D.1 Creating a VSS Database

When you install VSS, it sets itself to be the source control provider for VS.NET. Before you can add a solution to source control in VSS, you must have a VSS database. (VSS sets up a default database when you install it. If you are happy to use that, or if you have already created an appropriate database, you can skip this step.)

VSS databases are created using the VSS admin tool. This can usually be found in the Windows Start menu's Programs section, under Microsoft Visual Source Safe Visual SourceSafe 6.0 Admin. From the main menu, select Tools Create Database. This will display a dialog for entering the location in which you want to create the database (see Figure D-1). When you create a database, its name will be the same as the folder in which it resides.

Figure D-1. Create New VSS Database dialog

The VSS admin tool can also be used to create VSS logins. In a multiuser project, you are likely to want to create a VSS login for each individual developer, so that VSS can track which check-outs and modifications have been performed by which developers. You can add new logins with the User Add Users menu item.

Once you have created your database and added the necessary logins, you can connect to it through VS.NET.