SSARC Utility

Allows you to archive files, projects, or old versions from a Visual SourceSafe database. Each time you run SSARC (Ssarc.exe), the utility asks only once before it deletes the files/projects. Visual SourceSafe also implements archive operations through its Archive wizard, available in Visual SourceSafe Administrator.

The utility SSRESTOR is used for restoration of archived files. Use of SSARC and SSRESTOR together allows wide-area Visual SourceSafe installations to move files and projects among databases.

Note

SSARC cannot create an archive file that is greater than 2 GB. If you try to archive a project larger than this, you will receive an Out of Memory and/or a CRC mismatch error message. To work around this limitation, you will need to archive each subproject.

Syntax

ssarc [-C][-D][-I-][-O][-S][-V][-X][-Y] <archive file to create> <files/projects to archive>

Utility Options

The following table describes options available with SSARC.

  • -C
    Specifies a comment (standard Visual SourceSafe parameter). The comment is inserted into the Visual SourceSafe history if the items are deleted from the database as part of the archived record. The comment is also inserted into the archive file itself, if there is one.
  • -C-
    Specifies no comment.
  • -D
    Deletes the archived items from the database.
  • -D-
    Controls whether Visual SourceSafe actually deletes anything from the database. If this option is not used, the default is to ask.
  • -I-
    Specifies no prompt for input (standard Visual SourceSafe parameter).
  • -O
    Paginates or redirects output (standard Visual SourceSafe parameter).
  • -S<srcsafe.ini path>, <data path>
    Specifies a path to Srcsafe.ini and the Data directory. The full syntax looks like -Sc: \VSS, OldDB. The item before the comma is the full path to Srcsafe.ini, and the item after the comma is the string in parentheses in a Data_Path setting. If there is no comma, a Srcsafe.ini path is indicated, but no data string. If the first character after the –S is a comma, a data string is specified, but no Srcsafe.ini path.

    Note

    Most users do not need this option. The Srcsafe.ini and Ssarc.exe files are properly positioned during Visual SourceSafe installation.

  • -V[D|L]<version>
    Specifies a version number to archive (standard Visual SourceSafe parameter). Enter the version number in standard Visual SourceSafe format (number, date, or label). If this option is not used, SSARC operates on entire files or projects, instead of all versions up to and including a certain version.

    Note that SSARC is generally inclusive. That is, if you type –V9, you create an archive file that contains version 9.0 and everything before it. The delete pass is also inclusive, that is, version 9.0 is actually deleted unless it is in the label format. In the latter case, the label is stored in the archive file but is not deleted. If –V is specified, you never delete the current version, even if you specify -D9/9/99. If you are using a version the label format, and the label has a space in it, you must place the entire option in quotation marks, for example, "-VThisOne".

  • -X
    Archives only deleted items in the specified files and projects. Deleted items are still stored in the Visual SourceSafe database unless the Destroy Permanently option is selected when performing a Delete command.
  • -X-
    Archives all items in the specified files and projects.
  • -Y<user>,<pwd>
    Specifies the user name and password (standard Visual SourceSafe parameter). An example is -YAdmin,Bunny.
  • archive file to create
    Specifies the name of the archive file to create during the archive operation.
  • files/projects to archive
    Specifies files and projects to back up.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Archive a Database

Reference

Archive Wizard (Administrator)
SSRESTOR Utility