VSS Import and Pin

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IanG
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:11 am
Location: UK
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VSS Import and Pin

Post by IanG » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:18 am

I am currently in the process of importing our source code into fortress using the VSS import tool.
The repository structure in VSS looks like this:

$
-- (Trunk)
-- (V1)
-- (V2)

Project (v1) and (V2) are shared from (Trunk) with some files pined to specific versions and some files branched.
I first attempted to import each of Trunk, V1 and V2 separately but the pins in V1 and V2 didn't seem to come accross. Ie. for a file that was pinned in source safe there was no pin in Fortress.
So I deleted everything and started again this time importing from the root hoping that as the whole structure was visible to the import tool it would be able to set the pins in the repository correctly. The import has been running for two days now and it is at the Varifying label stage and the dialog estimates it still has two days to run.
When I look at the files in the Fortress client I can seen the history but still no pins. Should I expect to see them at this stage? If this is still not going to bring in the pins I'd rather not wait two more days to find out.

I want to change the structure of the repository after I get the code into fortress, so I have the recomended trunk and branches structure and I want to get rid of the pins and have branches, like this:
$
--Trunk
----Source
--Branches
----V1
------Source
----V2
Would I be better off branching everything in source safe first and redoing the import or will the pins be put in place at the end of the import process so I can modify the structure from within fortress?
Ian.

lbauer
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Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:25 pm
Location: SourceGear

Post by lbauer » Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:51 pm

This should work. Pins are exported toward the end of the export process.

I set up folders with shared files in VSS, pinned them at different versions, and the import to Vault matched the pins/versions in SourceSafe.

If it doesn't work for you, it could be an issue with your database.
Sometimes the VSS automation component has trouble retrieving pin information from the SourceSafe database. The Vault Import Tool communicates with the VSS database through this VSS automation component. Check the import log, in the Import Tool directory, for any errors.
Linda Bauer
SourceGear
Technical Support Manager

IanG
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:11 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by IanG » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:28 am

When you say "towards the end of the export" is that after the Verifying Label stage? currently the import is running extreemely slowly. It took all night to import one label (the average is arround 40 mins).
At this rate it could be weeks before it has finnished, I am considering abbandoning this import attempt and restarting the import without labels.
This would be annoying but I need to get source code control up and running by monday. I have been unable to find the import log file you mention in the Import tool directory or indeed anywhere on my machine, should I expect it to be called import.log ? Though there doesn't appear to be any file that looks like a log file the Import Tool directory.

IanG
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:11 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by IanG » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:02 am

Ok I've tracked down the log file, it is being written to my home directory on the network for some reason.
Looking inside it I'm seeing a lot of entries like this:

08/11/2007 09:03:02 Importing Label: $/Paragon (Gui2) V4.70 (4.70.012)
Could not find item for label promotion $/Paragon (Gui2) V4.70/Programs/CybitLink/stdafx.h. It should be caught during label differences correction.
Committing Label Contents
Could not fetch $/Paragon (Gui2) V4.70/Libraries/CmndPro/CmndCall.h Version not found
**Failed** Error getting label from VSS.
Version not found
Trying to get the label another way.
Label Verification: Added a new file $/Paragon (Gui2) V4.70/Utility/DemoUtil/DemoDoc01.cpp_VSSImport1 from VSS.

Does this mean that the import will not work correctly?
If the labels don't come accross corectly it is not the end of the world but I need to have the correct pins will this affect them?

lbauer
Posts: 9736
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:25 pm
Location: SourceGear

Post by lbauer » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:45 am

The VSS import tool may encounter errors when trying to recreate labels, if a version that was in the label can't be retrieved by the VSS automation component or no longer exists in the database (deleted or destroyed, for example). The Import Tool will try other ways to get that version.

Reconstructing labels takes a long time, so if you need to import more quickly, I'd suggest importing without labels. We have debug version of the import tool that can just import labels later. Contact support at sourcegear.com ATTN Linda for more info.

Regarding the pins -- if pins don't come over on the import, would it be possible to repin the items in Vault? Of course, there may be too many pins to do this manually.
Linda Bauer
SourceGear
Technical Support Manager

IanG
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:11 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by IanG » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:13 am

The import doesn't appear to be sucessfuly importing labels now, we've had trouble getting labeled versions out of source safe in the past so I suppose I'm not surprised it's having trouble, I just wish it would fail quicker :)
It's been running the verifying Labels process for over two days now and the dialog still estimates it has 2.5 days to run, a figure which hasn't changed much in the last two days. At this rate it could take weeks to complete, so I think I'm going to have to cancel the attempt to import, and retry it without labels (Hopefuly this will complete over the weekend).
I also think I'll branch all the pinned code in source safe first so as to avoid that issue as well, there are far too many to want to try and set them manualy after the import.

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