[Aldaron]

Probably a dumb question, but I rarely use planning software and am just peeking to see if it will help:

Is there a way that dragging the finish of a task can automatically shift all of the starts of all of the tasks that depend on it?

[whpalmer4]

If you have set them up with dependencies (Finish->Start ones, in particular), this should happen automatically as you change the finish date/time. If you set up the dependent tasks' scheduling by just typing in the dates/times or dragging them into place, then nothing will happen, and you won't even get a violation. In general, you want to avoid putting specific dates on things unless they are set by external factors.

[Aldaron]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

If you have set them up with dependencies (Finish->Start ones, in particular), this should happen automatically as you change the finish date/time.

That's what I did, but was able to drag the finish of the prerequisite beyond the start of the dependent, so there must be another step beyond what you describe.

[whpalmer4]

It really does work just the way I described, if you have set up the dependencies.

Create two tasks:



Use the Connection button to make a Finish->Start dependency between them:



Now drag the finish date of the prerequisite later, and watch the dependent task shift:



However, if you have not correctly established the dependency relationship between the two tasks (especially if you haven't assigned them to the same resource), you can drag the finish over the subsequent start without any complaint:



If you've assigned them to the same resource but haven't set up the dependency link, the dependent-task-that-isn't will be rescheduled to follow the new finish date when you next level the project.

[Aldaron]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

It really does work just the way I described, if you have set up the dependencies.

Yes, they way you've described it now.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

...(especially if you haven't assigned them to the same resource)...

A minor omission from your original, and most of your subsequent, "explanation".

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by Aldaron

Yes, they way you've described it now.

What part of:

If you have set them up with dependencies (Finish->Start ones, in particular), this should happen automatically as you change the finish date/time.

didn't you see? The second post gives an illustrated example of doing exactly that.

A minor omission from your original, and most of your subsequent, "explanation".

Not an omission. Two different mechanisms. The first is dependency-based, the second is resource-based. If you established the dependencies correctly, the chart will update in real time as you adjust the end date, whether or not you had any resource assignments. If you didn't establish the dependencies, but did assign the tasks to the same resource at utilization rates that would disallow simultaneous execution of the two tasks, the resource-based scheduling would make up for your failure to do so when you leveled your project, assuming you haven't altered the relative priorities, put the dependent task above the prerequisite on the chart, added a scheduling constraint, or otherwise affected the scheduling in such a way that it doesn't. This is described in "How scheduling and leveling work" in the online help if you want more information. Note that if you assigned the dependent task to a different resource, eliminating the resource contention, OmniPlan would have no way to know that the dependent task had to be rescheduled unless you had properly established the dependencies. Hmm, where have we heard that before?

[Aldaron]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

What part of...

Q: ? => X?

A: P => X

Q: P /=> X; (P + z) /=> X?

A: ... ... ... ... ... P ... ... ... ... ( ... ... + R!) ... ... ... => X

Q: z = R

A: P => X!!!!! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... !!

[whpalmer4]

Nice attempt, but you've mistaken Y for X (they do look somewhat alike, as do the outcomes they represent). Perhaps someone else will help you work it out. Probably your best bet at this point would be someone who has a financial interest in doing so.