Scheduling periods

The aim of the first example is to place periods in an empty timetable and lock them to prevent the automated scheduling tool from moving them during a later optimisation run.

1.Open the file demo.gpn and delete the current timetable via 'Scheduling | Reset the timetable'

2.Unscheduled periods will now be displayed next to the timetable and can be placed in the timetable using drag & drop.

Clicking on a period that you wish to schedule will display possible time slots in the timetable.

Fields which are highlighted green indicate that these would be good slots to place the period avoiding the risk of a clash.

The software also takes into consideration any additional settings you have made. For instance, Friday is not displayed as a possible day for the lesson 'Mus' for class 1a because teacher 'Callas' has been allocated a day off on Friday ('Teachers | Time Requests').

Tip:

You can use the <Colour coding> button in the 'Time requests' window to specify the display colours for the different time requests. This is necessary, if for example there are difficulties in distinguishing between red and green.

Lesson cells highlighted in purple indicate that it is possible to schedule the lesson without a clash as far as class and teacher are concerned but that room availability (i.e. the room allocated to the lesson and all alternative rooms are not free) prevents the lesson being scheduled (see figure).

If you position a period on a purple cell, a dialogue with the following options will open:

br>- Remove interfering lesson: The room is removed from the other lesson which creates a conflict with your current scheduling. Consequently, this lesson will not have a room anymore:

- Create clash: The room is scheduled by both lessons, a room clash is created.

- Do not schedule room: The room is not scheduled in the current lesson. You now can select another room via the room allocation dialogue. For more information go to 'Room allocation' .

Lessons are automatically displayed and scheduled as single or double periods (or blocks) in accordance with settings made for double periods under lessons.

When there is more than one unscheduled period of a particular lesson, the individual periods will be displayed stacked. When there are more than three periods, the number of unscheduled periods will also be indicated. If you want to split a double period in order to be able to schedule it as a single period, just left-click and hold the Crtl key in the unscheduled period.

When you schedule any periods, the unscheduled periods are immediately grouped anew in such a way that the still to be scheduled periods are as close to the timetable as possible. If you want to sort the unscheduled periods differently, simply deactivate the function ‘Always sort unscheduled periods‘ under 'Settings | Miscellaneous | Timetable'. You now can position the periods at any place you want next to or below the timetable. If you want to then re-sort the periods, right-click in the field next to the timetable and select ' Re-group unsched. prds.', the stacks will automatically be repositioned.

Alternatively, you can schedule the periods from the lessons window. To do this, click on the relevant period in the 'Unsched Prds' column and use drag & drop to position it in the timetable.