The Tasks Tab

The Tasks Tab

The Tasks tab shows all of the tasks in your schedule, listed in a multi-column format.

The columns show, task name; start date; end date; planned start date; planned end date; task type; whether any objects from the model are attached to the task; whether the task is linked to an external schedule; index of task in external schedule; and unique ID of task in external schedule.

An icon is displayed to the left of each task. These identify the current status of the task, with relation to attached items and links to external schedules:

A context menu, accessed by right clicking in the Tasks tab, allows you to perform a number of functions to create, edit and check the tasks in your schedule:

• Add Task . Choose this to add a new task to the schedule. "New Task" will be created and by default assigned the present date which you can change by clicking on the drop down icon to the right of the Start and End dates, then choosing the date you require from the calendar that is displayed:

  Note

  The dates under the Start and End columns are Actual start and end dates. For Planned start and end dates, see >assigning planned start and end dates

  

  Use the left and right arrow buttons at the top of the calendar to move backwards and forwards a month, respectively, then click on the day you require.

  Should you wish to change the start or end time, select the task, then click once on the time to highlight the hour, minute or second field. Once highlighted, you can then edit its value. Use the left and right arrow keys to move to the next time unit field. The date can also be edited in this way.

  Should you also wish to add Planned start and end dates, simply click on the drop down icon to the right of the Planned Start and Planned End dates, then choose the date you require from the calendar.

  Note

  If you have both Actual and Planned dates entered, but would like to disable one or the other, then this can be done by unchecking the check box to the left of the date.

  From the Task Type drop down, select the type of task you wish this task to be. There are three pre-defined task types, Construct, Demolish and Temporary . The task type defines how the items attached to the task will be displayed during simulation; for example, a default construction sequence would start with all items hidden, as the task starts the attached items will be displayed in transparent green, then as the task ends the attached items will be displayed as they are in the normal model display (this may be with materials applied if previously set up in JetStream Presenter). Task Types themselves can be defined and new types created in the Configure tab.

  Each task has it's own Status identified by an icon, representing planned against actual relationships:

  	Actual start and end dates equal Planned start and end dates
  	Actual end date before Planned start date
  	Actual start date after Planned end date
  	Actual start date before Planned start date and Actual end date after Planned end date
  	Actual start date before Planned start date and Actual end date equals Planned end date
  	Actual start date equals Planned start date and Actual end date after Planned end date
  	Actual start date equals Planned start date and Actual end date before Planned end date
  	Actual start date after Planned start date and Actual end date equals Planned end date
  	Actual start date before Planned start date and Actual end date before Planned end date
  	Actual start date after Planned start date and Actual end date after Planned end date
  	Actual start and end dates only
  	Planned start and end dates only

  Note

  The relevant Status icon will be automatically displayed based on the tasks actual and planned start and end dates.

  The check box in the Active column enables you to turn a task on/off. If a task is turned off, then it will not appear in the simulation . For hierarchical tasks, turning off the parent task will automatically turn off all child tasks.

  JetStream TimeLiner supports a hierarchical task structure, as brought through from a link to your scheduling software, e.g. Microsoft Project (see The Links Tab for more information). The hierarchy can be expanded or contracted by clicking on the plus or minus sign, respectively, to the left of the task.

  Note

  It is possible to move between entries in a manually editable task using the keyboard. Simply select a task that has been set to be manually editable, and use Tab and Shift-Tab to move forwards and backwards between fields. The keyboard can then be used to edit and set each entry where necessary.

• Delete Task . Choose this to delete the selected task(s).

• Detach Selection . Choose this to detach the currently selected items in the scene, from the selected task(s). See the chapter called "Selecting Items" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on making a selection in the scene.

• Attach Selection . Choose this to attach the currently selected items in the scene, to the selected task(s). See the chapter called "Selecting Items" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on making a selection in the scene.

• Append Selection . Choose this to append the currently selected items in the scene, to the items already attached to the selected task(s). See the chapter called "Selecting Items" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on making a selection in the scene.

• Attach Search . Choose this to attach all items selected by the current Search , to the selected task(s). See the section called "Finding Items" in the chapter called "Finding" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on searching.

• Attach Named Search . Choose this to attach all items selected by the named search currently selected in the selection tree. For example, anything on the Sets or Properties tabs.

• Attach Selection Set . This option is used to attach all items contained within a Selection Set , to the selected task(s). When you choose this option a list of all Selection and Search Sets saved in the current scene is displayed. Choose the Selection or Search Set you wish to attach to the task(s). See the section called "Selection and Search Sets" in the chapter called "Selecting Items" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on Selection and Search Sets.

