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When to Use Brackets

In the Gantt chart, parent work items with a derived schedule (dates calculated from their children) can be displayed in two ways:
Display ModeVisual StyleBest For
Default (tasks)Standard task bars, similar to child work itemsModern, unified look
Classic bracketsBracket shapes spanning the child date rangeTraditional project management view, clear parent-child distinction
The classic bracket view makes it immediately obvious which items are containers with derived schedules versus individual tasks with their own dates. diagram

Step 1: Enable Classic Brackets Globally

Navigate to Administration > Configuration Properties and add the following property:
nextedy.gantt.classic_project=true
This applies the bracket rendering to all Gantt widgets across the project. Parent work items with a derived schedule now appear as brackets instead of standard task bars.

Step 2: Enable for a Specific Widget (Optional)

If you prefer to enable brackets on a single Gantt widget rather than globally, add the following to Widget Properties > Advanced > Gantt Config Script:
gantt.config.classic_project = true;
You can set nextedy.gantt.classic_project=true globally and then override it on specific widgets with gantt.config.classic_project = false; in the Gantt Config Script. The widget-level setting takes precedence.

Step 3: Verify the Result

After applying the configuration:
  1. Reload the Gantt chart page.
  2. Locate any parent work item whose schedule is derived from its children.
  3. Confirm that it now renders as a bracket shape spanning the date range of its children, rather than as a standard task bar.
In versions prior to 24.11.3, right-side text configured via rightside_text templates was not displayed on bracket-style items. Upgrade to version 24.11.3 or later if you need right-side text on classic bracket items.

Verification

You should now see parent work items rendered as bracket shapes in the Gantt chart. Child work items beneath them display as standard task bars. The bracket spans from the earliest child start date to the latest child end date.

See Also

KB ArticlesSupport TicketsSource Code
  • prod-gantt-src/com.nextedy.polarion.gantt.client/cypress/e2e/Rewritten Tests/testGanttEndMilestones.cy.ts
  • prod-gantt-src/com.nextedy.polarion.gantt.client/src/js/config.js
  • prod-gantt-src/com.nextedy.polarion.gantt/src/com/nextedy/polarion/gantt/widget/PlansGanttWidget.java
  • prod-gantt-src/com.nextedy.polarion.gantt/src/com/nextedy/polarion/gantt/instructions.html
  • prod-gantt-src/com.nextedy.polarion.gantt/src/com/nextedy/polarion/gantt/model/Config.java