New features and fixes to Milestones Professional 2006

Is your copy of Milestones Professional 2006 up-to-date?

List of new features and fixes:

• Changed Automation function CopyMetafileToClipboard to not return until metafile has been placed on the clipboard, and to try multiple times to lock the clipboard in case the first lock attempt fails.

• Corrects a problem with hyperlinks being left off of the HTML map command when the hyperlink parent was the last task line on a page in a tiered hierarchy output.
• Corrects a problem with an error 13 in earned value timescaled graphs.

• Corrects a problem with using Milestones/Project Refresh using fields other than UniqueID as the update key.

• Corrects problems with some task lines being left out of HTML files created using the Tiered Hierarchy Internet Publishing feature. The problem was more likely to occur in situations where the schedule has few lines per page set.

• New feature in Hyperlinks added. Now, any hyperlink to a PowerPoint file can be preceded by a "slideNNN," and then, when Milestones activates the PowerPoint hyperlink, that particular slide will be activated. For example "slide002,c:\temp\slideshow.ppt" will cause c:\temp\slideshow.ppt to be loaded into PowerPoint and slide 2 to be shown. To enter hyperlinks to PowerPoint files to take advantage of this feature you must use the Add URL... button, instead of the ADD File... button in order to key both the slide designation and the PPT path and file name. Note that this feature only applies to hyperlinks activated directly by the Milestones GUI, not Milestones created HTML files with embedded hyperlinks. Note also, that the slideNNN part must have "slide" followed by a 3 digit slide number, then a comma. Use as many leading zeros as needed to comply with the exact format required.

• Corrects problems with symbols in summary lines ignoring custom symbol date formats.

• Corrects problems with Taskline Hyperlink importing from MS Project sometimes causing an Error 13 message.

• Corrects more problems with Earned Value (EV) values not importing correctly from MS Project.

• Corrects problem with Earned Value (EV) values not importing correctly from MS Project.

• Corrects problem with SV values not importing correctly from MS Project.

• Corrects problem with MS Project imported symbol text.

• Corrects problem with MS Project refresh.

• Corrects problem with MS Project refreshed symbol text appearing as NA.

• Corrects problem with TotalSlack appearing as NA in files imported from MS Project.

• Corrects problem where Open with Arrow Tool Active choice was ignored when opened via Windows Explorer.

• Corrects 'Save Copy of Chart' problem with schedules opened from an embedded location, like from within a PowerPoint or Word document.

• Corrects Copy all Pages to Powerpoint problem with Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2007.

• For the Microsoft Project interface, Milestones with duration of zero will now be filled and considered complete if percent complete is 100.
• For the Microsoft Project interface, when using a Master schedule with a resource pool, corrected the way the Milestones interface accesses the resource pool.

• An optional 3rd parameter was added to the ApplyColorTheme Automation method. If set to "True", then gridlines are left out of the result.

• Two new methods were added to the Automation interface:
  SetSummarySymbols and SetBaselineSummarySymbols
  Both methods have 3 arguments, the start symbol, the connector, and the end symbol. All three parameters are based upon the index of the desired symbol or connector in the ToolBox. the symbol numbers can range from 1 to 32 and the connector numbers can range from 1 to 16. For example, SetSummarySymbols(3,2,4) would cause the 2nd row of the ToolBox to be used as the symbols and connector used in automatically drawn summary bars.
• A correction was made in the MS Project Import Wizard to ensure that the various option names display correctly.

• A new option was added to the Size/Color/Summary tab of the Symbol Properties dialog box. The new option is a checkbox labeled "Ignore Size Override when placing text and date". If checked the placement of the symbol text and symbol date will be controlled by the symbol size settings for the entire chart rather than any override size attached to the symbol. This overcomes the problem of poor text and date placement on non-square symbols with a size override. This is especially useful for rectangular custom symbols that might need to drawn at a larger than normal size in order to show the needed detail.

• A correction was made that should prevent a crash when SnagIt or other file based printer drivers are set as the default printer.
• A correction was made to the Milestones ThumbNail viewer auxiliary program that should prevent folders set to ThumbNail view from interferring with Milestones files being opened.

• A new tab was added to the Format | Dates | Schedule Details dialog to enable you to view and set the schedule tags.
• A new automation method was added: CopySchedule. This method creates the same OLE objects on the ClipBoard that get created when the GUI Edit | Copy Schedule to Clipboard selection is made.
• Three new Group Policy options were added: DisableHyperlinkInsertion, DisableHyperlinkLaunching, and DisableInternetPublishing.

• Critical tasks in the Gantt step-by-step option in the wizard are filled red past the status date.
• Includes option to tag symbols on Milestones Professional schedule when schedule is exported to MS Project.

• Corrected a problem with reading colors properly from Milestones Etc. version 3.1 files.
• When a ValueSet is cleared any values for the cleared ValueSet attached to symbols get reset to 0.0.

• If you right-click on a column heading you can choose to have an existing column used to set percent complete. Any valid percent complete values found will be used to set the percent complete for task level rows. Note that summary level rows percent complete continue to be controlled by the percent completes for the underlying tasks. The column will be converted to a Milestones Percent Complete SmartColumn.
• The "Files opened Read Only remain unlocked" option under Tools | Options | General is now on by default.

