[p_davis]

Hi folks:

As I have recently moved from a PC to Mac, I've just begun evaluating OminPlan and can't seem to figure out what should be simple.

Let's say I've entered all the tasks and duration info in a project, but now I want to start the project on a different day. Is there any way to select all the tasks and move them without messing with the dependency functions?

Thanks.

[coconino]

Select all tasks and then use Reschedule button (toolbar) or shift-cmd-R.

[p_davis]

Originally Posted by coconino

Select all tasks and then use Reschedule button (toolbar) or shift-cmd-R.

Thanks, but I've tried that. When I do it, ALL the tasks move to the new start date, except the first one that extends from the old start date to the new one. They do not keep their relative position.

Also, I can't seem to reschedule backwards - a date previous to the original start date.

[Lizard]

coconino: Reschedule is for when you've made your plan, and worked on it for a few weeks, then realize some tasks are behind schedule. It slides them forward so that their incomplete portions start on or after the current date.

p_davis: I think you really want the start date in the project information inspector. You can set a specific date, or use an "Unspecified Start Date", so times will be labeled "T + 1 day", "T + 2 months", etc.

[p_davis]

Originally Posted by Lizard

p_davis: I think you really want the start date in the project information inspector. You can set a specific date, or use an "Unspecified Start Date", so times will be labeled "T + 1 day", "T + 2 months", etc.

Thanks...but I need to work in real dates. Once I change to an unspecified date, I don't seem to be able to assign a new start date. Is there a way to do that?

Are you saying that tasks just can't simply be selected and moved keeping their relative position to eachother?

[dejongj]

How I normally do that is indeed by having predecessors defined (or dependencies as Omniplan calls them), that 1) allows for highlighting the critical path, but also when you have a milestone date that 'starts' it you only have to change that date and everything else gets 'rescheduled'...

I think that from a project management perspective that approach makes sense, as it is a pretty big decision to make to shift everything, so worthy of a mile-stone!

[coconino]

Originally Posted by Lizard

coconino: Reschedule is for when you've made your plan, and worked on it for a few weeks, then realize some tasks are behind schedule. It slides them forward so that their incomplete portions start on or after the current date.

Well, I didn't post without testing it and when I tested it it worked for me. I opened a plan which had no items completed, selected all, hit reschedule and picked a date. The plan moved to start on the new date, with all the dependencies and relationships intact. YMMV.

[ajrichardson]

In my experience this is a common scenario - you think the project is going to start on a specific date so build the project that way, then it moves... So I think it has to be realistically dealt with.

A work-around is to switch the project to start on an unspecified date, and then switch it back to a specified date, which will update it to today's date, and then make changes from there. It won't keep everything relatively aligned, but it seems to work better than just switching the date without the intermediate step.

I just tried setting a new start date for a project which has a combination of tasks that are set to specific dates and others which are based on dependencies. When I move the start date into the future the tasks with dependencies seem to move OK, but some of the ones with specific dates get violations as they start before the new overall project kick-off.

I think it would make sense to offer an option when one changes the project start date: Ask if the user wants to keep all activities relative to that date (everything gets bumped), or stick to absolute dates (dependent and floating tasks get bumped, ones with specific start dates do not).

Adam

[geoffc]

Originally Posted by p_davis

Hi folks:
Let's say I've entered all the tasks and duration info in a project, but now I want to start the project on a different day. Is there any way to select all the tasks and move them without messing with the dependency functions?

I'm not in front of my Mac right now, but you could probably do this with AppleScript, or possibly with Automator. It's not an ideal answer (more work than it should be) but it seems do-able.

[p_davis]

Originally Posted by geoffc

...you could probably do this with AppleScript, or possibly with Automator. It's not an ideal answer (more work than it should be) but it seems do-able.

LOL

Thanks, but when I'm evaluating software for purchase, that's the kind of phrase that tells me I need to move on!