The Blog at Jumptree, a guide to project management, business, coding and anything else that we can think of.

Installing Jumptree using Microsoft Platform Installer

| Tue Mar 9 2010

Previously, we blogged about Microsoft Platform Installer (MS PI) and
the few lessons we learned while packaging up Jumptree to be installable by MS PI.

Since then, we had a few questions on how exactly do we use the MS
PI GUI to install the package on IIS 7, today we’ll walk  you through it
and hopefully make it a little more easier.

Disclaimer: While Jumptree is compatible with Microsoft Platform Installer, it’s not officially supported.

Before we get started, first make sure you created an empty database, in our case, we created an empty database called “V12SP1”.

Step 1: Install Microsoft Platform Installer.

Step 2: Open up your IIS Manager (Control Panel –> Administrative Tools –> IIS Manager)

Step 3: Click on “Import Application” Link on the right under “Deploy” Section and navigate to Jumptree release file

*Tips:  Make sure you clicked on the “Default Web Site” on the left panel or else, “Deploy” section won’t show up

MSPI2

Step 4: Select the Contents of the Package, use everything default

MSPI4

Step 5: Select a “Database” . (“Use Existing Database”)

MSPI5

*Note: Use existing database is the safest  and works both on SQL server 2000, 2005, and 2008. However, during our testing, for some reasons, “Create New Database” only works with 2005 and above. Does not work with Sql server 2000.

Step 6: Enter Application Package Information

MSPI6

You can modify the values as needed such as the virtual directory name “Jumptree”. Your database IP address, database name, user name / password, etc. Just make sure your user name has the sufficient privileges to create tables, procedures and etc. (DB_Owner)

Step 7: Installation Progress and Summary

MSPI7

Step 8: License file and Installer

First, if you are an customer and you installed the purchased version, then please drop your license file into [Installation Directory]/APP_Data/ directory.

If you are installing a trial version, then you do not have to do the previous.

For security purpose, you need to disable the installer after it’s done, so please open up web.config and find


<add key="enableinstaller" value="true" />

and change it to


<add key="enableinstaller" value="false" />

Step 9: Login

If your virtual directory is /Jumptree, then go to

http://localhost/Jumptree/login.aspx

username/password : admin/admin

Thanks and hope you have fun and be productive with Jumptree

How to easily translate Jumptree Project into any language

| Mon Jan 11 2010

What are Perspectives in Jumptree?

In business-speak, Jumptree Perspectives enables users to completely change and use the terminologies and lexicon suitable for their industries and organizations.

In normal terms, it means you can change the text in Jumptree to anything you want.

Why you might need Jumptree Perspectives.

If you have teams from multiple countries, then allowing them to use Jumptree Project in their native language can improve clarity and help them be more productive.

Or if your organization has multiple departments, the terminology used in one group might be completely different from another (e.g. Cases vs. Tasks vs. Issues).

Traditionally, software vendors prepare themselves for other languages by implementing a globalization strategy with internationalization. But with this approach, you are limited to one translation per language.

Jumptree solves this problem by offering a concept called Perspectives—allowing multiple translations per language.

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Custom Fields in Jumptree

| Sun Jan 10 2010

When you’re evaluating a project management system, one important question to ask is, “Can this application conform to my organization’s existing workflow?”

For example, while one organization might be OK with the default project fields provided by Jumptree, another organization might need additional information in order to start a project.

Now we understand that different organizations will have different ways to manage projects—and so our goal is to make Jumptree Project as flexible as possible.

So today we’re going to show you an example of how our Custom Fields option lets you easily modify Jumptree Project to fit your needs.

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Effective Project Management: The Change Order Form

| Wed Mar 12 2008

Back when I was consulting, the one thing that would give me cold sweats at night was expecting to get a call saying the clients wanted some changes to be made.

And I hate changes…well, not actually hate but maybe a really strong dislike…

The main reason is because of all the wasted time that was spent prior to that. All that time spent on negotiating the contract, workflow-ing the specs, drinking Starbucks…and of course let’s not forget hours actually spent working on the original requirements.

Now I don’t blame the client—because that’s what consulting is all about.

As their guide, it’s your job to figure out what they want. But unfortunately a lot of times they aren’t sure either.

That’s why contracts, requirements, specs, and all that stuff should never be considered the Holy Grail.

Of course it’s hard not to get personal because you spend so much time on it that it’s like your baby and someone is telling you, “Um…yeah…something’s wrong with your kid. It’s gotta change!”

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