PRB: Solution and Web Files Added to Different Databases

ID: Q199035

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When adding a Visual Studio solution (.sln file) that contains a Web project to Visual SourceSafe (VSS), the .sln file and the project files are added to different VSS databases.


CAUSE

The .sln file and the Web project use different mechanisms for SourceSafe integration. The .sln file uses the same mechanism as other Visual Studio components, such as Visual Basic and Visual C++. Visual InterDev uses the FrontPage Server Extensions (FPSE), which in turn interact with VSS through OLE automation. This mechanism determines which database the Web files are added to. It is important to note that all VSS operations on the Web files are done on the IIS server machine, not on Visual InterDev clients.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, first identify which VSS database is being used by FPSE, then ensure that the .sln file is added to that database. For most users the best option will be to create a workstation installation of VSS on the client machine by running VSS's netsetup from the database used by the Internet Information Server machine.


STATUS

This behavior is by design.


MORE INFORMATION

Both integration methods "decide" which VSS database to use by finding a copy of the Srcsafe.ini file.

Under normal circumstances FPSE will use the Srcsafe.ini that is in the directory above the Ssapi.dll file on the IIS server (Ssapi.dll is in the VSS\win32 directory). If there are multiple copies of Ssapi.dll on the server, it will use the copy that is registered. In this situation you can run Regsvr32 <path to ssapi.dll> to register the desired copy. The registry key


HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{783CD4E4-9D54-11CF-B8EE-00608CC9A71F}\InprocServer32

shows which version of Ssapi.dll is currently registered.



The database used for the .sln file is determined by the VSS settings on the client machine. First it looks at the following registry key 


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SourceSafe\Current Database

If this key is not set, it will then look at the path to the Ssscc.dll in the key 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SourceSafe\SCCServerPath,

and use the Srcsafe.ini file in the parent directory of that path.

Unlike the FPSE mechanism, you can interactively choose which database will be used for the .sln file. In the Visual Studio IDE select Options from the Tools menu, then in the Environment ... Source Control section of the Options dialog box, click Advanced . Select the Integration tab of the SourceSafe Options dialog box, under Choose SourceSafe Database, select Prompt.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior


The following steps assume that there are two server installations of VSS on the IIS server in \VSS1 and \VSS2 subdirectories, and that VSS2 was installed last (hence, its copy of Ssapi.dll is registered).
  1. On a client machine run Netsetup from the server's \VSS1 directory.


  2. On that client machine, use VI to create new Web project on the IIS server.


  3. In the Project Explorer, select the Solution and select Project ... Source Control ... Add to Source Control. When prompted, select to add the whole solution


  4. You will first be prompted to specify which project you are adding the solution to. Note that this is for the .sln file only and by default it is pointing to VSS1. You may receive an additional dialog box prompting you to add the .sln file.


  5. After completing the above operation, you will receive another dialog box with the title Enable Source Control. This is using the FPSE mechanism to add the Web to VSS. After clicking OK, the Web will be added to the VSS2 database.


Additional query words: kbDSupport 


Keywords          : kbFrontPage kbSSafe kbVisID 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: June 28, 1999