Clarity

The new MSP Interface shipped with v14 and higher CA PPM versions is XML based, which means an XML version of each of the downloaded projects will get written to a ‘tmp’ folder under \CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\bin.

The ‘tmp’ folder gets created automatically under the Program Files directory the first time a project is opened in MSP. If the ‘tmp’ folder cannot be created due to user’s insufficient permission, the projects cannot be opened in MSP.

Some of most common symptoms caused by having restricted access to the install directory include:
1.            Loading process remains stuck at ‘Writing XML files’ step
2.            ‘Microsoft Project stopped working’ message

Depending on the user access on the workstation, manually creating a new ‘tmp’ folder under the bin folder works and XML files will get written here. If the access restriction cannot be worked around, the next option would be to choose a different directory that the user has full access to during the MSP Interface installation.

Here is an example of the steps to change the install directory to the C: drive:

1. When downloading the mspsetup.exe, change the download folder from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA Clarity PPM Setups’ to ‘C:\CA Clarity PPM Setups’ on the first set of window prompts.
2. During the installation of ‘CA Clarity PPM Microsoft Project Interface’, change the “Install to” directory from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\’ to ‘C:\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\’
3. Similarly, during the installation of ‘CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect’, change the “Install to” directory from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\’ to ‘C:\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\’

This is currently working as designed, our teams are collecting feedbacks and use cases through this enhancement idea of adopting a different architecture that will avoid the situation described above. We encourage you to review and vote up!

New MSP interface should not use Program Files folder to save xmls

Thanks.

Similar need with OWB views.

Not allowing access to Program FiIes in Windows improves security but it has its downside.

Thanks for sharing this, Maria

Regards

NJ

Thanks for the tip Maria!

Maria Whiteside wrote:

 

The new MSP Interface shipped with v14 and higher CA PPM versions is XML based, which means an XML version of each of the downloaded projects will get written to a ‘tmp’ folder under \CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\bin.

 

The ‘tmp’ folder gets created automatically under the Program Files directory the first time a project is opened in MSP. If the ‘tmp’ folder cannot be created due to user’s insufficient permission, the projects cannot be opened in MSP.

 

Some of most common symptoms caused by having restricted access to the install directory include:
1.            Loading process remains stuck at ‘Writing XML files’ step
2.            ‘Microsoft Project stopped working’ message

 

Depending on the user access on the workstation, manually creating a new ‘tmp’ folder under the bin folder works and XML files will get written here. If the access restriction cannot be worked around, the next option would be to choose a different directory that the user has full access to during the MSP Interface installation.

 

Here is an example of the steps to change the install directory to the C: drive:

1. When downloading the mspsetup.exe, change the download folder from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA Clarity PPM Setups’ to ‘C:\CA Clarity PPM Setups’ on the first set of window prompts.
2. During the installation of ‘CA Clarity PPM Microsoft Project Interface’, change the “Install to” directory from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\’ to ‘C:\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\’
3. Similarly, during the installation of ‘CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect’, change the “Install to” directory from ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\’ to ‘C:\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\’

 

This is currently working as designed, our teams are collecting feedbacks and use cases through this enhancement idea of adopting a different architecture that will avoid the situation described above. We encourage you to review and vote up!

 

New MSP interface should not use Program Files folder to save xmls

Thanks Maria - this is helpful.

Is there anyway to change the default directories in the install tools, so that they do not need to be changed manually?  Would be best, my opinion, if default directory was under the user's My Documents folder.  Or, is manual change during install the only option?

We are still on 13.1 and have started our upgrade process to 14.2.  Have heard that changes have been made/bugs fixed that allow installation via network service to work correctly,  If the option to install via network service works, can the default directory during this type of install be set to a folder under My Documents?

We're still early into our upgrade process, so haven't yet been able to test/validate anything related to the CA PPM/MSP interface.  Thanks for any info you can provide on these questions.

Dale

Maria,

We have our 14.2 system running in Sandbox (SB) environment, now.  Ran into this "Writing XML File" issue, then recalled this thread.  I've removed/reinstalled the interface, twice now - once to C: as described in your Tuesday Tip, and once to My Programs under C:\users\[myaccountname]\.

In both cases, I have made some progress (export of project no longer stalls at "Writing XML Files."

Instead, the export process now stalls at "Opening XML files in MSP," on some projects, not all.  Also, where it works, it is not 14 times faster than the legacy interface.  My initial testing is showing that it is actually slower.

Times are in mm:ss.

• PR28183 13.1  Not recorded
• PR28183 14.2 XML:  1:06
  • based on memory, this may be about the same/a bit faster than 13.1
  • certainly, this project doesn't take 14 minutes to open in 13.1 - 90% confident 13.1 number is between 1-3 minutes
  • will repeat on 13.1 after I return my machine to 13.1 configuration
• PR31376 13.1:  1:50
• PR31376: 14.2 XML:  Stalled at "Open XML files in MSP"

• PR36470 13.1:  3:53
• PR36470 14.1 Legacy:  3:49
• PR36470 14.1 XML:  Stalled at "Open XML files in MSP"

On my machine, running Windows 7 64-bit and MSP2010 32-bit.

Haven't identified a common thread yet, as to what causes a project to open vs. stall.

With the recent 14.3, does anyone know where the XML-files are stored by default with the new driver?

When we are trying to open a file to MSP 2013, Schedule Connect crashes in the stage when XML-files are being written. We cannot find any traces where files are stored, no TMP-folder seems to be created as with the 14.2-driver.

-Thomas