Forum Discussion
Opening Subprojects in their own window
Morning folks,
I am a project manager. I am working in project for desktop, and my dependents are checking off tasks in project online. I have created a master project with many different subprojects. This has been really helpful to track how our ongoing client work affects eachother, as it all pulls from the same limited resource pool. Thus, when a client is delayed, this master project helps me visualize how all the projects work at the same time.
As our busy season ramps up, we are going to be working on over a hundred different projects, which means there will be over a hundred subprojects in the master project file. These subprojects are linked to the master project, but there is no easy way for me to open up the subproject in a new window. If I doubleclick the subproject in project for desktop, it does not open up a new window. It seems like the only way I can open this subproject is by scrolling through the list of projects in my PWA or typing it into the search bar exactly (as typing in the first few letters of the name does not auto-populate the rest of the name, which is annoying). Is there a way I can open the subproject directly from the master project file, or do I always need to painstakingly find it by searching in my PWA?
7 Replies
Hi Isaac.
Try if the following works and is useful for you:
Paste into the Hyperlink field the text string Link to project found in the Advanced tab of the Main Task Information of the subproject (double click on the name).
You should then be able to open the project, simply by clicking on the Hyperlink icon in the Indicators column.I look forward to your results.
Ignacio
- Hi Ignacio,
great line of reasoning. The problem is, all my projects are stored in a PWA so that I can staff projects with enterprise resources pulled from a teams directory and interface project desktop with project online. Thus, the hyperlink looks like this: <>\ Project Name
when I add this into the hyperlink, it always appends the project to the master project hyperlink. That looks like this: <>\ Master Project <>\ Project Name. When I open up the subproject in its own window, I get an error message saying "cannot open specified file" (I think because it is referring itself). Any further trouble shooting ideas?- Isaac,
The above description refers to working with Project Desktop (Project Professional) by inserting .mpp subprojects into a Master.mpp file via the menu option Project > Insert > Subproject.
Are we talking about the same scenario?
Can you show a sample screenshot of your master file?
Ignacio
- _isaac136,
Why exactly do you need a subproject to open in a new window? When in the master and you double click on a subproject summary point insertion line, the subproject should open at master level. Does that not give you the information you need? If not, what is missing?
John- Hi John,
thanks for the prompt reply. You are correct that, when double clicking the subproject summary point insertion line, the subproject opens up within the master project. I have two problems with this. 1) Loading the subproject into this larger space takes a long time, longer than opening the subproject on its own, and 2) seeing the subproject in the context of all the other projects looks very messy. It would be easier and cleaner looking to edit it in its own window. This will especially be relevant when we have hundred(s) of subprojects- it'll just be easier if I could open them in their own window. This is not mission critical, but I wanted to see if I'm missing anything. Is there any functionality I am missing that would allow me to open the subproject in a new window from the summary point insertion line itself?- _isaac136,
To answer your question, no, if you want to have a subproject in it's own window you will need to navigate to the subproject's path and open it. This process could potentially be automated with VBA.
However I feel I should point out that linked structures in Project are prone to corruption. The possibility of corruption is amplified by working over a network and also having a resource pool. None of the files in the structure should ever be renamed, moved, or "saved off" to another location. You mention having hundreds of subprojects in your master. That honestly would scare me. Unless you are the only "curator" of all those subrpojects, having multiple individuals with write access to those files is rolling the dice.
You said you are using Project Online. Are you using Plan 3 or Plan 5? I don't use any of those, (I have standalone desktop only), but my understanding is that Plan 5 with its enterprise tools might be a better approach for you.
John
