Member Avatar for davidbourque

Hi,

My environment looks like this...

Windows 2003 server x64
Citrix 4.5

Users are logged onto a Citrix published desktop and use Outlook 2003 for email. A strange problem occurs when a user tries to open a project 2003 mpp file in an email using content redirection because MS project 2003 is hosted on another server. The Citrix client shows it is loading up project and then comes up with an error because it cannot open the file. The error is 'Project cannot open the file'. I have attached the file for viewing.

To add more confusion, another user is able to open the same 'mpp' file from an identical published desktop.

Any ideas welcome.

Cheers

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by aileenwitts

Dani AI

Generated

Short expert note on what usually causes that error in this kind of Citrix setup and a practical way to prove it quickly.

Most likely this is not Project corruption but a cross-session file-access problem: when Outlook runs in a published desktop session it writes an "open" copy of the attachment into that session's temporary folder. If Project is launched as a published application on a different server the Project process often cannot see the temporary file in the other session, so Project reports "cannot open the file." That fits 's description and explains why one user can open the same attachment (their session may have Project and Outlook on the same server or different client settings).

Quick tests to isolate the cause:

  • Save the attachment explicitly to a network share that both the Outlook server and the Project server can access, then open it from that share. If it opens, the problem is cross-session temp file location.
  • Save the attachment locally on the endpoint and open it with a local Project install to rule out file corruption (this checks 's point).
  • Try the failing user on the exact desktop/session that the working user used (to check profile, client version, or drive-mapping differences).
  • Check whether client drive mapping, antivirus, or a file-lock is involved by looking for the temp file in the Outlook session right after "Open" and confirming Project can access that path.

Practical fixes and next steps:

  • Short-term: instruct users to "Save As" to a network share or desktop and then open Project from that location.
  • Medium-term: publish Outlook and Project on the same server/session, or adjust your Citrix file-hand-off policy so the launched published app can access the attachment (older Presentation Server 4.5 has limitations here).
  • Also verify Project 2003 is installed correctly for the server architecture and confirm antivirus/real-time scanners are not deleting or locking the temp file (' x86 hint is worth checking).

Collect evidence (timestamps, server names, temp-file path, event log/Citrix log entries) before changing production settings; that makes troubleshooting faster and lets you escalate to Citrix support or your SAN team if required.

Member Avatar for toddbarker

Handling project file corruption and/or bloat is one the methods

Second is helpful links where you may find many different opinions of users


Last is directed only for hardly corrupted mpp files, only if another ways doesn't work

https://www.repairtoolbox.com/projectrepair.html Project Repair Toolbox

Method 2 - (This does not apply for Project 2007 and later versions)
Save the file in the Microsoft Project Database format:
1. Open your problem file (it may help to turn off automatic calculation if the file is reluctant to open).
2. Select File/Save As...
3. Save as type: Project Database (*.mpd) then click Save.
4. Close the file.
5. Re-open it from the .mpd file.
6. Select File/Save As... and save it as an .mpp file again.

Member Avatar for aileenwitts

Are you try with x86?

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