Costomizing SQL Databasses of Primavera

Hi Siavash,

There is another easier way which you do not have to request license from Primavera is to use SDK (Software Development Kit). It was on CD1 and it use Project Mangement license.

If your demand is just take out data from database and handle it in another environment, this is the best choice.

API is used for manipulate data inside Primavera environment.



SDK Overview

The Primavera SDK makes Project Management data available to external applications. In addition to data, the Primavera SDK provides application business rules and calculated values that facilitate integration with customer databases and applications.

The Primavera SDK makes Primavera data available via an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) type interface and is also compatible with any ODBC client. ODBC clients include programming languages such as VB, PowerBuilder, C++, scripting tools, and so on. The SDK requires some expertise in extracting data from a database (typically, using Structured Query Language (SQL) queries or programming tools), along with some knowledge of the application schema (tables and fields). The SDK supports both read and write of Primavera data.



Thanks

Hi Siavash,

For Ver. 4 it was the same procedure. Does your license include the API?

Regards

Dieter

Hi.

If you buy P6 ,you will have API license by default.

Thanks

Hi Siavash

When you buy P3e you’ll get an API-license free of charge - but not automatically. Start P5, then have a look under:

Help --> About Primavera --> System --> under the headline "license" the last line is Integration API NU(x), CU(0)... If x>0, then you just install the API for up to x users - don’t forget the license entry under Admin--> Users. If x is = 0, then you’ll have to ask your dealer for a new license file which should be free of charge for as many users you have a P5 license - and maybe for the API cd.

Regards

Dieter

Hi Siavash

The German PAR uses the API (A Programmer’s Interface) for an add-on to report progress. I used it already during a turnaround.

The Primavera’s API is delivered free of charge and using this, you won’t need to creep into the data model. I think, it’s too dangerous to write into the database using SQL.

Regards

Dieter

well, fair enough Siavash, it’s very much up to you, as I said.



Roll your sleeves up and take the hood off the SQL d-base. If you get some IT bods to do it for you (rather than planners who know SQL), be prepared for a solution that makes more sense to a d-base programmer than a planner (just my experience!)



Another way would be to produce a KPI curve (or curves) from the DCI dbase to show docs completed by discipline (or whever suits your needs) then show each of these curves as an activity. This should be fairly simple with an export to Excel (or generate the curve directly in SQL, if you’re confident to) and generates the "human break" where you get the opportunity to review the figures before commiting them to your schedule.



120,000 activities is a lot I’m not even sure P3.1 can handle so many (although I know p3e is all new and spanky-like

Siavash



I suppose that what you’re intending to do is have the issuance of a document (for example) logged by your DCI then automagically trip the completion of the matching milestone in your schedule.



Fundamentally, speaking from an SQL standpoint rather than a P3e one (as we’re not using it here yet, still on P3), it should be possible. You need to identify the location in the P3e SQL d-base that holds the relevant info and have an update query trip it. P3e may well include security blocks to prevent you doing that, but admin access should get you past them. What you will need is experience with SQL and a knowlege of how P3e and the dbases you want to interface it with implement it.



However, I think it would be a bad idea.



The project schedules that I design, build and update involve usually around 20,000 activities, which I believe to be typical of chemical plant turnarounds (but I can only speak for what I do). We update these schedules daily during execution. As such, we have 500 - 1000 activities to update on a daily basis, a job that I and others work an early shift to comlpete by 9am each morning. You can imagine that we have long dreamed about and experimented with various ideas to automate the update process and allow us all an extra couple of hours in bed.



Believe me we have tried and it always causes problems. Unless your system is really iron clad you will end up with progress being missed or overstated and, worse still, your system may actually be subverted (read elsewhere about bodies issuing incomplete drawings to "achieve" milestones). Worse than all this will be the feeling in the pit of your stomach when someone points out errors in your milestones at a meeting and you can’t explain why because the updating was automatic and thus unchecked.



For your system to be iron clad it needs to have been run through several projects, preferably subject to attempts at circumvention.



For me at least, a "first eye" check on the progress updating is essential, especially as I know that my own coding is not always 100% correct but I know that the output that I present at 9am each day needs to be.



But, really, it’s up to you.

Hi .

Please elaborate your request sothat we can help you.



Thanks