Programmatically Update Tasks - What will PDS do other than authen

[Doug]

I have a need to programmatically update tasksin Project 2002 Pro
Q1: What does PDS do for me other than provide authentication?
Q1A: Does it provide for data integrity?

Since I believe I must write a PDS extender to update the table, why not
just buypass the PDS altogether?

Background:
I have begun studying PDS, and I have concluded the the standard API will
not allow me to update a task. Project 2003 has a method to udpate a task,
but porject 2002 does not.

I need to write an application/script to update project with some data from
developer hours entered into TestDirector (a defect tracking application).

 

[Ed Morrison]

In my opinion the PDS makes certain takes easier than coding from scratch.
It does not provide any functionality that cannot be accomplished by writing
your own code.

 

[Ed Morrison]

Doug,
In Project 2003 Microsoft added a significant number of PDS methods. If the
method that you need already exists, PDS is a great advantage. If the
method you need does not exist you have to code one way or another.

--
Ed Morrison
msProjectExperts
"We wrote the books on Project Server"
http://www.msprojectexperts.com

 

[Jim Corbin [MSFT]]

In addition to authentication, the PDS provides:
(1) Automatically uses the built-in Project Server security and permissions.
Without the PDS, you need to write code to check that yourself, using the
Project Server security object (does the logged-on user have permission to
....). This is also gained by PDS extensions.

(2) Upgrade path to future versions for the standard PDS methods, but not
necessarily for PDS extensions.

Note that the database schema is likely to change in future versions, and
since PDS extensions usually do direct db access themselves, they will likely
need revision.

Note also that any changes you make in task duration, predecessors, or
successors, require loading in Project Pro to allow the scheduling engine to
do its work. Then you must publish the results back to Project Server to see
the results in the View tables. Project Server itself does not have a
scheduling engine; that is one reason the PDS does not include some methods
modifying tasks.