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I have another suggestion. This is for constraints below

(i) a subject for preferred room
(ii) a subject has a set of preferred room

some example for input (csv file)

        subject|room
(i)   subject X|Room A
(ii)  subject X|Room A+Room B+Room C+Room D

It's problems when u have to manually insert for 100 subjects. U have to insert the data for each subject. Very tiring and boring process.

I hope this features will be implement soon.

TQ

Hi,

How is the latest version (5.5.5.) with import/export progress?? Can't wait to try that feature...  

I found only unofficial xls format file descriptions (no official one from Microsoft) and i don't use Microsoft excel.
Also that file format is much more difficult than csv.

Found the official Microsoft Office Binary (doc, xls, ppt) File Formats at http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/officebinaryformats.mspx

An other solution is to use not worksheet one. use only worksheet 2 to 7. Before exporting you just copy your 6 sheets into sheet 1. You can code also an macro for this in excel so you don't need to do that always manually.

I don't quite understand that. Can u elaborate more with more examples??

TQ

It seems that *.csv can only save one worksheet in one *.csv file. Unlike *.xls (excel) where we can have many worksheet in only one file.

What I'm trying to say that, in *.csv, we can have 6 different files because *.csv file only support one worksheet.

Unlike *xls where it can save that 6 different files into just one file because it support multiple worksheet.

So, my suggestion that, for future FET release, FET can import and export *.xls file

TQ

1st. What I did was not changing anything in M$ Excel 2007. FYI, for changing the separator setting, I just need to change it in Windows in Control Panel --> Regional and Language Options. I don't need to change anything on M$ Excel 2007.

When I don't change anything, the output is the same as the input.
A1:  Hallo
A2:  Mr. "genius" Brown
B1:  4
B2:  4.5

2nd. When I change the setting

U have to change the 1000 Separator from , to |. U can change that in Regional and Language Option in Control Panel (Windows XP). Then in Regional Options TAB, click customize. Change , in List separator drop down menu to |

It changed to
A1 : Hallo,4
A2 : Mr. "genius" Brown,4.5

Below is the file....

I'm using M$ Office 2007. It works. U have to change the 1000 Separator from , to |. U can change that in Regional and Language Option in Control Panel (Windows XP)

Then in Regional Options TAB, click customize. Change , in List separator drop down menu to |. Then open the *csv file and walla... every activities on their own column.. hehe.. TQ

Below is the ouput

sorry for delay.


please check the current beta ( http://www.timetabling.de/ ) and tell me if it work well. i released source and windows executable. i still need to do a few code cleanups, but i haven't enough time at the moment and i think the current version is good enough to release it as a beta version.

i will maybe add import of days and periods later.

hi,

I've tried this new features of yours. It is very good. In my opinion, I think It is better your put one subject per column in *.csv instead of cramming all of them in just one column. It look nicer and easy to troubleshoot. Well done. Love it...  

Can u PLEASE update it to the latest versions?? TQ

Image BELOW is the old one.... Image ABOVE is my suggestion...

Example: someone write duration 5 and split into 2 lessons. So what should i do? That's why i prefer "duration" and "splitted duraion" and so you can say: 5; 4+1 or 5; 3+2 or 5; 2+2+1 or ...

If someone want 5 duration and split into 2 lesson, you meant that the class have 2 activites per week and each class have 5 period right? or this "4+1 or 5; 3+2 or 5; 2+2+1" mean anything else??
-->4+1 = 2 activities per week. 1st activity is 4 period. 2nd is 1 period
-->2+2+1 = 3 activities per week. 1st activity is 2 period. 2nd is 2 period. 3rd is 1 period

Let say that the teacher have 4 activites per week and each period is 2+1+2+1.
The input will be:

Year/Course, Group/Course group, Subgroup, subject code, subject name, number of student (-1 for auto), split into, duration, if activites on the same day force consecutives

*DIT,**DIT 2,MPP 223,***-0,Oganization Behavior,30,4,2,1,2,1,1

hmmm.... that's a little bit different from my current csv import style.

but i think that can be added later.

may be you add it like this... Instead of doing it horizontal, u make it vertical???

for days per week --> (iv)

horizontal
days per week, day 1,day 2,etc
5,Sunday,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday

vertical
5
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday

period per day --> (v)

horizontal
23,08:00,08:30,09:00,09:30 etc


vertical
23
08:00
08:30
09:00
09:30
etc

The last two suggestions are pretty special and doesn't fit to files of school administration software that i know.

