Multi-Platform Version Control with SourceSafe

SourceSafe by One Tree Software is designed to be a one point control center
for all your code.  This commitment extends beyond providing a project-oriented
model and an accessible interface.  It means that if you port code across
different platforms, accessing common files across a heterogeneous network, you
need to be able to store those files in SourceSafe and access them from all
your operating environments.

This document lists the major software platforms which may be important to your
development strategy, and discusses SourceSafe's support for these platforms. 
Before listing the platforms, however, a few general points should be made.

1. All SourceSafe versions are 100% compatible with each other.

If you check out a file from the Macintosh, the checkout status will appear on
a Windows users' screen.  After you update the file back into SourceSafe, the
new file may be checked out to a UNIX machine somewhere else on the network.

2. Cross-platform issues such as the different end-of-line characters used by
different systems, the varying rules for legal filenames, and many platform-
specific features are handled transparently by SourceSafe.

3. SourceSafe interfaces on different platforms are similar to each other, in
order to minimize the learning curve.

Of course, each version is also designed to look and act as a user of that
environment would expect.  When these twin goals come in conflict, the
interface standards of the operating system are considered paramount.

4. With very minor variations, the feature set on all versions of SourceSafe is
the same.

5. Finally--if you are maintaining portable code, SourceSafe's Shared Files
feature can enable you to keep track of which modules are used by which
versions of your program.

See the technical bulletin "Version Control the SourceSafe Way" for more
information about this feature.

** DOS **

The original version of SourceSafe was a DOS application, and the DOS product
has remained an integral part of the product line.  SourceSafe for DOS actually
consists of two programs: a text-based pop-up interface, and a command-line. 
The two versions complement each other, providing different ways of accessing
the same functionality.

SourceSafe runs under DOS version 3.3 or higher.

** Microsoft Windows **

SourceSafe 2.0 added a Windows version of SourceSafe, and introduced
SourceSafe's graphical interface for the first time.  SourceSafe for Windows is
not a simple "shell" that spawns a command-line or another product: it is a
full Microsoft Windows application, with an interface modeled on the File
Manager.

SourceSafe runs under Windows version 3.1 or higher.  Because of SourceSafe's
advanced interface, Windows 3.0 is not supported.

** Microsoft Windows/NT **

Since the July '92 Beta release of the Windows/NT operating system, One Tree
Software has been shipping a full 32-bit NT version of SourceSafe.  The
interface is visually identical to the Windows 3.1 version of SourceSafe, but
is a genuine NT application in every respect.  SourceSafe for Windows/NT
provides both a graphical interface and a command-line, and fully supports
NTFS, HPFS and FAT file systems with "long filename" and "short filename" modes
for cross compatibility.

** The Macintosh **

SourceSafe 2.1 added, to SourceSafe's PC line, a Macintosh version of
SourceSafe.  SourceSafe for the Macintosh is not a standalone application with
an interface--instead, it is a command-line ToolServer application.  (A later
version of SourceSafe will be a standalone Macintosh application with a user
interface; however, no date is scheduled for this product.)

SourceSafe is completely aware of Macintosh-specific issues such as the
resource fork, file information (type, creator, flags), and the modification
and creation date/time of files.

SourceSafe runs under Macintosh System 7.0.  In addition to system software,
SourceSafe requires the command-line environment which can be provided by the
Macintosh Programmer's WorkShop (MPW) or by recent Symantec compilers such as
Think C 6.0.

** UNIX **

SourceSafe 2.12 saw the introduction of a UNIX addition to the product line. 
SourceSafe for UNIX is strictly a command-line application, not a graphical (X-
Windows) program.  (A later version of SourceSafe will support a graphical
interface; however, there is no scheduled date for this product.)

As of this writing (October 1993), SourceSafe is available on the following
UNIX "flavors."  However, new platforms are continually being added to the
list.

1. SCO UNIX v3.2.2 and later
2. IBM RS6000: AIX 2.3
3. Sun 4 and Sparcstations: SunOS 4.1.2, Solaris 1.1
4. DecStations: Ultrix 4.2
5. AT&T System V Release 4 on Intel
6. HP 700 & 800 series: HPUX 8.0

** OS/2 **

With SourceSafe 2.2, a native OS/2 product completed SourceSafe's multi-
platform product line.  SourceSafe for OS/2 offers both a PM interface and a
native OS/2 command-line.  The user can alternate between "long filename" (for
HPFS) and "short filename" (for FAT file systems) modes, providing for the full
range of OS/2 file naming.  Extended attributes are fully supported and
maintained.

SourceSafe runs under OS/2 2.0 or higher.






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