• In the MS Project Refresh Wizard, the Gantt option has a new import format: Current Plan + Baseline w/Status. The status date field to use is obtained from the Optional Combo 1 dropdown box in the final screen of the import wizard.
• There is now a new way to export to MS Project. If MS Project is installed on your computer you can use the new File | Export Data | Direct to MS Project... option. This option will open MS Project, start a new Project file, and then copy the tasklines directly into MS Project without having to create an MPX or XML file.
• There is a new option under Tools | Options | General, the "Files opened Read Only remain unlocked" option. If this option is checked, then if you open a Milestones file read-only, then others may open it for update. Without this option checked others cannot update a file which is already opened by Milestones.

• In the MS Project Refresh Wizard, the Append New tasks selection has been returned to the Refresh option.

• In the MS Project Import Wizard, the Resource - Detailed option now supports additional columns.

• -Corrected a problem in the MS Project import feature that prevented start1/finish1 optional symbols from being connected.
  -Fixed issues related to vertical dependencies (applies to all formats)
  -Added option "Recompute start/end dates" to refresh
  -Fixed feature which sets date range for individual pages - wasn't working in all cases on Summary - Presentation Timeline
  -Added warning message to Custom/SPI Percentage Bar choice to prevent error condition
  -Fixed gantt chart bars to display both start and end date for single day activities which are not zero duration.

• Added two new import options to the MS Outlook import feature. Import Data | MS Outlook | Shared Tasks. These two options allow a user to select a folder of shared tasks or a shared calendar from MS Outlook to import into Milestones.

• The MS Project interface Performance import was enhanced to better handle tasks of short duration.

• The MS Project interface Gantt import was enhanced to better handle tasks of short duration.

• Problems with resetting the "Allow File to be Opened Read-only without password" flag in the Password dialog were corrected. Once set, it was difficult to unset again. This update corrects the reset problem.

• MS Outlook import improvements:
  1) The Outlook Import template now includes columns for "Owner" and "Category" fields from Outlook.
  2) Due date slippage for completed tasks is marked with a baseline milestone showing the "Date Completed" field from Outlook.

• For MS Outlook import choices "Pending Tasks Only" and "Tasks on or after Date…," the task’s body text will be inserted into the symbol notes field in Milestones. Notes are always placed in the end date symbol, unless the task is a single milestone.

• In the MS project Import Wizard, a problem with Earned Value #2 graphing was corrected.
• In the MS project Import Wizard, a problem with performance/stoplight (#7) chart was corrected.
• In the MS project Import Wizard, a problem with the custom option for Summary-condensed gantt optional columns import was corrected.
• The OLE Automation Help file was updated.

• Corrected a problem with percent complete displaying an incorrect value in the Earned Value reports.
• Corrected a problem in how Milestones/MS Project Refresh handles a Flag 10 field containing custom formulas.
• Corrected the problem with Hide Legend not working for floating legends.
• Corrected the problem the Automation help file missing the GetStartDate topic.

• Added Deadline dates to the list of fields that can be refreshed using Milestones/Project refresh.

• Added a "generic" MPX import filter that is displayed on first-time use of the MPX import option. Also corrected a display issue with the outline level selection box in the MPX import wizard.

• Added read of registry entry HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Milestones\Parameters2006\bConvertEmbeddedWMFsToRasterDefault to enable the option added on May 2 to be on by default.

• Added an option to Tools | Options | View to let the user specify that metafiles embedded in metafiles being created are to be first converted to a bitmap before being included. This overcomes an issue with cropped metafiles not be cropped when embedded. This option is only needed if cropped metafiles are embedded in a schedule that is going to be converted to a metafile.

• Corrected problem which could cause percent completes in Summary lines to display incorrectly.

• For MS Project Import, fixed column headings in Performance - Cost Variance and fixed Summary charts to remember extra columns.

• Corrected the Help | About | Program Key dialog to properly indicate that all letters in the Program Key entered are case sensitive.

• An issue with imported baseline symbol start dates from MS Project being off has been corrected.

• Warning note added to the Custom Date Format help dialog mentioning that the Custom date format masks are Case Sensitive.
• New keyboard shortcut that permits all symbols on all lines to be sorted in date order. Press Ctrl+Alt+J to do the sort. Normally symbols are automatically kept in date order, but if they get out of order for any reason, such as from an import or automation operation, this shortcut will put them back in the proper date order.

• Corrects serious problem with 3/21/06 rev concerning an issue with column cells sometimes getting the wrong text when the Text tool is used to edit cells on-screen.
• MS Project duration columns inserted via the Insert menu now get the proper attributes.
• Templates for imported MS Project Performance charts updated.

• For custom MS Project import templates, the files names are saved on the Open and Save As... menus.
• Resource charts 1 and 2 now offer the ability to import multiple optional columns.
• Two Gantt step by step optional symbology problems have been fixed.

• Positioning of overlayed Datagraphs improved in situations where a floating DataGragh or bottom date heading is used.

• Added error message to Save As PDF... function to display a warning when it appears PDF was not generated.

• Added option to Tools | Options | Edit to enable legacy CSV files to be saved as ANSI intead of Unicode.

• Fixed problem that prevented trial version from allowing 20 file saves.

• Correction made to MS Project import to allow refresh of Physical % Complete columns.
• Stop and Resume dates missing from MS project import dropdowns.
• Correction made to spacing on the undocked two row Toolbar.

• Correction made to MS Project import to prevent Color Theme selection from changing symbol colors in the Toolbox.
• Correction made to MS Project Refresh for the Remaining Work field.
• Current date override issue with some MS Project import templates corrected.