>I have a few questions regarding Microsoft's VisualSourceSafe....
>1) Rather than having 8 developers setup working folders locally, does it make sense for all developers to have the same working folder which would be a DEVELOPMENT db on our local network? Then we will also have a CURRENT db (which contains all the live projects) on the network as well. We would never change anything in CURRENT, we will only make changes in DEVELOPMENT. Once changes are completed in the DEVELOPMENT directory and tested, they can be moved to the CURRENT folder. That way we don't have copies sitting in 10 different places.

What happens if user A edits a file and user B needs it for some reason..maybe just to see how something was done? User B will have to wait or user A will have to stop what they are doing. Using a source control tool, there is a central repository that is considered "the latest copy". Each dev will have a copy of the files that they work with. When they get done with their changes, the check in the files, which makes a new "latest copy" on the server.

>2) How do we effectively use VSS to get all programming changes live? What is the best way for us to be setup to do so?

Typically there is one person designated the build manager. They check out the latest versions of the files, do a build. If everything builds, then it is passed onto QA for testing. If it doesn't build, the build manager checks the source control logs to find out who made the changes, then gets that person to fix things. Another build is then done.

>3) I know we can set labels & versions to all our changes, but is there anything built in for complete documentation purposes? Currently, our version control has a documentation field. If a change requires new documentation, we check a checkbox to alert our documentation staff that a documentation change needs made before a program can go live. How will our documentation staff know that a change needs made to online help or to our printed help manuals?

The tech writers should be involved from the beginning...this means when the specs are being done...not at the end, only after the code has been written. That way, they are in the loop on what's happening.

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>Thanks.