Merlin 2.9.1 update available
Frank Blome on 16. April 2013
Today we’ve released a new free update for Merlin and Merlin Server for Mac. The 2.9.1 update brings various improvements and more stability. It is recommended for all Merlin and Merlin Server users.
Updating instructions for Merlin for Mac or Merlin Server…
Tags: Merlin, Merlin Server, Update
Merlin – Combine projects
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 21. March 2013
There are various ways to combine projects into one master project.
Combine local Merlin projects – no Merlin Server involved:
If combining local projects of your local hard disk, you can select them all and drag onto Merlin‘s icon or double click them and select ‘combine’ or choose File > Combine Projects:
Combine shared Merlin Server projects:
If combining projects which are shared by Merlin Server, please proceed as shown here:
That is… you choose File > Combine Projects, add the projects and open them by “remote open”. If the new master is to be shared by the same Merlin Server, save the file first on your local disk and copy it in a second step into the ‘Projects’* folder of Merlin Server.
—-
*) Or any other folder your Merlin Server shares.
Tags: Combine, Merlin, Merlin Server
Merlin – Address Book Contacts on Mountain Lion
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 17. December 2012
I would like to add resources into my Merlin project from the mac Address Book. When I look in the Merlin library the Address Book icon is there but I can’t seem to get it to populate with any contacts. When I drag and drop a contact from my Address Book on to the resources list, it adds a new resource but doesn’t provide any of the contact information. I am using the latest Merlin for Mac OS X version on a current OS X 10.8.x (Mountain Lion)- Can you help?
When working on Mountain Lion, you should allow Merlin to access the Address Book contacts. If this is not the case, Merlin won’t be able to list those contacts in the Library or provide contact information.
So please check System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Contacts > … 
Tags: access, Address Book, Merlin, Privacy, Resource, Security
Merlin – Project currency
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 6. December 2012
How do I set the default currency of a Merlin project to Euro. It always shows GBP.
The currency symbol of a Merlin project is saved in the project settings; File > Project Settings > General > Currency Symbol.
You can define it as required. This change applies for the specific project you are currently editing.
The currency symbol for new empty projects defaults to the currency symbol of your Mac OS X preference pane: Language & Text > Region > Currency. (more…)
Merlin – License it by drag & drop
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 4. December 2012
To license your installed Merlin for Mac OS X application is easy. Just drag the license files you’ve purchased onto Merlin’s application icon on the Finder.
Should you have additional licenses for Web or iPhone sharing, you can install them exactly in the same way.
Tags: Drag&drop, License, Merlin
Merlin – Port forwarding
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 13. November 2012
When publishing a Merlin project and want to access it over the internet, port forwarding needs to take place. Users accessing the project over the internet call the external IP address of the router, and the router forwards connections to the Mac sharing the Merlin projects. Read here to improve your undestanding to connection requests.
If your router supports Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) or NAT Port Mapping Protocol*, you should enable “port forwarding” for the appropriate sharing service you need yours projects to be shared for in Merlin > Preferences > Sharing … 
…priorly to enabling web sharing over File > Publish > Web > Start
Merlin will then calculate the @ symbol to contain the external IP address of the router and the @ icon will finally turn from red to blue.
In the screenshot sample above, port forwarding is enabled for web sharing (applying also for iPhone sharing) but not for project sharing. That’s fine, you don’t need to enable port forwarding for project sharing if you don’t want to allow Merlin users to remotely open your shared projects over the internet.
If however your router does not support UPNP, so you had to configure your router to do port forwarding, there is no reason to enable ’port fowarding‘ in Merlin preferences. Merlin won’t receive the external IP address of the router, as the router replies only if it speaks UPNP. And even if you enable “port forwarding” in Merlin, you still get a red @ icon when sharing. (more…)
Tags: Forward in Router, Merlin, Merlin Server, Port forwarding, UPNP
Planned – Actual – Expected
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 20. September 2012
When managing a project with Merlin, you can juggle with different kinds of values: given planned, planned, actual and expected.
‘Given Planned…’ values are values you enter while you schedule your project.
‘Actual Start’, ‘Actual End’, ‘% Complete’ are values you update while recording work done in your tasks. They may or may not contain any data. ‘Actual Work‘ will be then calculated based on above data.
‘Expected…’ and ‘Planned…’ values are calculated. That means, they will always contain data.
