DOCUMENT:Q127104  07-DEC-2001  [ssafe]
TITLE   :HOWTO: Set Up Multiple SourceSafe Databases
PRODUCT :Microsoft SourceSafe
PROD/VER:Win3.x:3.1,4.0,5.00; Winnt:3.1,4.0,5.0; Mac:3.1; Unix:3.1; MS-DOS:3.1,4.0,5.0;
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbSSafe

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows, version 3.1 
 - Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows NT, version 3.1 
 - Microsoft SourceSafe for MS-DOS, version 3.1 
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SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft does not recommend that you set up multiple SourceSafe databases in
versions of SourceSafe earlier than version 5.0. However, sometimes you may find
that multiple SourceSafe databases are needed.

NOTE: You cannot share files between multiple databases. You cannot move files
between databases and still retain the history and differences. And you cannot
merge separate databases.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The printed documentation outlines three ways to implement multiple SourceSafe
databases:

 - Use multiple installations of SourceSafe. This is the simplest method. But
   the replication of the SourceSafe executables, and the multiple Ss.ini files
   for each user will be difficult to maintain.

 - Use multiple Srcsafe.ini files. This is easier to maintain because fewer
   files are replicated. It uses the environment variable SSDIR to find the file
   Srcsafe.ini. Then looks for the "Data_Path" variable in that file to find out
   the DATA directory that contains your files and projects. This method
   requires that the MS-DOS SET command be executed before you enter Visual
   SourceSafe.

 - Use multiple Data_Path settings. This method completely avoids redundant
   files. It uses a SourceSafe feature that allows user added platform
   specifiers. In MS-DOS, use the SET command as in this example:

   SET SSINIENV = BOB

   Then, in the srcsafe.ini file include something like this:

   Data_Path (BOB) = X:\SS\DATA

   X: is the mapping of the drive from the network, and SS\DATA is the location
   of the data.

   IMPORTANT NOTE: This environment variable is set in MS-DOS, so Windows will
   accept it, but cannot change it. Therefore, it is possible to have multiple
   MS-DOS sessions open with different SourceSafe databases, but you can't do
   the same thing in the Windows platform. To accomplish this, open an MS-DOS
   box, and change the SET SSINIENV appropriately. Then start the MS-DOS version
   of SourceSafe in the MS-DOS box. You can do this as many times as your system
   will support. An alternative for Windows users is to have multiple icons with
   different command lines that indicate the platform specifiers. An example of
   such a command line is:

   X:\VSS\SSEXP.EXE /DBOB

NOTE: The name of the current database is displayed in the Visual SourceSafe
Explorer title bar. The database name can be assigned through the Visual
SourceSafe Administrator [Tools][Options] General dialog box.

NOTE: The information in this article applies to Visual SourceSafe 5.0 but is not
necessary with the new "Open Database" feature. For more information about
setting up multiple databases in Visual SourceSafe 5.0, please see section 4.4.
in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q157719 INFO: VSS 5.0 Readme: Sec. 4 & 5, Users of VSS 4.0/VSS Home Page

REFERENCES
==========

SourceSafe "User Guide," version 3.1, Chapter 5

Visual SourceSafe "User Guide," version 4.0, Chapter 8

Visual SourceSafe "User Guide," version 5.0, Chapter 5, pages 179-182

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbSSafe 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3 kbSSafe310 kbSSafe310DOS kbSSafe310NT
Version           : Win3.x:3.1,4.0,5.00; Winnt:3.1,4.0,5.0; Mac:3.1; Unix:3.1; MS-DOS:3.1,4.0,5.0;
Issue type        : kbhowto

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