Looking for an algorithm
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I didn't vote it a 1--or any other number for that matter--but the post does strike me as a possible candidate for a homework question.
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
Check his profile. Not likely a homework question. BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wright -
I didn't vote it a 1--or any other number for that matter--but the post does strike me as a possible candidate for a homework question.
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
Jerry Hammond wrote:
but the post does strike me as a possible candidate for a homework question.
While I'm all for not helping out with homework questions, it's very hard to determine what is a homework question and what is not. In this case, it is to assist in scheduling Irish Dancers for a dance competition. I was thrown into it last minute and I have to have everything done by the 21st of May. Our guy that usually schedules this thing resigned literally 1 month ago and a bunch of us are trying to figure out what to do, on top of our other duties we have to handle. It's been 20 years since I've dealt with set theory. All of my jobs since then haven't had to worry about them. (I know I've got LOTS of math classes too, haven't used anything higher than Trig classes in 20 years either. Somebody brings up calculus and I'd have to go rethink it out again). In case anybody out there is wondering, the competition is called a Feis (pronounced fesh). There are several around the country(ies) most weekends, and many more around the world. My area has produced a few world champions (Think Michael Flatly of Riverdance Fame). www.akronfeis.com is our particular web site. It's more informational for the registered entries then what a feis actually is. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest.....
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Jerry Hammond wrote:
but the post does strike me as a possible candidate for a homework question.
While I'm all for not helping out with homework questions, it's very hard to determine what is a homework question and what is not. In this case, it is to assist in scheduling Irish Dancers for a dance competition. I was thrown into it last minute and I have to have everything done by the 21st of May. Our guy that usually schedules this thing resigned literally 1 month ago and a bunch of us are trying to figure out what to do, on top of our other duties we have to handle. It's been 20 years since I've dealt with set theory. All of my jobs since then haven't had to worry about them. (I know I've got LOTS of math classes too, haven't used anything higher than Trig classes in 20 years either. Somebody brings up calculus and I'd have to go rethink it out again). In case anybody out there is wondering, the competition is called a Feis (pronounced fesh). There are several around the country(ies) most weekends, and many more around the world. My area has produced a few world champions (Think Michael Flatly of Riverdance Fame). www.akronfeis.com is our particular web site. It's more informational for the registered entries then what a feis actually is. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest.....
What about his profile says he is unable to attend Uni or other learning institution?
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
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What about his profile says he is unable to attend Uni or other learning institution?
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
Nick's profile is here[^]. If you read it, you find out he's been programming a long time and well beyond the need to post homework questions. Homework questions are typically posted with a statement of a problem and a demand, not a politely phrased request but a demand, for source code, and BTW they must have it by tomorrow or they'll flunk. Nick's original post was nothing like that. Cut him some slack.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
It's sad your post got voted down. It's not a programming question, it's help on finding an algorithm which is different than "how do I make a button". Sigh. Get a life, all you 1 voters. Marc Pensieve Some people believe what the bible says. Literally. At least [with Wikipedia] you have the chance to correct the wiki -- Jörgen Sigvardsson
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I've been "selected" to come up with a schedule of dance competitions. Not something I was expecting... Has anybody seen an algorithm that will allow to do to different weighted combinations into buckets? Here's an example: I've got 3 buckets (Stages actually) Competition 1: 3 Entries Competition 2: 4 Entries Competition 3: 2 Entries Competition 4: 1 Entry Competition 5: 2 Entries So the buckets would end up looking like this: B1: C1+C4 = 4 Entries B2: C2 = 4 Entries B3: C3+C5 = 4 Entries The idea is that each stage gets the same number of competitors so they all finish at the same time. Thanks for any help. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest..... -- modified at 22:46 Saturday 13th May, 2006
Might this do it? http://www.efeis.com/Default.aspx?content=CompMgr[^] David
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Might this do it? http://www.efeis.com/Default.aspx?content=CompMgr[^] David
David Cunningham wrote:
Might this do it? http://www.efeis.com/Default.aspx?content=CompMgr\[^\] David
David, I had to laugh, in a good way, Actually, I talk with Andrew a fair amount, but his scheduling is self admitted as not being that good. I've been pushing him to help out by pushing the database for his Competition Manager over to SQL but it's still in Access. What I'd like to do is to figure out a good system that is compatible with his database format and continue to use it in the future.. Thanks for pointing it out though! Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest.....
