Sharing Files in Visual SourceSafe

Viewing Changes to files in the VSS Explorer

In this exercise you will use Visual SourceSafe to see changes to multiple versions of the same file.

* To make some changes to the code in Visual Basic

1. With the NASA project open in Visual Basic, open the code window for the Form_Load event of the frmPhotos.frm form.
2. Check out frmPhotos.frm .

   If you do not check this file out, and try to edit to it, Visual Basic will display a message saying "Can't edit module."

3. In the Form_Load event, select all the commented lines of code and click the Uncomment Block button.

   The Uncomment Block button is on the Edit toolbar. If the Edit toolbar is not visible, click the View menu, point to Toolbars and then click Edit .

4. Save your project.
5. Check frmPhotos.frm back into Visual SourceSafe.

* To view the changes in the Visual SourceSafe Explorer

1. In the Visual SourceSafe Explorer, from the All projects treeview, select NASA.
2. In the Contents window, select frmPhotos.frm and then, from the toolbar, click Show History .
3. Select both versions in the History of dialog and click Diff .

   A dialog box will open showing the differences between the two versions.

4. Close Visual SourceSafe and Visual Basic, saving your work.

Lesson Summary

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a code management and version control application that allows you to effectively manage software development. VSS provides easy-to-use project-oriented version control, works with any type of file produced by any development language or tool, enables users to work at both the file and project level while promoting component reuse, and enables team development with its project-oriented features.

Visual SourceSafe allows you to check files in and out using a series of commands. VSS stores all the changes made to a file; the most recent version is always available, but previous versions can be accessed as well. VSS integrates with all Microsoft applications, including: Microsoft Visual Studio, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual J++, Word, Excel, Access, FoxPro, and FrontPage.