As you can see from the title, we use VSS with AS 2005. The reason for this is that we want to have backup and source control in our AS projects. There are some interesting points when working that way which I would like to share:
- When you process a cube in a VSS-contolled AS project, the compiler writes the exact time and hour of the last process in the .database file in the solution. This file is a small and simple XML file. This piece of data is written in the <LastProcessed> element. That is the reason why VSS will ask to check-out this file every time you will process a cube. You can ignore it and cancel it twice and the cube will be processed anyway. Of course, the last processing time will not be correct.
- The .dwproj file is the binder of the solution (as in regular code project). That means that Visual Studio will update this file every time you add, delete or rename an object to the solutions. When two (or more) developers doing these king of actions together it will cause a disaster. Only the objects of the developer who checked-in last will be saved in the project. What you need to do is manually edit this file and add the object's elements yourself. That's not very hard, but you'll need to concentrate. As always, I recommend using Notepad++.
- When editing the .cube file yourself (when merging manually after two developers worked on the same cube), make sure that the dimensions ID's in the .cube file match the ID in the .dim files.
- AS projects can be easily destroyed because of an error in a VSS-related decision. Think twice when clicking in its annoying dialog boxes. Make a label every day after building, deploying and processing the project.