Q238155: HOWTO: Create a New Database in Visual SourceSafe

Article: Q238155
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0,4.0a,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbConfig kbddconv kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600 kbSSExplorer kbFAQ kbDSuppor
Last Modified: 18-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 16-bit, for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 32-bit, for Windows versions 4.0, 4.0a 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes how to create a new database in the Visual SourceSafe
versions listed above. Visual SourceSafe 6.0 has a Create Database feature in
the Administrator program that allows you to create new databases in version 6.0
or 5.0 format. Earlier versions of Visual SourceSafe use MKSS and DDCONV
utilities to create a DATA directory, and you have to create the remainder of
the database manually.

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

Steps to Create a New Database in Visual SourceSafe 6.0
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1. Open the Visual SourceSafe 6.0 Administrator program. From the Tools menu,
  select Create Database.

2. Type or browse for the path to where you want to create the new database in
  the Create new VSS Database in edit box.

3. The New 6.0 database format checkbox is selected by default. If you want your
  new database to be in the 5.0 format, clear the checkbox.

4. Click OK. A dialog box will appear saying, "Database Creation Complete."
  Click OK.

The Create Database feature will produce the following directories and files:

- Temp (directory)

- Data (directory)

- Users (directory)

- Srcsafe.ini

- Users.txt

Steps to Create a New Database in Earlier Versions of Visual SourceSafe 
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1. Create a target directory for the new database.

2. Create a directory called "Temp" inside the target directory.

3. Create a directory called "Data" inside the target directory.

4. Copy the Users directory from an existing database into the target directory.
  Delete all directories inside the Users directory except for Admin and Guest.

5. Copy the Users.txt file from an existing database into the target directory.
  Open users.txt and remove all lines except the following:

  

  Admin = users\admin\ss.ini
  Guest = users\guest\ss.ini

  Save the file.

6. Copy the Srcsafe.ini file from an existing database into the target
  directory. (Note: If this is a Visual SourceSafe 6.0-installed database, you
  should have a template directory from which you can get a default copy of the
  Srcsafe.ini file.) Open Srcsafe.ini and modify the following variables to
  point to the correct location:

  Data_Path = data
  Temp_Path = temp
  Users_Path = users
  Users_Txt = users.txt

  Save the file.

Mkss.exe and Ddconv.exe are located in the Win32 directory in Visual SourceSafe
4.0 and later.
Mkss.exe and Ddconv.exe are located in the Admin directory in versions prior to
Visual SourceSafe 4.0.

7. Run MKSS <path to the Data directory (created in Step 3)>.

8. Run DDCONV <path to the Data directory (created in Step 3)>.

If you have a version of SourceSafe prior to version 4.0, you must complete an
additional step.

9. Execute SERIALIZE <path to the Data directory (created in Step
  3)>-s<serial number>, to initialize the database with serial number
  information.

REFERENCES
==========

  Q176909 HOWTO: Move a VSS Database or Project to New Location

Additional query words: mkss ddconv

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Keywords          : kbsetup kbConfig kbddconv kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600 kbSSExplorer kbFAQ kbDSupport kbGrpDSSSafe kbSsafe600FAQ 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbSSafe600 kbSSafe400 kbSSafe400a kbSSafe500 kbSSafe16bitSearch kbSSafe32bitSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.0a,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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