build customized application for MS Project

[aj]

I want to build an application that allows users and developers to
communicate with each other. Basically, it involves a website where
the users from different departments can go and post tasks that they
want to be done. Then, a manager sees what tasks have been requested
and he assigns them to a specific developer who keeps on updating the
staus for that task until it is completed.

I heard that Microsft Project has a very nice way of assigning
tasks and projects to different user. What i want to know is whether I
can write some type of customized application that can use this power
of Microsoft Project. That is, can I make some type of customized user
interface, which is tightly integrated with Microsoft Project, or is
that not possible at all. I know that this is very vague, but I would
really appreciate any help I would get.

Thanks,
aj

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

There are a number of ways to do that.
I did something close to your idea for a customer (sorry when I get paid for
a developmentI do not publicize it) in VBA-Project.
Since Project's objects (or even Project's data base) can be read and
written by many systems all is possible.

HTH

 

[Rob Schneider]

You could also keep it simpler by using, if available in the company,
Outlook's Task Request process. Customers ask a request of the manager
who in turn delegates it out.

Project would be great if the tasks are true projects ... but if "just"
tasks, you might find the overhead/complexity is too much.

There are also some very nice open source products available for free
that do this sort of thing. Check out Source Forge et. al.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[aj]

Thanks a lot for your suggestion. However, I need a greater degree of
complexity in my application. All the requests and its subtasks have
to be stored in a database. When the user goes to the website, he has
to be able to pull up the status of all the tasks he requested and
make new requests for tasks. Also the manager has to be able to see
the tasks each individual worker is working on and and the tasks being
worked on by each individual department, the tasks belonging to each
individual project, etc. Therefore, although on a higher level, its
just a work managment tool, I need a lot of flexibility in how I see
the information. I looked at Sourceforge, but my manager is a little
uneasy about using open- source applications.
Basically, I just need a general idea of what development tool
would enable me to build something like this. I looked at the tutorial
for Microsoft Project 2003 sdk, but it isn't well documented for
someone who hasn't worked with project before.

Thanks again,
aj

 

[Rob Schneider]

Maybe just use a db server with a VB (or web app in Java, Javascript,
PHP, Perl, or whatever) front end?

I still feel you are biting off too much to base this application around
Microsoft Project. Let (and facilitate this use) the Manager use
Project (or better yet Microsoft Access or similar) as a manual
analysis/computational/reporting tool if he/she wants this. But as the
"heart" of the application I just think this all too complicated to do
this in Project.

Re Sourceforge ... the app's on Sourceforge (and other places like it)
are for the most part are very high quality, secure, and reliable.
Licensing is clear and simple to understand. The risks are low to
non-existant. Surely using something that is already designed and
working that you see is what you want is better than going down the
round of making Project the "heart" of this new app. If not, then ok;
but I still feel it would be a mistake to use Project in the way you are
intending. Just my two-bits.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I happen to disagree.
What I consider to be the most difficult part is to create things like
resource calendars, objects that are readily available through MSP VBA.
The only "complexity" of programming MSP-VBA is that you have to know
Project.
Once you're there it's all downnhill since you get so many intersting
objects for free.

Greetings,

 

[Rob Schneider]

Jan,

Yes, you are surely right on this esp. having to know Project. Perhaps
that's the root of my wondering if this is the way forward for this app
development. I could be wrong and probably am, but this work process
feels more like task management and management stewardship than as a
tool for the benefit of the task do-er's. Just a hunch.

To aj -- let us know how you get on. Maybe you could even share your
new app on Sourceforge?

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[Rob Schneider]

Another thought for aj ... the Project developers hang out at
microsoft.public.project.developer ... may be a good resource for you.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[Mark B]

You might want to take a look at our product too, Task Manager 2005.

See www.orbisoft.com

and re:sub-tasks;

http://www.orbisoft.com/products/taskmanager/2005/support/faq.htm#QMainProject

Regards
Mark