BUG: SssccSP2.exe: "The Database is Unavailable..." When Opening

• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 32-bit, for Windows, version 5.0
• The development environment included with: - Microsoft Visual Studio 97sp3

SYMPTOMS

After installing the Visual Studio 97 SP3 and opening a project under source control, you may get the following error:

   Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
   The database is unavailable. Would you like to disable source control
   integration?

CAUSE

There are two possible causes:

1. You have set up a user name using the Visual SourceSafe administrator that is not the same as the user name you use to log into your workstation and the SourceSafe user name has a password.

2. You have the same user name in Visual SourceSafe as you use to log into your workstation, but you have deselected "Use network name for automatic user log in" in the Visual SourceSafe Administrator, Tools menu, Options menu item, General tab.

RESOLUTION

Use one of the following resolutions as a workaround:

1. After you start your developer application, but before you open a project that is under source control, start the Visual SourceSafe Explorer from the Project menu, Source Control submenu in Visual C++ or Tools menu, Visual SourceSafe submenu in Visual Basic. This will present you with a login dialog. After a successful login, you will be able to open the project under source control in Visual Studio.

2. Using the Visual SourceSafe Administrator, check "Use network name for automatic user log in" in the Tools menu, Options menu item, General tab. Then make sure that all user names match the login names used to log into Windows NT and/or Windows 95. The Visual SourceSafe passwords are ignored during login in this case.

3. If you are using a Visual SourceSafe login name that is different than your login name for Windows, then don't use a password.

4. Roll back to the Service Pack 2 (05.00.2220) version of Ssscc.dll that is in SssccSP2.exe.

   Please see the MORE INFORMATION section for instructions on obtaining this file.

   The following file is the only file included in SssccSP2.exe:

   - Ssscc.dll, version 05.00.2220

5. "set" the SSUSER and SSPWD environment variables using the following procedure:

   Method 1 --------

   Setting a command prompt shell environment. You need to do this each time you open the application.

   a. Open a command prompt and type something, such as set ssuser=guest.

         If this user has a password, you must also set the SSPWD variable,
         such as set sspwd=password.
   

   b. While still in the command prompt, use "cd" to change to the install

         location of your development application and start it up.
   

   Method 2 --------

   Setting the Windows shell environment.

   In Windows NT:

   a. Right-click My Computer and click the Environment tab.

   b. Put the cursor in the Variable: text box and type SSUSER.

   c. Hit tab to the Value: text box and type in a valid Visual SourceSafe

         login name, such as guest. If this user has a password, you must also
         set the SSPWD variable in the same manner.
   

   d. Click OK.

   e. Restart Windows NT.

   In Windows 95:

   a. Add the following two line to the Autoexec.bat:

            set ssuser=<username>
            set sspwd=<password>
   
      b. Save and restart Windows 95.
   
   

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this bug and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

~ SssccSP2.exe (size: 572928 bytes)

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

In Visual C++:

1. Set up a user using the Visual SourceSafe Administrator that isn't the same name as your Windows account name. Make sure you enter a password.

2. Start Visual Studio. On the Tools menu, select Options, click the SourceSafe tab, and type in the Visual SourceSafe login name you will be using.

3. Open a project that is under source control.

   -or-

4. Set up a user using SourceSafe Administrator that is the same name as your Windows account. On the Tools menu, select Options, and deselect the "Use network name for automatic user log in" check box.

5. Start Visual Studio. On the Tools menu, select Options, click the SourceSafe tab, and type in the Visual SourceSafe login name you will be using.

6. Open a project that is under source control.

1. Set up a user using the Visual SourceSafe Administrator that isn't the same name as your Windows account name. Make sure you enter a password.

2. Start Visual Basic.

3. Open a project that is under source control.

   -or-

4. Set up a user using Visual SourceSafe Administrator that is the same name as your Windows account. On the Tools menu, select Options, and deselect the "Use network name for automatic user log in" check box.

5. Start Visual Basic.

6. Open a project that is under source control.