MPX

Hi Erik,



Good advise. It means I can have a shorter process if I use Bernard’s link. You know, I always use the process that I have suggested and I know its a long road for me to do the conversion. If the computer hangs-up, then I have to repeat the cycle. Thank you for that.





Regards,

Cyril

Singapore

Hi Cyril,



You don’t need MSP 98 installed on your PC to convert from MPP to MPX. There are convertor programs which do that.



Check on Bernard’s sciforma link, and the P3 Knowledge Base.



I haven’t used it extensively, so I don’t know how accurate it’s conversion is.



Regards,



Erik

Hi Philip,



MPX files can be converted from MPP files through MS Project 98 only and not on MS Project 2000 and above. The command is "Save As", then you have to choose the file type ie. "MPX 4.0". In Primavera, you can convert the P3 file into MPX and vise-versa.



MS Project 2000 and above use the conversion to XML format.



The problem is there is no program on Primavera to convert XML files into P3.



The solution is:

1. Convert your MS Project 2000 & above schedule into MS Project 98 by "Save As" command. (Of course there will be some discrepancies that will occur as data from MSP 2000 which cannot be recognized by MSP 98 may not be included in the conversion. You need to adjust this later on)



2. Open the new converted schedule (MPP-MSP98). From there you convert the schedule into MPX format.



3. Then open the Primavera program and convert the MPX file into P3.



Note: Not all data will be included in the conversion. You have to adjust the duration, sometimes relationship and some are Activity ID and its description. This is because the database field from MS Project may not match with the database field of Primavera.



This is a very lengthy work with some confusion as you adjust. It will test your patience.



Just give a try and goodluck......



Regards,

Cyril

Singapore

Also see primavera knowledgebase Solution ID: 200316155826.



Cheers,



Erik Jonker

Previous threads on the subject:



http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?Cat=2&Top=2211



http://planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=&Cat=2&Top=5808



http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=&Cat=2&Top=6975



http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?Cat=4&Top=138



Some free tools:



http://www.sciforma.com/Support/Ps_tips.htm#MPX2K



http://mpxj.sourceforge.net/



Some technical info:



http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/project/project2002/deploy…



Bernard Ertl

InterPlan Systems - eTaskMaker Project Planning Software

Hi Bernard,



I hear what you are saying, but the problem is where do I find a conversion facility for converting these new formats to P3. It has become a problem sinc 2000 as MSP 2000 and later versions cannot write to MPX. Should you be able to point me in the right direction I will be oblidged.

My problem is that I have contractors working on projects, who do not have P3, so the programmmes I receive is in MSP formats, and I have to integrate them for co-ordination purposes into P3.



Regards



Philip

Philip, MPX is a text file format developed by Microsoft, but meant to be a universal format. It stands for "Microsoft Project Exchange". It was meant to be a file format used to transfer project data between different project scheduling systems.



So, many software systems have some level of support for reading and writing MPX files. However, Microsoft itself has abandoned the format in favor of a new one (XML).



While MPX is nice for being able to read and share data amongst different platforms, it is not nearly as efficient (or comprehensive in its storage facilities) for most systems, so it is not used as a base format by any system. Ie. MSP used MPP files, etc.



Bernard Ertl

InterPlan Systems - eTaskMaker Project Planning Software

As far as I know MPX is the original version, and MPP the later one. But I stand corrected if I am wrong.

Why does P3 have a MPX conversion facility if it is meant for MPP?

Bernard,



Convert MPX to the older MPP format (which the program can import.)

The P3 converter works fine, but has a problem with the durations from MS Projects, in the it increases the durations exponentially ie the larger the duration the greater the increase. The problem seems to stem from the setup in MS Projects. The can however be corrected by exporting the P3 converted project ID’s and OD’s to a D-base file (.DBF) and openining it in excel. Then copy the same data from the MS Projects file into excel and copy the correct durations into the OD field. save as a dbf file and re-import into the P3 project.

Don’t expect to have codes in the file, as MS Projects don’t have them, also the headings from MSP will have to be deleted. To add codes the same method of exporting to excel and importing can be used. This all sounds a bit long winded, but at least you get most of the data you need, as well as the relationships. remember to check the lags on the relationship as well as the remaining durations.

I hope this is of assistance.

Tony, convert MPX to what?



Bernard Ertl

InterPlan Systems - eTaskMaker Project Planning Software

Hi there.

The converter from P3 doesn’t work very well. IMHO it won’t work at all. Especially on a complex project. Definitely it’s not an option.

Andrew.

Is better to post in MsProject or P3 section.



In P3 installation cd-rom there is a converter I do not remember if from MPP or MPX, have you look at it?