Maybe it doesn't fit to fit to files of school administration software that u know. But it fit me.. hehe and now u know hehe  

For suggestion...

for the input file, we can separated it to 5 DIFFERENT files... I suggest the file extension is *.FIF=FET Input Files
(i) course list
(ii) room list
(iii) lecturer list
(iv) days per week
(v) period per day


for course list --> (i)

Year/Course, Group/Course group, Subgroup, subject code, subject name, number of student (-1 for auto), split into, duration, if activites on the same day force consecutives

*DIT,**DIT 1,MTA 223,***-0, Basic Computer Hardware,****-1, 1,3,
*DIT,**DIT 1,MTA 223,***-0, Basic Computer Hardware LAB,****-1, 1,3
*DIT,**DIT 2,MTP 113,Group 1, Basic Programming,35, 1,4
*DIT,**DIT 2,MTP 113,Group 1, Basic Programming LAB,35, 1,4
*DIT,**DIT 2,MPP 223,***-0,Oganization Behavior,30, 2,4,4,1 <-- why extra 4 and 1?? Becoz this 4 for another class period and 1=enable, -0=disable activites on the same day, force consecutives

for room list --> (ii)

room name, building, capacity,
A-A1,Kuliyah Muamalat,40
A-A2,Kuliyah Muamalat,40
B-A1,Kuliyah Arab,40
Computer Lab 1, Kuliyah IT,30

for lecturer list --> (iii)

lecturer
Hanif Ali
Liviu Lalescu
Volker Dirr

for days per week --> (iv)

days per week, day 1,day 2,etc
5,Sunday,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday

period per day --> (v)

period, hour
23,08:00,08:30,09:00,09:30 etc


Legend
*     DIT= Diploma In Information Technology
**    DIT 1= Diploma In Information Technology in semester 1
      DIT 2= Diploma In Information Technology in semester 2      
***   -0= A value to show that there is no subgroup. If there any, just type the subgroup name
****  -1= automatic computing. If u don't want to use -1, just put the total of students

Finaly, we can add the ACTIVITIES, TIME CONSTRAINTS & SPACE CONSTRAINTS by manually.

I think it will be easier if we use the text documents *.txt as the input file as long FET can understand it. But for the long run, *.csv sytles in text documents or *.xls is better.

Did you open a .fet file with a text or xml editor? It is easy to understand. Please do that to see it and maybe you can find a way to generate a .fet file from an excel data.

Yes I did.... The files are stored in XML syles... I think. hehe.. I'll try to do that.

I have to admit I did not think about ways to import/export data, because I tried to concentrate on the algorithm. But I hope Volker and maybe other contributors will work on that.

I also hope Volker work on that... Ganbatte Volker

but like i told: i am a Qt beginner and i must also work as teacher, so it may take one or two weeks.

hehe... I also work as a teacher.... I've zero knowledge of Qt. Maybe it take months for me to compile and publish it.. hehe... Just do your best.. Slow and steady

hi...

For some user, inputting all the subjects and subject code, teacher etc is a tedious work... So, I suggest that FET can import file to ease the user from inputting the details... We can save 1/3 or 1/2 time just to input that... I think the most suitable format is excel file format. Then the user can concentrate on inputting the activities and constraints etc

So, for the export files...  I think excel file format is the most suitable file because normally, me or other user (I think) edit the *.html files from FET in excel and also print it there... There are so many things that u can manipulate the data in excel.

to Volker Dirr: Hi, I've been to your website and download "Get unofficial FET 5.5.2.alpha.vd1 Windows executable (with CSV import)". When I extract It, there is no application *.exe file... So, do I have to compile the files to generate the *.exe file???

TQ

I have one more suggestion in this topic

If  I want to change many teacher not available time, I need to add one by one although the teacher not available time is the SAME.

So, I suggest that u can add A set of teacher not available time. Same as A rooms not available time feature.

TQ

Do you think that "Set all" and "Reset all" or "Set" and "Reset" are good names for buttons? Which are better? Do you suggest other names for these?

I suggest:

Set All Available
Set All X Available

User has 2 constraints, teacher T1 and T2. And he wants to modify the first constraint from T1 to T3. If I do like you suggest, the constraint to T1 remains and user gets 3 constraints: T1, T2 and T3. I want the user to remain with 2 constraints, T2 and T3.

ooooo..... What I meant is in Data --> Time Constraints --> Teacher Time Constraints --> A Teachers not available time,
1. If u double clicked Afida,
2. It will show Afida not available time right.
3. Then If u want to change Sambilan not available time by choosing Teacher drop down menu, nothing happen. In fact, It still shows Afida not available time.
4. So, if u want to change Sambilan not available time, u have to clicked Cancel button first,
5. then double clicked Sambilan.
6. Now u can see that Sambilan not available time is updated.

My suggestion is that It will be better If FET can update to Sambilan from Afida in Step no 3.
TQ

Below are pictures from Step 1 to 6 for better understanding of what I meant