hello.

note: i don't use normal capitalization in email.

i have written a program for VSS 6.0 that clones an existing 5.0 or 6.0
VSS database into a new empty VSS 6.0 database. this is what the program
does:

1. obtains a list of all VSS users from an existing VSS database
2. obtains a list of all projects and subprojects from the database
3. obtains a list off all project rights for all users from the database

4. creates the users in a new VSS database
5. creates the projects in a new database
6. assigns all the user rights in a new database
7. it can copy just the users from one VSS database to another as an
option

this program clones the database structure (users, projects, and rights)
but does not copy the file objects (although it could, but there's no
sense in having it do that). it is meant to be used mainly on large
databases, since it may be easier to do this work manually, if needed,
on smaller databases.

there is a good reason why i wrote this program. we have a huge VSS
database at yale (25 GB, 400 users, 250,000 files). i wrote maintenance
routines using VSS automation that monitor and maintain the VSS database
every night, 365 days a year. we have never had a problem with our
database, but at 25 GB we are getting worried and feel we need to do
something. what we are going to do is on a certain date clone the whole
structure to an empty database, lock the existing one with all its
versions, and have people start dumping their work into the new one.

using this clone program, users don't have to be re-created manually,
and the entire project tree from the VSS root down is copied to the new
empty database, user rights included. this is a great way to "start
over" and alleviate corruption fears.

is anyone interested in this program? if so, i will package it up and
send it to the newsgroup(s) if that is possible. if anyone is interested
in a screen snapshot or further information, let me know.

kim pfeiffer

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;138475&Product=vss

Joe