Configure team settings¶
GitM's behavior is controlled partly by per-user settings (each person's machine) and
partly by repository conventions in .gitm.json (shared with the team). This page covers
what an admin typically sets.
Prerequisites¶
- GitM installed and connected to the repository you're configuring.
- Admin/Manager permission on the repository for the admin-gated settings (see Manage part numbers).
Open Settings¶
Click the 
button in the task pane top bar. The dialog has these tabs:
| Tab | What's there |
|---|---|
| Repository | Active repository, local path, remote URL, default branch, repository nickname, View on GitHub, switch/connect another repo. |
| Account | Connected GitHub account and auth method, Verify / Switch / Disconnect, Edit Profile, and the per-machine Commit Identity (user.name / user.email). |
| Preferences | Per-device behavior in collapsible sections: Locking and awareness, Check-in, File download, Updates, and Storage. |
| Team & Sharing | The admin-gated, repo-shared policy: File Policy, Part Numbers, Release Control, Library Sources, and Supplier Exchange (Sharing policy). |
| Diagnostics | System checks (Git, LFS, repo, remote, auth, .gitattributes) and export. |
On the longer tabs the sections are collapsible and start collapsed. See the full field list in Settings reference.
Per-user vs. shared settings¶
- Per-user settings live in
%APPDATA%\GitM\settings.jsonon each machine and are not shared. Auth, identity, local path, and personal preferences are per-user. - Shared conventions live in
.gitm.jsonin the repository: branch protection, commit message template, default branch, include-drawings, walk-references, lock-on-open default, tracked file types, and roles.
To change a team-wide convention, edit .gitm.json and check it in so everyone picks it up
on their next connect/refresh.
Behavior settings worth standardizing¶
- Lock on open: Always / Prompt / Never. The recommended default is that editing requires an explicit Check Out (Prompt or Never), so people don't silently lock files just by opening them.
- Auto-fetch interval: how often GitM checks the server for new content files to drive the Get Latest count badge. This never changes files on its own.
- Walk assembly references on check-in: Yes / Ask / No.
- Include drawings when checking in models: Yes / No.
Release Control (who can release revisions)¶
The admin-gated Release Control section (in Team & Sharing, alongside File Policy,
Part Numbers, Library Sources, and Supplier Exchange) governs
revisions and ECOs. It writes the repo-shared
.gitm/release-config.json, so it's read by both GitM and GitMCloud.
- Releasers — a list of GitHub logins allowed to Release a file (stamp the next revision). Repository Admins and the Owner can always release, so an empty list simply means "only admins/owner release."
- Revision scheme — how revision letters increment: ASME Y14.35 (skips I, O, Q, S, X, Z; the default) or Simple A–Z.
Only Admins/Managers can edit it; everyone else sees it read-only. The same editor exists in GitMCloud under Settings → Team & Sharing → Release Control.
Expected result¶
- Per-user settings persist on each machine.
.gitm.jsonchanges, once checked in, apply to everyone on the team..gitm/release-config.jsonchanges apply to everyone on their next refresh.
Troubleshooting¶
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Settings dialog crashes on open | Historically a missing XAML converter (fixed). | Update to a current build. |
A .gitm.json change didn't take effect |
Not checked in, or teammates haven't refreshed. | Check it in; have members Get Latest / reconnect. |
| Part Numbers section is greyed out | You're not Admin/Manager on the repo. | Only admins can change it; see Manage part numbers. |
Known limitations¶
- The shipped Settings tabs are Repository, Account, Preferences, Team & Sharing, Diagnostics. The original PRD described separate "File Types" and "Profiles" tabs that aren't present as such.