ACC97: SourceSafe Integration Tips

• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 32-bit, for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
• Microsoft Office Developer Edition 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article contains tips to help you use the Source Code Control component of Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition (ODE) Tools with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.

The article is divided into three sections: Environment, Security, and Usage.

MORE INFORMATION

Environment

• If you move, copy, or rename a database that is under source code control, you will no longer be able to use the source code control features with that database. However, you can recreate the database from the source code control project, and re-enable source code control features by pointing to SourceSafe on the Tools menu, and then clicking Create Database From SourceSafe Project.
• The Microsoft Access Source Code Control component is specifically designed to manage Microsoft Access objects. It is possible to use Microsoft Visual SourceSafe or another source code control program to include non-Access files in the same source code control project that contains your database objects. However, even though those files appear as part of your project when you view them in Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, you cannot check any files in or out, or get the latest version of the files. Manage your non-Access files in a separate source code control project.
• If you use a localized version of Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition Tools, the user interface for the Microsoft Access Source Code Control component appears in the language for that version. If that is not the case, check the Regional Settings option in Control Panel to be sure it contains the correct language settings for the localized version of Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition Tools you are using.

Security

• When you add a database to source code control, any security features that you have implemented are removed from the database before the objects are added to the source code control project. However, by default Microsoft Visual SourceSafe maintains its own security on projects so that each user either has read-write access (the ability to edit files) or read-only access. You can set those permissions for an entire project or for specific users. After you finish developing your application and remove it from source code control, you can re-implement Microsoft Access security features before you distribute the application.

  For more information about issues using Microsoft Visual SourceSafe and a secured Microsoft Access database, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: Q162933
        TITLE     : ACC97: User Without Permissions Can Check Out an Object in
                    VSS
  
  

• If a developer checks out an object, and then forgets his/her password, leaves the company, or is out of the office, the Microsoft Visual SourceSafe administrator can start the Visual SourceSafe Administrator program and change or delete that user's password. Then you can log on to the project with the new password and check in the objects or undo the check out.

Usage

• Always check out an object that is under source code control before you make changes to the design of the object.
• If you create a query using a query wizard, you are not prompted to add the query to source code control when you save it. To add the query to source code control, point to SourceSafe on the Tools menu, and then click Add Objects To SourceSafe.
• If you use the Linked Table Manager to refresh the link to a table that is under source code control, and you do not have Data and Misc. Objects checked out, Microsoft Access does not prompt you to check it out. When you do check out Data and Misc. Objects, if the data to which the table was originally linked is not available, you receive two error messages and then the linked tables are deleted.

  For more information about this topic, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: Q163346
        TITLE     : ACC97: Linked Table Manager Doesn't Prompt You to Check Out
                    Data
  
  

• If you modify a custom toolbar without checking out Data and Misc. Objects, your changes will be lost when you synchronize the source code control project with your database. Check out the Data and Misc. Objects object before you make changes to your custom toolbars.

  For more information about this topic, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: Q162825
        TITLE     : ACC97: Customizing Command Bar Does Not Prompt for
                    Check-Out
  
  

• Each source code control project must contain only one Data and Misc. Objects (.acb) file. If you add a second Data and Misc. Objects file to a source code control project, you receive an error when you use the Share Objects, Create Database From SourceSafe Project, or Refresh Object Status commands.
• Before you create a table using a macro, a make-table query, or Visual Basic code, first check out Data and Misc. Objects. If you do not, the table appears to be created, and even appears to be under source code control, but if you close the database and recreate it from the source code control project, or if you use the Get Latest Version command to retrieve the most recent version of Data and Misc. Objects, the table is removed because it was never actually added to source code control.

  For more information about this and related topics, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: Q163348
        TITLE     : ACC97: Tables That Appear to Be Checked In in VSS Are Not
  
        ARTICLE-ID: Q159690
        TITLE     : ACC97: Problem Adding Objects Created in VBA to SourceSafe
  
  

• If you open an object in Design view using Visual Basic code, you are not prompted to check out the object. Any changes you make will be lost when you synchronize the source code control project with your database. If you plan to change the design of an object with Visual Basic code, check out the object first.
• When your team finishes development work on a Microsoft Access application, you must remove the database from source code control so you can distribute it or replicate it. To remove a Microsoft Access database from source code control, make sure all changes to the database are checked in. Then point to Database Utilities on the Tools menu, and click Compact Database. When prompted if you want to remove the compacted database from source code control, click Yes. All source code control properties are removed from the database.

  NOTE: You should not attempt to replicate a database while it is under source code control.

• You can work on a database even when you aren't connected to the source code control provider. However, before you disconnect from the server, check out any objects that you plan to modify.
• When a database is under source code control, only one user at a time can connect to it or open it. Create a copy of the database from the project for each developer who will work on it. To do so, on each developer's computer, point to SourceSafe on the Tools menu, and then click Create Database From SourceSafe Project.