Writing Metadata to MPP

Aspose.Tasks for .NET provides the ability to write metadata to Microsoft Project (MPP) files. This includes properties related to calendars, tasks, task links, resources, and resource assignments. Such metadata can be essential for integration, validation, or project tracking workflows.

This example demonstrates how to write various types of metadata into an MPP file using the Aspose.Tasks API. It covers common fields such as task contact info, resource allocation details, calendar settings, and custom attributes.

Metadata Used in the Example

The following metadata fields are applied:

• Calendar
  • CalendarName
• Task
  • Contact
  • IsMarked
  • IgnoreWarnings
• TaskLink
  • LagFormat
  • LinkLag
• Resource
  • Type
  • Initials
  • MaxUnits
  • Code
  • Group
  • EmailAddress
  • NTAccount
  • IsGeneric
  • AccrueAt
  • TeamAssignmentPool
  • CostCenter
• ResourceAssignment
  • Uid
  • Work
  • RemainingWork
  • RegularWork
  • Start
  • Finish

Here IsMarked and IgnoreWarnings are newly added fields for a task. Similarly for resources, the TeamAssignmentPool and CostCenter properties are provided.

The following steps are followed in the sample code to demonstrate how to write metadata to MPP files:

1. Open a new, blank MPP file.
2. Add working times on Monday of the project calendar and change the project calendar name.
3. Add three tasks with task links and lags.
4. Add two resources, one budget work and one budget cost resource (four in total).
5. Assign budget resources to the project root task (the project summary task).
6. Assign another two resources to the first and second tasks.
7. Set the project baseline.
8. Add a new task extended attribute.
9. Save changes as an MPP file.

Project project = new Project("New Project.mpp");

// Add working times to project calendar
WorkingTime wt = new WorkingTime();
wt.FromTime = new DateTime(2010, 1, 1, 19, 0, 0);
wt.ToTime = new DateTime(2010, 1, 1, 20, 0, 0);
WeekDay day = project.Get(Prj.Calendar).WeekDays.ToList()[1];
day.WorkingTimes.Add(wt);

// Change calendar name
project.Get(Prj.Calendar).Name = "CHANGED NAME!";

// Add tasks and set task meta data
Task task = project.RootTask.Children.Add("Task 1");
task.Set(Tsk.DurationFormat, TimeUnitType.Day);
task.Set(Tsk.Duration, project.GetDuration(3));
task.Set(Tsk.Contact, "Rsc 1");
task.Set(Tsk.IsMarked, true);
task.Set(Tsk.IgnoreWarnings, true);
Task task2 = project.RootTask.Children.Add("Task 2");
task2.Set(Tsk.DurationFormat, TimeUnitType.Day);
task2.Set(Tsk.Contact, "Rsc 2");

// Link tasks
project.TaskLinks.Add(task, task2, TaskLinkType.FinishToStart, project.GetDuration(-1, TimeUnitType.Day));

// Set project start date
project.Set(Prj.StartDate, new DateTime(2013, 8, 13, 9, 0, 0));

// Add resource and set resource meta data
Resource resource = project.Resources.Add("Rsc 1");
resource.Set(Rsc.Type, ResourceType.Work);
resource.Set(Rsc.Initials, "WR");
resource.Set(Rsc.AccrueAt, CostAccrualType.Prorated);
resource.Set(Rsc.MaxUnits, 1);
resource.Set(Rsc.Code, "Code 1");
resource.Set(Rsc.Group, "Workers");
resource.Set(Rsc.EMailAddress, "[e-mail]");
resource.Set(Rsc.WindowsUserAccount, "user_acc1");
resource.Set(Rsc.IsGeneric, new NullableBool(true));
resource.Set(Rsc.AccrueAt, CostAccrualType.End);
resource.Set(Rsc.StandardRate, 10);
resource.Set(Rsc.StandardRateFormat, RateFormatType.Day);
resource.Set(Rsc.OvertimeRate, 15);
resource.Set(Rsc.OvertimeRateFormat, RateFormatType.Hour);
resource.Set(Rsc.IsTeamAssignmentPool, true);
resource.Set(Rsc.CostCenter, "Cost Center 1");

// Create resource assignment and set resource assignment meta data
ResourceAssignment assignment = project.ResourceAssignments.Add(task, resource);
assignment.Set(Asn.Uid, 1);
assignment.Set(Asn.Work, task.Get(Tsk.Duration));
assignment.Set(Asn.RemainingWork, assignment.Get(Asn.Work));
assignment.Set(Asn.RegularWork, assignment.Get(Asn.Work));
task.Set(Tsk.Work, assignment.Get(Asn.Work));

resource.Set(Rsc.Work, task.Get(Tsk.Work));
assignment.Set(Asn.Start, task.Get(Tsk.Start));
assignment.Set(Asn.Finish, task.Get(Tsk.Finish));

// Add extended attribute for project and task
ExtendedAttributeDefinition attr = ExtendedAttributeDefinition.CreateTaskDefinition(CustomFieldType.Flag, ExtendedAttributeTask.Flag1,  "My Flag Field");
project.ExtendedAttributes.Add(attr);

ExtendedAttribute taskAttr = attr.CreateExtendedAttribute();
taskAttr.FlagValue = true;
task2.ExtendedAttributes.Add(taskAttr);

project.Save("WriteMetaData_out.mpp", SaveFileFormat.MPP);

Summary

Writing metadata to an MPP file involves setting structured fields for various project elements. Aspose.Tasks for .NET allows direct access to these fields using the object model. This approach enables integration with other systems and prepares MPP files for detailed reporting or validation.