Allow a lunchbreak in any 2 periods

[sasbland]

Thanks so much. Actually it is p4 or p5 that are designated as lunch break and would like the activities to be split over this if need to. Thanks again.

[Liviu Lalescu]

OK, I will try. Now it is 23:02 here, so probably tomorrow.

I could use an example file from you, but I can also derive one myself.

So, you have activities with duration 2 or 3 which can be stretched over a break. So, they will be 1+1 or respectively 2+1, and you will add a constraint two activities grouped for each such pair. I assume the 2+1 components of the ones with duration 3 are equivalent.

The periods P4 and P5 between them will be ignored, like a constraint break's X slots.

[Liviu Lalescu]

I hope I got it correctly: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/custom/sasbland/

I tested it, but also please test it as well. There is also a small file for you to use (sometimes two grouped activities spread over P4/P5, but sometimes not, you can generate more timetables).

[sasbland]

Hi, thanks so much for your work. I had a look and still not quite clear. Do I pick 2 activities myself to group together? Won't that limit the choice for FET as actually I don't mind which activities will stretch over the break.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Oh, I think I understand better. So you have activities split as 1+1 or 1+1+1 and you need them, if they are on the same day, to be consecutive, but allowing to split across P4/P5?

I will try to make this, which will be a bit more complicated, so that any activities from the same large big split activity will be allowed to split over P4/P5.

Could you confirm, please?

Also, please let me know if you need an automatic alternative break P4/P5 for each teacher/students subgroup.

[Liviu Lalescu]

I hope I did it correctly now: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/custom/sasbland/ . It was more complicated and I still fear a bit of generation bugs, so please report if the file is impossible and you think it should solve.

Activities with min days between them constraints, with consecutive if same day, can stretch over the break P4/P5, and each teacher and subgroup must have a break P4 or P5 each day.

In P4 or P5 the gaps are counted. If you want not to count them, please let me know (it will be a bit complicated, but might be necessary if you care about gaps). Or maybe if you want 0 gaps for the students, you will permit 1 gap per day for them, for instance.

There are two small examples.

Please let me know.

[Liviu Lalescu]

I discovered some bugs, the problem was more difficult than I initially estimated. I have just put a new version on the same link: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/custom/sasbland/

[sasbland]

I'm sorry I didn't explain clearly and maybe wasted your time.  My activities can be either 1+1, 2+1, 2+2, 2+3 or 2+2+2 and I have not put consecutive constraints on any of them as ideally we prefer them not to be on the same day at all (if it's soft conflict and they are on the same day, I generate again)

I would like the 2 or the 3 hr sessions to be able to split over the p4 or p5 if that is possible.

I'll have a look at your new version today. I can send you my fet file that I've done so far too. It's not complete yet as we have more activities to add and we haven't finalise on the teacher and the room. Could I email it to you rather than putting it here?

Many thanks.

[Liviu Lalescu]

No problem! 

By 2+2+2 do you mean a large activity split into 3 (sub)activities, each with duration 2? By 2+3 do you mean a large activity split into 2 (sub)activities, with duration 2, respectively 3?

Yes, sure, you can send by email, since it is private information. You can find my email here: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/contact/

Your situation is a difficult one, since a (sub)activity in FET cannot split over some hours. It is a fundamental thing. One thing we could do is to input (sub)activities with duration 1 or 2. FET won't put more than two (sub)activities on the same day when consecutive if same day is true. And we could input the weight 0%, so that FET won't waste computing time.

What I am suggesting: for 1+1, 2+1, 2+2, 2+3 or 2+2+2, you will input instead 1+1, 1+1+1, 1+1+1+1, 1+1+1+2, and 1+1+1+1+1+1, with min days constraint having weight 0% and consecutive if same day = true. FET won't put 3 subactivities on the same day if consecutive if same day = true, and the two subactivities on a day can spread over P4/P5. A drawback is that you might end up for instance in 2+1 (1+1+1) with the activities on 3 days, 1+1+1, not on 2 days. But if this is not acceptable, I might improvise something also for this.

This will be similar to the current custom version for you (sasbland3, currently).

I have a question: you said for instance that a possible variant is 2+2+2. Could it be allowed in this case a 1+1+2+2? Or 2+3, could it be for instance scheduled as 1+1+1+2?

I will wait for your email and then maybe get a better idea.

[sasbland]

Thanks so much. I have sent you an email.

[Liviu Lalescu]

I added the latest version: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/custom/sasbland/