Changes that happen automatically when I reopen the project file

[Rocker]

Hello,

I created and saved a simple project file in Microsoft Project 2003 in which
all tasks are fixed duration and effort driven. When I reopened the project
file, all tasks are still fixed duration but now they are not effort driven
and all of the Work values have automatically changed to zero. What can I do
to disable these changes that happen automatically when I reopen the project
file?

Thanks,
Rocker

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Rocker:

Ask yourself how a task can be both "Fixed Duration" and "Effort Driven."
The two statements are at odds with each other. Effort driven indicates that
the duration will shorten with the addition of resources. Fixed duration
indicates that the duration doesn't change no how no way. That's why the
system turns off effort driven on fixed duration tasks.

 

[Rocker]

Gary,

Thanks for your response. I created and saved another simple project file
in which all tasks are fixed work and effort driven. When I reopened the
project file, all tasks were automatically changed to fixed duration, not
effort driven, and all work values were again automatically changed to zero.
Am I doing someting wrong in this case?

Thanks,
Rocker

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Rocker:

I can't imagine what's going on here. I've never seen the behavior you
describe. Are you sure that you're working from a fresh new plan without
copying and pasting stuff between plans?

 

[Rocker]

Gary,

Yes, I created and saved a fresh new project plan without copying and
pasting stuff.

About a month ago, I received a new PC and was upgraded from Project 2000 to
Project 2003. I did not have this problem with Project 2000 but I began
having problems in Project 2003. I currently have Project Standard 2003 SP1
and I tried to get SP2 but the installation failed. I also performed the
repair procedure for Project 2003 and it did not help. Is it possible that
something is wrong with my configuration or should I just reinstall Project
2003 and try again?

Thanks,
Rocker

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

I think a reinstall is worth a shot. Couldn't hurt.

 

[edo2436]

Gary,

I work with Rocker and provide software support. We have tried a clean
uninstall/reinstall of the software and the same problem re-occurs. It is
almost as if Project does not recognize the settings that he sets as
defaults. For instance, we are going to tools > options > schedule and then
change the default to fixed work. Rocker will create the task, then change it
to fixed work (this is in a new/clean project). The task will hold the fixed
work setting until we save and close the project. When we re-open the
project, the task is back to fixed duration.

We have also ran a repair on the software and this does not help either. I
have rolled him back to Project 2000, and the problem does not exist. The
changes remain as we set them. When we uninstall Project 2003, are there any
registry keys that get left behind that may be causing this? I am at odds
over this - I have never seen anything like it, nor have discovered this to
be a "known" problem in Project 2003 SP-2. Any insight you could shed on the
issue would be appreciated!

Thanks,

edo2436

 

[Steve House]

In the Windows Explorer take a look at the properties of the file itself.
Could they have been set to read-only inadvertently? I find that often
happens, for example, when restoring a backup from CD or using a CD to
transport the file from one computer to another.