PRB: Visual SourceSafe Explorer Checks Out .FRM Without .FRX

• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows NT, versions 4.0, 5.0
• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows 95, versions 4.0, 5.0
• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 4.0, 5.0
• Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows, 16-bit and 32-bit, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

In Visual Basic, when you check out a form by using the SourceSafe Add-In, you automatically check out both the .frm and .frx file for that form.

However, in the Visual SourceSafe Explorer, you can check out the .frm file without the .frx file and vice versa. If the .frx file is checked out without the .frm, the Visual Basic form is considered to be not checked out (read only). If the .frm file is checked out without the .frx file, the Visual Basic form is considered to be checked out, so modifications can be made to that form. This can cause problems when trying to save the form if you make graphical changes to the form. The following error is displayed:

   Path/File access error: '<path to .frx file>'

CAUSE

Changes were not saved to either the .frm or the .frx file because the .frx file is read-only. The .frx file is read-only because the file was never checked out.

RESOLUTION

To save the changes, switch to the Visual SourceSafe Explorer and check out the .frx file. Then switch to Visual Basic and save the project once again.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

It is always important to keep the Visual Basic .frx and .frm files in sync with each other in every way.

Functions that Keep the .frm and .frx Files in Sync Automatically

The following functions automatically keep the .frm and .frx files in sync:

    "Add File" from inside Visual Basic
    "Delete File" from inside Visual Basic
    "Get" from inside Visual Basic
    "Check Out" from inside Visual Basic
    "Check In" from inside Visual Basic
    "Undo Check Out" from inside Visual Basic
    "Save As" from inside Visual Basic

Situations Where You Need to Keep the .frm and .frx Files in Sync Manually

The following operations don't keep the .frm and .frx files in sync unless you do it manually:

  Any SourceSafe Explorer command
  Any SourceSafe command line command

Any actions inside the History dialog box (for example, Get, Pin, and Rollback) must be taken from inside Visual Basic. However, the .frx still does not tag along. Therefore, Microsoft recommends that you take these actions only for .bas and .cls files, or for .frm files that do not have an .frx file. For a .frm and .frx file pair, use the SourceSafe Explorer or command line to operate on both files (one at a time, in the Explorer).

A Share action, even if taken from Visual Basic, doesn't include the .frx file automatically. However, in this case, you don't need to start SourceSafe; just make sure to choose both the .frm and .frx files in the Share dialog box inside Visual Basic.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. In Visual Basic, open the Controls sample project, and place it under SourceSafe control.

2. In the Visual SourceSafe Explorer, check out the Button.frm file but not the .frx file.

3. In Visual Basic, on the Add-Ins menu, click SourceSafe, and then click Refresh File Status to get in sync with the Visual SourceSafe Explorer.

4. In Visual Basic, open the Button form, and click the traffic light picture box. Change the Picture property to some other bitmap picture.

5. In Visual Basic, save the project. At this point, you'll see this error message:

   Path/File access error: '<path to .frx file>'