This newsletter discusses:

Beta version 5.05b (updated July 28) is available!

The current beta version was released on July 28. This replaces the earlier beta released July 7. This new beta includes:

Ability to display user-specified period labels in reports

If you enter period codes in the SASIxp Global Scheduling Specification atom (Schedule Pro briefcase), the Optimizer will display the code you enter for each period rather than the period sequence (01, 02, etc.). If you number your periods from 0, this allows you to see the same period labels in the Scheduling Optimizer reports as SASIxp displays (00, 01, 02, etc.).

Enhancements to the Course Request Tally reports:

• a button to create a "printer friendly" view of the currently displayed report
• an onscreen "maximum enrollment" input field which allows you to limit which courses appear in the report

See What's New for a complete list of new features.

Generate Scheduling Optimizer Reports from Basic Scheduling

A number of clients have told us they would like to be able to generate the Scheduling Optimizer reports from Basic Scheduling. Because the Optimizer reports are generated as part of the simulation process, based on Mass Scheduling files (ASMS and ASSS), these reports cannot be produced directly from Basic Scheduling data. A detailed writeup describing an indirect method of generating the Optimizer reports from Basic Scheduling data is available online:
http://www.tabbysoft.com/procedures/basic_reports.htm

The basic steps are as follows:

1. Ensure you are done with Mass Scheduling data after you have moved to Basic Scheduling. This process will overwrite both the mass scheduling master schedule and student course request files (ASMS and ASSS).

2. Run CHANGE Queries to ensure that special fields used in scheduling are defined correctly in the course file (ACRS) and the Basic Scheduling master schedule file (AMST).

[CHANGE] ACRS AMST SectSeqNum = {$CNT}

[CHANGE] ACRS SectNum = 0

[CHANGE] ACRS AMST SectNum = SectSeqNum

3. Recreate ASMS and ASSS using the Update Classes atom found in the Mass Scheduling briefcase. Select options as follows:

• Transfer from Current Schedules to Mass Scheduling.
• The form permits selection of only one term in the "Select the upcoming Term to be scheduled" option. Select the first term in your schedule; e.g. Q1-first quarter or S1-first semester. The process selects class assignments which meet in the selected term and subsequent ones.
• For the "Pre-schedule Classes?" option, select "All". This will cause all student course request records in ASSS to be generated with the currently assigned sections locked as prescheduled.

4. Run an additional CHANGE Query to ensure that sections with students assigned have a section limit of at least 1.

[CHANGE] ASTU ASSS ASMS MaxClassSz = 1 IF MaxClassSz = 0

5. Run a Tabby simulation (including a Schedule Pro step to extract the simulation input from the SASIxp database). The simulation will run quickly because all students are prescheduled. The resulting reports will reflect the master schedule and class assignments currently defined in Basic Scheduling (AMST and ACLS files).

Display Periods Numbered from 0 in Scheduling Optimizer Reports

The current Scheduling Optimizer beta version displays period codes defined in the General Scheduling Specification atom/Periods tab (Schedule Pro briefcase), if provided, in place of the period sequence numbers. This allows the use of period numbers starting with 0 to correspond with SASIxp period numbers if you have entered a value of 0 for "Periods: Begin" in the School atom/General tab. You can instruct Tabby to display periods numbered from 0 by defining each period code to be one less than the corresponding period sequence: period 01 = period code 00, period 02 = period code 01, etc.

You must download and install the current Scheduling Optimizer beta, version 5.05b, to use this feature.

Avoid Potential Problems with the "Same Students" Loader Rule

The "Assign A to the same students as B" loader rule provides powerful capabilities, but also has potential pitfalls. Follow these guidelines to ensure that the Scheduling Optimizer produces the results you expect.

Avoid the "#" symbol in section number fields

The Scheduling Optimizer ignores any data entered in the section number fields of Course Links for all rules except the "same students" rule (as does the Schedule Pro loader). While the Scheduling Optimizer makes use of any section numbers present in the link when applying the "same students" rule, it treats a number sign symbol ("#") followed by a section number the same as a blank field, not as a shorthand for all sections numbered from 1 to the given section number as the Schedule Pro Builder does.

If you enter a "same students" rule in a Course Link with blank section number fields (or section numbers which include the "#" symbol – see above), the Optimizer applies the rule to each corresponding section pair of the linked courses; i.e. course A section 1 is linked to course B section 1, course A section 2 is linked to course B section 2, etc.

If you wish to link sections with the "same students" loader rule in any other way, create one link for each section pair to be linked; e.g. Link course A section 1 to course B section 1, course A section 2 to course B section 2, course A section 3 to course B section 4, course A section 4 to course B section 3 using four, not three, Course Link entries. Do not enter "#2" to define the links for the first two sections in one entry.

Turn off all other loader rules

The "same students" rule instructs the Scheduling Optimizer to schedule students into the explicitly specified pair of sections (or all corresponding pairs of sections if the section number fields are blank). Remember that other loader rules such as "same teacher", "same room", "same period" etc. apply to all sections of the course pair. These other rules should not normally be combined in the same loader link with the "same students" rule.

An example: If you link course A section 1 to course B section 1 with the "same students" rule and also add the "same teacher" rule (perhaps because you know these students should be taught by the same teacher in both classes), you have applied the "same teacher" rule to all students requesting both courses, not just those who are assigned to the section 1 pair. This coding may prevent the Optimizer from assigning students to some valid section combinations of these courses. It may also keep students out of classes with any teacher who doesn’t teach both courses, including the two section 1 classes if they are not actually taught by the same teacher.

Keep your Scheduling Optimizer setup current

The latest Scheduling Optimizer software version and documentation is always available for download at the Tabby Software web site:

www.tabbysoft.com/downloads.htm

The download includes full user documentation on installing the software. You can also find the installation instructions on our web site:
www.tabbysoft.com/support/install_desktop.htm for a first time install
www.tabbysoft.com/support/install_updates.htm to install an update

Currently available for download is the full distribution set for version 5.04. A beta version 5.05 is also available if you would like to preview upcoming features.

Contact us

We like to hear how the Scheduling Optimizer is working for you and your suggestions for improving the product. You can reach us by email (info@tabbysoft.com) or by filling out our Feedback form on the Tabbysoft web site:
www.tabbysoft.com/feedback.htm

 

Steve Cohen Tabby Software www.tabbysoft.com steve@tabbysoft.com

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