MORE INFORMATION
Upgrading from Earlier Versions of Microsoft Project
Q. What are the new features in Microsoft Project for Windows 95?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 is a 32-bit program
designed specifically for Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft
Windows NT version 3.51. The following is a list of the new
features in Microsoft Project for Windows 95:
- Support for long file names
- A new Open dialog box that uses Find Fast Indexer (an
application that creates an index of the files on your hard
disk to speed up file searches)
- AutoCorrect (on the Tools menu)
- Answer Wizard (on the Help menu)
- Customizable workgroup messages (click Customize on the
Tools menu, and then click Workgroup)
- ODBC-compliant Save To Database and Open From Database
commands (click Multiple Projects on the Tools menu)
Q. When I upgrade from Microsoft Project version 4.0, how do I
update to the new menu structure in Microsoft Project for
Windows 95?A. If you have modified your Microsoft Project version 4.0
Global.mpt file, in order to use the new menu structure, you
must update to the Global.mpt file that comes with Microsoft
Project for Windows 95.
To determine whether you are currently
using a Microsoft Project 4.0 Global.mpt file, click the File
menu. If the Summary Info command is available, then Microsoft
Project is currently using a version 4.0 Global.mpt file, and
you must update the Global.mpt by following the appropriate
method below.
- If You Have Not Modified Your Global.mpt File
from Microsoft Project version 4.0
or If You Do Not Need to Save Your Modifications
- Quit Microsoft Project.
- Rename your current Global.mpt file (from version 4.0).
- Copy the Backup.mpt file in your Microsoft Project folder to
Global.mpt.
- Start Microsoft Project.
You will now be able to use the new menu and macro changes in
Microsoft Project for Windows 95. - If You Have Modified Your Global.mpt
File and You Want to Save Your Modifications
- Start Microsoft Project for Windows 95 (it will automatically
use the Microsoft Project 4.0 Global.mpt file).
- On the View menu, click More Views, and then click
Organizer.
- For the Views, Reports, Forms, Tables, Filters, and
Calendars tabs, click only those entries in the 'GLOBAL.MPT'
list that you have modified and that you want to be
available in the new Global.mpt file. Click Copy to add
these items to the 'Project1' list. Click OK or Yes in any
messages that are displayed.
- Click the Toolbars tab. In the 'GLOBAL.MPT' list, click any
Toolbars that you have created, and click Copy to add the
item to the 'Project1' list. Do not add the Workgroup,
Resource Management, or Visual Basic toolbars to the
'Project1' list.
- Click the Modules tab and copy any modules that you created
to the 'Project1' list. The following modules were installed
by Microsoft Project and should not be copied to the
'Project1' list: Database, Mail_Utilities, Auxiliary,
PivotTable, and Schedule.
- Click the Menu Bars tab, and copy any menus that you created
to the 'Project1' list. Do not copy the Standard or Standard
(no file) menu bars. If you want to retain the
modifications, you will need to re-create them in the new
Global.mpt file.
- In the Organizer dialog box, click Close, and then close the
More Views dialog box.
- On the File menu, click Save, and enter the name Information
Transfer.mpp in the File Name box. Click OK. On the File
menu, click Exit.
- Using My Computer or Windows Explorer, rename the existing
Global.mpt file in the Microsoft Project folder to
Global4.mpt. Copy the Backup.mpt file to Global.mpt.
- Restart Microsoft Project for Windows 95.
- Open the "Information Transfer.mpp" file. On the View menu,
click More Views, and then click Organizer.
- For each of the tabs in the Organizer dialog box, in the
Information Transfer.mpp list, use the SHIFT key to select
each of the items that you want to copy, and click Copy to
add the items to the 'GLOBAL.MPT' list. Click OK or Yes if
you receive any messages.
- In the Organizer dialog box, click Close, and then close the
More Views dialog box.
The Microsoft Project for Windows 95 menu structure and macros
will be available.
Q. Can I share my Microsoft Project for Windows 95 files with
other Microsoft Project users?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 files are completely
compatible with Microsoft Project version 4.0. This includes
Microsoft Project version 4.0 for Windows and Microsoft Project
version 4.0 for the Macintosh. Any file created in version 4.0
of Microsoft Project can be opened in Microsoft Project for
Windows 95 and vice versa.
General Information
Q. I am receiving the error message: "Cannot save to Global.mpt.
This is a read-only file." What does this error message mean?A. This error message appears when the Global.mpt file that
Microsoft Project is using is opened as a read-only file and
you make changes to the default settings, formatting options,
and macros for Microsoft Project. This file is a template only
and does not contain any data from the project that you are
working on.
After you receive this error message, the Save As dialog box
prompts you to save the Global information to a new location.
Do not overwrite any of your existing Microsoft Project (.mpp)
files when you save this information. Save this information
with the Global.mpt file name to a location that you have read-
write access to. If you have not made any formatting changes
that you would like to save, you can click Cancel in this
dialog box. Your project data will not be lost.
The Global.mpt file might be opened as a read-only file for any
of the following reasons:
- You are sharing the Global.mpt file with other users from a
network location.
- You opened the Global.mpt file from a read-only network
location.
- The Global.mpt file itself is marked as a read-only file.
Microsoft Project searches for the Global.mpt file in the
following locations in the following order:
- The Working directory (Windows NT) or the folder specified
by the shortcut Start In field (Windows 95).
