Integration with MS Project

[HenryAnthony]

Hi,

I am looking for some general information on integrating MS Access and MS Project. My version of Office is 2000 but any info is good. Any info or links would be appreciated.

Regards,

Henry

 

[MichaelRed]

Akk Ms. products of that "era" use Vb(a) and automation to achieve interoperability. You need to look at the "object model" of the two apps. You can access either one from the other, and do the sdtandard (add/edit/delete) records and edit fields. It is also possible to write (VB{A}) code in either one to then export to modules and procedures in the other, but it is usually not an easy task. It is best to NOT modify the data structure in MS Projects.




MichaelRed

 

[HenryAnthony]

Thanks, Michael. What do you mean by Vb(a)? Is it VB or VBA? Or is it something in between?

 

[MichaelRed]

VB is the "parent" language of many (all?) MS applications for over a decade (circa 1994 - 2004). The "Real" VB is, of course, a programming language (a-la COBOL, FORTRAN, C, ...). For 'application' products (e,g, Word, Excel, Ms Project, Ms Access, ... ) VBA is the customized version of the big brother. In general, all hte flavors of VBS share a core set of functionality (somewhat restricted from the full VB capability) and some extensions which are specific to the product (or Object Model) and the specific product elements.

VBA for excel includes the concepts of cell and cell ranges as well as workbooks and worksheets. Ms Access, while having no specific support for those items, does have the database, table, and fiels objects as well as queries and other specific items. Of course, it is quite possible (even common) to instantiate different VBA libraries in an application to achieve the functionality of the other application. I work primarily in MS Access, but might want (need?) to utilize a function available in Excel (or its' library) and so I can just include a reference in the MS access application to the Excel library and directly use the function.

I have not seen much activity in most of the MS products involving this 'cross pollenation', except in using Ms Access, however (as noted) I work primarily in Ms Access).





MichaelRed

 

[HenryAnthony]

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification.

How would one instantiate a library from say, MS Project?

 

[MichaelRed]

Code window: Tools +> references; scroll to the appropiate item (I do not recall what this is); click on the check box.

After that, you proceede into troubled waters and need the navigation chart / skills of some intimate knowledge of the object model of MS Project. This MAY be availoable from third party tutorials on the subject. Look for texts from Sybex or Que in your local bookstore particularly something "advanced" or "Complete". Then settle in to read a fair amount before purchasing, as you need to be sure the specific tome covers enough for you to get started and has enough other info to get into other specifics. I have yet to see a book on MS Project which really addresses use of VBA in much detail, but then I haven't need to do so for quite a few years. MS Projects object model MAY actually require more than one such reference, to fully instantiate.

It should also be possible to start a copy of Ms Project and directly manipulate it through the automation interface of your choice.

I must stress that none of these are trivial exercises. Many of the more difficult (lenghty) threads in these (Tek-Tips) fora address the more general topic of automation of one of the MS Office suite of programs through VBA, and the object models of these applications are universally available in text from third party sources.

If you are not comfortable in developing VB(A) procedures, I wowuld think it inadvisable for you to undertake any but the smallest of tasks in this area.




MichaelRed

 

[HenryAnthony]

OK Michael, thanks. I appreciate your advice. The interaction between the two programs that I seek are, without going into detail, relatively minor - at least from the perspective of someone who has no idea of how to go about achieving it. I will post if I make any progress.