OLEDB Provider for MS Project

[Tzanko]

Hi,

I am investigating accessing mpp files (MSP 2000/02/03) from our
server application. I understand automating MSP to access the files
from our application server is a bad idea.

Another option is the OLEDB provider. My first impresion is that it is
not verry well supported and not widely used. Anyway - two questions:

- Is there a way to install and use the OLEDB provider without
having to install MSP?

- If I install MSP 2003 Provider (or complete MSP 2003), can I
access MSP 2002/2000 mpp files, without having to code differently for
the different file versions.

Could not find anyting in the documentation and have logged a support
call for about few weeks now, so if you can help, if someone can help,
it would be really appreciated.

Tzanko

 

[Tzanko]

Found the answer, if anyone's interested. Actually this is a reply
from MS Support:

Q: Do we have to install MS Project in order to use MS Project OLE DB
Provider to access the mpp file? We hope we can install the provider
only, as we are trying to access the mpp files from our application
server, not from a client application.
A: The provider actually is installed with Project Professional and
Standard. You can't, however, install it by-itself. You either need to
install Project Server or Project client.

Q: Can we use the latest provider (say MS Project 2003) to access mpp
files created in previous versions (MSP 2000, 2002)? If we can, do we
have to code differently for each mpp file version, or we can use the
2003 code (because we are using the 2003 provider) for all versions of
the mpp file (2000, 2002, 2003)?
A: The provider will open the versions you've specified without any
special handling.

If I have to Install MS Project, I might as well install MS Project
Server and use PDS instead.