Planned values:
If you have entered given planned values for the task, milestone, activity group, assignment or resource the planned values, planned values will be equal to those given planned values. Planned values can also sum up given planned values on sub activities or assignments.
Expected values:
An activity which had not been started yet, has expected values based on the planned values.
An activity which is in progress, has expected values based on the actual and planned values.
A completed activity has expected values referencing only the actual values. (more…)
Tags: Actual, Expected, Merlin, Planned
Applescript – MS Word to Merlin
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 12. September 2012
Can I import a selected list of activities from a MS Word document into Merlin as tasks?
Merlin can import various file formats. For a complete list please check related topic in Merlin online help.
MS Word documents are most commonly used for long texts and maybe project or task scope description. Lists are usually recorded in MS Excel, GTD applications, or even mindmapping software. To import tasks out of an MS Word document, you should export it into a compatible format.
- So you select in MS Word File > Save as… > Plain Text
- MS Word prompts for the desired formatting and encoding
- You save the file
- You drag the plain text file to Merlin’s project listing and
- map the field in the plain text to Merlin’s <title> column.
- Merlin will then import the list into the existing project.
To quicken things however, we have created a small Applescript sample, which handles the current MS Word selection, goes through its paragraphs and enters them as tasks into an existing Merlin project.
If interested, feel free to download, use or modify as you like. (more…)
Tags: Applescript, Merlin, MS Word
Merlin – I have lost my license, where can I find it?
Vicky Stamatopoulou on 7. September 2012
From time to time, we get in support the following request:
I have lost my Merlin license, where can I find it?
If you have installed your license key to your Merlin on your Mac, you will find it in your local Application Support directory (~/Library/Application Support/Merlin/Licenses/).
Installed Merlin Server licenses are usually in /Library/Application Support/Merlin Server/Licenses.
In case you don’t have access to the Licenses folder, or the file had been deleted by mistake, and need to request a new copy of your license key, please start Merlin and select Help > Lost License or use a web form we’ve specially created for this purpose .
That’s it.
PS: Should you require a new installation of Merlin or Merlin Server, just download a new copy for free as found in our downloads area.
Tags: License, Lost license, Merlin, Merlin Server
Merlin 2.9 update with support for OS X 10.8
Antoni Cherif on 12. July 2012
Today we’ve released a new free Merlin update. The Merlin 2.9 update brings various improvements and more stability. It is recommended for all Merlin and Merlin Server users.
How to update Merlin
How to update Merlin Server
- Merlin and Merlin Server support new Gatekeeper and start on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion as identified software.
With Mountain Lion Apple introduces a new technology called “Gatekeeper”. Gatekeeper helps protect you from downloading and installing malicious software on your Mac, no matter where your apps come from. And it gives you even more control over which apps you install. With the standard option Gatekeeper installs only apps from the Mac App Store and apps from identified developers. Merlin and Merlin Server are now signed by ProjectWizards as an indentified developer and working with the Gatekeeper default option under OS X Mountain Lion.
We highly recommend users of OS X Mountain Lion to install this update.
Updating existing installations of Merlin Server: The formerly contained certificate is now replaced by the new one verified by Apple. Therefore the very first time you start Merlin Server, you will be asked to allow accessing Keychain for the existing certificate to be replaced. Please click on “Allow always”.
Resolved Issues in Merlin
- Freemind HTML export was broken.
- LDAP items with images could not be loaded.
Tags: 2.9, Merlin, Mountain Lion, Update
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PMOT, AGILE Tweets
- Project and Product environments: What is the difference and why does it matter? Blog article: http://t.co/CYjJEeRyCV #pmot #agile agilekrc (KRC)
- RT @solutionsiq: Changing to Agile, in an #Agile Manner http://t.co/xmosgixXQw You can’t waterfall your way into it #pmot BobMaksimchuk (Bob Maksimchuk)
- RT @AbeoVerto: RT @SusanneMadsen - #Agile or #Waterfall? 8 Tips to Help You Decide http://t.co/8kw50mLMuB #pmot socialiteSOS (Jo Greenwood)
- Wow, scheint so als wäre Leffingwell's "Agile Software Requirements" Buch das Umfangreichste im agilen Umfeld #PMOT #agile Damian_PM (Damian Deßler)
- RT @seb_fabiani: [Scrum Day 2013] Culture Hacking http://t.co/IlF55vhsln #pmot #ScrumDay2013 #agile #scrum claudeaubry (Claude Aubry)