Managing Task Durations

Aspose.Tasks for .NET allows developers to read, set, and update task durations programmatically.

The Tsk class provides the following fields:

• Duration Type: TimeSpan
  Purpose: Gets or sets the planned duration of a task.

• DurationFormat Type: TimeUnitType Purpose: Specifies the unit of duration (minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc.).

Checking Durations in Microsoft Project

In Microsoft Project, you can check a task’s duration as follows:

• Go to View > More Views > Task Entry.
• Select a task to see its Duration column.

Example: Setting Task Duration Programmatically

The following example demonstrates how to set and update task durations in C#:

// Create a new project and add a new task
Project project = new Project();
Task task = project.RootTask.Children.Add("Task");

// Task duration in days (default time unit)
Duration duration = task.Get(Tsk.Duration);
Console.WriteLine("Duration equals 1 day: {0}", duration.ToString().Equals("1 day"));

// Convert to hours time unit
duration = duration.Convert(TimeUnitType.Hour);
Console.WriteLine("Duration equals 8 hrs: {0}", duration.ToString().Equals("8 hrs"));

// Get wrapped TimeSpan instance
Console.WriteLine("Duration TimeSpan equals to TimeSpan of 8 hrs: {0}", duration.TimeSpan.Equals(TimeSpan.FromHours(8)));

// Increase task duration to 1 week and display if duration is updated successfully
task.Set(Tsk.Duration, project.GetDuration(1, TimeUnitType.Week));
Console.WriteLine("Duration equals 1 wk: {0}", task.Get(Tsk.Duration).ToString().Equals("1 wk"));

// Decrease task duration and display if duration is updated successfully
task.Set(Tsk.Duration, task.Get(Tsk.Duration).Subtract(0.5));
Console.WriteLine("Duration equals 0.5 wks: {0}", task.Get(Tsk.Duration).ToString().Equals("0.5 wks"));

This example increases and decreases a task’s duration to 1 week and half a week respectively.

Key Notes

• Durations drive project timelines — realistic durations lead to accurate project schedules.
• The duration format ensures tasks are consistently represented across different file types (MPP/XML).
• By programmatically controlling durations, developers can automate scheduling and maintain data integrity when exchanging project data.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between Duration and Work in Microsoft Project?

• Duration is the total time a task takes to complete, while Work is the total effort required by resources.

Q: Can I set different duration formats (e.g., days vs. hours)?

• Yes. Use the DurationFormat property with the TimeUnitType enumeration.

Q: Does Aspose.Tasks support duration updates in both MPP and XML files?

• Yes. Duration handling is consistent across supported Microsoft Project formats.

Q: Can I programmatically shorten project timelines by reducing durations?

• Yes. Updating task durations directly affects the project’s critical path and end date.