Project Server error message when inserting Resources from ActiveDirectory

[anovak]

We are storing names in our Active Directory as "Last Name, First
Name".

When I attempt to either manually add a resource to the resource pool,
or insert from Active Directory, here is the error message I receive:

"INVALID NAME FOR A RESOURCE...RESOURCE NAMES CANNOT CONTAIN BRACKETS
([]) OR THE LIST SEPARATOR CHARACTER"

I found that if I changed the default list separator in Windows XP
(under regional settings), that fixed the problem as far as the client
is concerned (at least entering local resources-haven't yet tried
bringing in from AD).

However, when I go to PWA and attempt to change a resource to
"Last,First" from "First Last", I get the same error. Is it then a
matter of changing the default list separator on the server as well or
is this solution half-baked?

Any other work-arounds? Is anyone else successfully using
"Last,First" for the resource display name (using AD) and having no
issues with either the client or PWA?

Thanks,
Andy Novak
UNT

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

Commas and Square Brackets were always forbidden in project resource names I
believe. In the server version they can cause issues with OLAP Cube Builds
and other SQL commands. The workaround was to replace commas with spaces
and square brackets with parenthesis. The problem is that there are several
ways to import resources (i.e. Insert>New Resources From>Active Directory or
Insert>New Resources From>Address Book and also there is the synch with AD
from PWA) and each method seem to handle these characters differently. I
was told this was because they were developed by different teams within
Microsoft.

For example if you import "Doe, John" from Insert from AD, you will get the
error you specified below, but if you import from the Insert from address
book it will create the user with the name "Doe John" having replaced the
comma with a space.

As for changing the list separator on the server, I don't believe this will
fix the issue with commas not being allowed in PWA. You might try using
semi colons instead.

But since special characters seem to creating havoc in MSPS, I always
recommend avoiding them if at all possible. This goes for project titles
and custom field data as well. The cubed generation and reporting is what
will most likely suffer from special characters in these locations.

Jonathan