Source Control Software in Visual FoxPro

One of the most critical aspects of developing in teams is the ability to control who is allowed to change files. For example, if there are no controls on files, and if more than one developer is changing a program at the same time, there is a strong likelihood that one set of changes will end up being overwritten or discarded, wasting time and effort.

Visual FoxPro helps your team manage files in your projects by allowing you to integrate a source code control system into the Visual FoxPro Project Manager. By doing so, you can manage project files in a team development environment and ensure that development efforts proceed smoothly.

Integrating Source Control with Visual FoxPro Projects

Visual FoxPro supports source code control tools by allowing you to integrate commercially-available source control software directly into your projects. You can use many of the version control systems currently available. (Contact the software vendor to find out if the software can be integrated with Microsoft development tools.) For example, if your development team already uses Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, you can specify that as the source control software to use with Visual FoxPro.

Note   If you add a project to Visual SourceSafe, for proper mapping to the project, all files contained in the project must be in the project directory or path.

All source control in Visual FoxPro is managed through the Project Manager. When you set up a project in Visual FoxPro, you have the option of creating a corresponding source code control project, which is referred to as "putting the project under source control." After you've put a project under source control, Visual FoxPro helps you manage the files in the source-controlled project. When you want to modify a file — for example, if you edit a program or modify a form — Visual FoxPro prompts you to check out that file.

In Visual FoxPro, source control is used to manage files of all types, not just .prg files, but .scx, .frx, .lbx, .mnx, and .vcx files, and others as well. Although individual files can be shared between different Visual FoxPro projects, all source control operations are conducted on files within the context of a particular project.

Note   Visual FoxPro doesn't prompt you to put data tables such as .dbf and .dbc files under source control when you create them, but you can add them manually to your source-controlled project.

When you work in the Project Manager with a project that's under source control, Visual FoxPro displays icons next to files that are under source control to indicate their status.

The following table summarizes the icons used in the Project Manager to indicate source control status.

Icon	Meaning
	The file is checked out to you.
	The file is checked out to you and to one or more other developers.
	The file is checked out to another developer.
	The file is not checked out; you cannot change the file until you check it out.
	The file has been merged. After examining the changes, you can check the file in.
	The file has been merged and there are conflicts that need to be resolved.
	Visual FoxPro cannot determine the source control status of the file.

If a file isn't under source control, no icon appears next to it.

See Also

Source Control Features | Enabling Source Control | Developing in Teams | Management of Visual FoxPro Projects Under Source Control | Team Development Concepts