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Using the Visual SourceSafe Command Line

The Visual SourceSafe command line utility SS supports most commands available through Visual SourceSafe Explorer, and some that are only available on the command line. The command line is often used by programmers who find typing commands faster than launching Visual SourceSafe Explorer and using menus. Details of the SS utility are provided in SS Utility.

The most important difference between the SS utility and the graphical user interface is that the command line requires some setup steps that the user interface does not. For example, when you merge two files from the command line, you risk losing unsaved changes permanently because the SS utility does not back up both files automatically. In contrast, Visual SourceSafe Explorer saves a backup of both files automatically so that you do not lose unsaved changes upon merge.

The Visual SourceSafe command line supports some commands that are not available in either Visual SourceSafe Explorer or Visual SourceSafe Administrator. For example, it supports a Physical command, which is generally used by Microsoft Product Support Services for diagnostic purposes.

One of the most important uses of Visual SourceSafe commands is in batch operations that implement common or repetitive tasks. Batch operations from the command line are particularly useful for administrators or developers who need to execute several Visual SourceSafe commands in succession, for example, when performing database maintenance.

In This Section

  • About Visual SourceSafe Commands
    Provides general information about the command line utility SS and the syntax, options, output, and help for the available commands.
  • Command Line Reference
    Describes each Visual SourceSafe command, the options with which it can be combined, and examples of its usage.