Duplicate External Links Created on File Copy

[Shawn]

I have two projects (ProjA and ProjB) that each have tasks
that are linked to tasks in the other project. Both MPP
files are in the same folder on a network share.

Consider this scenario (6 bullets):

(1) Task 3 is ProjA has a predecessor of Task 7 in ProjB.

(2) I copy ProjB to my local drive to edit it.

(3) Task 7 becomes Task 14 because I added new tasks.

(4) I paste the updated ProjB back to the share (replacing
the original, older version).

(5) Task 3 in ProjA seems to have automatically updated to
reflect the fact that Task 7 in now Task 14 in Task B.
That's good.

(6) However, ProjA seems to now have a second predecessor
for task3, which is the copy of the Plan B that is still
on my C:\ drive. In other words, when I copied Plan B to
my C:\ drive and then pasted it back, MS Project gave Proj
A an extra predecessor.

So, my question is how can I copy linked projects to my
local drive for modification and then stick them back on
the share without losing links or creating duplicate links?

Thanks

- S

 

[Jack D.]

I have two projects (ProjA and ProjB) that each have tasks
that are linked to tasks in the other project. Both MPP
files are in the same folder on a network share.

Consider this scenario (6 bullets):

(1) Task 3 is ProjA has a predecessor of Task 7 in ProjB.

(2) I copy ProjB to my local drive to edit it.

(3) Task 7 becomes Task 14 because I added new tasks.

(4) I paste the updated ProjB back to the share (replacing
the original, older version).

(5) Task 3 in ProjA seems to have automatically updated to
reflect the fact that Task 7 in now Task 14 in Task B.
That's good.

(6) However, ProjA seems to now have a second predecessor
for task3, which is the copy of the Plan B that is still
on my C:\ drive. In other words, when I copied Plan B to
my C:\ drive and then pasted it back, MS Project gave Proj
A an extra predecessor.

So, my question is how can I copy linked projects to my
local drive for modification and then stick them back on
the share without losing links or creating duplicate links?

Thanks

- S

The simple answer is Don't do that.
Or take all of them with you and over write the ones which are on the share
when you come back.




--
Please try to keep replies in this group. I do check e-mail, but only
infrequently. For Macros and other things check http://masamiki.com/project

-Jack Dahlgren, Project MVP
email: J -at- eM Vee Pee S dot COM


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[Guest]

Yeah, that's not particularly helpful!

The fact is that I am not the person who manages all these
plans. Actually, each plan is managed by a different
person. Each person, therefore, wants to be able to
modify his own plan on his own local drive and then update
the version on the share.

So, if PlanA is on Andy's desktop and PlanB is on Bobby's
desktop and they both copy their plans back to the share,
then the copies on the share should only have external
links to otherprojects on the share, not to the desktop.

The alternative is that everyone works off the share at
all times, which as unpopular as it is impractical.

 

[John]

Shawn,
We had essentially the exact same situation with the "live" files being
on a shared server. The rule was simple, if the user wants to work on
his live file, he/she must do it on the server. The second rule was, if
a user pulled a copy of a live file from the server to his/her local "C"
drive, it could never, ever be put back. Tough unpopular rules but they
worked. Impractical, no very practical. Unpopular, perhaps but good
discipline is rarely popular. Actually the rules weren't that unpopular
because our users were trained to follow them from the get go.

My suggestion - set some groundrules, do some training, reap the
benefits.

John

 

[Jack D.]

Yeah, that's not particularly helpful!

The fact is that I am not the person who manages all these
plans. Actually, each plan is managed by a different
person. Each person, therefore, wants to be able to
modify his own plan on his own local drive and then update
the version on the share.

So, if PlanA is on Andy's desktop and PlanB is on Bobby's
desktop and they both copy their plans back to the share,
then the copies on the share should only have external
links to otherprojects on the share, not to the desktop.

The alternative is that everyone works off the share at
all times, which as unpopular as it is impractical.

Sorry, it is the only thing I have found which actually works.
If you actually do it, it will help you.

Others I know have written code which removes the links when you "check-out"
the plan and then puts them back in when you check it back in.
You can try that, but I don't have any samples for this that you can start
from.


--
Please try to keep replies in this group. I do check e-mail, but only
infrequently. For Macros and other things check http://masamiki.com/project

-Jack Dahlgren, Project MVP
email: J -at- eM Vee Pee S dot COM


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