How do I disable automatic scheduling for an incoming XML file?

[Daleen]

Hi,need to export job card schedules from Axapta to MS Projects. I'm
currently on the 2007 version. I've created an XML file according to the file
specifications, and opens up MS Projects from the application. But I have a
problem with my first task, it tries to schedule / change the constraint set
on my first task - all other tasks work correctly. It tries to schedule my
first task from the project start date, and change the constraint to "Start
as soon as possible".

What I want is MS Office to open up the XML file without trying to change
the constraint?

What happens is the Planning Wizard is popping up, asking me if I want to
change the constraint, or keep my current constraint. If I keep on selecting
to "keep my current" constraint, the xml file opens correctly. But this is
time consuming? Is there not a way to disable this validation?

My XML file looks exactly as a file created from MS Project. Only problem is
my first task is not necessarily on the day that the project start, and does
not finish on the day the project finish?

Any ideas??

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Don't worry about Project Finish; that one is always automatically set to
the finish date of the final task.
In Project, Tools, Options, Schedule, check off "Show Scheduling Messages"
then click "Set as Default"
Hope this helps

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Daleen,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

I find it difficult to understand your need. A project, by definition,
starts when the first task starts and finishes when the last task ends. How
can you have a first task to start after the project has begun? It doesn't
make sense to me, nor does it to Project - hence the scheduling message.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

 

[Daleen]

Hi Mike,

Thanks

The problem is that I'm creating the XML file from Microsoft Dynamicx AX.
The form from where the export file is generated only displays all the job
cards, each with their own start and end date - they are not sorted. What the
requirement is then to export all these job cards as "tasks" to MS Projects,
to be able to do resource balancing. Because it is not a "project" being
exported - only a number of job cards that need to be finished - the start
date of the first job card is not neccessarily the earliest start date on all
the job cards being exported. That is where the problem comes in. I set the
constraint type to 3, so that the task should finish on the finish date
specified on the job card. But now the planning wizard is changing the
constraint type on the first task to "start no earlier than" the project
start date.

I've tried switching off the advice given by die Planning Wizard - but then
by default the constraint type of my first task is changed.

If I leave the Planning Wizard on - and I cancel the advice given - my
export file is working correctly.

Is there any way that I can disable the Planning Wizard advice without
taking the default advice of changing the constraint type?

Or should I rather mayby try and sort the Job cards before I create the xml
file?

Cheers
Daleen

 

[Daleen]

Thanks for the response Jan.

Disabling the "Show Scheduling Messages" did not make a difference? But I
found the Planning Wizard settings on the General Tab.

Problem now is, disable the Planning Wizard - and the constraint is changed
by default. I need by-pass the default planning wizard advice? Or maybe try
and sort my job cards before I create my xml file.

Cheers

 

[Mike Glen]

OK, Daleen, I can understand now what you're trying to do. I don't believe
there's any way to change the wizard. I still believe you're creating
problems for yourself, as it's Project's design job to create the dates for
you depending upon the Durations and Precedences of the tasks. Any attempt
to import dates will set up constraints all over the place, which will
remove any flexibility you might want. Project's job is to tell you what is
possible and when you can expect each job to start and finish - if you
already know these, there's not much point in using Project! My advice is
to import all your tasks, then remove all the constraints it will set, check
all Durations and Precedences, then assign Resources and level to give you
an end date.

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[Daleen]

Hi Mike, yes I can see now I over complicated things. I scaled down the the
xml file, and only added the job card id and the duration - so my xml file
went from a couple hundred of lines to just the bare minimum - and it works
perfectly. Projects determine the dates etc - and no problem with the wizard
- since there now is no constraints.

Thanks for the response.

Cheers
Daleen

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, Daleen, and good luck

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials