Dont forget to "Remember Me"

Scenario: Project Managers working with Data-Analysis in Project Server 2007.

Issue: Two users with the identical user rights attempting to view and work with Data-Analysis views. One user is able to access views without issue while the other gets a message regard a "Transport Layer" issue. Micrsoft Knowledge Base points to similar issues arising when attempting to connect to Analysis Services when working in a Workgroup setting. The blogsphere and community see a similar issue when have the wrong or missing component like MSXML 6.0 or lack of SP1. None of these situations applied to this issue.

We concluded that the user had the proper rights and that Data-Analysis was properly configured based on our testing. The one caveat was that the users would log into their machines locally (due to a policy on their client site) when accessing the Project Server environment.

As we worked through the troublshooting, we focused on the fact that the users were being prompted to login into PWA, because they were logging into their machines locally. One of the users checked off the "Remember Me" option when logging on while the other user left it unchecked when coming into PWA and that was the solution to the issue. The credentials were not being passed to Analysis Services and therefore throwing an error, even though the client was able to see all other areas of PWA.

It was the perception of the client to realize this subtle difference and recognize the solution was just a check box away. "You rock Kathy!"

Installing EPM 2010

Couple items to be aware of as you look to install the Public Beta of Project Server 2010:

1. You will need SharePoint Server 2010
a. You will need to install the Standalone version if your not using AD. (It will not accept local accounts)
b. Be ready to install components outside of the prerequisites utility that comes with the setup.
-Powershell
-Geneva Framework

Microsoft Project 2010-Navigation

Get familar with the new interface in Microsoft Project 2010.

Looks like the ribbon is here to stay-even for MS Project

This is a good link to get started learning about the new ribbon in Project 2010. We will be scheduling a webinar in November demonstrating and talking about the new functionality found in the ribbon with Project 2010:

http://blogs.msdn.com/project/archive/2009/09/24/project-2010-introducing-the-ribbon.aspx

Enjoy!

Corrupt Cache is improperly displaying Custom Fields in Project Professional

The wrong custom field values are displaying in the Project Professional client. PWA is displaying the values correctly.

Verify:

1. You have the same SP applied to the client and the server(s)
2. Clear the cache on the client machine:
a. Run the command %appdata% in the Run dialog.
b. In the Application Data dialog, navigate to the folder Microsoft\MS Project\Cache.
c. Delete all of the files in this directory.

Upgrading to IE 8 and unable to display grid in Project and Resource Centers

After upgrading to IE 8, you are unable to download the Active X control to display grids in Project and Resource Centers:

Follow these steps:


1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. Click the General tab, and then click Settings in the Browsing history section.
4. Click View Objects.
5. Right-click Pj12enuC Class, and then click Remove.
6. Right-click PjAdoInfo4 Class, and then click Remove.
7. Close the View Objects window, and then click OK two times

HotFix: KB 946517

If you recieve the following error:

Access to the path 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS' is denied.

or

Reason: "Attempted to read or write protected data"

Try installing the following HotFix:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946517

We recieved these errors after a new medium farm build and the hotfix solved the problem.

Configurating Data-Analysis in Project Server 2007 with SQL Server 2008

Configurating Data-Analysis in Project Server 2007 with SQL Server 2008

It is important to understand that the following Microsoft KB Guidance for configuring Data-Analysis needs some important additions and considerations:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd285466.aspx

First lets look at the following requirements:

"The way to install the DSO library is to get a set of redistributable packages included in the SQL Server 2005 Feature Pack. That set consists of:
Microsoft SQL Server Native Client
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Management Objects Collection
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility Components"

It is important to install the Microsoft SQL Server Native Client for SQL Server 2008. This is due to the "Provider" that we use in the setup of Analysis Services.

The remaining components need to be from the 2005 Feature Pack.

Also, keep in mind that the OLAPUsers Group that we knew in 2005 is now called:
SQLServerMSASUser$

This is important when referencing the following step:

Add the SSP account to the OLAP users group
When you install SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services, a local group is created on the server that allows users to access it. This group is named SQLServerMSASUser$$MSSQLSERVER. You must add the SSP account to this group.

Everything else in the KB should be good to follow.