Finding all possible paths in a MS Project activity network using PL/SQL

Microsoft Project 98 saves a network of defined activities, called a project, in an MPP file. You can save the whole project into an Oracle database and all 38 tables supporting the project definition will be created. Task_Dependencies is the table that represents all possible activity dependencies. The following procedure is a recursive one to actualy draw all possible paths from the starting activity to the finish. Execute this SP with sp_dfs_path_alg (n,'',:s) where n is the starting activity code and s is the returned status. Here is the code:

 
Create or replace procedure sp_dfs_path_alg 
 (nRoot   IN  number , cMaslul IN  varchar2 , nStatus IN OUT NUMBER) 
 as 
 nPathExist int; 
 cursor c_Maslul is 
   SELECT SuccessorTaskUniqueId 
   FROM "Task_Dependencies" 
   where PredecessorTaskUniqueId = nRoot; 
cMaslulSon varchar2(2000); 
begin 

 nStatus := 0; 
   
 cMaslulSon := trim(cMaslul) || '->' || trim(to_char(nRoot)) ; 

   select count(*) 
   into nPathExist 
   from "Task_Dependencies" 
   where PredecessorTaskUniqueId = nRoot; 

   IF nPathExist = 0 then 
       DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (cMaslulSon) ; 
   ELSE 
       FOR cm in c_Maslul LOOP 
                 sp_dfs_path_alg (cm.SuccessorTaskUniqueId,cMaslulSon,nStatus); 
       END LOOP; 
   END IF; 

EXCEPTION 
 when Others then 
    nStatus := SQLCODE; 
end sp_dfs_path_alg;

Reader Feedback

Narendra P. writes: Can you please tell how these 38 tables will be created?

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Alex P. writes: The author says "You can save the whole project into an Oracle database." HOW? This tip is useless with out the missing explanation of how you can save an MPP file into an Oracle database -- I've looked at the MPP file, and its just gibberish.

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This was first published in July 2002

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