Initialization Variables

This section describes the Visual SourceSafe initialization variables that can be edited for customization.

In This Section

• Append_EOL Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes if all text files must end with an end-of-line character, and No (default) if an end-of-line character is not needed for text files.

• Backup_Ext Initialization Variable
  Specifies the file name extension used for a backup file when merging.

• Binary_Masks Initialization Variable
  Sets binary file storage for certain file types.

• CheckExternalWebLinks Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) to check external links on the Web, and No if links are not checked.

• CheckFileURLs Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to check for URLs for hyperlinks, and No (default) if URLs are not checked.

• Check_Hyperlink_Masks Initialization Variable
  Controls types of files in which Visual SourceSafe checks hyperlinks.

• Checkout_Comment Initialization Variable
  Sets the -C command option for the Check Out command.

• Checkout_LocalVer_Default Initialization Variable
  Specifies True if the Check Out command retrieves a local version of a file, and False (default) if the command retrieves the database version of the file.

• Checkout_LocalVer_Disabled Initialization Variable
  Specifies True (default) to disable the checkout of local files and set Visual SourceSafe so that it always retrieves the database copy of a file.

• Classic_Dialogs Initialization Variable
  Specifies True to display dialogs in the style of Visual SourceSafe 6.0.

• Cloak Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to protect, or "cloak," projects from recursive commands, such as Get and Check In.

• Comment_Editor Initialization Variable
  Specifies the editor that is used to enter comments.

• Comment_Editor_Prompt Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) to enable a prompt when you enter a comment using an editor program, and No to disable the prompt.

• Comment_Template Initialization Variable
  Sets a template file that you create to be used for comments in Visual SourceSafe Explorer or a comment editor program.

• Compare Initialization Variable
  Specifies the method used to compare files during a Get or Check Out operation.

• CP_OnSelection Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to set a project in Visual SourceSafe Explorer so that it automatically becomes your current project.

• Data_Path Initialization Variable
  Sets the path to the data folder that Visual SourceSafe uses to keep version information.

• Database_Name Initialization Variable
  Specifies the "friendly" name that is displayed for the current Visual SourceSafe database in the Visual SourceSafe Explorer title bar.

• Delete_Local Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes if Visual SourceSafe is to delete local files when processing commands such as Add Files and Undo Check Out.

• Deploy_Host_Local Initialization Variable
  Lists the local hosts that do not require a proxy server for FTP deployment.

• Deploy_Path Initialization Variable
  Specifies the location to which Visual SourceSafe copies files when you choose the Deploy command on the Visual SourceSafe Explorer Web menu.

• Deploy_Proxy Initialization Variable
  Specifies the name of the proxy server for Visual SourceSafe to use to access external FTP sites.

• Diff_Format Initialization Variable
  Specifies the format used to show differences between files.

• Diff_Ignore Initialization Variable
  Controls the factors that Visual SourceSafe ignores when determining differences between files.

• Dir Initialization Variable
  Associates a working folder with a specific project.

• DoubleClick_File Initialization Variable
  Specifies the default behavior when you double-click on a file name in Visual SourceSafe Explorer or a plug-in.

• Editor Initialization Variable
  Specifies an editor program to use for viewing/editing files.

• EOL Initialization Variable
  Sets the end-of-line character that is used when Visual SourceSafe gets or checks out text files.

• Expand_Keywords_Locally Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to enable keyword expansion in your working folder, and No to disable the feature.

• Extension_Association Initialization Variable
  Associates a file extension with the editor that is used for viewing/editing a file and comments.

• File_Types Initialization Variable
  Specifies the types of files that are listed as possible choices in several Visual SourceSafe dialog boxes.

• FileType Initialization Variable
  Specifies the file type for a database file.

• FileTypeEx Initialization Variable
  Automatically detects the file type for a database file or assigns file type based on specific settings.

• Force_Dir Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) to customize the Dir initialization variable for several purposes other than just specification of the working folder for a project.

• Force_Prj Initialization Variable
  Automatically sets the current project based on the current folder before running a command.

• History_Include_Files Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to automatically include files in project history reports, and No to exclude files from the reports.

• IMG_File Initialization Variable
  Specifies the graphics file used to represent a file when generating a site map from a Web project.

• IMG_Folder Initialization Variable
  Specifies the graphics file used to represent a folder when generating a site map from a Web project.

• Journal_File Initialization Variable
  Specifies the file in which Visual SourceSafe logs all commands that change stored data.

• Keep_Checkedout Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to keep files checked out locally when you check them in or add them to the database.

