certain task EFs only being updated after having been written once via MSP client?

[Stephan Steiner]

Hi

I'm adding custom task EFs and outline codes on a task level directly to the
database. This works like a charm for text fields. However, with date and
number fields as well as outline codes, even though I'm writing at the
proper place, once I open the project in MSP, I don't see my EFs. If I then
manually set the EFs and save the project, then I can run my update
procedures and if I reopen the project, the changes have been applied. I can
even delete the task, recreate it via PDS, and then set the EFs again and
they will show up in MSP Client.

I'm properly marking the project as updated as described in the SDK starters
(UPDATE ProjectServer.dbo.MSP_PROJECTS SET PROJ_EXT_EDITED = 1,
PROJ_EXT_EDITED_TEXT = 1 WHERE PROJ_ID = @proj_ID) so I'm stumped as to why
my msp_number_fields and mso_code_field changes are only picked up after
those values have been written once by the msp client.

Does anybody know what I'm missing? Since these EFs are mandatory, if they
have to be set manually in MSP Client, I'm screwed big time.. the whole
point of writing EFs is so that the project can be saved again with whatever
modifications are applicable but without having to worry about filling out
these darned EFs.

Regards
Stephan

 

[Rod Gill]

Have you set the EXT flags in the tables holding the numbers and outline
codes as well? Read the pjdb.htm file in one of Project's program folders
(or the CD) for full details.

 

[Stephan Steiner]

No I'm afraid I'm only doing this on the project level, not the task level.
I guess the SDK would need some updating then as well as it doesn't set this
flag on the task either, only on the project.

Is there any particular reason why only setting it on the project seems to
do the trick for text task enterprise fields?

Stephan

 

[Rod Gill]

If these fields are on the Project Summary Task, you need EnterprisePROJECT
fields, not task fields. Project Summary Tasks in the database have an ID of
zero.

 

[Stephan Steiner]

Hmm, it seems to work out just fine with summary tasks now as well as
regular tasks now that I have figured out that each project has a flag for
each EF type.. if I set them all, all my changes are taken into account.

If anybody else is wondering, on each project you have a
PROJ_EXT_EDITED_TEXT
which when set to 1 makes the MSP client reload the text EFs. There's a
similar field for number fields, date fields, outline codes, flag fields,
etc.