SP2 Outline Code Issue UPDATE

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

This is the latest information I've got on this issue. We've posted this on
Project Server Experts at:

http://www.projectserverexperts.com/Shared Documents/SP2Scramblesocs.htm

The content of the above link appears below, but it might be easier to read
in HTML.

-----------------

Enterprise Outline Codes, such as the RBS, appear scrambled after installing
Project Server and Project SP2.
Microsoft acknowledges that this is a problem for some Service Pack 2
installations in the following KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=909947

As a result of this problem, Microsoft suspended downloads of SP2 for
Project Server from the Microsoft web site. Microsoft has identified the
problem is working on a fix as well as a KB update. Until Microsoft
publishes this information, the following is MSProjectExperts' latest
understanding of the problem:

The Good News

The problem affects the display of outline codes only. The distorted
display does not reflect a bad data state. However, you can actually cause
some scrambling yourself by trying to make corrections while the system is
displaying data incorrectly. Even if you have tried fixing your outline
codes after noticing the problem, you haven't done any permanent damage,
although you may now need to cleanup after your changes.

Workaround

If you've installed SP2, you can either revert to SP1 or prevent the display
problem by using the following work around:

Each time you check-out and check-in your Enterprise Global, even if you
make no changes, you must force the value of the PROJ_EXT_EDITED field for
the Enterprise Global record in the MSP_PROJECTS table to zero. To manually
change the value of the field using SQL Enterprise Manager



1. Launch the SQL Server Enterprise Manager and log in with
administrator permissions

2. Select the Project Server database and expand it

3. Select the tables leaf and open the MSP_PROJECTS table and
return all rows

4. Change the value of the PROJ_EXT_EDITED field for the Enterprise
Global Record from 1 to 0 for the corrupted project

To change the value of the field using SQL Query Analyzer, run the
following query:

Update MSP_PROJECTS
Set PROJ_EXT_EDITED = 0
Where PROJ_TYPE = 2

If you previously opened your Enterprise Global and saw this problem
manifest, you may need to take the following steps to clear the display in
the interface the next time you open the Global. After you take this action
once, and you make sure that the value of the PROJ_EXT_EDITED field is set
to zero before you open the Enterprise Global, the system will behave as
expected.

1. Checkout the Enterprise Global

2. Select Tools > Customize > Enterprise Fields

3. Select the Outline Codes tab and select a code to edit

4. Click the Edit Lookup Table button in the Edit dialog

5. Fully collapse and then expand your code structure

6. Cancel out

7. Reopen the code and the display should be now be normal

If you are experiencing this issue we'd appreciate hearing your continued
feedback in the Microsoft Communities Newsgroups or via email.

 

[adam.hodgson]

Gary,

As usual thanks for posting. I contacted Microsoft to request an
update on timing - still unknown.

We are in the process of fixing our RBS and the enterprise resource
pool that was messed up because of this SP2. It seems to be working
but it is a time consuming process. Below is the advice they gave:

From KB 909947 :-

"To revert your Project Server 2003 database to a pre-SP2 state, see
"Chapter 7: Install Project Server 2003" in the <Microsoft Office
Project Server 2003 Installation Guide>.

This chapter simply guides through a Project server installation and
"Connecting to an Existing Database" because from the KB article 909947
- you're advised to remove Project Server 2003. Therefore install
Project Server and SP1 as you originally did, with change to the
database step, instead of creating a new database simply choose to
retain your database (which is kept in SQL Server).

The decision to make Project SP2 unavailable was a Microsoft "best be
safe" decision :-

AH Comment - It is "Best be Safe" to wear a parachute when jumping out
of a flying plane. This is a major stuff up that hits at the core
capability of the Project Server. The fundamental reasons that you
would purchase and install Project Server are effected ....Scambled RBS
-> Removed RBS values from Enterprise Resource Pool -> Directly effects
reporting and analysis capabilities etc. It is not a peripheral bug.

1) The effect of SP2 is because a toggle field is set to true,
(PROJ_EXT_EDITED) every time the enterprise global template is opened,
Project Server turns on it's data integrity checking code and tries to
"fix" up the outline. But, that toggle field shouldn't be set and
therefore, Project Server shouldn't be trying to do anything with the
lookup tables given that they were properly saved from Project
Professional.

2) It needs to be explained that this is a visual corruption problem
only. The underlying data in the database is not damaged.

AH Comment: - Only if it was publicised in time so that you did not
try to fix the "visual problem" and then it is a real corruption - and
much wasted time!!

3) Sites who don't use outline codes (yes there are some) then having
SP2 installed shouldn't be a problem. Sites who have a static
enterprise global (they never open and save it in Project Professional)
then keeping SP2 installed would be OK.

However :
If a site would rather not have to go through the hassles of
uninstalling Project Server 2003 and trying to find a backup from
before SP2 was installed (they may have a month's worth of updates, for
example)? What do you do? Well, there are a couple of things.
Remember, this problem occurs because the PROJ_EXT_EDITED field is
improperly set. So, a temporary workaround is to do the following
update query: (in SQL server)

Update MSP_PROJECTS
Set PROJ_EXT_EDITED = 0
Where PROJ_TYPE = 2

This will turn off the eternally edited flag field for the enterprise
global. You should then be able to open the enterprise global and then
see the lookup table for the field. You may need to expand and collapse
the outline, close the customize fields dialog and go back to the
dialog but you should see that suddenly, the lookup table looks right.
What this means is that if you have a Site that wants to do some small
additional work, each time after they've opened and saved the
enterprise global template, they can run the above query and they will
be OK. Outline code lookup tables will be correct.

Will this work in all cases? Yes. Can your Site use this method? It
depends on their processes and whether or not they want to do the extra
work. For some Sites, just going back to SP1 to be safe and not have to
go through these hassles is the right approach. For other Sites, using
this workaround until the updated service pack is available is the
right approach. Its a decision to be made by the site's administrator.

Regards,

Adam
www.phigit.com