Problem with MS Project 2002 - I am pulling my hair out right now.....

[benromero]

I am working on an MS 2002 project file and it is killing me. I have
the following problem:

* I have a taks which has a predecessor, (so task 19 should start 'as
soon as possible' after the completion of task 18) but when I change
the predecessor task's duration, the successor task does not change.

Background to the problem:

All tasks have 'start as soon as possible' constraints
None of the project tasks (about 150 of them in total) have any
constraints (no calendar icon in the "information" column. However the
successor task is acting as if it had a 'must start on date' since its
start date does not change when I change the predecessor task.
At some point the file had automatic leveling, but I cleared all
leveling and turned leveling automatically to off.
If I remove resources from that task, the problem is still there. I can
only delete that task (successor) and re-enter it, then make it a
successor again, and then it works. What could cause this?
Since I do not have any constraint icons (nor do I know what is causing
this) I have no way of knowing if this is happening anywhere else in
the file, so I cannot trust any of it.....any ideas will be greatly
appreciated....I have spent hours on this thing and I am literally
pulling all my hair out.....Thanks in advance.

 

[Rod Gill]

First two things to check is 1) calculation on automatic and 2) No actual
Start date (% complete=0)

What is the total slack for the task? If its negative, then something is
holding it back. If>=0 then maybe something else is driving its start date
so increasing the duration of this predecessor doesn't matter. For example
non-working time in the calendar could be delaying the task, so extra
duration simply eats into non-working time in the calendar.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[benromero]

Rod,

Thank you for trying to help.

*Calculation is on automatic - as a verification, other tasks can
adjust without a problem
*% complete is now at 0%. This appears to have helped, but I must say I
cannot comprehend why in the world the % complete would have an effect
on the start/finish dates

I do have another couple nagging problems, maybe you can help:
* I have the software set to start automatically in the Gantt chart
view, but it does not start there by itself...it starts in some
standard/unformatted Gantt chart view, but then I have to click on
View-Gantt chart to go to the customized view...any way to correct
this?

*I was having another problem with the software splitting tasks by
itself, and I still have this problem. I have auto leveling off. The
only way that I seem to be able to fix this is by removing all resource
names from the resource column...But it took me an hour to put the
names in, now I have to do it again, but I may have the same problem
happen. Why is the software doing this and is there any way of having
the software 'ignore' the resources and not have it change the task
durations accordingly, or splitting tasks? I just really want to say
who is doing what but do not really care about keeping track of
resources or leveling or anything like that.

THANK YOU again!

Ben

 

[Rod Gill]

Hi % complete >0 means the start date is copied to the Actual Start date.
Project assumes that because the task has actually started, it won't ever
move it. This is desirable behaviour.

Tools, Options, View tab. Select your default View on startup.

Tasks only get split when levelling is used with the split option. Nothing
else splits tasks automatically that I am aware of.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[benromero]

On the view issue, I had done the tools/options/view tab, chose Gantt
chart but when the file opens it shows the correct view for 1 second,
then the task pane opens and kicks the current view out, reverting to
some other view....I then click view, select Gantt chart, and all is
well again...any ideas?

Thank you,

Ben

 

[Rod Gill]

The only thing I know that can do this is a VBA macro, either in that
project or in your Global.Mpt file. If you are connected to a Project Server
then the macro may be there.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[benromero]

Additional information on problem above: the formatting (text color
within task) & column order is incorrect upon loading the
file....formatting & column order (as well as the proper zoom) is
restored when I choose view-Gantt View (which although I have it set to
open in Gant View, this is not selected upon startup ).....disabling
task pane auto start does not solve problem.....

 

[benromero]

no...no project server being used....

The only thing I know that can do this is a VBA macro, either in that
project or in your Global.Mpt file. If you are connected to a Project Server
then the macro may be there.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[hooploid]

If tasks have percent complete other than 0% that may result in split tasks.
This makes sense--if a task follows another (FS) and the 1st task is behind
schedule, the remaining work of the 2nd task should be pushed to the right
also, depending on exactly what the dates are. Since the comleted work of
the 2nd task can't move to the right, the remaining work is split from the
completed work, and shifted to the right.

Exactly how this works out is affected by settings under
Tools\Options\Calculation, Calculation options for 'filename', and the status
date.

 

[hooploid]

If all you want is to indicate who's doing what, it's probably better to not
use resources at all, and insert a column using a text field: Go
Insert\Column... and choose an unused Text field name (ie Text1), name it
"Worker" or whatever. This won't affect task workhours or durations, which
is what's probably causing some of your problems.

See also Tools\Customize\Fields... to rename a text field so it shows up
when you insert a new column, so you don't accidently reuse a text field.

Also--see my other post under this question (after Rod Gill) which might
explain why your tasks are being split.

Hope that helps!