Theoretically it ist not a big deal. But due to
Microsoft policy it is hard to build a general export
import solution: There are three ways to implement it:
1. Using MPX format: A standardized ASCII exchange Format
for Project. Unfortunatly Project 2000 is not able to write
this format anymore.
2. Use text export/import feature: Unfortunatly the export/import
schemes are localized, i.e. A german MS Project writes out the a file
with german field names and german currency/date format.
3. Use MS Access for exchange: This has standard datatypes and
field names (not documented as I guess). But it can only be used
on windows.
If you like to build you specific faces<->project converter, I can give
you some hints how to do it.
Michael
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I had some success translating between MS Project and Excel using win32com in a python scipt. You might be able to massage this method into a stand-alone translator.
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Did you make any progress on this? If you did I'd really appreciate some help with importing MPX format files (I produce them from a mind mapping application called MindManager and I'd like to import them into Faces).
I was toying with the idea of writing some Python (or Awk - which I'm having fun with for a different piece of work...) and I even found Microsoft's specification for MPX on their website, but I just haven't had the time.
Regards, Bhasker
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Since GanttProject can read native mpp files and display them even better than microsoft project can, I think it is time to start looking into what the guys over at GP does to solve this problem. I am not a project manager, but I am managed by that Microsoft Project, and I am allergic to not knowing what is going on. So far GP is giving me the info I need, but faces do look a bit more "capable". I will take a look into the source of GP and see what they do.
Please give me your hints and tips to avoid doing mistakes that has already been investigated ... :-)
Regards, Svenn
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Hi Svenn, I've not managed to get very far with this myself due to lack of time.
The MPX format is described at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270139; I'm pretty sure a simple processing module could be built to import it into Faces.
I wonder if GanttProject use Mpxj to http://mpxj.sourceforge.net/ ?
And that's as far as I managed to get! Apologies!
- Bhasker
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Hi Bhasker,
GanttProject use mpxj so I injected mpxj into my eclipse development environment to see what it takes to be able to read Microsoft Project files into faces. I came to the conclusion that it is a pity that python cannot use jar files as loads of work would be saved. I don't think it is a very fun project to port the mpxj work to python and I haven't tried to run faces with jython. As a project slave I am basically only interested in read only access to the MPP files. I think this project is too big for me so I would like to step down from the soap-box again. Nevertheless, faces is a very nice project planner.
Kind regards,
Svenn
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Hi Svenn,
Have you looked at just exporting the output of Faces into the MPX format (which can then be opened by MS Project); MPX is a "simple" flat file format and this could be done with a modified Faces text report and maybe some text processing over the top with Python or Awk.
- Bhasker
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I am not interested in exporting from faces, I need to import from microsoft project files to see what my boss wants me to do in what time. I would use faces as a simple viewer. If I happen to be able to create better schedules for our project with faces than my boss with MS-Project, then it would maybe be interesting to go the other way, but at the current stage that is not an option. I think the task of porting the MPP import of mpxj to python is something way over my head....
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Hi Sven,
Many apologies - it seems I did not understand what you originally wanted to do. I was looking at the problem as being to export from Faces and import into MS Project. I suspect though that you might be able to achieve MS Project to Faces by parsing the XML that MS Project can export to; though that might be equally as complicated to do.
- Bhasker
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Hi Bhasker,
no need to be sorry, I am the sorry one who have to give up. Well, not quite. I do use faces to coordinate my own tasks out of that huge MS-Project file. I find it more correct for an engineer to script a project plan than to drag-and-drop :-). When I get more into that xml format of Project, then maybe ....
Kind regards,
Svenn
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Any possibility this tool could import a project from Microsoft project, change it in faces, and then export to Microsoft project?
Theoretically it ist not a big deal. But due to
Microsoft policy it is hard to build a general export
import solution: There are three ways to implement it:
1. Using MPX format: A standardized ASCII exchange Format
for Project. Unfortunatly Project 2000 is not able to write
this format anymore.
2. Use text export/import feature: Unfortunatly the export/import
schemes are localized, i.e. A german MS Project writes out the a file
with german field names and german currency/date format.
3. Use MS Access for exchange: This has standard datatypes and
field names (not documented as I guess). But it can only be used
on windows.
If you like to build you specific faces<->project converter, I can give
you some hints how to do it.
Michael
I had some success translating between MS Project and Excel using win32com in a python scipt. You might be able to massage this method into a stand-alone translator.
Hi Norman,
Did you make any progress on this? If you did I'd really appreciate some help with importing MPX format files (I produce them from a mind mapping application called MindManager and I'd like to import them into Faces).
I was toying with the idea of writing some Python (or Awk - which I'm having fun with for a different piece of work...) and I even found Microsoft's specification for MPX on their website, but I just haven't had the time.
Regards, Bhasker
Since GanttProject can read native mpp files and display them even better than microsoft project can, I think it is time to start looking into what the guys over at GP does to solve this problem. I am not a project manager, but I am managed by that Microsoft Project, and I am allergic to not knowing what is going on. So far GP is giving me the info I need, but faces do look a bit more "capable". I will take a look into the source of GP and see what they do.
Please give me your hints and tips to avoid doing mistakes that has already been investigated ... :-)
Regards, Svenn
Hi Svenn, I've not managed to get very far with this myself due to lack of time.
The MPX format is described at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270139; I'm pretty sure a simple processing module could be built to import it into Faces.
I wonder if GanttProject use Mpxj to http://mpxj.sourceforge.net/ ?
And that's as far as I managed to get! Apologies!
- Bhasker
Hi Bhasker,
GanttProject use mpxj so I injected mpxj into my eclipse development environment to see what it takes to be able to read Microsoft Project files into faces. I came to the conclusion that it is a pity that python cannot use jar files as loads of work would be saved. I don't think it is a very fun project to port the mpxj work to python and I haven't tried to run faces with jython. As a project slave I am basically only interested in read only access to the MPP files. I think this project is too big for me so I would like to step down from the soap-box again. Nevertheless, faces is a very nice project planner.
Kind regards,
Svenn
Hi Svenn,
Have you looked at just exporting the output of Faces into the MPX format (which can then be opened by MS Project); MPX is a "simple" flat file format and this could be done with a modified Faces text report and maybe some text processing over the top with Python or Awk.
- Bhasker
Hi Bhasker,
I am not interested in exporting from faces, I need to import from microsoft project files to see what my boss wants me to do in what time. I would use faces as a simple viewer. If I happen to be able to create better schedules for our project with faces than my boss with MS-Project, then it would maybe be interesting to go the other way, but at the current stage that is not an option. I think the task of porting the MPP import of mpxj to python is something way over my head....
Hi Sven,
Many apologies - it seems I did not understand what you originally wanted to do. I was looking at the problem as being to export from Faces and import into MS Project. I suspect though that you might be able to achieve MS Project to Faces by parsing the XML that MS Project can export to; though that might be equally as complicated to do.
- Bhasker
Hi Bhasker,
no need to be sorry, I am the sorry one who have to give up. Well, not quite. I do use faces to coordinate my own tasks out of that huge MS-Project file. I find it more correct for an engineer to script a project plan than to drag-and-drop :-). When I get more into that xml format of Project, then maybe ....
Kind regards,
Svenn