 4 'Info' to level 3 'Warning' for performance reasons. A dropdown option has been added to the Settings window to allow users to configure their desired log level. Bugs fixed in 2025.1 (2025.1/2761716) (2025/05/09) #2735661 (Job #125211) Improved error messages when failing to create or update placeholder files. Specific reasons are now exposed to users, instead of only being stored in the logs. #2719934 (Job #118751) Fixed a "Failed to create/update placeholder" error when pinned files were incorrectly prompted for a dehydrate. #2719932 (Job #120838) Fixed folders with trailing period '.' characters not syncing on Windows. This is an unsupported character format on Windows filesystems and the character will be removed from the folder name. #2719903 (Job #124222) Improved performance and reduced error frequency by increasing the number of available Pipe instances. #2701132 (Job #122069) Download Monitor columns widths are now maintained proportionally when resizing the window. The window size and position is saved and loaded when the application is closed and reopened. #2697742 (Job #124078) Fixed multiple instances of the "Quit" dialog from being open simultaneously. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2024.2 (2024.2/2676282) (2024/11/04) #2666216 (Job #114394) Support for 'hotfiles'. Files that match the criteria (path, size and/or type based) specified in the workspace settings will be transferred to the client during sync rather than P4VFS creating placeholders to be hydrated later. See 'p4 help hotfiles' for more details. Bugs fixed in 2024.2 Update 1 (2024.2/2726971) (2025/02/28) #2719934 (Job #118751) Fixed a "Failed to create/update placeholder" error when pinned files were incorrectly prompted for a dehydrate. #2719932 (Job #120838) Fixed folders with trailing period '.' characters not syncing on Windows. This is an unsupported character format on Windows filesystems and the character will be removed from the folder name. #2719903 (Job #124222) Improved performance and reduced error frequency by increasing the number of available Pipe instances. #2707699 (Job #124320) P4VFS now supports setting the modtime on +m type files and when the client has the modtime option enabled. This requires that the Helix Server also supports sending the modtime (the counterpart change will have the same job number in the P4D relnotes.txt). Bugs fixed in 2024.2 (2024.2/2676282) (2024/11/04) #2669751 (Job #119809) Further improved the reliability of the File Status after using the "Free Up Space" context-menu option. #2669751 (Job #121324) Fixed an issue where hydrated files with long filenames could not be converted back to a placeholder state when force syncing. #2669751 (Job #114884) Added the P4VFS Logo to the "Download File(s)" context option in the File Explorer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2024.1 Update 1 (2024.1/2626414) (2024/07/18) #2625339 (Job #114916) VFS will now reuse connections from a connection pool, improving performance in general. The max number of connections per host can be set in the P4VFS settings window. #2622186 (Job #116377) Added functionality to monitor file download speeds on a per-file basis in the Download Monitor. More detail can be found in the Download Monitor stats window, which displays the Percent complete, Bytes transferred, Total file size, Download Speed (Mbps), Time Started, Time Ended, Total Duration, and Time Remaining of the selected file. Download speeds are not calculated for files that download rapidly, where very few updates were required to download the entirety of the file. #2622186 (Job #116377) Automatically clear rows from the Download Monitor five minutes after the file has been downloaded. #2622186 (Job #121615) Fallback to the default Windows thumbnail provider for hydrated files. #2622186 (Job #119803) Double clicking an item in the Download Monitor now opens the file directory and selects the file in the system’s file browser. Bugs fixed in 2024.1 Update 1 (2024.1/2626414) (2024/07/18) #2622186 (Job #116328, #116375) An optimisation to the Windows Explorer progress notifications has greatly increased performance of file hydration #2622186 (Job #121293) Fixed a crash that sometimes occurred when downloading files with very long names.. #2622186 (Job #119803) The Download Monitor progress bars turns green on successful download completion, and turns red when an error occurs. The error text can be viewed by hovering over the relevant file row in a tooltip. #2622186 (Job #119803) Files that are downloaded multiple times are added to the end of the list in the Download Monitor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2024.1 (2024.1/2596553) (2024/05/10) #2566991 (Job #116701) Enabled Hard link functionality on placeholder files. Bugs fixed in 2024.1 (2024.1/2596553) (2024/05/10) #2573222 (Job #119802) The Settings popup now updates the respective Linked altsync workspace in real-time, depending on which client and provider is actively being used. #2573222 (Job #114915) Improved reliability of the File Explorer Context options to 'Download File(s)' and 'Free up space'. #2565079 (Job #118757) Fixed a crash when removing placeholder files from a workspace. #2566923 (Job #116372) Fixed log output appearing truncated and misaligned. #2566078 (Job #115840) Fixed inconsistent naming of the 'Download Monitor', previously called the 'Activity Monitor'. #2566401 (Job #119699) Enabled text-highlighting for the version number in the About popup, which allows users to copy/paste the version string. #2566108 (Job #115838) Increase the default file-path column width in the Download Monitor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2023.2 (2023.2/2519566) (2023/11/14) Bugs fixed in 2023.2 Patch 3 (2023.2/2574372) (2024/03/20) #2573222 (Job #119802) The Settings popup now updates the respective Linked altsync workspace in real-time, depending on which client and provider is actively being used. #2573222 (Job #114915) Improved reliability of the File Explorer Context options to 'Download File(s)' and 'Free up space'. #2566991 (Job #116701) Enabled Hard link functionality on placeholder files. #2565079 (Job #118757) Fixed a crash when removing placeholder files from a workspace. #2566923 (Job #116372) Fixed log output appearing truncated and misaligned. #2566078 (Job #115840) Fixed inconsistent naming of the 'Download Monitor', previously called the 'Activity Monitor'. #2566401 (Job #119699) Enabled text-highlighting for the version number in the About popup, which allows users to copy/paste the version string. #2566108 (Job #115838) Increase the default file-path column width in the Download Monitor. Bugs fixed in 2023.2 Patch 2 (2023.2/2529851) (2023/12/06) #2523530 (Job #115630) Support for high-ascii characters in filenames has been corrected when running P4VFS against a unicode enabled server. Bugs fixed in 2023.2 Patch 1 (2023.2/2523307) (2023/11/23) #2523557 (Job #118298) P4API has been upgraded to 2023.2 Patch 1 Bugs fixed in 2023.2 (2023.2/2519566) (2023/11/14) #2519072 (Job #118196) OpenSSL has been upgraded to 3.0.12 #2452457 (Job #115876) Translation buffer size for JSON strings is now dynamically allocated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Functionality 2023.1 (2023.1/2443003) (2023/05/16) This first release of P4VFS is a Technology Preview. Features offered in Technology Preview are experimental and not guaranteed to always work as expected. If you have feedback and functionality suggestions, email techpreview@perforce.com. Bugs fixed in 2023.1 Patch 1 (2023.1/2469784) (2023/07/27) #2465063 (Job #115876) Translation buffer size for JSON strings is now dynamically allocated.