How to use Visual Studio Online source control with VFP 9 SP1

Question

How can I use this Visual Studio Online source control with a visual foxpro (vfp) 9 sp1 project so that the VFP does automatic check in and check out as I change files and lets me undo or check in source code and view history like I can do in the Visual Studio 2010 IDE with dot net projects?

I see there's a free team explorer everywhere which i guess i can use outside of the vfp IDE - not sure how it will handle the SCX, FRX, LBX, PRJ files which are not textual.

Andorra

I think VSO can be used only with VS 2012 or 2013. – Zenobia

Answer 1

May be you can't use VSO with Visual FoxPro 9, but surely you can use other SCM tools with Visual FoxPro, like SVN, Mercurial, PlasticSCM (which I use), etc.

For Diff and Merge you can use a new tool found on VFPx project, called FoxBin2Prg, that allow bidirectional conversion of VFP 9 binaries to text and vice-versa, so you even can modify the generated text version and rebuild the binary.

More info at FoxBin2Prg - Binary/Text Conversor for Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9.

Best regards!

Fontes

Answer 2

I ran into this question while researching. Looks like Microsoft updated the MSSCCI to be used with Visual Foxpro

Install the Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2013&2015 MSSCCI Provider 32 bit : https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/06c8e056-7f77-4a5c-9b8b-49318c143df8

It supports Visual FoxPro 9 SP2 connection to Visual Studio Online

Combined with the Team Explorer for Microsoft Visual Studio 2013, you can branch, forward integrate, reverse integrate. I'm still exploring it

Depression

It surprisingly works with VFP8 once it is setup with VFP9 SP2. I can open the project in VFP8. Checkout/checkin right from the project will use the MSSCCI dialogs. Combined with Microsoft Team Explorer 2013 it worked just like the old Source Safe, with additional Branching/FI/RI/Shelving features. – Depression

Thank you for reply, we will try it as soon as possible. – Unsustainable

Please mark the answer as useful when you get the chance :) – Depression

Hi, I install MSSCCI provider and integrate to VFP IDE successfully. Then I trought add existing project to source control. First step, PJM file with project info and without file list, was success, Second step, adding files, was success. Then I trought update project list for adding file list to PJM, checkin was success, but after that, VFP trought update project from PJM and error " cannot update project from project metafile" occurs. Any ideas? More info here: #36889646 – Unsustainable

'Solution' here: #36889646 – Unsustainable

Sorry it didn't work for you. From Jesse's comment, seems like the only difference why mine works is that I use server workspace configuration. – Depression

This is my workspace setting (using Source Control Explorer from VS2015) : server (<my VSO server>), Location (Server), File Time (Current), Permission (Public Workspace) – Depression

1:add a new project in VSO. 2:Create new project in VFP9Sp2. 3:Add a blank form with button. 4:Menu Project/Add project to Source Control (click Check-In). 5:Menu Project/Source Control/Update Project List. I also tried starting with blank project, then update project list, before adding a form, and it went smoothly. – Depression

I've got same workspace setting, only permission is Private Workspace. I think it's project specific problem. – Unsustainable

There was problem in PJM file - one file path contained comma. It's a pity that IDE didn't show detailed error message about syntax error (for example line number). Finding this one line in thousands lines was hard. – Unsustainable

Very nice. Now if we can figure out how to compare scx/vcx it would be most useful. – Depression

Peter, have you some experiences with offline working with MSSCCI provider? Some unresolvable problems? – Unsustainable

Not really, care to elaborate? – Depression

Not yet. First I will try some tests. Maybe later. Thanks – Unsustainable

Answer 3

You can't, and the main reason is that while PRG and other textual files are fine method code and other stuff is stored in DBF-format files, which your chosen source control software will treat as binary.

Clout

aren't prg files treated as text files? the binary might be correct for scx, frx, and prj files - but not for .prg right? – Andorra

Right. Back in the day there were plugins for Visual SourceSafe that could handle the source code embedded in the VCX/SCX and so on, diff it etc. but nothing like that exists for VS Online. – Clout

do you think this Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2013 MSSCCI Provider would work with vfp 9 spy? it says it works on vfp 9 spy visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/… – Andorra

Even if it does not work you can have Team Explorer open side by side with FoxPro. You can then exit in FoxPro but manage source in Team Explorer. – Hackle

As mentioned above, there are bi-directional tools that allow you to convert between VFP binary files and plain text – Lungan