Version Control Questions

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

Can somebody please tell me how to create a copy of a project that can be opened, edited, etc. without affecting the project we have in Visual SourceSafe? We are trying to create printed documentation from our CHM files, and rather than playing around with our working project, we want to test a copy first. I copied the project in Explorer, opened it and got a dialog box regarding SourceSafe options. We went to File -> Remove from Version Control, and that removed the working project from SourceSafe.
All I want is a copy of the project to play around with until we get it to look like we want, and then make the changes in the working project.

[Guest]

Sorry, hit the button too soon.

Also, are there project files we should not check in?

Thanks,

Jennifer

[Gravenstein]

Try this procedure to clone your project. I'm not positive, but it should work for VSS as well as RSC.

G

[Guest]

Thanks for the response. Clicking the link opens an error message saying I don't have permission to access the requested object.

Jennifer

[Gravenstein · Accepted solution]

Here's a repeat of the procedure.

To clone a RoboSource-Controlled project:

1. Make a copy of the project.
2. Delete the following files from the root level of the new project:
- pblsvrs.sss (if present)
- mssccprj.scc (if present)
- projectname.cpd
- projectname.pss
3. Using Notepad, open projectname.xpj.
4. Delete all entries between <miscproperties> and </miscproperties>, but leave both tags.
5. Close Notepad, and save the xpj file.
You now have a project that is removed from source control.
6. Open the project in RH, and rename the project.

Now you have a new, independent project.

G

[Guest]

Worked like a charm. Thanks ever so much.

Jennifer

[KC_in_Colorado]

I'm having version control woes as well. I'm working with a CHM project that I created with RH6 and had under Visual Source Safe control, then reopened today (after a year) with RH 7. Of course it took FOREVER to check out and convert to RH 7 and RH crashed in the middle during the conversion so I had to reopen, recheck out files, etc. Ever since, I've been running into a lot of odd things, like files that it won't check in because (according to VSS), they are currently checked out twice, files that remain checked out in VSS even after I do a "Check In All" from RoboHelp, graphics that I've added to topics that aren't getting added to the project OR VSS, and while they appear in Preview, don't appear in compiled output. Suffice it to say: There are definite "issues" going on between RH and VSS.

I'm considering removing the entire project from source control (from within RH, of course), then going into VSS and doing an "Undo Checkout" for all the files that RH is not checking in for some reason, then deleting all project files in VSS (with "Destroy Permanently" but keep local copy settings), and then REadding the project to VSS from within RH.

Does this sound like a reasonable approach? I don't need to keep any history on these files because they have not been published yet. But I do need to get on with this project and I think perhaps because of the RoboHelp upgrade to 7, that I need to somehow get a fresh start in source control...?

Advice appreciated!

kc

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi kc.

I have to admit we do not integrate VSS with RH in any way. We simply check files out of VSS, open the project in RH, make changes, close RH and check into VSS. I assume from what you say you are checking in/out from VSS within RH.

It may be best to do as you describe and then think of doing as we do.