Would anyone be interested in automation on their Gantt Projects?

Hi there,

I’m fairly new to Gannt Project and think it’s awesome a tool like this is available for free. Soon after using it for a personal home project, I decided to write a Java application that can read and write the file and automate a few things.

After a month in my spare time, here’s what I’ve built:

  • A single command line configurable application that runs in the various modes
  • Automates visibility of tasks in a GanttProject file by emailing assignees as the task start date arrives. (It can be configured to send repeat notifications at various stages through to end date if completion remains at 0%)
  • Automates status updates from assignees by handling email replies of progress
  • Generates overall project summary for the project manager
    • Active tasks (start date <= today <= end date) with zero completion
    • In flight tasks (0 < completion < 100)
    • Upcoming tasks (today < start date)
  • Generates a filtered project summary of tasks for an individual in response to email request

Since I use Gantt Project on local files, that’s what the application is designed to work with.
I’m using the application now to handle automatic notifications, updates and summaries for my project having installed and scheduled it to run on my Linux server, but it can also run on Windows (or Mac).

Once I finish testing (and based on the interest level response), I’ll pop it all a public Github repo for people to see.

Thanks
David.

Hi,
Seems interesting, but would need clear rules to avoid overloading the email mailbox space :wink:
On the positive way, I would recommend to carefully think about “a process” to understand the value of the automation.
Lastly, I assume that if it works on local files, would also work on a cloud storage…

Thanks for sharing, David!

Thanks for the reply.

Email is used as a cheap and widely available messaging system. “Spam” control configuration ranges from email address entry in an exclusion list (never message this person) right through to notify at start and regularly as long as there’s no progress. Typically, each assignee would receive one email for each assigned task as the start date arrives.
I’m a certified PM working in IT in an investment bank and know from the past the challenge updating MS Project plan tasks with progress for a team. I use JIRA now which is decentralised and assignees can update their tasks independently, but even with that it still takes effort to get the habit established.

I’ve not looked at the cloud version of GP but if it’s little more than accessing a file remotely then should also work.

This is a tool for anyone to use, and one that seems to work for me :slight_smile:

Development complete and code now released in my GitHub.

Link to project is here.

It includes all source code, sample configuration files, base scripts for running on Linux & Windows and Readme documentation with instructions.

The Jar file is available for download in v0.1 release.

New version created a few weeks after first version. The Jar file is available for download in v0.2 release.

Great David. Would it be helpful to have a brief lines of the change log : )
I’m still preaching on my team to use something like this… but no luck now… : (

Hi Manuel - fair point.

I addressed a few edge-case bugs found in the initial release version as I’ve been using pre-release versions for months now. When I get a chance, I’ll summarise the changes for 0.2

Good luck persuading your team. If “carrot” doesn’t work, perhaps bring out the “stick” :wink: