Change order of tasks from different subprojects

[van der Linden]

I think I have a tough question this time:
In a huge file I have several subprojects (with in the subprojects again
subprojects). In this hugee file I made a filter to show part of the tasks
from the 'sub' and 'sub-sub' tasks.
A sketch: I divided the project of builing a yacht in several locations in
the ship (subprojects, around 19), in which several departments work (sub-sub
projects, in every location 9 departments).
I applied a filter to show only the most important tasks, without showing
summary tasks and the department. Only the color of the Gantt-bar shows which
department is accomplishing this task.

In a view a would like to show these important tasks in order of building,
but that is not the same order as the order of the departments. I can't solve
this problem by changing the order of the departments, because in some cases
first a task of department 1 is accomplished, then 1 of department 2 and then
again one of department 1.

I tried the following: I made a custom view with the tasks I would like to
show (with a filter). After that I tried to make with the priority-column
another order of tasks. This method has two problems: the order has to be
independent of tasks being a summary task or not, but that doesn't seem to
work. The second problem is that in this huge file, the computer is not able
to do this action and closes Project.
Conclusion: this method is not working.

Has anybody an idea how to solve this, probably with VBA?? I am not a great
hero in writing VBA-code, so I can use some assistance if necessary...

Thanks in advance,
Sophia

 

[Rob Schneider]

May be a dumb suggestion, but did you try sorting by "start" date (or
some other date field) after all the tasks you want shown are displayed

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Nothing tough, I do this all the time, even automated it with a small macro
but that is not necessry.
Apply your filter
Project
Sort
Sort by.... (NOT, repeat NOT, immediately by start)
Select Start as the first criterion
Now UNCHECK "Keep outline structure"
That's it.
HTH

 

[van der Linden]

Thanks Rob, and clever point, but...

I tried to do that, but in that case Project orders everything, whereas I
want to order per location.
As solution I tried to give the locations a number, and afterwards I sorted
by number first and then by start, but by starting this action Project gives
up and closes the program.

As a test I made a smaller project, what happens than is that project
doesn't see the starting date of summary tasks, and pastes all the
summary-tasks in the end...

 

[Rob Schneider]

I'm still not sure I completely understand your comment about "doesn't
see the starting date of summary tasks" (I thought you weren't
interested in summary tasks?), and can you elaborate on "paste all the
summary-tasks in the end"? (if I could look over your shoulder I
probably could more easily help ... sorry).

Be that as it may, symptoms such as "Project gives up and closes the
program" suggests the file is corrupted? See
http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm#File Bloat - Might be Corruption
for suggestions on fixing a corrupted file.