Saving in Project 2003 Format Corrupts the File!

[David]

Disaster has struck twice now when I've saved my RTM Project 2007 file in the
2003 format for others to view. I go merrily working on the file, saving it
in 2003 format as I go. Everything looks great, until I close Project 2007
and reopen the 2003-formatted file. Indentation is completely mixed up and
tasks are mixed together and repositioned all over the file. I've lost DAYS
of work because of this!!! Was it just poorly developed and tested? Please
tell me there is a fix???!!

 

[David Busby]

I have alos had problems with 2007 saving into a 2003 format. Baselines 1
thru 9 get corrupted when you save from a 2007 format back to 2003. I would
like to know if there is a patch to fix these problems.

David

 

[Jimmy]

I would like to know what happens when you save from 2007 to 2003 format and
then try to open the file on a 2003 machine. Can anyone enlighten us?

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi David & Jimmy,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

I have been in contact with Microsoft who said that these aren't known
problems; saving to the 2003 format shouldn't corrupt the outline structure,
baselines, etc. Can you reproduce the problems? Can you post the steps that
led to this? If you are prepared to email me the projects (zipped please)
I'll see what we can find.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

 

[speedy_stevie]

I'm having the exact same issue:
- files corrupted and unable to open
- in some situations, file still opens but fields missing

I tried...
- doing an Office "Repair" on MS Project 2007
- Completely uninstalled and reinstalled MS Project 2007

Is there any resolution for this yet?

Mike - I'll try and email you a copy of a corrpted file.

If there's no fix, is there a way to recover some of the raw data?

steve

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Steve,

I haven't been informed of any fix as Microsoft have not been able to
replicate the problem in the absence of the file. That's why I asked the
questions and requested the file. If you've had the same problems, please
sent me the file and any steps you remember that created the corruption.
Thanks.


Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[speedy_stevie]

Hi Glen,
I've just emailed a copy of a corrupt file to your glenATmvps.org addy. If
there's a preferred email, LMK and I can resend.

steve

 

[caryle]

Hi Glen,
I've just emailed a copy of a corrupt file to your glenATmvps.org addy. If
there's a preferred email, LMK and I can resend.

steve








- Show quoted text -

We just loaded MS Project 2007 and are having the same problems.
Any fix from Microsoft yet? This is having a HUGE impact on us.

Caryle

 

[speedy_stevie]

Hi Caryle,
Sent the file to Mike and he took a look at it, but as suspected, by the
time I sent the file to him it was already corrupted and so he was unable to
work with it. No resolution yet. I am surviving by doing a couple of
things...

1. I don't "work" in the "Save As 2003" - I stay in the native 2007 format
as long as I'm editing the file. When I need to send the file to someone who
doesn't have 2007, I save out a copy of the 2007 file - open it - save as
2003 format and send. This seem to be working. I've also been dumping the
contents of the project file into excel as a backup (wince - embarrassed to
admit this)

2. I'm not sure, but have a sneaking suspicion that network synch/folder
redirection may be creating issues, so I try to keep it simple and synch
often or work on a local folder. (But I have no proof here)

3. Last ditch - go back to Project 2003. I haven't accepted defeat yet, but
there've been a few painful moments where I was close. It's very
disappointing to see no apparent response from Microsoft on such a
easily-reproducible bug on a key feature.

 

[\(O\)enone]

Just to add my voice to those here, I experienced the same problem.

We have a .mpp file that we've used for years in Project 2003. With the
arrival of Project 2007, I installed it and opened the file, telling it to
keep it in the existing Project 2003 format. After closing and re-opening
(still in Project 2007) the file was corrupted; tasks were missing and
fields that previously had data were blank.

The only workable solution I have found is to return to Project 2003. Good
job I made regular backups...

 

[caryle]

Just to add my voice to those here, I experienced the same problem.

We have a .mpp file that we've used for years in Project 2003. With the
arrival of Project 2007, I installed it and opened the file, telling it to
keep it in the existing Project 2003 format. After closing and re-opening
(still in Project 2007) the file was corrupted; tasks were missing and
fields that previously had data were blank.

The only workable solution I have found is to return to Project 2003. Good
job I made regular backups...

Well,
I decided to contact Microsoft Support and am working with them to try
to resolve the problem. We just have so many projects going at once
that trying to remember to save them as 2003 files would be difficult
at best. Our problem is that not everyone has 2007 yet.

