HOWTO: Set Up Multiple SourceSafe Databases

• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, versions 4.0, 5.0
• Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows, version 3.1
• Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows NT, version 3.1
• Microsoft SourceSafe for MS-DOS, version 3.1

SUMMARY

Microsoft does not recommend that you set up multiple SourceSafe databases. However, sometimes you may find that multiple SourceSafe databases are needed.

NOTE: You cannot share files between multiple databases. You cannot move files between databases and still retain the history and differences. And you cannot merge separate databases.

MORE INFORMATION

The printed documentation outlines three ways to implement multiple SourceSafe databases:

• Use multiple installations of SourceSafe. This is the simplest method. But the replication of the SourceSafe executables, and the multiple Ss.ini files for each user will be difficult to maintain.
• Use multiple Srcsafe.ini files. This is easier to maintain because fewer files are replicated. It uses the environment variable SSDIR to find the file Srcsafe.ini. Then looks for the "Data_Path" variable in that file to find out the DATA directory that contains your files and projects. This method requires that the MS-DOS SET command be executed before you enter Visual SourceSafe.
• Use multiple Data_Path settings. This method completely avoids redundant files. It uses a SourceSafe feature that allows user added platform specifiers. In MS-DOS, use the SET command as in this example:

        SET SSINIENV = BOB
  

  Then, in the srcsafe.ini file include something like this:

        Data_Path (BOB) = X:\SS\DATA
  

  X: is the mapping of the drive from the network, and SS\DATA is the location of the data. IMPORTANT NOTE: This environment variable is set in MS-DOS, so Windows will accept it, but cannot change it. Therefore, it is possible to have multiple MS-DOS sessions open with different SourceSafe databases, but you can't do the same thing in the Windows platform. To accomplish this, open an MS-DOS box, and change the SET SSINIENV appropriately. Then start the MS-DOS version of SourceSafe in the MS-DOS box. You can do this as many times as your system will support. An alternative for Windows users is to have multiple icons with different command lines that indicate the platform specifiers. An example of such a command line is:

        X:\VSS\SSEXP.EXE /DBOB
  

NOTE: The information in this article applies to Visual SourceSafe 5.0 but is not necessary with the new "Open Database" feature. For more information about setting up multiple databases in Visual SourceSafe 5.0, please see section 4.4. in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q157719
   TITLE     : INFO: VSS 5.0 Readme: Sec. 4 & 5, Users of VSS 4.0/VSS Home
               Page

REFERENCES

SourceSafe "User Guide," version 3.1, Chapter 5

Visual SourceSafe "User Guide," version 4.0, Chapter 8

Visual SourceSafe "User Guide," version 5.0, Chapter 5, pages 179-182

Keywords          : vbwin vss
Version           : Win3.x:3.1,4.0,5.00; Winnt:3.1,4.0,5.0; Mac:3.1; Unix:3.1; MS-DOS:3.1,4.0,5.0;
Platform          : MACINTOSH MS-DOS UNIX WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto