Mike,
FYI, I run Project on my MacBook via VMWare Fusion which runs Windows
XP. You may find that a more convenient way for you to run Project if
you also work mostly on a Mac.
Re your questions.
Q1: Possibly. It appears as though Project does not like to have
linked files have their file names change. Linked files include
master/subprojects and shared resource files. Under the covers Project
is pretty "smart" about finding linked files but despite this it appears
as though the result of it getting confused about linked file names as
it "corrupts" files. The work-around I use--and it appears to work but
I can't prove it since it would be proving the negative case of no
corruption--is to work in a way which makes Project "think" that the
linked file names are not changing. (see below).
Q2: The problem really has nothing to do with the difference in
computing systems (Mac vs. PC)
Q3: The latest version of Project is 2007. Project 2010 is out next
year sometime. You'll find lots of talk about it on the web sites.
(Windows 7 out just this week and I find that it runs great on Mac via
VMware Fusion 3.0)
You don't say how you are using the Project files. You do say that the
files are backed up to the server. I'm going to suggest the following
based on assumptions about how you and your colleagues use Project.
The key thing is to make sure the files are always in the same place.
So, if you are the only user, put them on the PC somewhere and keep them
there. Yes, backup to the server, but work on them via opening from
Project from a place on the PC that does not change. For simplicity,
put all files (master, subprojects, resource, and global.mpt) in the
same folder. Create a desktop icon for launching Project that makes the
"start-in" folder that folder where all the files are. (Doing this will
make it so that it will pick up that global.mpt file for that project
which is also a good thing to do).
If you have multiple people using the PC to login under their own ID
then again, the key is to keep the files in the same unchanging file
location. If the work process is to copy down the current version of
the files from the file server, and they copy into their Windows Profile
path (under My Documents), then I can see how corruption could happen
since this is not a "constant" file name. Paths to the profile are
different for each user and thus Project will see changing file names.
In this situation, create a non-changing location that all users can
access, e.g. c:\data\projects\mpp\... Do same as above: put all files
there and make a startup icon (for All Users) which makes the "start-in"
folder that folder.
I don't know if you use the server for backup, or for holding the
"current" version. If just a backup for what's on the PC, then it's
simple. If you are copying from the server to the PC for editing and
then back up again for storage .. that works great but only if you do it
consistently. Often writing a batch program to automate the movement of
files will fix that.
Make sense?
--rms
www.rmschneider.com