New features and bug fixes in SOS 4.0

[corey]

Here is a partial list of the features and bug fixes found in SOS 4.0:

Goodbye Java, Hello .NET

Prior to 4.0, the SOS Server was a Java application and relied on the Microsoft JVM. The new SOS 4.0 Server is a Microsoft .NET application, written in C#. This allows us to support new operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, and fixes many of the problems related to our use of Java.

New Features in 4.0

1. Client-side merging of files. SOS now supports the automatic merging of files on the client machine during a Get Latest operation when changes have been made to both the local and remote copies of the file. A user-interactive, visual merge can also be done on the client machine using SourceGear's new Diff/Merge utility or with any merge application of your choice.

2. Auto-connect (remember password). SOS can now be configured to remember passwords on a per-server basis, and can also be configured to auto-connect to the last server and database, allowing you to login and connect to a server when starting the client without ever seeing a dialog or being prompted for input.

3. The Status Search capabilities of the SOS GUI Client have been expanded to allow the user to search for all types of file status, such as Old, Renegade, Missing, etc.

4. Configurable columns in the File List pane. SOS now allows the user to configure which columns are displayed in the file list, and includes additional columns for Locate Version Number and Remote Version Number. Disabling the Remote Date column should result in a performance gain.

5. Server cache files (named databaseX.sos) are now stored in the user's Windows application data directory, making it easier for multiple users to use the same client installation on the same machine. This also helps in situations when a user does not have permission to write to folders inside of Program Files.

6. Resizable Dialogs. Most of the SOS GUI Client's dialogs have been made resizable.

7. There is now an option in the IDE Client to output status messages through the IDE (e.g. VS.NET) instead of using Popup dialogs.

8. Projects can now be added via Drag and Drop into the Projects pane.

9. Files that are checked out now display with a red icon in the File List pane.

10. SOS now supports the SourceSafe Move operation.

11. There now exists an option in the Tools menu to launch Windows Explorer to the current working folder of the currently selected project.

12. The current working folder path can now be copied to the Clipboard.

13. The SOS command line client now supports the option for setting the timestamp on files during retrieval.

14. The SOS command line client now supports database aliases.

Bugs Fixed in 4.0

The following bugs that existed in SOS 3.5.3 were fixed in 4.0. This is not a complete list, but only a list of those considered to be of greatest interest to the majority of our customers.

1. The correct version of a file is now retrieved on a Get By Label if the file was deleted and then re-added.

2. Get Latest no longer overwrites Old, Renegade files.

3. Pinned files that are branched no longer appear to have their Pin status intermittently turn off and on.

4. Projects can now be shared into other projects that have the same parent.

5. A recursive, Get Latest from root now works in the SOS command line client.

6. Branching after a share no longer occasionally shows some files as being Pinned when they aren't.

7. Sharing will no longer overwrite files that are in the destination folder and are writeable.

8. A recursive Get By Label from root will no longer crash if a deleted project exists in the tree.

9. Label promotion now works correctly in Get By Label and file history.

10. Get By Label from root no longer retrieves extra projects not included in the label.

11. File status is now refreshed when an older version of a file is fetched through the History dialog.

12. Share icons now correctly display in the Search results dialog.

13. Web References can now be added to source control using the SOS IDE Client.

14. The "Send Keep Alive" option now works in the SOS IDE Client.

[Steven Black]

What's the impact of .NET on the size of the SOS client, which hitherto was written in Java?

I find it very hard to believe that SOS will be better in .NET as it was in Java, given that, from my perspective, SOS is (was) a perfect product.

**--** Steve (who until now has nothing .NET installed anywhere, neither do any clients and colleagues, and who quite likes it that way).

[corey]

What's the impact of .NET on the size of the SOS client, which hitherto was written in Java?

I find it very hard to believe that SOS will be better in .NET as it was in Java, given that, from my perspective, SOS is (was) a perfect product.

**--** Steve (who until now has nothing .NET installed anywhere, neither do any clients and colleagues, and who quite likes it that way).

Hi Steve,

The SOS Client is not a .NET app, nor is it a Java app. The SOS Client is an MFC app and always has been.

The SOS Server was previously a Java app but was ported to .NET for 4.0. Many of our customers have wanted to move their SOS Servers to Windows 2003 Server, and Microsoft's JVM does not work on that platform.

[Roar]

The SOS Server was previously a Java app but was ported to .NET for 4.0. Many of our customers have wanted to move their SOS Servers to Windows 2003 Server, and Microsoft's JVM does not work on that platform.

SUNs JVM work on Windows server 2003?
Users can simply uninstall Microsofts JVM and install SUNs JVM instead?

[uha]

fortunately, we don't need Java anymore - just use C# which is more modern any does not make so many problems.

[Guest]

Can the 4.0 Client use a 3.5 server?

[corey]

We've never had success using Sun's JVM because the SOS Server relied on many of the Microsoft extensions to Java, that weren't supported by Sun.

The 4.0 Client can be used with a 3.5 Server for basic operations, but some of the new 4.0 features will not work correctly until both are upgraded.

[monroej]

Any chance of a Mac OS X client being made available, either as a supported product or as a compile-it-yourself option (like 3.5)?

[corey]

Any chance of a Mac OS X client being made available, either as a supported product or as a compile-it-yourself option (like 3.5)?

4.0 should be a compile-it-yourself option like 3.5 was. Send email to support if you want the latest Unix source code. We're hoping to make the OS X client a bit more end-user friendly for 4.1.

[dprice06468]

We've purchased SOS and are very pleased with it's functionality, except for the fact that the client does not integrate with Windows domain security. We'd like to use our network id's/pwd's rather than have a specific id/pwd setup from SOS. Has this been corrected in the 4.0 release?

[corey]

We've purchased SOS and are very pleased with it's functionality, except for the fact that the client does not integrate with Windows domain security. We'd like to use our network id's/pwd's rather than have a specific id/pwd setup from SOS. Has this been corrected in the 4.0 release?

No, this has not changed in 4.0. However, SOS does not use its own id/pwd setup. It uses the id/pwd setup of SourceSafe. Is that what you are referring to?

[jacobsj@direcway.com]

We've never had success using Sun's JVM because the SOS Server relied on many of the Microsoft extensions to Java, that weren't supported by Sun.

No wonder Sun went to court to enforce its license against MS. Another example of MS's embrace-extend-exterminate practice.

[jwdzubak]

We use and love SOS 3.5, but our biggest complaint is the speed (or lack thereof) of downloading file lists. It often times takes > 15 minutes when opening a large solution in VS.NET because SOS has to download all the file lists. Does SOS 4.0 address this problem?

[corey]

We use and love SOS 3.5, but our biggest complaint is the speed (or lack thereof) of downloading file lists. It often times takes > 15 minutes when opening a large solution in VS.NET because SOS has to download all the file lists. Does SOS 4.0 address this problem?

Unfortunately, there wasn't much improvement made in SOS 4.0 with the speed of opening solutions in VS.NET. There's really no way to avoid downloading the file lists for all folders when you first load a solution.

[jwdzubak]

Does SourceGear Vault solve the problem of slow downloading of file lists?