Using SC to store files for backup

Report · Sep 28, 2009

RH8 HTML - Source Control 3.1

Hi all.

I'm in the early stages of implementing source control so another user in our company can access some of the work I am doing, and add it to their project. We won't be sharing a project, but rather sharing topics that are relevant to the work they are doing.

I've been looking into SC 3.1 and getting it started, and I'm just wondering about how things are stored in the database.

Does anyone use source control to store their files, rather than keep them locally? Can this even be done?

I'm just wondering for the sake of back up, currently my entire project and all files are stored locally on my machine, I back up manually to our server each week. but I would much prefer something abit more automated, and a kind of set and forget. The one time I forget to make the backup will be when I lose work.

So I'm wondering, because Source control uses a database that's stored on our server, which is backed up daily, is it possible/wise/practical to keep all project files in that database and retrieve them when I want to work on them.

Thanks.

Report · Sep 28, 2009

Hi,

What exactly do you want to do? (I use MS VSS, not RSC, mind you) Normally, you store your files in the Source Control Database and get the latest version of the files on your pc. You check out the files and then modify the files locally and check the modified files back in.

Since your source files are stored in the source control database, you don't have to (you may want to ) back up your projects. Given that there's a daily/weekly backup of the database.

So, get the latest version before you start working and check your files back in. You have all the source files on your local drive, but you only have to check out (Robo can do this for you) the files you want to modify.

Greet,

Willam

Report · Sep 28, 2009

Thanks, I just want to be able to store files on a server, rather than my local machine, for backup purposes.

So what your saying is that the files kept in SC will be a mirror of the topics stored on my machine, as long as I use the check-in/check-out feature to keep things in sync?

But if I'm working on a large project for example, would I have to check out all corrosponding files, i.e images, topics, TOC etc etc that I use. Usually when I'm working I will sift between several topics at once making changes and checking things are consistent.

I'm waiting for my licence to be purchased, so I can't actually get into RH myself to try this out......

Report · Sep 28, 2009

Hi,

Your local files are just a working folder, the files in the source control database are the source files. Everyone participating in the project can get the current version from the database. Checking out is needed in order to modify the file and checking in means sending it to the database.

RoboHelp can check out all files needed. If you simply open a topic and start typing, RoboHelp will check out the files automatically (if you set the options and use Robo to control the source control database). Read http://www.adobe.com/devnet/robohelp/articles/robosource.html, it gives a good overview of Robo7 and Robo Source Control 3.

Greet,

Willam