Troubleshooting Circular References

[Rick Walker]

Hi, all,
My partner and I are crashing on a set of updates to a
master with 24 or so subplans.
In some cases, as we are trying to alter or fill in
predecessors and successors, we get the "cannot accept
entry, circular reference..." or words to that effect.
And it seems nothing we can do makes a difference,
including deleting all of the entries in both columns in
that block of tasks (all the ones under a summary task).
Upon attempt to link to a task external to that subplan
draws the same error, but in neither cases does project
identify what line number is the problem.
Any ideas? We are in MSP 2003 std and MSP 2002 prof (1 of
each), and are getting the same indication on both
machines.
TIA
Rick Walker
WA State Department of Corrections

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I do not have a lot of experience with this inside master plans with
external links, but by al means you can try the following:

- When you open the projects individually one by one do they behave
normally? If not you find out who teh culprit is.
To make a circular relationship on an individual project go away, eliminate
all links from and to summary tasks.
Too long to explain why here but that does it.

- When all individual projects ar circular-free, but the common view still
causes havoc, delete links between projects (one by one till the trouble
goes) ESPECIALLY TO AND FROM SUMMARY TASKS.

HTH