Open linked projects in master plan

[Christof]

Hi together,

I have a problem and hope somebody could help me.

I have a master plan. Several projects are linked into the master plan.

To create the master plan I have performed the steps as follows:

1. create an empty project plan, e.g. the master plan
2. Insert / Project... /
a) checkbox checked: "Link to project"
b) radio buttom enabled: "read-only" to view
c) select a project plan to link
d) Insert

3. repeat step 2) for all plans to be linked into the master plan

The linked plans are read-only intentionally.

Everytime I open the master plan and expand the linked projects, several
prompts appear "You selected a project that can be only opened read-only. Do
you want Microsoft Offcie Project to open the project read-only?"

An individual prompt appears for every linked plan. That makes it really
tedious to open the master plan!! Actually why MS Project is prompting the
message - the plans are read-only anyway?

I would like MS Project to open the plans read-only without prompting. How
to achieve?

Thank you and best regards -
Christof

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Christoff:

When you select file > Open, in the open dialog there's a radio button on
the bottom that allows you select "read only." Are you selecting this when
you open the master plan? If not, you're telling the system that you want
read/write access, thus starting an argument with the rule you created when
you saved the project.

 

[Christof]

Hello Gary,

first of all thanx for your fast reply!

Unfortunately it doesnt work.

My master plan is saved as file, e.g. not on the project server but in the
file system. When I open it I select the master plan file in the open dialog.
The "Open Buttomn" has a kind of drop down which allows me to open the master
plan "read-only". Once the plan is open it shows in the Window Title Bar
"Microsoft Project - chris_test.mpp [Read-Only]". So, its confirmed: the
master is REALLY opened read-only.

Anyway, unfortunately it still prompts the same message when I expand the
linked plans: "You selected a project that can be only opened read-only. Do
you want Microsoft Offcie Project to open the project read-only?"

One thing I forgot to mentioned: the linked plans also contain links to
other plan, e.g. the linked plans are not flat but are also "master plans".
Its a kind of hierarchie with about 3 levels. Could this be the reason?

I tried to create a master plan where all linked files are flat project
plans e.g. no linked master plans - it worked well, e.g. no prompts. However,
this is only a work arround.

Any thoughts?

Thank you and best regards -
Christof

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

When you're expanding the linked plans, you're opening them, so I understand
where the prompts are coming from. The process you're using doesn't allow us
to specify read-only in the open dialog, so the only other option that I can
think of is it possible to suppress this behavior by opening the plans using
a macro? Maybe.

Hello Gary,

first of all thanx for your fast reply!

Unfortunately it doesnt work.

My master plan is saved as file, e.g. not on the project server but in the
file system. When I open it I select the master plan file in the open
dialog.
The "Open Buttomn" has a kind of drop down which allows me to open the
master
plan "read-only". Once the plan is open it shows in the Window Title Bar
"Microsoft Project - chris_test.mpp [Read-Only]". So, its confirmed: the
master is REALLY opened read-only.

Anyway, unfortunately it still prompts the same message when I expand the
linked plans: "You selected a project that can be only opened read-only.
Do
you want Microsoft Offcie Project to open the project read-only?"

One thing I forgot to mentioned: the linked plans also contain links to
other plan, e.g. the linked plans are not flat but are also "master
plans".
Its a kind of hierarchie with about 3 levels. Could this be the reason?

I tried to create a master plan where all linked files are flat project
plans e.g. no linked master plans - it worked well, e.g. no prompts.
However,
this is only a work arround.

Any thoughts?

Thank you and best regards -
Christof

Christoff:

When you select file > Open, in the open dialog there's a radio button on
the bottom that allows you select "read only." Are you selecting this
when
you open the master plan? If not, you're telling the system that you want
read/write access, thus starting an argument with the rule you created
when
you saved the project.