Print Plus / Minus sign

[Hazza]

Hi,

I wwas wondering if it's possible in Project to print the
little Plus and minus sign in front of the tasks as well,
to make it easier to determine if a task has subtasks.

Cheers

Hazza

 

[JulieS]

Hello Hazza,

To the best of my knowledge you cannot print the plus and
minus signs.
You could format the text of the summary tasks
differently if that helps.
Format --> Text Styles
In the "items to change" select "summary tasks".
Apply any formatting you want.
Click ok.

Hope this helps.
Julie

 

[John]

Hazza/Julie,
Unfortunately simply changing the text styles for summary tasks will not
do what you want because the formatting will not "know" if the subtasks
are collapsed or not. It can be done however with a VBA macro. The macro
would use an algorithm to determine if the summary task is collapsed and
then apply a formatting symbol to the task name.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Hazza]

Thanks Julie/John for your advice.

If someone is out there who could write thsi VBA code, I
would be very happy

Thanks again,

Hazza

 

[John]

Hazza,
If someone else has the time to write the code and post it fine,
otherwise I will write it for you when I get some time (in a few days).
Meanwhile, if the task ID is displayed why isn't that good enough to
tell if the outline is collapsed? Just look to see if the IDs are
sequential. A break in the sequence at a summary line says there are
collapsed subtasks.

John

 

[Hazza]

Thanks John for the reply.

Don't worry about getting that VBA code, I was just
interested if something like that would be possible,
because most people would look at the printed plan the
same as they would look at the plan on the screen.

Thanks again John, and have a good weekend (Friday arvo
here Down Under)

Hazza

 

[John]

Don,
Maybe I'm missing something but how does the formula "know" if the
summary task is expanded or collapsed? I think that is what Hazza is
after.

John

 

[John]

Hazza,
As I said, it is possible but I'm a little confused. You asked if
someone could write the macro but your latest post says not to worry
about it. Do you want a macro or not? If not, I won't spend time on it.

John

 

[Hazza]

Hi John,

It would be nice to have, but I wouldn't want you to spend
time on it (unless you like the challenge ofcourse ;-)))

Cheers

Hazza

 

[Hazza]

Thanks Don,

I've tried it and it does the job nicely. Great help.
Thanks!

Cheers

Hazza

-----Original Message-----
There is also a yes/no task parameter called "summary".

Do this: Define a custom field (say flag1) to be equal to

the summary field (make sure you tell it to use the
formula for summary tasks!) and to display graphical
indicators. Select the plus sign for yes, and somethin
else (eg, the empty square) for not yes. Insert that
custom field as a column to the left of task name. voila!
you have printable little plusses for summary tasks. I'll
send you a sample if you wish.

(The reason for defineing the custom flag field to equal

the msp summary field is I don't know how to make the
summary filed display as graphic)

 

[Hazza]

Hi John,

I guess you're right. Don's solution only indicates that
it's a summary task. But at least it gives some indication
on the printout.

Cheers

Hazza

 

[John]

Hazza,
I like the challenge, but right now I don't have the time.

John

 

[Hazza]

Thanks John,

No worries, thanks for the offer.

Cheers

Hazza

 

[Guest]

It doesn't "know". Just makes it a little more obvious in
the printout - rather than noticing "missing" subtasks by
looking at id #'s, the reader sees two or three tasks in
sequence, same indentation, each with a plus sign to the
left, and it is (at least slightly) more obvious that the
tasks are "collapsed".