Increasing Custom Enterprise Text field size

[Radha]

Hi,

In MS Project 2003, the limit for a custom enterprise text field is 255
characters. Can we increase this limit somehow? These fields are currently
being stored in the Project server database in MSP_TEXT_FIELDS and
specifically in the TEXT_VALUE column which is set to 255 characters. I am
thinking, this would require a change in the Project Server database.

Can we go ahead and increase the number of characters in the back-end
without affecting the operation of Project Server.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Radha

 

[JackD]

No.

 

[Cory K. Walker]

Jack - can you elaborate on this?

My assumption is that it would be very difficult to modify the text fields
to be larger because there are several constructs you would have to change:

- server pages that expect only 255 characters
- the msp_text_fields table would have to be expanded
- even places that we don't see that perform internal error checks would
have to be modified.

The best alternative is probably to use a SharePoint Project Workspace if
you have a substantial amount of text to store.

 

[JackD]

Jack - can you elaborate on this?

My assumption is that it would be very difficult to modify the text fields
to be larger because there are several constructs you would have to change:

- server pages that expect only 255 characters
- the msp_text_fields table would have to be expanded
- even places that we don't see that perform internal error checks would
have to be modified.

The best alternative is probably to use a SharePoint Project Workspace if
you have a substantial amount of text to store.

That is exactly why I said "No".

You can add additional tables to the database, but Project will not
recognize or use them. I've also been told that in Project 2000 (not sure if
it is still true, but probably is) you can add additional fields to existing
project tables (but only after all other fields in the table). However
getting this information through project server or project it self would
present a programming challenge. And there is no way to enlarge or enhance
the existing fields.

-Jack