formulas

[Non-Project User]

This is most likely an easy one for most of you all out there . Since I am
not a Project user, I am clueless to help. Any suggestions appreciated.

My user has a custom date field. When it contains a certain date, such as
"01/01/05" the user wants the custom date field to be blank or perhaps change
the font to white so the data doesn't display. Any helpful hints?

 

[JulieS]

Hi Non-Project User,

Is the custom date field populated by a formula or does the user enter data
into the field by typing? If the custom date is the result of a formula,
please post the formula here.

To see formulas in custom fields:
Click your secondary mouse button on the custom field column heading to show
the shortcut menu.
Choose Customize Fields... from the menu.
Click the Formula... button to open the Formula for <field> dialog box.
Copy and paste any existing formula here.

Julie

 

[JackD]

Use a custom text field an iif function and an empty string "" instead.

iif(<mycertaindate>=<something>,"",<whatever else it should be>)

-Jack

 

[Non-Project User]

Hi JulieS,
The user enters data into this field simply by typing in the data. Thanks in
advance for any help.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Non-Project User,

I'm afraid with custom fields the information can only be typed OR a
formula, not both. There is a way through formulas to have a custom field
appear to be empty, but it would require the information appearing in the
field to be calculated or to be the results of another field. It would be
possible to add a second field, referencing the first and make a particular
date "disappear" but this doesn't appear to be any improvement in what the
user is currently doing. This may be possible through VBA (Visual Basic for
Applications) but I'm afraid I can't assist in that realm.

If you could tell us a bit more about what this custom field is being used
for -- is it a date based upon another date etc, perhaps we can come up with
an answer that will work.

Julie

 

[Non-Project User]

Thanks JackD for the answer. I was a coder in a previous life, so your
answer makes sense to me, although my user is not, but I think I can get it
across to her. I am assuming that if my user wants mycertaindate to be blank
if the date = 01/01/2005, otherwise display the value of mycertaindate, the
syntax would be:
iif(<mycertaindate>=<"01/01/2005">,"",<mycertaindate>)? (a Boolean statement)
Thanks much

BTW - are the "<>" characters necessary around the variable mycertaindate?

 

[Non-Project User]

Hi JulieS,
JackD did give me another idea. I was hoping for an "easy" way within
Project itself as my user is not technical, but it seems as though this is
not the case.
My user has gone for the day/weekend and unfortunately I do not know the
intended use of this field.
Thanks for all the info and educating me about this topic.

 

[JackD]

The IIF function (immediate if) takes 3 arguments. The first is a boolean
expression which must have a true or false answer. The second is the value
returned if the expression is true. The third is the value if false.
I use the <> to denote that you need to have a valid value here.
To demonstrate the + operator I'd write

<something> + <something>

That is all. You would not include the <> in your formula.
In practice the formula MIGHT look something like this:

iif([Start]="01/01/2005","",[Start])

Fields in project formulas must have square brackets around them.

 

[JulieS]

You are very welcome and thanks for the feedback. I see that Jack has
picked up the thread with you as well.
Have a nice weekend.
Julie