- If a Global.mpt file is not found in the Working directory
or Start In folder, Microsoft Project looks next in the
folder that contains the Winproj.exe file (the Microsoft
Project folder).
- If a Global.mpt file is not found in the Microsoft Project
folder, Microsoft Project creates a new Global.mpt file.
Q. Where can I find other information about Microsoft Project for
Windows 95 in addition to the information in the "User's
Guide" or online Help?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 ships with several text files
that contain information that is not covered in the "User's
Guide" or in the online Help system. The files in the following
table are located in your Microsoft Project folder; these files
provide additional information about using specific features in
Microsoft Project.
This text file Contains information about
------------------------------------------------------
Database.wri Using the Save To Database feature
Setup.wri Installing Microsoft Project
Plotters.wri Setting up and configuring a plotter
for use in Microsoft Project
Mpxfile.wri The complete description of the MPX
file format
Samples.wri The sample files included with
Microsoft Project
Tmpltwiz.wri Using the Template Wizard
Convert.wri Converting Microsoft Project for MS-
DOS files to Microsoft Project for
Windows 95
Q. Why can't I get the Open From Database and Save To Database
commands to work?A. The following information describes reasons why these commands
may not work and tells how to correct each problem:
If you receive the "VBA Error in Procedure
DoSaveToDatabase() Error in loading DLL" error message, you
do not have all the necessary files installed.
- If you selected the Typical or Compact installation option
during Setup, the ODBC component of the Save To Database
feature did not get installed. To install this portion of
the program, follow these steps:
- Run Microsoft Project Setup again, and click Add/Remove.
- Click the Tools option to select it, and then click
Change Option.
- Select the Database Utility option, and then click OK.
- Click Continue to complete Setup.
The Database Utility files are now installed and the Save To
Database command should work properly. For more detailed
information about how to use this feature, please see the
Database.wri file, which is located in the Microsoft Project
folder. - If your computer stops responding (hangs) when you click
Save To Database, you may be using a Global.mpt file from
version 4.0 of Microsoft Project. To determine if you are
using a version 4.0 Global.mpt file, click the File menu. If
the Summary Info command is available on the File menu, then
you are using a Global.mpt file from version 4.0 of
Microsoft Project.
- If you installed Microsoft Project for Windows 95 over an
existing copy of Microsoft Project version 4.0, you need to
update your Global.mpt file to the version of this file that
is shipped with Microsoft Project for Windows 95 because the
Save To Database feature (along with other menu commands and
macros) has changed. For more information about updating
your Global.mpt file, see Question 2 in the "Upgrading from
Earlier Versions of Microsoft Project" section of this
document.
- If you are receiving the error message "Cannot find the
macro 'SaveToDatabase'" or "Cannot find the macro
'OpenFromDatabase'," the Global.mpt file has been deleted
and Microsoft Project has re-created the file. Microsoft
Project cannot re-create the macros that are stored in the
Global.mpt file when it re-creates this file.
- To restore the Global.mpt file with the SaveToDatabase macro
code, copy the Backup.mpt file in the Microsoft Project
folder to Global.mpt and start Microsoft Project again. The
Backup.mpt file is a copy of the default Global.mpt file
that is installed with Microsoft Project.
Customizing Microsoft Project
Q. I would like to add a new calendar to my schedule. How should I
do this?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 includes two new calendars: a
Night Shift calendar and a 24 Hours calendar. These new
calendar choices are available in the Project Info dialog box
(File menu). In the Project Info dialog box, you can click
Standard, 24 Hours, or Night Shift in the Calendar list. These
new calendars are also available in the Base Calendar list in
the Resource Information form.
To edit one of these calendars without making it the default
calendar for your project or assigning the calendar to a
resource, you can copy the calendar into your specific project
file using the Organizer. To display the Organizer, click More
Views on the View menu, and then click Organizer.
If these new calendars do not fit your needs, you can always
create a new calendar using the Change Working Time dialog box
(Tools menu).
Q. Can I define custom calculated fields in Microsoft Project for
Windows 95?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 includes Microsoft Visual
Basic for Applications. Using this powerful programming
language, you can create simple macros to calculate custom data
on a task-by-task basis. All you need to do is run the macro
each time you want to update the data. Using this method, you
can create a macro to calculate almost any value you need and
have it placed in a number field.
For example, the following macro subtracts the start date from
the finish date for each task in the active project and places
the result in the Number1 column for that task:
Sub Macro1()
For Each t In ActiveProject.Tasks
If Not (t Is Nothing) Then
t.Number1 = t.Finish - t.Start
End If
Next t
End Sub
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.
Using Microsoft Project with Other Programs
Q. Which electronic mail systems can I use with Microsoft Project?A. Microsoft Project for Windows 95 works with the following
electronic mail systems:
- Microsoft Exchange running on Windows 95, Windows NT, and
Windows for Workgroups
- Microsoft Mail running on Windows 3.1 or Windows for
Workgroups
- Microsoft Mail running on Windows NT
- Lotus cc:Mail or Lotus Notes Mail running on
Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, or Windows 95
Q. How can I add fields to my Workgroup Messages in Microsoft
Project?A. In Microsoft Project for Windows 95, you can add custom fields
to your workgroup messages. When you send a workgroup message,
the resource can view or modify the information in a custom
field that you have added, and any new information they add can
be automatically updated back into the original project.
To add a custom field to your workgroup messages, click
Customize on the Tools menu, and then click Workgroup. For more
information about the options in the Customize Workgroup dialog
box, click the Help button in the Customize dialog box.