What's the best source code control with LabVIEW?

[thisisnotadream]

I'm currently trying to convince the powers that be around here that we should invest in a third-party source code control application and link it to LabVIEW for our projects.  Not counting price, what are the experiences of other LabVIEW users in this area from a functionality/ease-of-use standpoint?  We are moving away from 7.1 towards 8.2 and my goals are to encourage: 

• Organization of code in a central location where multiple users can access
• Access to previous revisions of the code
• Maintaining good revision history descriptions
• Code baseline storage for version CM or milestone CM

Please note, at this time it is not required that we use the utility to enforce process or manage change drivers (baby steps).  I would love to hear pros and cons from anybody, big company or small.

Thanks,

Dan

[smercurio_fc]

Did you try to do a forum search? This question comes up like every couple of months, and lots has been said about this, including recommendations on the various source code control programs that can be used with LabVIEW.

In the end, it matters more what your CM process is, rather than the tool itself, as most try to use the tool to magically implement a CM process, which is bass ackwards. Note: This is not to imply that you're doing this. That was just a general comment based on what I've seen in my experience.

[thisisnotadream]

Thanks.  I did a quick search, but didn't find much of value.  I will try to mine deeper using patented search string techniques. 

We currently have a CM process involving storage of code on the network, but doing things like diff'ing VIs manually and occassionally losing the contents of your hard drive (and everything you've been working on for the week) are taking its toll on our team.  We are also hiring more than just two developers and starting programs with multiple engineers on the same program, so the check-in/check-out management would be welcome.

Dan

[Matthew_Kelton]

Any decent system will do what you listed.  The bigger issue is training the people to use it.  Especially #3.  I'm not sure there's a version control package out there that doesn't support this, but if the people using it don't type in good info, it is useless.  No program is going to be able to tell you whether your version description is adequate.

The biggies I have used are Visual Source Safe, which integrates into LabVIEW and Seapine Surround SCM, which doesn't to my knowledge.  I haven't really had too many issues with either.

I use Source Safe at my office.  It seems intuitive enough to me and have no complaints.

My customer uses Seapine.  It seems a little less intuitive to me, as many time, I have to go into Advanced options on check in to enter information I wanted stored.  It gets a little annoying after a while.  It integrates with Seapine's TestTrack Pro Bug tracking software, so it has some advantages there as well.  I know it supports floating licenses as well, so you could get a few licenses expecting not everyone is going to need ot be in the system at the same time.

[PaulG.]

Have not had a lot of experience, but VSS worked fine for me. I found Tortoise SVN to be a nightmare. Training training training on whatever you choose. The real trick is what works best when 10-20 developers are working on the same project. Take your time and you and as many as possible bang the stuffing out of whatever you try. (Two or three developers try to check out, modify then check in the same project, file, VI, etc. that sort of thing) And debug and develop workarounds/fixes BEFORE you implement it. If you have a tech lead still using a thumb drive to backup his latest version you have a serious problem with whatever you are using.

[gmart]

As noted here -http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/26EC5904169430CE8625706E00743997 - Surround SCM has been tested with LabVIEW and seems to provide basic functionality (check in/out, etc) when configured in LabVIEW.