Lock Topics in Flare 7 with VSS

[OhRob2011]

Hello. I am working in a shop that has over 1000 RH files and we are converting over to Flare 7. We have a team of writers working this project, and would like to make sure that we do not have to do file merges.
Since I am new to Flare and VSS, I have no idea how this can happen. If, for example, I check out the build from VSS, is there a way to prevent me from editing files that another writer may be working on at the same time? If I select a topic, will it be possible to ensure that someone else who is also working on that same build will NOT be able to select that topic after I have opened it?

Surely these sound like noob questions...but there is a good reason: I AM a noob!

Thanks for your help!

[Nita Beck]

I'm not familiar with VSS but with another source code control program. Can't the VSS administrator set up rules so that if a file has been checked out, it cannot be checked out by another user? Another user could get a read-only copy of it, but not a writable copy. At least this is how the administrator of the system we'll soon be using (ClearCase) has explained things to me.

[i-tietz]

We're working with VSS 2005. We created the DB for exclusive checkout, but I think you can change that afterwards, too (screenshot in German - sorry):

vss_exclusive_checkout.png