Gray Tasks n sub Projects

[Harry]

The tasks of inserted projects is gray and I cannot change the field
information. I don't understand how that can happen. Can someone please help
me.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Harry,

I assume you are talking about external predeccesors and successors
appearing in projects. Those "ghost" tasks cannot be edited without opening
the source project file. If you double click on the external task, it should
open the source file where you can edit it.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[Harry]

Do you mean I have to go to all the subprojects and remove these ghost tasks?
After I remove the ghost tasks, how can I ensure they do not reappear after
other people may edit the Project Plan.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Harry,

I understood your original question to be how to edit the inserted project
tasks not hide the display of those tasks.

When you create links between tasks in different projects, the external
predecessors and/or successors appear as light gray - so called "ghost"
tasks. If you do not want to display the tasks, choose Tools>Options and on
the view tab, uncheck Show external successors and uncheck Show external
predecessors.

I am not sure I understand why you want to hide the display of the tasks
however. Also, hiding the display does not remove the link relationship. I
assume you linked the tasks across the projects because the schedule of the
tasks in one project drove the schedule of tasks in another project. IMHO, I
would leave the external successors and external predecessors showing.

Hope this helps.
Julie

 

[Harry]

Julie,

I want to keep the link tasks between projects. But for some views on the
Master Project Plan I do not want to show the external tasks. By unchecking
show external predecessors and succesors does it apply to the entire Master
Plan or can I use this feature and customize it for select views of the
Master Plan. Do you use it for all external tasks in the Master plan or not;
or can I customize for select views or tasks.
Also when I click twice on a View in the Master Project Plan after the
second click, the external (ghost) tasks do not appear.

Harry

 

[JulieS]

Hi Harry,

Usually a "Master Project" shows all tasks from all subprojects and does not
contain external predecessors and external successors. The external
predecessors and external successors are usually created in the *master*
file by linking tasks between the subproject files. The external
predecessors and external successors show in the *subproject files* when
they are opened.

If you have external predecessors and external successors in a master file
coming from another file you may control their display in all views for the
master project on the Tools>Options on the view tab. It is not view by view
specific.

I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean when you say "click twice on a
View in the Master Project plan". I don't know how you are double clicking
on a view. If you double click on an external predecessor task or external
successor task, the project file containing that task opens.

Hope this helps.

Julie