So right now we are staying in 2003 but I am hoping that Microsoft
Support can fix this for all of us!!

Caryle

 

[edmail00-regis]

Hi speedy_stevie,

On point #3 you say this is easily reproducible - can you state some
example steps for this, as I have been unable to reproduce this and am
trying to support the few 2007 installs in my company. Have you
narrowed this down to any distinct edits?

TIA

 

[caryle]

Well, great news. The tech I was working with at Microsoft was able
to reproduce the problem and is escalating this to the developers.
The tech also told me that a few other people have reported the same
issue.

So hopefully this will get fixed - Someday!!

Caryle

 

[Rivan]

OK, I installed Project 2007 about three weeks ago, thought that would be a
great way to start a new proposal activity! I had two collegues working on
their machines in completely separate companies.

They simply could not ever open my reworks when I changed their schedules
which they had created in 2003. They could not open my schedules created in
2007 and 'save as' 2003. I could open their 2003 schedules. Ths was not a
pariculaly complex schedule.

I can not beleive MS has not not fixed this problem and claims to be unaware
of it.

I am about to manage a project from my machine for a company that only uses
2003. Unless there is a fix in the next few days, I will go back to 2003.

As an aside on the MS prject web site is note that the read only viewer for
2003 to read only 2007 schedules will not be ready until Q4-07. This also
does not bode well.

Any contact infor for MS support?

Thanks, Rivan

 

[Marc]

Oh boy, I have had the same as described. Just installed the Project 2007 and
spent a day creating my first project on it, which had to be distributed by
end of play that day. I'd been saving as 2003 throughout due to everyone else
still on the old version. They way David describes it is prety much what I am
seeing. If I can have this happen on my first project, and the amount of
people saving as 2003 from the product, this has got to be a massive issue
for corporates and small businesses that simply dont have the time/resources
to have projects rewitten. To say I am cheesed off is an understantment but
these things can happen. Disconcerted to find no recovery tool or patch
anywhere...

Does anyone have any information as to how MS are getting on with resolving
this issue?

All the best...
Marc

 

[Rivan]

MS still denies they have a problem. They still promise a viewer for Porject
2007 in Project 2003 in the 4th Q. I had a repeat problem with a new client
a few weeks ago. So, I reinstalled Project 2003. Project 2007 is still
installed and when it is repaired I will use it.
By the way since reinstalling 2003 I have not had a single problem!

The MS engineers who monitor this site should accept responsibility and
study and fix hte problem.

Rivan

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Rivan,

I'm sorry you and others are having this problem. The reason for no
Microsoft response is that they very seldom put any appearance in these
newsgroups and certainly do not monitor them. The reason you've had no MVP
response is that we don't have any answers. I suggest you send feedback
directly to Microsoft via:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/project/default.aspx - feedback at the
left of the page.

As to a viewer, I've never seen anything from Microsoft about a viewer.
Indeed, we always refer people to our FAQs as per:
Please see FAQ Item: 16. Project Viewer.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

 

[Rivan]

Mike,
If you save a file in 2007 and then try to open in it in 2003 you get a
pop-up window that you can click to go to an MSsite to get a converter. If
you follow that link you reach a page with this message:
"Project 2007 converter information
You reached this page because the Microsoft Project Plan (MPP) file that
you are trying to open was created in Microsoft Office Project 2007.

Converters for opening Office Project 2007 files will be provided as part of
Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3), which will be available during
the last quarter of 2007. After upgrading to Office 2003 SP3, you will be
able to open a Project 2007 file in Microsoft Office Project 2003 as a
read-only file.

Until then, you can ask the person who created the file in Project 2007 to
save the file in the Microsoft Project 2000 - 2003 MPP format."

Also, there was dialog back in June, I haven't gone back to find it where an
MS engineer joined the discussion and was simply defensive and denied hte
problem.

Ivan

 

[Rivan]

Mike,
I guess the short answer is to use 2003 until the converter is available.
Verify it works and then use 2007. The converters for other Office 2007
products are available as a free pack for Office 2003 and work very well.

Why the Project converter wasn't created to be ready at the time of the
release of the new product is poor planning (sic!) on MS's part.

Ivan

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for the your update. You are talking about a "converter" rather than
a "viewer" which is a different kettle of fish We'll have to await the
converter to be released.


Mike Glen
Project MVP