Auto‑save Best Timetable After Planning

[fjrump]

Hi,

we use FET at our university to generate exam timetables that are optimized for each individual student. Several soft constraints are taken into account, for example avoiding exams on Saturdays. In order to obtain the best possible schedule, a very large number of timetables are generated (using multiple threads). It would be nice if, after the planning finishes or is aborted, FET automatically saves the best timetable (according to the soft‑constraint scores) at a predefined location. The directory where report.txt is written would be a natural place for this.

At the moment I read the report.txt file and, based on its entries, manually pick the best solution. It would be convenient if FET could store the best solution itself at a predefined location, instead of having to determine it programmatically. Perhaps this is a feature that could be implemented. Or is there another simple way to achieve this that we could use? Thank you for your feedback!

Greetings,
  Frank

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hello, Frank,

Thank you for the suggestion! No, it is not possible now. I will write it in the list of suggestions, the TODO file.

Could you please tell me your desired name/nickname to add as the author of this suggestion?

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hello again, Frank!

I have an idea, if we make this feature: write the number of each timetable in order, sorted ascending by the number of conflicts. I mean at the end of the generation, write additionally something like:

0 conflicts - timetable #12
0.95 conflicts - timetable #7
...

What do you think?

[fjrump]

Hello Liviu,

that's a good idea and very helpful!

Let me give you a brief background: In our organization, several departments schedule exam dates using FET. The data are collected through a web application (including, among other things, the availability of the examiners), and from this a FET file is generated. The planners in the departments download this file and (hopefully) generate a solution themselves with FET. The "best" solution is then supposed to be uploaded back to the web application by the planners, so that the exam schedule (including an iCal/ICS export) can be made available. For this, the best solution file (either activities.xml or data_and_timetable.fet) needs to be located easily.

This could be done via a text file as you suggested, but it would be even simpler if there were a predefined location for the best solution. For example, it could be a dedicated folder, or the generated directories could be marked accordingly (e.g., instead of "123" better "best_123"), since there might be several equally good solutions.

I hope my request is reasonably clear.

Best regards,
  Frank

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hello, Frank,

Your solution:

It is difficult to rename the directories.

Some users might prefer also second-best solutions.

I prefer my solution. Maybe writing a separate file, sorted.txt.

I will arrive home in 1 hour and start writing the solution.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hello, Frank,

It is ready: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/test/

@Volker Dirr , or maybe @Darren McDonald , could you please provide a macOS executable for Frank to test?

[fjrump]

Hello Liviu,

a Linux version would be fine for me as well ...

[Liviu Lalescu]

Oh, Frank, you should have said so! I'll do GNU/Linux binary for you in 10 minutes.

[Liviu Lalescu]

It is available: https://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/test/ (the bin xz file).

Please test and let me know!

[fjrump]

It works as expected, thank you very much!

[Liviu Lalescu]

You are welcome! 

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hello, Frank, the new version is just released. Thank you!

[fjrump]

Hello Liviu, thanks for your great work!