Link From/To dialog

You use the Link From/To dialog to specify the tasks to which you want to link the task(s) that are currently selected in the bar chart and to specify the type of links you want to create between them. Creating links in this way, rather than drawing them directly onto the bar chart, is an easy way to link tasks which are not close to each other in the bar chart, or which are in different charts or summary groups. You also use this dialog to specify the task to which you want to move the start or end of a link when you have dragged the end of a link into a blank area of the bar chart.

To access the Link From/To dialog, select one or more tasks then on the Home tab, in the Schedule group, click the Add/Delete Links dropdown and select Add Link, or right-click a task and select Linking - Link From/To. This dialog also appears when you draw a link or move the end of a link into a blank area of the bar chart and when you use a number of other menu commands or buttons to create or move links.

Field/Button Description
Link from selected Click this radio button to create links that originate from the task(s) that are currently selected in the bar chart.
Link to selected Click this radio button to create links that finish at the task(s) that are currently selected in the bar chart.
Selected items

The names of the tasks that are currently selected in the bar chart, or if you are moving a link, the task to which one end of the link is still attached. These are the tasks from or to which links will be drawn.

 

If you want to change the tasks from or to which links will be drawn, you can select or deselect tasks in the bar chart while the dialog remains active (unless you are moving a link).
Bar name

Enter a name in this field to create links to or from all tasks on bars with the specified name.

 

You can specify more than one bar name by separating each bar name with the separator character, which is normally a comma. For example, if you enter "Plastering,Plumbing", links will be created to or from all tasks on all bars with a name of either Plastering or Plumbing.
Unique task ID

Enter an ID in this field to create links to or from all tasks with the specified unique task ID.

 

You can specify more than one unique task ID by separating each unique task ID with the separator character, which is normally a comma. For example, if you enter "ADO16,KV6", links will be created to or from all tasks with a unique task ID of either ADO16 or KV6.
WBS code

Enter a WBS code in this field to create links to or from all tasks with the specified WBS code.

 

You can specify more than one WBS code by separating each WBS code with the separator character, which is normally a comma. For example, if you enter "HHR,HHH", links will be created to or from all tasks with a WBS code of either HHR or HHH.
Task ID (WBN)

Enter an ID in this field to create links to or from all tasks with the specified task ID (WBN).

 

You can specify more than one task ID (WBN) by separating each task ID (WBN) with the separator character, which is normally a comma. For example, if you enter "800,600", links will be created to or from all tasks with a task ID (WBN) of either 800 or 600.
Task name

Enter a name in this field to create links to or from all tasks with the specified name.

 

You can specify more than one task name by separating each task name with the separator character, which is normally a comma. For example, if you enter "Foundations,Groundworks", links will be created to or from all tasks with a name of either Foundations or Groundworks.
Use regular expression instead of wild cards

Select this check box if you want to use regular expressions instead of wildcards to specify tasks in the fields above.

 

TQL

Link type

Specify the type of link(s) you want to create. For example, if you are linking from the currently selected task(s), select Finish-to-Start (FS) to create links that start at the end of the currently selected tasks and end at the start of the tasks that meet your criteria.

 

Link types

Lag

Enter the amount of lead/lag, for example 2d or 15h, you want to apply to the link(s) that are created. Leave this field blank to create links with no lead/lag.

 

Drawing links with lead/lag time

Limit linking to items in the following scope Select this check box if you want to limit linking to tasks within specific branches of the current project, or clear the check box to create links throughout the entire programme of projects.
Project hierarchy If you have chosen to limit linking to tasks within specific branches of the current project, select the branch(es) to which you want to limit linking.
Less Click this button to view a simpler version of the Link From/To dialog that offers you fewer options.
Link

Click this button to create the specified link(s).

 

If only one task meets your criteria, a link is created between the selected tasks and that task immediately. If more than one tasks meets your criteria, the Select Link Ends dialog appears, displaying all tasks that meet the criteria. You use this dialog to select the specific tasks to or from which you want to create links.

How do I...

  1. Click the Link from selected radio button to create links that originate from the task(s) that are currently selected in the bar chart, or select the Link to selected radio button to create links that finish at the currently selected task(s). If you are moving a link from one task to another, the appropriate radio button is already selected.
  2. Specify the task(s) with which you want to link the currently selected task(s) or to which you want to move the link by entering information in one or both of the following fields:
    • If you enter a name in the Task name field, Asta Powerproject will link to or from all tasks with the specified name.
    • If you enter a unique task ID in the Unique task ID field, Asta Powerproject will link to or from all tasks with the specified unique task ID.
    • If you enter a WBS code in the WBS code field, Asta Powerproject will link to or from all tasks with the specified WBS code.
    • If you enter a task ID (WBN) in the Task ID (WBN) field, Asta Powerproject will link to or from all tasks with the ID.
    • If you enter a name in the Bar name field, Asta Powerproject will link to or from all tasks on bars with the specified name.

      You can enter more than one name or ID in these fields, separated by the separator character, which is normally a comma. Unless you are moving a link from one task to another, you can use wildcards in these fields to specify more than one task. For example, enter A* in the Unique task ID field to link to or from all tasks whose name begin with the letter A. If you want to use regular expressions instead of wildcards to specify tasks, select the Use regular expressions instead of wild cards check box.
  3. Specify the type of link(s) you want to create in the Link type field.
  4. Enter the amount of lead/lag, for example 2d or 15h, you want to apply to the link(s) that are created in the Lag field. Leave this field blank to create links with no lead/lag.
  5. If you want to limit linking to tasks within specific branches of the current project, select the Limit linking to items in the following scope check box then select the branch(es) of the project to which you want to limit the linking in the field below; otherwise, links are created with tasks throughout the entire project.
  6. Click Link.

Related Topics:

Working with dialogs

Linking tasks without drawing in the bar chart

Moving links from one task to another