New format for line resuming data of activ/constr

[Massimo Mancini]

Hi all,
is the FET interface too poor (as Liviu sometimes tell us)? I think basically no. The FET interface is simple but for the real work of a real timetabler it is quick and sufficient, most of the times.
What I find annoying are the strings that summarize the data of activities and constraints in left frame: too long, with too many fixed redundand parts that hide (imho) the infos I would see at a glance.  It is not only a translation problem but rather a problem of string format (the ideal would be that it can be configurable). See the example:

This is the resume of some activities (in italian translation)

Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 B, Id:40, AGld:40, D:2,Dt:4, A:Si
 Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 B, Id:41, AGld:40, D:1,Dt:4, A:Si
 Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 B, Id:42, AGld:40, D:1,Dt:4, A:Si
Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 C, Id:46, AGld:46, D:2,Dt:4, A:Si
 Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 C, Id:47, AGld:46, D:1,Dt:4, A:Si
 Att: I:CONF, M:FIS,St:GEO_1 C, Id:48, AGld:46, D:1,Dt:4, A:Si

I would prefer descriptions like these (first ids, partial and total durations, activation state then subject, teachers and students, the activation state could be easily represented in color (greyed?) or with other font attribute).  The ideal is a configurable format as a new preference.

40.40 - 2/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 B
 41.40 - 1/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 B
 42.40 - 1/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 B
46.46 - 2/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 C
 47.46 - 1/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 C
 48.46 - 1/4 - Si - FIS - CONF - GEO_1 C

which appears more ordered using a fixed font.
About constraints I think abbreviations could be introduced to subtitute the complete description (always visible in the right frame).
A too long description often pull the data out of frame (forcing the use of the scrollbar).  Another solution is header and indentation like this:

from:
Min days between activities. P:95%. NA:4, Id:28,Id:29,Id:30,Id:31,mD:1.ConsSG:Si
Min days between activities. P:95%. NA:4, Id:32,Id:33,Id:34,Id:35,mD:1.ConsSG:Si
Min days between activities. P:95%. NA:3, Id:40,Id:41,Id:42,mD:1.ConsSG:Si
Min days between activities. P:95%. NA:3, Id:43,Id:44,Id:45,mD:1.ConsSG:Si

to:

Min days between activities.
 P:95% mD/Cons:1/Si NA:4, Id:28,29,30,31
 P:95% mD/Cons:1/Si NA:4, Id:32,33,34,35
 P:95% mD/Cons:1/Si NA:3, Id:40,41,42
 P:95% mD/Cons:1/Si NA:3, Id:43,44,45

(also here the string mD/Cons is not necessary)

What your opinion about that?

[Liviu Lalescu]

I'll think about that. The problem is that some users might want first the teacher (not subject), and some would maybe prefer not so canonical description.

Of course it can be customized, but the customized view cannot be translated. And I doubt that most users would know how to make correctly a string with : "A: Id:%1/%2, S:%3, ..., %9".

For the moment, I made the inactive activities have lowercase letters description.

[mbarsan]

I find it a good idea, to think about: it's better to have less to read, when you search informations. Courier font may help.

Don't you find, Liviu, that if you don't change the order (id number) it's easy to read each column?

Any idea for the "Soft conflict" dialog, that I find hard to read?

[Volker Dirr]

It will be difficult in the "all time/space constrains" dialoge. So we must think about how to do it there, because it use the same strings.
Also the conflicts.txt use similar strings.

[silvia]

related to the info shown by activities, I would like to add something. One of the things that gives me a lot of work is the absence of time%day information in the space constraints. For example, if i want to change class for teacher1, which takes place friday at 9am, I have to go to the activities first, see which activity has that time, and then write down the number of that activity. When I have the number I have to go to space constraints and look for that activity, then, change the room.
It would save me a lot of time to see the time constraints for an activity in the list of space constraints. Is it very difficult to implement?

[Liviu Lalescu]

related to the info shown by activities, I would like to add something. One of the things that gives me a lot of work is the absence of time%day information in the space constraints. For example, if i want to change class for teacher1, which takes place friday at 9am, I have to go to the activities first, see which activity has that time, and then write down the number of that activity. When I have the number I have to go to space constraints and look for that activity, then, change the room.
It would save me a lot of time to see the time constraints for an activity in the list of space constraints. Is it very difficult to implement?

I cannot put time constraints in the space constraints list. Maybe I am tired and cannot understand exactly the suggestion.

But maybe your problem is that you need to find the activity with this time. If you use the latest snapshot, there is a very nice filter for all time constraints and space constraints. You can filter for "friday" and combined with "9am", and it will show exactly the constraints which contain the terms friday and 9am. Then in space constraints add the id of that activity. Is that useful to you? Maybe you could get and compile the latest snapshot (http://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/test/)

If you cannot compile, wait a few days until there will be available a Windows version.

[silvia]

ok, thankyou, I'll wait because I know nothing about compiling

[Liviu Lalescu]

It is there, also the exe, please get it and try the new features.

[silvia]

hi,
I've looked here http://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download/test/ and I can't see the exe version. Any clues?

[Liviu Lalescu]

I just removed it, because I received notes from the users that the color feature is not good. I am sorry for inconveniences. If the exe is not there, it means that I found some things which need to be fixed right away.

I will post another entry in the announcement about testing the new 5.11.0-snapshot when the exe will be ready.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Dear Silvia, I have added again an exe version, this time I'll try to keep it longer, so that you can get it. Please excuse me for last time when the exe disappeared.

[silvia]

hey, thanks, sorry to cause so much trouble. I got it now