Creating a Custom Project Guide with the Project Guide Editor

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This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

Summary

This sample provides files and instructions for using a Microsoft® Project Guide editing tool. It has the functionality for creating goals and tasks, specifying related tasks, and adding view and page changes. It also has the ability to add the content of an existing Project Guide to the one you're editing.

Installing and Running the Project Guide Editor

The self-extracting pgEditor.exe file installs the sample files in the C:\CustomPG\PGEditor folder. The path is coded into the script files, as well as the XML schema.

Once the files are installed on your machine, you can either create a new project file or open an existing project. You can set up the custom Project Guide by following the procedure listed below.

To set up a custom Project Guide:
  1. On the Tools menu, point to Options, and then click Interface.
  1. In the Options dialog box, click the Use custom content option.
  1. In the XML file for custom content field, browse to the spt.xml file.
  1. Select Display Project Guide to display the Project Guide.

This custom Project Guide is an extension of the default Project Guide. The four default Project Guide goal areas and related tasks are present, in addition to the new PG Editor goal area. You can now use a Project Guide wizard to do the following.

  • Create Project Guide via sidepane wizard to create a new Project Guide using a wizard
  • Create Project Guide via advanced UI to create a new Project Guide using the PG Editor interface
  • Load existing Project Guide to edit via advanced UI to edit an existing Project Guide using the PG Editor interface

You can also configure and set up custom content for the Project Guide programmatically with Microsoft Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA), using the OptionsInterface method (Application object), or the ProjectGuideContent and ProjectGuideFunctionalLayoutPage properties (Project object). For more information, type the method or property name in the Microsoft VBA Help Answer Wizard.

Files Included with this Sample

The following table lists the files included with this download, along with a brief description of each.

File

Description

Spt.xml

The main XML schema that includes the Project Guide editor

Spt.htm

The startup page for the Project Guide editor. This page has the links for loading, launching the wizard, and creating new content.

Common.js

Contains code common to most of the script files in the project. This includes the code that adds and removes items from the Project Guide XML schema.

Preview_pane.js

The script that dynamically renders the preview HTML is contained here.

Saving.js

Contains the code that saves the XML schema to disk, as well as the code that generates default content for pages.

Sptwiz.htm, Sptwiz.js

The HTML and script for the wizard, which guides the user through creating a Project Guide.

Xml_edit.htm, Xml_edit.js

The HTML and script for the leftmost pane, containing the treeview and save/merge/test options. All of the events for the treeveiw control are handled here, as well as the functionality behind the links on this page. Similarly, this contains the HTML for the Create a new XML schema page, as well as the Merge XML page.

Xml_load.htm

Contains the HTML for the Load XML screen.

Xml_menu.htm, Xml_menu.js

These files have the HTML and script for the main working area, where all of the properties for goal areas and tasks are modified.

Xml_reference.htm, Xml_reference.js

The HTML and script for the merge pane that pops up after the user has loaded an XML schema for merging. This contains all of the code to merge the xml schemas as well.

Gbuiedit.css

The style sheet for the Project Guide Editor.

*_template.htm, *_template.js

These are template files that are used to create default content for new goal areas and tasks.

*.gif

Graphic files used on the pages

Creating a Sample Project Guide using the Project Guide Editor

The next section shows you how to create custom Project Guides by using the sidepane wizard. You can also create a custom Project Guide using the Project Guide Editor advanced interface, as well as edit an existing Project Guide using the PG Editor interface.

Before starting, make sure the Project Guide is displayed and select the PG Editor main sidepane. The wizard, as well as the advanced editing UI noted below, do not create content for the Project Guide; they just create the XML, HTML & JScript files.

To create a custom Project Guide using the sidepane wizard:
  1. Click Create Project Guide via sidepane wizard in the PG Editor main side pane to start the Project Guide wizard.
  1. Enter the number of goal areas you need, and then click Save and go to Step 2.
  1. Enter the Name, Description, URL, and Number of Goal Area Tasks for each Goal Area, and then click Save and go to Step 3.
  1. Enter the Task Title, Task Name, and URL for each Goal Area Task, and then click Save and go to Step 4.
  1. Enter the path and file name where you want to save the Project Guide XML content file, as well as all the generated HTML and JScript files for your custom Project Guide, and then click Save or Advanced Edit.
  • When you click
  • Advanced Edit,
  • Microsoft Project saves the files as above, and then loads the newly generated XML content file in the Advanced PG Editor.

Additional information

Customizing the Microsoft Project Guide

Customizing the Microsoft Project Guide for Enterprise Team Builder Light

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The Task Auditor Custom HTML View

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