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Q317883: HOW TO: Manage Your Visual SourceSafe Configuration for VS .NET

Article: Q317883
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbAudDeveloper kbHOWTOmaster
Last Modified: 09-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe 6.0c, used with:
   - Microsoft Visual Studio.NET (2002), Professional Edition 
   - Microsoft Visual Studio.NET (2002), Enterprise Architect Edition 
   - Microsoft Visual Studio.NET (2002), Enterprise Developer Edition 
   - Microsoft Visual Studio.NET (2002), Academic Edition 
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IN THIS TASK

- SUMMARY

   - Requirements
- Visual SourceSafe Configuration Options

   - Configuring Visual SourceSafe
- Configuring Visual SourceSafe Administrator

- Troubleshooting

- REFERENCES

SUMMARY
=======

This article demonstrates how to set common configuration options in Visual
SourceSafe for use with Visual Studio .NET.

Requirements
------------

The following list outlines the recommended hardware, software, network
infrastructure, and service packs that are required:

- Visual SourceSafe 6.0c
- Visual Studio .NET

This article assumes that you are familiar with the following topics:

- Visual Studio .NET
- Source control programs

Visual SourceSafe Configuration Options
---------------------------------------

The sections to follow demonstrate how to set several common configuration
settings in Visual SourceSafe. You can use these settings to customize Visual
SourceSafe to your own specific needs.

Configuring Visual SourceSafe:

1. Start Microsoft Visual Studio .NET.

2. On the File menu, point to Source Control, and then click Microsoft Visual
  SourceSafe. Visual SourceSafe 6.0 starts in a new window.

  NOTE: Depending on the account that you are currently logged in as, the Visual
  SourceSafe Login dialog box may appear. If this dialog box appears, type your
  user name, your password, and your database, and then click OK. If you are
  not sure of this information, contact your Visual SourceSafe Administrator.

3. On the Tools menu, click Options.

4. The Visual SourceSafe Options dialog box includes the following tabs:

   - General tab. Among other options, this tab includes the "Reuse last
     comment" check box. You can click to select this check box so that Visual
     SourceSafe automatically reuses the last comment that you typed for the
     next operation. When you repeat tasks, such as setting the start position
     for all forms in a Microsoft .NET Windows Forms application, this setting
     can save you extra typing.

   - Local Files tab. On this tab, you can change the various settings for the
     files that are stored on your local computer. Among other options, this
     tab includes the following options:

      - "Use read-only flag for files that are not checked out" check box. Make
        sure that this check box is selected. This setting is very important
        because it prevents you from making changes to a file that has not been
        checked out.

      - "Set date/time on local files" list. In this list, click Modification.
        This setting determines how Visual SourceSafe sets the date/time stamp
        for files in your working folder when you get the latest file or check
        out a file. When you set this option to modification, your local copy
        of each file includes the date and the time that the file was last
        modified.

   - View tab. On this tab, you can select whether to display the toolbar, the
     status bar, and the results pane in Visual SourceSafe. You can also change
     the auto-refresh rate for the file list.

   - Difference tab. On this tab, you can set the font, the color, and other
     viewing options for when you compare files.

   - Command Dialogs tab. For every command that is performed on a file or on a
     project, there is an associated dialog box that includes additional
     options.

     For example, when you use the Get Latest Version command on a file, a
     dialog box appears that includes additional options such as the ability to
     override the working folder. Typically, you do not want to override the
     working folder. Therefore, you may not want to be prompted with this
     dialog box every time you use the Get Latest Version command. You can
     click to clear the Get Latest Version check box so that this dialog box
     does not appear.

     Click to clear both of the Get Latest Version check boxes.

     NOTE: If you change your mind later, you can click to select the Get Latest
     Version check boxes. Alternatively, you can press the SHIFT key when you
     perform an individual command.

   - Warnings tab. On this tab, you can turn on or turn off various warning
     dialog boxes. These warnings are displayed when perform a command that may
     result in the loss of data. Typically, you do not want to change these
     options.

5. Click OK to accept the changes, or click Cancel to reject the changes.

6. On the File menu, click Exit to close Visual SourceSafe.

7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Visual Studio .NET.

Configuring Visual SourceSafe Administrator:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Visual SourceSafe 6.0, and
  then click Visual SourceSafe 6.0 Admin.

2. On the Tools menu, click Options.

3. The SourceSafe Options dialog box includes the following tabs:

   - General tab. On this tab, you can set general settings. Among other
     options, this tab includes the following options:

      - "Allow multiple checkouts" check box. With this setting, multiple
        programmers can check out the same file at the same time. Typically,
        you do not want to click to select this option.

      - "Log all actions in journal file" box. In this box, you can type a path
        such as "C:\LogFile.txt" (without the quotation marks). With this
        setting, you can track all actions (such as Get Latest Version and
        Check Out) that the users perform.

   - Project Security tab. You can use the settings on this tab as the default
     access rights when you add a new user to Visual SourceSafe. For example,
     you may not want new users to have access rights to destroy a file. In
     that case, click to select the "Enable project security" check box, and
     then click to clear the Destroy check box under "Default user rights".

   - Shadows Folder tab. The shadows folder is a directory that contains all of
     the current versions of all of the files in a project. Because all files
     are stored in the Visual SourceSafe database, there is no absolute
     requirement to use a shadows folder. However, some users may find it
     useful to have a central location for all of the latest files.

     The Shadow Folders tab includes the following text boxes:

      - "Set shadow folder for project" box. In this box, you can type the name
        of an existing project, or you can click Browse to select a project
        from a graphical list. The exact name of the project depends on what
        projects are under Visual SourceSafe control.

      - "Set shadow folder to" box. In this box, you can type the name of an
        existing directory on your file system, or you can click Browse to
        select a project from a graphical list.

   - Web Projects tab. On this tab, you can set various options for Web
     projects such as the URL, the virtual root, and the deployment path. These
     settings are useful for Microsoft ASP.NET and Web Service applications.
     These settings apply on a per project basis.

   - Web tab. This tab includes the following options:

      - "Proxy for deploying over ftp" box. You can use this setting to specify
        a proxy when you deploy a project through a firewall.

      - "Do not use the proxy for these local servers" box. This setting
        overrides the "Proxy for deploying over ftp" setting for local servers.

      - "Default filename for Web pages" box. You can use this setting during a
        Check Hyperlinks run.

     Unlike the Web Projects tab, the settings on the Web tab apply across your
     Web projects.

4. Click OK to accept the changes, or click Cancel to reject the changes.

5. On the Users menu, click Exit to close Visual SourceSafe Administrator.

Troubleshooting
---------------

The user must have a Visual SourceSafe account to access these configuration
options. If the user does not have a Visual SourceSafe account, the user must
contact the Visual SourceSafe administrator.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information, see the following MSDN Web sites:

  Using Visual SourceSafe 6.0
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/guides/html/vstskUsing_VSS.asp

  Product Overview: The Version Control System for Development Teams Using
  Visual Studio .NET
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/ssafe/prodinfo/overview.asp

  Visual SourceSafe Product Information Overview
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/ssafe/Prodinfo/?RLD=25

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbAudDeveloper kbHOWTOmaster 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbSSafe600C
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

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