Microsoft Project Front End Design? HELP!

[shadyness]

Front End Design? ​

I have recently been assigned with creating and designing a front end in some manner for a Microsoft Project file. The client has a large Microsoft Project 2000 file that lists a number of tasks as row headers, which precede the items that must be performed, by each task. I have been asked to build some sort of user-interface form screen that will allow the user to choose the task and time period that they want to view. The resulting action would be the Project file opening, filtered with just the chosen task and time period displayed. I generally design in Access 2000, so I am accustomed to intermediate VBA and SQL language applications, but I have never really worked with Project. The stipulations are that data must remain in Project, but it can be opened by another application. Is this something I can design and program in Access, or what? I am lost. Any tips or even pointers for where I could educate myself on this topic would be appreciated.

H E L P !​

 

[RickSpr]

I have Project 98. It exposes an object model, so I'm sure Project 2000 does as well. That means that you can access the contents of a .prj file from within any VBA application, including Access.

But now for the bad news. The tasks in a project are not in table form; they form a hierarchy instead. This is the wrong "shape" for Access, which only understands tables. Consequently, you won't be able to create table links directly to Project data; you'll have to iterate through the project's Tasks collection, saving the task data in an array or perhaps a work table within the Access database.

Once you display the list and the user makes a choice, you can use the object model to select the specified task, and then makes the currently open project visible with the task highlighted. I'm not sure about the "filtering" part, but there are methods in the object model for creating and applying filters, so it seems it should be possible.

If you're not familiar with programming with object models, a good introduction can be found in the Microsoft Office 2000 Visual Basic Programmer's Guide, Chapter 4. This book is included with the Office Developer and Enterprise Editions. If you don't have one of those, but you have a Microsoft Developer Network Library subscription, you should be able to find study materials there. If you don't have that either (you really should, if you're developing at this level), hit the book stores for a good intermediate VBA programming book. Rick Sprague