Q176350: HOWTO: Open Visual SourceSafe to a Specific Database

Article: Q176350
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600
Last Modified: 01-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

By default the Visual SourceSafe Explorer opens the last database that you used.
This article demonstrates how to open a different database when you start the
Visual SourceSafe Explorer by using an -S switch.

MORE INFORMATION
================

By using the -S switch, you may direct the SSEXP to a different Srcsafe.ini
file. The Srcsafe.ini should contain a pointer to a valid Visual SourceSafe 4.0a
or 5.0 data directory. The command is as follows:

  C:\VSS\WIN32\SSEXP.EXE -S\\SourceSafe\Servers\Training

-or-

  C:\VSS\WIN32\SSEXP.EXE -SF:\Programs\VSS

By executing these commands, you may invoke an open dialog box that enables the
user to verify the Srcsafe.ini selection. After confirming this selection, the
Visual SourceSafe 4.0a or 5.0 database that Srcsafe.ini points to is opened. To
bypass the login dialog box, you can add the -y switch ( -y<username,
password>).

Within Windows 95 or Windows NT you can create a shortcut whose Target URL (shown
in the shortcut Properties dialog box) uses the command described above. By
doing this, you can open the specified database by double- clicking the shortcut
icon. If you have several Visual SourceSafe databases, you can create a shortcut
for each one, making it easy to pick the database that you want to work on.

In Visual SourceSafe version 6.0, you can create a shortcut to a specific project
by choosing Create Shortcut from the File menu.

REFERENCES
==========

Visual SourceSafe "User's Guide," version 5.0, page 181

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbSSafe600 kbSSafe500
Issue type        : kbhowto

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