VSS ( Visual Source Safe)

*->VSS is Visual Source Safe, a popular version control tool developed by Microsoft.

It is used in Configuration Management.

VSS is effective tool if more than one programmer is involved and the project is divided into modules. Even the small modification / change made to the source code
will be available on each version of source code and is saved individually; it can be retrieved any time.

*àVSS is Visual Source Safe, it is a storage place where clients can see the updated documents or files in a project/s. and to enter into that vss user must have a userid and password, with that he/she can view the files and copy into our systems, then update the files into vss, then every one can able to view the files / documents

*à Its basically a version control tool suitable for small & medium size projects
Its lightweight product when compared to others like Clearcase, perforce

*àAccording to my knowledge Visual SourceSafe, simply put, is a source control system. Source control is highly desirable when developing software, web sites, or anywhere you may want to compare two versions of a file or return to a previous version.Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a file-level version control system that permits many types of organizations to work on several project versions at the same time. This capability is particularly beneficial in a software development environment, where it is used in maintaining parallel code versions. However, the product can also be used to maintain files for any other type of team.

Visual SourceSafe supports cross-platform development by allowing collaborative editing and sharing of data. It is designed to handle the tracking and portability
issues involved in maintaining one source control base, for example, a software code base, across multiple operating systems. For developers, Visual SourceSafe accommodates reusable or object-oriented code. It makes it easier for you to track the applications that use particular code modules.

At a minimum, Visual SourceSafe does the following:
· Helps protect your team from accidental file loss.
· Allows back-tracking to earlier versions of a file.
· Supports branching, sharing, merging, and management of file releases.
· Tracks versions of entire projects.
· Tracks modular code (one file that is reused, or shared, by multiple projects).

Compatibility
The current release of Visual SourceSafe is fully compatible with database versions 6.0 and earlier.
Version Control and File Sharing
Visual SourceSafe allows the quick and efficient sharing of files among projects. The organization of files into projects makes team coordination intuitive. When you
add a file to Visual SourceSafe, the file is stored on the database and made available to other users. Changes that have been made to the file are saved so that any
user can recover an old version at any time. Members of your team can see the latest version of a file, make changes to local file copies, and save new versions in the

database. When a set of files is ready to deliver, Visual SourceSafe makes it easy to share and obtain different versions of the selected set of files.

Extensibility
Using the Visual SourceSafe automation interfaces, you can write extensions based on Visual SourceSafe as needed for your environment. Extensions are usually
provided in the form of stand-alone applications written to the automation interfaces. You can also extend Visual SourceSafe functionality by writing an add-in or

plug-in that is compatible with the integrated development environment (IDE) of the third-party program that will run the software package.

Parallel Development
Visual SourceSafe supports parallel development and cross-platform development techniques. Such support allows individual team members to complete different

parts and versions of a project at the same time, instead of being stalled while waiting for each to other to finish certain tasks. Two- and three-way file merging

operations are supported, and Visual SourceSafe includes a number of mechanisms for resolving merge conflicts. File merge operations enable independent work

without the need to synchronize changes with those made by other individuals.
In support of parallel operations, Visual SourceSafe also includes a label promotion feature to advance files as needed to different versions of a project. It also supports the use of share, pin, and branch operations for parallel development on a project over an extended period of time.

Developer Support
More and more, developers are accessing Visual SourceSafe functions from their development environments within third-party programs. Visual SourceSafe can be
easily integrated with Visual Studio and other development tools, such as Microsoft Access. Visual SourceSafe supports a developer environment in many ways by
fallowing:
· Setting of folder policies to enable group development scenarios.
· Bug fixes
· Easy transition to a new release of an existing project
· Batch/nightly builds
· Automation of source code control events
· Access to automation interfaces
· Source control over slow connections
· Configuration of new projects for isolated Web development
· Addition of a new Web developer to an existing team Web project
· Tracking of programming modules to allow reusable or object-oriented code

Database Maintenance
Visual SourceSafe provides a number of powerful database maintenance tools to keep your databases operating efficiently and securely. It supports archival and
restoration through easy-to-use wizards, as well as several command line-based maintenance utilities.


Managing Your Team Using Visual SourceSafe
Visual SourceSafe was designed to facilitate and promote coordination in teams with members who often need to work on the same files at the same time. This
section describes how you can maximize the team coordination potential of Visual SourceSafe. It contains topics that introduce team concepts and provide

step-by-step instructions for performing team-related tasks, such as setting up a shared database and establishing shadow folders.
Most of the tasks described in this section are intended for the team manager, who should be designated as a database administrator. However, at the manager's
discretion, the tasks can be performed by other team members who have appropriate Windows and Visual SourceSafe access permissions.