VERSIONS/VB 1.1 - README.TXT Copyright (c) 1992-1994 StarBase Corporation Portions Copyright (c) 1994 Apex Software Corporation Portions Copyright (c) 1994 Alexander Riedel Information Systems ___________________________________________________________________________ This file contains information that was not available when the documentation and on-line help were written. We have also included important information that should be read during installation. For information regarding installation, see the section called "INSTALLATION" in the "Important Information" section below. For information regarding running under Windows NT, see the section called "WINDOWS NT" in the "Important Information" section below. For information regarding operation, requirements, warranty, and technical support please refer to the help file VERSVB.HLP. =================== Last Minute Updates =================== Note the following corrections to the printed documentation: Part QS: Versions/VB Quick Start Making a Change.................................QS-4 The View Form toolbar button is incorrectly displayed as the VB New Form toolbar button. Checking Out a File Version.....................QS-8 The View Form toolbar button is incorrectly displayed as the VB New Form toolbar button. Part 2: Getting Started Versions/VB Overview............................2-4 Figure 2.1, the View Form and View Code toolbar buttons are incorrectly displayed as the VB New Form and New Code toolbar buttons. The Versions/VB ToolBar.........................2-8 The View Form and View Code toolbar buttons are incorrectly displayed as the VB New Form and New Code toolbar buttons. Part 3: Working with File Versions Checking In File................................3-2 Figure 3.1, the View Form and View Code toolbar buttons are incorrectly displayed as the VB New Form and New Code toolbar buttons. ===================== Important Information ===================== ------------ INSTALLATION ------------ Your first step in using VERSIONS/VB is to run the Setup program to install VERSIONS/VB on your hard disk. For more information on VERSIONS/VB system requirements, see Requirements in Chapter 1 of the VERSIONS/VB User Manual. IMPORTANT: Although VERSIONS/VB is not copy-protected, you may make copies only for your personal use. For complete details, please read the enclosed license agreement. To install and run VERSIONS/VB, you must be running Microsoft Windows in standard or enhanced mode. For more information on standard and enhanced modes, see your Microsoft Windows User Guide. Installing VERSIONS/VB ---------------------- Be sure to start Microsoft Windows before you install VERSIONS/VB. 1. Insert the disk labeled "Setup" in drive A. 2. Select File > Run... from the Windows Program Manager or Windows File Manager menu bar. 3. Type a:setup 4. Press ENTER or click OK. 5. Follow the installation instructions on the screen. The VERSIONS/VB installation program creates the VERSIONS/VB Windows Program Manager group. At this point, VERSIONS/VB is successfully installed. You also need to add a line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file letting VERSIONS/VB know what your name is prior to starting VERSIONS/VB for the first time: 1. Determine what your Microsoft Mail for Windows name is (If you are not using Microsoft Mail, skip this step). This is not your login ID, but how your name appears in the Microsoft Mail Post Office, including spelling and capitalization (e.g. Jon Marinello). If you do not know how your name appears in Mail, start Mail, bring up the Address dialog, and locate your name. 2. Enter the set command "SET VERSIONSFULLNAME=my name" where my name is replaced by your name (determined in step 1 if you use Microsoft Mail, otherwise just enter your name e.g., Jon Marinello). This step is required. VERSIONS/VB will not run until you complete this step and step 3. 3. Exit Windows and restart your system prior to starting VERSIONS/VB. To get started using VERSIONS/VB see Getting Started. Be sure to read the remainder of this file for any last minute updates not included in the on-line help or printed documentation. --------------------------------------- COMPUSERVE STARBASE FORUM NOW AVAILABLE --------------------------------------- StarBase has just opened our new CompuServe forum. To access this forum, Send an email message to John Hawkins [74431,1107] requesting access. Then type "GO STARBASE" at the CompuServe prompt. The StarBase forum provides technical support, important new product announcements and upgrade information, as well as useful "Tips and Techniques" to use with VERSIONS/VB 1.1. ---------- WINDOWS NT ---------- VERSIONS/VB 1.1 runs on Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 as a 16 bit Windows 3.1 application. Windows NT 3.1 is a modular operating system that uses a Windows 3.1 operating subsystem to run Windows 3.1 applications. This operating subsystem provides an operating environment for applications such as VERSIONS/VB 1.1. The following inconsistencies have been detected under NT 3.1 due to the idiosyncrasies of this Windows 3.1 operating subsystem: 1) After comparing two versions of a file, Visual Basic does not always remain the top most window. If this occurs, click on a Visual Basic window or use the Alt-Tab key to switch back to Visual Basic. 2) Compression of a Project Milestone archive is disabled under Windows NT due to problems with tracking task handles of 16 bit MS-DOS applications (e.g., COMPRESS.EXE) launched from VERSIONS/VB. If you want your Project Milestone archive compressed under NT, you will have to perform the compression manually using whatever compression utility you prefer. ----------- LIMITATIONS ----------- 1. Only files that are allowed in a Visual Basic project (forms, modules, VBX and DLL files) are candidates for version control. This is because VERSIONS/VB uses the Visual Basic project file as the VERSIONS project definition. If you want to do version control of other files (project plans, designs, online help, typeset documentation, tests, etc.) you may purchase VERSIONS 1.1 separately from StarBase Corporation. Call us at (714) 442-4400. 2. Visual Basic caches forms and modules if enough memory is available. This can lead to a minor problem if you check out a version of a form or module that is different from the one cached in memory. To refresh the cache, simply reopen the project using the File => Open Project... menu item. 3. The Working and Versions directories must be a subdirectory, e.g., C:\MYPROJ instead of C:\. All Visual Basic files that are added to a VERSIONS/VB project must also be stored in subdirectories. 4. Only one instance of VERSIONS/VB may run at a time on any given machine. 5 The Edit window (used for History, and Project Reporting) is limited to 55,534 bytes of data. However, the effective limit is actually somewhat smaller and varies from machine to machine. 6. Versions/VB does not allow duplicate file names in a Versions/VB project definition. If you add duplicate file names, all version control capabilities will be disabled. -------------------------- MICROSOFT MAIL FOR WINDOWS -------------------------- VERSIONS/VB will automatically detect the presence of Microsoft Mail for Windows and attempt to log in if no other process (Microsoft Mail, Microsoft Schedule+, etc.) is already logged in. If some other process is already logged into mail, VERSIONS/VB will attach itself to that session's connection. It is usually more convenient to log into mail from Microsoft Mail for Windows and leave it running, then start and stop VERSIONS/VB as desired. Otherwise, you will have to log into mail each time you start VERSIONS/VB.To disable the connection to Microsoft Mail, rename MAPI.DLL to MAPIDLL.BAK. --------------------- Your Computer's Clock --------------------- VERSIONS/VB determines files that need to be checked in or checked out based on your computer's clock and the date and time stamp of your Working and Versions files. It is extremely important that the date and time on your computer is set correctly for VERSIONS/VB to function properly. If you are working on a network, each project member's clock setting must be in sync with yours. We recommend using whatever service your network server supports for synchronizing all workstation clocks. ------- Backups ------- It is extremely important that you maintain regular backups of all your files. This includes VERSIONS/VB files stored either locally or on your network server. Please don't use VERSIONS/VB as a substitute for regular backups.