Free tool for selection of source code control provider in Visual Studio

• Download install - 1.37 MB

Introduction

As a consultant, I work in many different environments; using different tools and applications from site to site. One of those tools is a source code control application (classically: Revision Control).

Multiple Microsoft Source Code Control Interface (MSCCI) compliant providers can be installed on a computer; but, Visual Studio (and other applications) does not provide a user interface for provider selection when you do have more than one Source Code Control (SCC) Provider installed.

Using the tool

Source Code Control Portal is a small application that allows the selection of a Source Code Control Provider (e.g. Visual SourceSafe) upon invocation of an MSSCCI-compliant client application (e.g. Visual Studio). It does not require knowledge or modification of Registry entries.

Once Source Code Control Portal is installed, any application that accesses MSCCI-compatible source code control systems will invoke Source Code Control Portal when run, allowing you to select which provider you wish the application to use for this invocation.

Provider Selection Dialog

• Providers list

  This list contains the installed MSSCCI-compliant Source Code Control provider applications. The application that will be used by the client application (e.g. Visual Studio) is the selected icon and is delineated with an overlayed checkmark.

• Remember my selected provider checkbox

  Check this checkbox if you would like the selected provider to be re-selected the next time you run a client application. This is useful if you want to override your normal Source Code Control application for this invocation. For example, you may do most of your work using Visual SourceSafe as your source code repository from Visual Studio. But, occasionally you may need Visual Studio to connect to the gotdotnet.com Workspaces source code control repository. To accomplish this, simply uncheck the Remember my selected provider checkbox and select the Workspaces icon.

• Only show this dialog when the Shift key is down checkbox

  Like many Visual SourceSafe dialogs, this option allows Source Code Control Portal to operate transparently, only made visible when you choose--by holding the Shift key down while the client application (like Visual Studio) is executing.

Source Code Control Portal Supported Applications

Source Code Control Portal should work with any MSSCCI-compliant applications, both clients and providers.

At the time of writing, the following products have been tested with Source Code Control Portal:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 SP3 (Source Code Control client)
• Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2003(Source Code Control client)
• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe 6.0 (Source Code Control provider)
• gotdonet Workspaces(Source Code Control provider)
• Wise for Windows Installer 6.0 Enterprise Edition

Other products (this is not an exhaustive list) that claim to be MSSCCI-compliant, but have not been tested:

• Perforce(Source Code Control provider)
• Subway(Source Code Control provider)
• Surround SCM(Source Code Control provider)
• WinMerge(Source Code Control client)
• UltraEdit(Source Code Control client)
• SpiderWriter(Source Code Control client)
• Microsoft Visual FoxPro(Source Code Control client)

Support

Source Code Control Portal.

History

• 3-Mar-2005

  Version 1.00 released.

  Future

  • Add Taskbar Notification icon when in use and to display active client applications.
  • Add support for version of MSCCI to be released with VS.NET 2005.