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SourceSafe

Keyword expansion

Q 141504.
Keyword Expansion is case sensitive (Q 131092)

Quirks with Source Safe

  • Stores everything in binary files with wierd names (aaaa etc), making it impossible to recover the data in case of, for example, loss of a password.
  • No Client-Server, making it difficult to use the Repository from different sites. There's is however a tool called SourceOffsite, which comes at an additional price.
  • No easy commandline automation (for scripting).
  • Not top notch for branching and merging projects.
  • If running out of space, will thrash all files.
  • No atomic check-ins. It is possible for someone grabbing a project to receive different versions of a project.
  • No provison for deleting files.

The future

As of end 2004, it looks like Microsoft comes out with two new source safe solutions: an improved SourceSafe called SourceSafe 2005 and Team Foundation Server (TFS) which is (so I am told) powerfull and expensive. It tries to fit into the high end market.