Source control and project manager

[Mike Lewis]

Does anyone have any experience of integrating a source control (version control) system with VFP's project manager?

I am using a source control system where the files are hosted on a remote server and accessed over FTP (the system is NG Source 3, but my question is not specific to that product).

So far, we have been using it manually -- checking files in and out via the source control's own interface. That works reasonably well.

I have now been experimenting with integrating the system into VFP. I have successfully added my project to source control, and can check files in and out via the project manager. This is a very nice feature, and really convenient.

However, I have hit two snags:

(i) Opening the project now takes a long time -- around ten seconds. Obviously, this is because VFP needs to check the status of each file on the server. As I am opening projects many times a day, this is a nuisance.

(ii) Although files are checked out automatically when I open them via the project manager, this is not the case when I open them in the command window, which I do very often. This means that I have to constantly remember always to use the project manager. If I forget, I will be working on an uncontrolled local copy of the file, and this defeats the object of having source control.

Does anyone have any comments or advice that might help? Is there anything I am missing that would avoid these issues?

Thanks in advance,

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[pthalacker]

Hi Mike,

As handy as integration seems, the problems you describe are why I decided to use VSS manually years ago. I am quite satisfied with my decision and have never really missed integration.

pamela

 

[Mike Lewis]

Hi Pamela,

Since posting my message, I have gone back to doing it manually -- and I have got a lot more accustomed to doing it that way. In fact, it no longer feels at all onerous to check out a file whenever I think I might want to modify it.

I'm pleased to see you take the same approach.

By the way, welcome to the forum. It's been a long time since I saw you over at the other place. I've been hanging out for a couple of years now.

Best wishes,

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[RickSchummer]

Mike,

I also prefer to access the source code control files via a client app, not the Project Manager. I have used the integration when requested by my clients (working inside their IT department). It is slower (and Visual Source Safe is slow enough on its own). I know you are not using VSS, but conceptually the integration works the same as long as it works with the SCC API.

I recently started using SourceOffSite with VSS. This tool rocks when you have to access VSS over the Internet using a VPN. I like it so much I have completely abandoned the VSS client and even use the SourceOffSite internally on my home office network.

_RAS

http://www.whitelightcomputing.com

VFP MVP

 

[Mike Lewis]

Rick,

Thanks for those comments. It's reassuring to know that I am thinking along the same lines as other folk.

I'll take a look at SourceOffSite some time, although for this present project I am obliged to use NG3, because that's what the client uses.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[RickSchummer]

Actually I would be interested in hearing how well NG3 works for you some time down the road. I have talked to a couple of other developers about this product, but the product was quite new at the time and some kinks were being worked out.

Surprisingly, the remarks were quite positive and the bugs were not all that bad.


_RAS

http://www.whitelightcomputing.com

Shedding Some Light (blog)
VFP MVP

 

[Mike Lewis]

Rick,

I've hit a couple of bugs with NG3, but they were not at all serious. Still, it would be interesting to report these to the vendor, if only to see how responsive the company is. I'll do that today.

Apart from that, my experience has been mostly positive -- but I've only been using it properly for a couple of weeks, and have not expored all its features.

I'll give you some more comments when I've got to know it a bit better.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[pthalacker]

By the way, welcome to the forum.

Thanks, it's nice here. There's hardly enough traffic at the other place to make it worth the 3 keystrokes to get there.<bg>

pamela

 

[Mike Lewis]

Pamela,

Three keystrokes? Think yourself lucky. With my weird browser settings, it's almost a mornings work.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[Neil Toulouse]

Hi Mike!

Not really adding anymore that what has already been said, but we have used VSS from day one, and we found trying to integrate it fully with the project manager a breeze for some developers and a total pain for others, with no consistency!

Therefore, we always check out of VSS and not via the project. We also had an issue that the project could take up to 10 mins to open, but that seemed to be an issue with the virus checker also. Again, fine for some (a few seconds) or a long wait!

I guess they all work in a similar manner.

Neil

I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours...

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for that feedback, Neil. I've now given up all thoughts of using NG3 on an integrated basis. Using the native interface works fine.

It's reassuring to know it wasn't just me that was having the problems.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[Mike Lewis]

Just a quick follow-up.

On 15/7, I mentioned I had hit a couple of bugs in NG3, and would report them to the vendor.

I did that straight away. Today, ten days later, I have not even received an acknowledgement. This was despite going through the correct procedure for filing a bug report on the vendor's web site (althought, admittedly, I flagged the issue as non-urgent).

If you judge a product by how responsive the vendor is to dealing with bug reports, that's something to bear in mind.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)