• Display Attached Items . Choose this to select in the scene and the selection tree, all items attached to the selected task(s). The items will be highlighted based on the selection options you have defined. See the section called "Selection Options" in the chapter called "Selecting Items" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on selection options.

• Relink . Choose this to relink the selected task with your scheduling software. You will only be able to relink the parent task, i.e. the task with the same name as the link. You will be prompted to choose the link to attach the task to, as you may have more than one link set up. See Select Link Dialog for more information on linking tasks.

  Note

  Whilst a task is linked to an external schedule, Actual or Planned start and end dates cannot be edited. Unlinking a task from it's schedule will enable you to edit the dates, however it will obviously no longer be synchronized with the schedule. For editing of dates, it is recommended to do this in the scheduling software and then Synchronize Tasks from Link

• Unlink . Choose this to unlink the selected task from an external schedule, enabling you to maually edit start and end dates. You will only be able to unlink the parent task, i.e. the task with the same name as the link.

• Check . This option enables you to check the validity of the schedule, by identifying items that have not been included in any task, are duplicated in multiple tasks or, are in overlapping tasks. Choosing Check will list the available checks, including:

  • Find uncontained items . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are not attached to a task, or are not contained within any other item attached to a task.

    Note

    A Contained item is the child of another item. For example, if you select a Group, Block or Cell which is comprised of various pieces of geometry, then that geometry is contained within the Group, Block or Cell. A Group, Block or Cell may therefore be attached to a task and although the child geometry is not directly attached ltself, it is contained within an item that is attached.

  • Find contained items . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are either attached to a task or contained within any other items attached to a task.

  • Find attached items . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are directly attached to a task.

  • Find items attached to multiple tasks . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are directly attached to more than one task.

  • Find items contained in multiple tasks . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are either attached to, or contained within any other item that is attached to more than one task.

  • Find items attached to overlapping tasks . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are attached to more than one task, where the task durations overlap.

  • Find items contained in overlapping tasks . Choose this to select any items in the scene that are either attached to, or contained within any other item that is attached to more than one task, where the task durations overlap.

• Tools . This option enables you to quickly create your own schedule, based on model layers, topmost items, or selection sets:

  • Add named task for each topmost Layer . Choose this to create a new task for each topmost layer in the current scene. Each task will be named the same as the topmost layers and each layer will be attached to the corresponding task. Start and End dates will be automatically created, starting from the current date and incrementing by one day for each subsequent end and start date. Planned Start and End dates will also be automatically created and these will be the same as the 'Actual' dates. Finally, the task type will be set to Construct.

  • Add named task for each topmost item . Choose this to create a new task for each topmost item in the current scene, which may be a layer, a group, block or cell, or geometry, depending on how the model is constructed. Each task will be named the same as the topmost item and each item will be attached to the corresponding task. Start and End dates will be automatically created, starting from the current date and incrementing by one day for each subsequent end and start date. Planned Start and End dates will also be automatically created and these will be the same as the 'Actual' dates. Finally, the task type will be set to Construct.

  • Add named task for each selection set . Choose this to create a new task for each selection set in the current scene. Each task will be named the same as the selection set and each selection set will be attached to the corresponding task. Start and End dates will be automatically created, starting from the current date and incrementing by one day for each subsequent end and start date. Planned Start and End dates will also be automatically created and these will be the same as the 'Actual' dates. Finally, the task type will be set to Construct.

• Add Comment . Choose this to add a comment to the task. See the section called "Commenting" in the chapter called "Reviewing" in the JetStream Roamer book for more information on adding comments.

• Rename . Choose this to rename the task. When the text field becomes active, enter the new name then press Enter to save it.

TimeLiner tasks can be sorted on a per-column basis. This can be done in two ways.

Firstly columns can be sorted by left-clicking on the column headers. Clicking multiple times will alternate the sort between ascending and descending, treating a-z, 0-9, Monday-Friday etc. as ascending.

Tasks can also be sorted by right-clicking on the column heading and clicking Sort

Columns can then be sorted by selecting Ascending or Descending

Maintain Hierarchy , that is, keeping contained tasks inside their containers, is on by default, and shows in this menu with a tick next to it. When sorting with Maintain Hierarchy selected, tasks are sorted first by container, then by container contents.

If it is not required to maintain the hierarchy in the sort, then Maintain Hierarchy can be un-ticked. Sorting without the hierarchy maintained will treat the tasks and containers as un-connected items and sort everything together.

All columns can be sorted in this manner. If Sorting is selected on the Status column, activities will be sorted from early through to late start for ascending, and vice-versa for descending.