Reporting VSSConverter Issues

Have you encountered an issue when using the VSSConveter (used to convert VSS source history to TFS)?  Need a little help working past a blocking issue?  The purpose of this post is to give you a few ideas about where to go for additional information and the best way to report the issue if you are unable to work through it.

 

First the obvious – make sure you have read the latest documentation:

 

https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms253060.aspx

 

Next you should try searching the Team Foundation Server – Version Control forums.  Chances are someone else has already had this issue and the answer may be there:

 

https://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=478&SiteID=1

 

Search for “VSSConverter” and include your specific error message for the best results.

 

Still stumped?  Before you call support try posting the issue on the forums. 

 

The remainder of this post explains a simple three-step process you can use to generate additional information about the error (and will save time in assisting in diagnosing the issue).

 

1) Enable verbose logging

 

Verbose logging can be enabled by opening the VSSConverter.exe.config file (located next to VSSConverter.exe) and changing the diagnostic logging switchs to have level "4" logging (it is level 2 by default) and to ensure that a trace listener is configured (it should be by default).

 

The following is a configuration file that demonstrates this:

 

<configuration>
<runtime>
<assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
<probing privatePath="PrivateAssemblies"/>
</assemblyBinding>
</runtime>

  <system.diagnostics>
<switches>
<add name="MinLevelForAllSource" value="4" />
<add name="Common" value="4" />
<add name="VersionControl" value="4" />
<add name="VSS" value="4" />
</switches>
<trace autoflush="true" indentsize="2">
<listeners>
<add name="VSSConverterTraceListener"
type="Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Converters.Utility.LogListener,VSSConverter"
initializeData="VSSConverter.log" />
</listeners>
</trace>
</system.diagnostics>
</configuration>

 

2) Reproduce the issue

 

Whatever you did to encounter the error … do it again.  With verbose logging enabled there should be a good record of what occurred.  In the sample configuration file above the log file will be named VSSConverter.log.

 

3) Report the issue on the MSDN forums (which I check 2-3x daily for migration issues).

 

I check the forums for migration issues a few times every business day.  Post in the Version Control forum (link above) and include the word “VSSConverter” in your subject line and it will get my attention quickly.

 

When reporting the issue be sure to include either the entire log file (if it is small enough), a link to the log file or the relevant portions of the log file (if you can isolate the issue).

 

Using the forums does require having a Passport account to login.  If you do not have one please take this opportunity to create one.

 

By following these three simple steps you will be making it easier to help diagnose your issue and suggest a resolution (otherwise the first thing I’ll ask for is the verbose log), and you will be helping improve the converter quality by letting us know what issues people are encountering.