• Keyword_Masks Initialization Variable
  Indicates the files to use with keyword expansion for the Check In and Add Files commands.

• Long_Filenames Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) if you want Visual SourceSafe to use long file names, which are longer than the MS-DOS standard.

• Lowercase_Files Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to display the names of files added to the database in lower case, and No to display the names using the case in which they were added.

• Mark_Merges Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to mark all changes detected during a merge operation, including those that do not represent conflicts.

• Merge_Ext Initialization Variable
  Sets the extension that Visual SourceSafe uses to create a temporary file for a merge operation.

• Merge_Ignore Initialization Variable
  Specifies that Visual SourceSafe should ignore white space characters when merging files.

• Multiple_Checkouts Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to configure the database for multiple users to check out a file at the same time, requiring file merges.

• Output Initialization Variable
  Specifies the output for a command on the Visual SourceSafe command line that uses the -O option.

• OutputWindow Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to display the results pane in Visual SourceSafe Explorer to reflect the results of various commands.

• Project Initialization Variable
  Stores your current project when you quit Visual SourceSafe.

• Reconcile_Project Initialization Variable
  Determines the default behavior when reconciling project differences generated by the Show Differences command.

• Recursive Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to make Visual SourceSafe commands recursive by default, and No to disable recursion by default.

• Refresh_Display Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) to automatically refresh the file list in the Visual SourceSafe file pane to reflect changes that users have made.

• Refresh_Interval Initialization Variable
  Specifies how often the file list in Visual SourceSafe Explorer automatically refreshes.

• Relevant_Masks Initialization Variable
  Specifies the types of files that are typically added to a project.

• Replace_Writable Initialization Variable
  Specifies the effect that file retrieval has on your local writable files.

• Reuse_Comment Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to display the most recent comment when you are prompted, and No to allow you to type in a new comment at the prompt.

• Save_Settings Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to save the settings for the Show Differences command between Visual SourceSafe sessions.

• SetTime Initialization Variable
  Controls the date and time assigned to your local file copies by a Get operation.

• Shadow Initialization Variable
  Specifies a shadow folder for a project.

• Shadow_EOL Initialization Variable
  Sets the end-of-line character that is used in the shadow folder.

• Shadow_Extension Initialization Variable
  Sets the file extension for files placed in the Visual SourceSafe shadow folder.

• Shadow_ReadOnly Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes if files in the shadow folder are read-only, and No if they are read/write.

• Shadow_SetTime Initialization Variable
  Specifies the date/time stamp given to files in the shadow folder.

• Sitemap Initialization Variable
  Specifies the location of the HTML file containing a site map for a Web project.

• Skip Initialization Variables
  Specify Yes to display dialog boxes when you click the associated menu commands, for example, the Get command.

• Smart_Mode Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to enable the Visual SourceSafe Smart mode feature, and No to disable Smart mode.

• Status_Bar Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to show the status bar in Visual SourceSafe Explorer, and No to hide the status bar.

• Store_Deltas Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) if Visual SourceSafe stores all changes between versions of a file, and No if change information is not stored.

• Temp_Path Initialization Variable
  Specifies the folder in which Visual SourceSafe stores temporary files.

• Toolbar Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to show the toolbar in Visual SourceSafe Explorer, and No to hide the toolbar.

• Tooltips Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes to enable the display of tool tips as you drag the mouse pointer over a toolbar button, and No to disable the display.

• Update_No_Change Initialization Variable
  Controls what happens when you check in a file that you have not changed.

• URL Initialization Variable
  Designates the URL for a Web project.

• Use_Network_Name Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes if Visual SourceSafe gets your login name from Windows network login information and automatically logs you in if it finds a match.

• Use_ReadOnly Initialization Variable
  Specifies Yes (default) to set as read-only all files in your working folder that are not checked out, and No to leave the files as they are currently.

• Users_Txt Initialization Variable
  Specifies the location of the Users.txt file, which is used to store the location of Ss.ini files for all users of a Visual SourceSafe database.

• Virtual_Root Initialization Variable
  Sets the virtual root that is supported by Internet Information Services (IIS) for hyperlinks to URLs in a specific Web project.

• Visual_Merge Initialization Variables
  Specifies Yes if visual merge is used when merging files, and No if visual merge is not used.

• Warning Initialization Variables
  Specify Yes (default) if warnings are displayed before specific command actions that might result in accidental loss or deletion of data.

• Web_Default_Filename Initialization Variable
  Specifies the default file name for your Web project.

See Also

Other Resources

Command Line Reference
Maintaining and Optimizing Visual SourceSafe