Microsoft KB Archive/187492

= PRJ: Import Error When Opening a Project in MPX Format =

Article ID: 187492

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Project 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Project 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Project 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Project 4.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Project 4.1a

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This article was previously published under Q187492



SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Project, when you open a project in the MPX 4.0 format, you may receive the following import error message:

An import error occurred.

An invalid .MPX record was encountered on line # .

Check the information in your .MPX file to see if there is data in fields that does not match the type of information expected for the fields.

The file cannot be opened.

NOTE: Line #  is the line in the MPX file that contains the incorrect information.



CAUSE
NOTE: This article assumes that you are familiar with working with MPX format files.

This behavior may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

 The version number of the file found in the File Creation record contains a mix of numbers and letters.

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 Record 30 of the MPX file contains incorrect project start or finish dates.

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 Record 10 of the MPX file contains an incorrect currency symbol or decimal separator.



RESOLUTION
NOTE: For the resolution below, the following steps describe how to edit or verify information in an MPX file.  Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Notepad.</li> In Notepad, click Open on the File menu. Open the MPX file.</li> Verify that on the Edit menu, Word Wrap does not have a check by it.</li> The left column contains the records described in this article.

Verify or edit the information as described in the following steps. <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Verify that the version number of the file does not contain a mix of letters and numbers.

The File Creation record (no record number) is the first record in the MPX file.

The fields included in this record are:

 MPX, followed immediately by the list separator character</li> Program Name/Identifier</li> Version Number of the file</li> Code Page (850, 437, MAC, ANSI)</li></ul>

Example: MPX, Microsoft Project, 3.0

This example specifies that a comma is used as the list separator character in this MPX file, and the version of the MPX format used in the file is exported from Microsoft Project version 3.0.</li> Verify that record 30 contains correct dates.

Project Header record (record 30) sets global project fields, such as the project start date and project finish date. The fields in this record correspond to the information in the Project Info and Statistics dialog boxes.

NOTE: When you create a project in the MPX format from a source other then Microsoft Project, and if you do not know a project start date, project finish date, or current date, leave the values blank. Do not enter values outside the acceptable range for Microsoft Project which are 1/1/1984 to 12/31/2049.

The fields and tabs included in this record are:

 Project tab</li> Company</li> Manager</li> Calendar (Standard used if no entry.)</li> Start Date (Either this field or the next field is calculated for an imported file, depending on the Schedule From setting.)</li> <li>Finish Date</li> <li>Schedule From (0 = start, 1 = finish)</li> <li>Current Date</li> <li>Comments</li> <li>Cost</li> <li>Baseline Cost</li> <li>Actual Cost</li> <li>Work</li> <li>Baseline Work</li> <li>Actual Work</li> <li>Work</li> <li>Duration</li> <li>Baseline Duration</li> <li>Actual Duration</li> <li>Percent Complete</li> <li>Baseline Start</li> <li>Baseline Finish</li> <li>Actual Start</li> <li>Actual Finish</li> <li>Start Variance</li> <li>Finish Variance</li> <li>Subject</li> <li>Author</li> <li>Keywords</li></ul>

Example: 30,Clocks Exhibit,National Museum,Michael Edwards,Standard,1/2/95

In this example, the Clocks Exhibit project for the National Museum is managed by Michael Edwards, uses the Standard calendar, and starts on January 2, 1995.</li> <li>Verify the information in record 10 (the Currency Settings record) contains correct values, and edit if necessary.

Record 10 specifies settings for the currency options in the Options dialog box. The fields included in this record are:

<ul> <li>Currency Symbol</li> <li>Symbol Position (0 = after, 1 = before, 2 = after with a space, 3 = before with a space)</li> <li>Currency Digits (0,1,2)</li> <li>Thousands Separator</li> <li>Decimal Separator</li></ul>

Example: 10,$,1,2,",",.

This example specifies that currency values include a dollar sign ($) before them, that two digits are included after the decimal point, that a comma is used to separate thousands, and that a period is used as the decimal point. Because the list separator (comma) character is included in the Thousands Separator field, this field is surrounded by quotation marks.</li></ol> </li> <li>On the File menu, click Save.</li> <li>On the File menu, click Exit.</li></ol>

<div class="status_section">

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Project listed above.

<div class="moreinformation_section">

MORE INFORMATION
For more information about errors when opening a project in MPX format, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

187375 PRJ98: Crash or Error When Opening a Project in MPX Format

Additional query words: prj2000

Keywords: kbbug kberrmsg kbpending KB187492

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