Are there size limits when converting a 2003 file to 2007

[sjk75]

I have a 2003 .mpp file with 33900 tasks in it (yes its big, it a master file
that spans 9 years). Everytime I try to open it in 2007 the application
crashes (MS has encountered an error and must shut down). If I take the 2003
file and delete tasks (task that are complete for instance), I can eventually
get it to a point where I can open it in 2007. Is anyone aware of a task
limit in the conversion process that I can change or a file size limit? All
help would be appreciated.

 

[Rob Schneider]

There are limits, but off hand I don't know the details other than to
recall that I believe the limits decreased in 2007 due to extra
resources taken by the program.

That being said, the limits are well above 33,900. But 33,900 is a lot
of tasks and could be beyond the practical limits (file open/close
times, risk of corruption, etc.)

Woudl it be possible to use 2003 to break the file into say 9 separate
files of year each? And then link them together with one or more master
files? How Project handles master and sub master projects in fully
described in Help. Take a look.

Try one and see if a test file with 33,900/9 tasks is readable. Then
copy that test file 8 more times and insert/link each of these into one
test master file.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[Jim Aksel]

Task limit per project 400,000 tasks
Project per Master Project 998.

As Mike suggested you have probably hit a RAM or HDD limit. However, there
is another potential source for this error -- the calendars.

Sometimes the owners of files change the master (default) calendar to add
company holidays, etc. In other cases they do not and use a specific project
calendar (as they should). What happens is project calculates task start
dates based on the assigned calendar(s) in the files.

What you are doing is trying to migrate all those files over to a P2007
install that has yet another "default" calendar.

It is possible that this issue is what is hanging up the program.

To assist with that, make sure your calendars are consistent in all the
project files. For example, if someone is making a 2010 calendar, they may
not put in the holidays for 2013 while the 2013 file deliberately leaves off
the holidays in 2010 because they would be in the past.

I am not sure this is your problem, but that one bit me about two years ago
on a master file with a total of 18 Master files in it and a total of 99
discrete project files rolling up to the 18 that went into the single master.

If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[Jim Aksel]

Thanks Mike. I forgot to finish the point after pounding on the keys. What
happens is Project gets lost trying to recalculate the dates with the
different calendars.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com