Delinking accidentally referenced project files

[piedpiper11]

Hi There,

I am working with a large single project in MS Project 2013 Pro. As I develop the project and major changes in project strategy occur, resulting in me needing to extensively edit the tasks, I have simply taken the latest MPP file, saved it with a new name, and started making task changes in the new file. I recently made such a change to a new file, but now I'm finding that the previous version is somehow referenced in the new version. When I load the new file, MSP also automatically opens the previous version. When I try to close the previous version, I get the following message:

"The referenced project cannot be closed. This project is currently referenced by another project and cannot be closed."

I can close the just-created newest version, and then they both close. But I can't close the older one without the above message.

I'm guessing that somehow a task in the newest version references a task in the older version as a Predecessor. This is not something I did on purpose. I've looked through every Predecessor line in the Ghantt Chart view of the newer version, and I don't see anything that appears to reference anything external.

Can anyone tell me how to find and eliminate the link between these two files?

Scott

 

[JulieInMaine]

Are you working with Project Server? Are you working with a resource pool? Creating a new project through Save As should not create external predecessors or successors nor links between the projects. Did you copy and paste link data?

 

[piedpiper11]

Not working in Project Server. No resource pool either - at least not one that I've deliberately created. But I just opened the newer file to check (and along with it opened yet again the previous version). I just found that in Resource Pool under Share Resources, the "Use Own Resource" button is NOT checked, but "Use Resources From" is checked, and references the previous file version. It allows me to select the "Use Own Resources" button and Ok it, but when I return immediately (or after saving) back to the same dialog box, the "Use Resources From" button is still checked - i.e. my selection had no apparent consequence. Very confusing!

I don't remember copying and pasting link data; at least not on purpose. What I really want to do is identify what parts have been linked, and remove the links; regardless of how it got there. In my search for an answer, I found this suggestion:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/p...encies-links-across-projects-HA010156790.aspx

I followed the directions to create the filter, but it came up empty. So I think it's likely that the link is not in successors or predecessors.


Scott

 

[JulieInMaine]

Hi Scott,

It sounds like you may have some file corruption issues if the save to the "use Own Resources" isn't sticking. You can try looking for external predecessors and successors using the "Links Between Projects" command. It isn't part of the standard set of commands on the ribbon, but you can add it to a custom ribbon (or the Quick Access Toolbar) through customizing the QAT.

If nothing shows with links between projects, on a copy of the file (new) try saving as XML and re-importing as a new project. It is not a loss-less fix (you'll lose custom formatting) but it may help fix the file.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[piedpiper11]

I'm not so sure it was a file corruption issue now. I did try the suggestions in the previous post. No "Links Between Projects" were shown, and the XML translation step never worked. It saved as an XML ok, but when I tried to open it up as an XML, it showed an "import error" and referenced a UID that didn't exist, claiming it had invalid numerical data.

I had begun the laborious process of creating a new MPP file and copying that data over column by column (Ctrl-C & Ctrl-V). I worked through all the tasks and had just copied everything from the Resource Sheet. After each operation, I was saving/closing/reopening the new MPP file to ensure that it was reopening without problems or linkages. At one point I also happened to save & close the old "corrupt" file. When I reopened it, I got this message: "This file shares resources from a resource pool. What do you want to do? a) Open resource pool to see assignments across all sharer files. b) Do not open other files." I selected b), and suddenly the delinking problem was gone. I immediately saved the MPP to a new name, and I've been successfully working with that file ever since. No more external linking. It seems the external linking was at the resource pool level, even though I never deliberately attempted to use one (each MPP file is self-contained, or so is my intention).

Or I should say I've been mostly successfully working with the file. While I can go for long periods (an hour or two) without any problems, I have started to see "Microsoft Project as stopped working" errors with some frequency. It's always when I make some kind of change to a task, and its repeatable in the sense that when it occurs after changing a certain task, it will always happen when making the same change to that task again. But making a similar change to a different task doesn't create the problem. In one case, I inserted a new task below the offending task, and copied the task name and notes into the new task, deleted the offending task. And now everything is fine. I.e., when MSP stops working, it restarts normally and I can easily reopen the file I was just working on. This suggests to me some kind of corruption at the task level, but I can't imagine what it is, and nothing appears obvious.

Anyone seen this kind of pattern before or have any insights?


Scott

 

[remeng]

Hey Scott,

I ran into this too a while back. What happened is that when I did a save as, the resources were retained from the previous version. The easiest solution that I found was to create a brand new project file from scratch and copy and paste the tasks to the new file. To copy all of the columns in one shot, I would click the little box in the corner of the task number an the Task mode column (top left corner). This will select all tasks and columns. The resource pool should automatically copy in too without the link to the other file. If you have set a baseline, unfortunately this won't transfer.

In regards to the lock up error, by any chance do you have sub-projects linked into your main project?

Mike

 

[piedpiper11]

Hi Mike
Thanks for the resource pool tip.

Also, there is no sub project in play at all.

Scott

 

[JulieInMaine]

Scott,

Do you have any of the cumulative updates installed to Project 2013? By copying and pasting the entire rows (tasks and resources) you were copying the entire record. So, if the record (task, or assignment) was corrupt, I'm afraid you carried that corruption over. The fact that you could not open the XML file is an indication that the file is corrupt (it could be particular assignments).

You can see what CUs are available for Project 2013 from:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/ee748587

 

[piedpiper11]

Ok so now it's working - the Resource Pool was the culprit. Somehow it linked; and upon opening the file one day, I was given the option to delink it. That did the trick.

Scott

 

[remeng]

I had a feeling that you had a linking issue. I'm glad that it's working now. Have a good one Scott!