Project Tracking Workspace Template vs. Office Project Workspace

[Rajarshi Basu Roy]

Hi,

Anybody installing the 'Project Tracking Application Template' supplied as
part of the 40 Sharepoint Application templates by Microsoft, on an existing
installation of Project Server 2007 and an existing Project Workspace would
immediately notice that the 'Link Items' option in Issues list in Project
Workspace is gone.

There was no satifactory answers from anybody and even an extensive search
revealed nothing.

Now I think I have detected the problem. The 'Project Tracking Workspace'
Application Template overwrites the default 'Microsoft Office Project
Workspace' schema definitions and once the Project Workspace Application
Template is installed, your 'Link Items' option from Issues List is gone
forever.

As the \PWS\schema.xml reveals, the 'Link' is a PWACustomField type which is
not available in the schema that gets installed with the Application Template
version. As a result you would never be able to create an Issues List with
'Link Items' at the top. This prevents one from drilling to a Project Task
from Issues List. However, linked Issues could always be viewed from 'Project
Tasks' list from Project Dteail - Action - Link Issues.

Hope to see a correction.

--
EPM Beginner

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...b45f164aa2&dg=microsoft.public.project.server

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

There's nothing incorrect about this other than you choosing the incorrect
template to use with Project Server. The only template that you can use is
the one that ships with the system or one that you customized based on the
Project Workspace template.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Rajarshi Basu Roy]

I beg to differ with you Gary.

Since PS 2007 runs on Sharepoint architecture and allows you to use all WSS
3.0 functionalities on the same server apart from normal PS 2007
functionalities, anybody would like to explore the WSS capabilitites too and
there's no better way to start off than the Application templates. But while
installing them, there is no warning that the Project Tracking Workspace
could corrupt the existing Office Project Workspace.

It could have warned the user the same way it warns when another Office
Project Server Workspace BUG LIST is attempted to be installed on an existing
OPSW BUG LIST. It shows "There can be only one list of this type".

Following are my suggestions -

1. Make the workspaces exactly same
or
2. Do not allow to install the Project Tracking Workspace on an existing
Project Server Installation. Allow workspaces from PS 2007 installer only.
or
3. If at all they cannot be made same, allow the workspaces to co-exist and
allow the user which workspace to work with.

BUT PLEASE DON'T TAMPER AN EXISTING DEFINITION WITHOUT LETTING THE USER KNOW.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Differ all you want. Microsoft technologies let you do lots of bad things.
Just because you "can" doesn't mean you "should." Everytime you install
another feature or addin to an existing production server you take a huge
risk. Do you really think that the people who developed the add-on templates
vetted them with every possible WSS and MOSS configuration? If so, I've got
a bridge that goes to Brooklyn that you might be interested in! You made a
full system backup before you tried this, of course.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Rajarshi Basu Roy]

Hi Gary. I am sorry if I was rude.

However, I am working with MS technologies for last 14 years and I know
about its pitfalls too. That is the reason it was posted as a suggestion for
MS so that they might consider to correct the same. Thanks for the backup
suggestion though I was not working on the production server.

I am a frequent visitor to your project server community site and find it
pretty useful. I would also like to know how can I get the book 'Managing
Enterprise Projects' delivered to India?

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Rajarshi:

I didn't read you as rude, just frustrated like the rest of us! Thanks of
your kind words. We ship to India and you can order the book from
http://projectserverbooks.com I warn you, however, that we don't currently
have a very good shipping deal for off-shore delivery, so the price might
startle you. We hope to find a more economical carrier soon. You might get a
better deal buying it on Amazon.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com