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David Cunningham wrote:
Might this do it? http://www.efeis.com/Default.aspx?content=CompMgr\[^\] David
David, I had to laugh, in a good way, Actually, I talk with Andrew a fair amount, but his scheduling is self admitted as not being that good. I've been pushing him to help out by pushing the database for his Competition Manager over to SQL but it's still in Access. What I'd like to do is to figure out a good system that is compatible with his database format and continue to use it in the future.. Thanks for pointing it out though! Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest.....
Lol. I should have known. :D David
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Check his profile. Not likely a homework question. BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wrightbrianwelsch wrote:
Check his profile. Not likely a homework question.
You aren't honestly expecting everyone not to jump to conclusions and vote rashly? :omg: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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brianwelsch wrote:
Check his profile. Not likely a homework question.
You aren't honestly expecting everyone not to jump to conclusions and vote rashly? :omg: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
more hoping. :) BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wright -
What about his profile says he is unable to attend Uni or other learning institution?
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
Nothing really. My reasoning was based on the fact that he's in is late 30's and has had a computer at home for over 20 years (Vic-20 1st system...). A grown man who has been around computers for so long and hangs out at CP probably has some programming experience. Even if he was going to school at his age, which is not unlikely, he wouldn't be asking for help on homework, blatently, but rather would try to get the most of his education and work through problems on his own. BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wright -
Nothing really. My reasoning was based on the fact that he's in is late 30's and has had a computer at home for over 20 years (Vic-20 1st system...). A grown man who has been around computers for so long and hangs out at CP probably has some programming experience. Even if he was going to school at his age, which is not unlikely, he wouldn't be asking for help on homework, blatently, but rather would try to get the most of his education and work through problems on his own. BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven WrightThanks Brian! You are right, I have had a computer around the house for many years now. For what it's worth, I do have a BS in Computer Science, Circa 1990. A couple of Masters Level credits too. I've been programming ever since, but not in this particular sense. Most has been with C++ in a engineering graphics environment. You just don't do set theory in that world. For this unique project, it's a matter of I haven't done it in 15 years. It's like most things, if you haven't done something for 15 years then chances are you'll have to reeducate yourself on what needs to be done. As I mentioned in another post, it's like Math, if somebody asked me to do Calc, I'd be in serious trouble, even though I've had 3 college level classes in calculus (More than the engineers I worked with), Differential Equations, Stats, etc. Again thanks. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest..... -- modified at 20:03 Sunday 14th May, 2006
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Thanks Brian! You are right, I have had a computer around the house for many years now. For what it's worth, I do have a BS in Computer Science, Circa 1990. A couple of Masters Level credits too. I've been programming ever since, but not in this particular sense. Most has been with C++ in a engineering graphics environment. You just don't do set theory in that world. For this unique project, it's a matter of I haven't done it in 15 years. It's like most things, if you haven't done something for 15 years then chances are you'll have to reeducate yourself on what needs to be done. As I mentioned in another post, it's like Math, if somebody asked me to do Calc, I'd be in serious trouble, even though I've had 3 college level classes in calculus (More than the engineers I worked with), Differential Equations, Stats, etc. Again thanks. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest..... -- modified at 20:03 Sunday 14th May, 2006
Nick Jacobs wrote:
if you haven't done something for 15 years ...if somebody asked me to do Calc, I'd be in serious trouble
I know what you mean. I have a growing interest in learning about AI. I have [taken] several calculus courses, diff. Eq., etc, similar to you, yet I have this reluctance to reading too far into AI, because I know my math at this point has deteriorated to only a passing recognition of terminology, but nothing functional.
Nick Jacobs wrote:
Thanks Brian!
Anytime. :) BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wright-- modified at 20:13 Sunday 14th May, 2006
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Nothing really. My reasoning was based on the fact that he's in is late 30's and has had a computer at home for over 20 years (Vic-20 1st system...). A grown man who has been around computers for so long and hangs out at CP probably has some programming experience. Even if he was going to school at his age, which is not unlikely, he wouldn't be asking for help on homework, blatently, but rather would try to get the most of his education and work through problems on his own. BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wrightbrianwelsch wrote:
get the most of his education and work through problems on his own
I agree. I see CP like a virtual office water cooler where people can share thoughts and ideas. I didn't get the notion that the original post was a homework problem or programming question, but rather to see what ideas others may have had about the problem he was looking at. -- modified at 20:13 Sunday 14th May, 2006
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more hoping. :) BW
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wrightbrianwelsch wrote:
more hoping.
ahhhh... vain hope, greatest and most deadly of the demons unleashed by Pandora. ;P _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Nick's profile is here[^]. If you read it, you find out he's been programming a long time and well beyond the need to post homework questions. Homework questions are typically posted with a statement of a problem and a demand, not a politely phrased request but a demand, for source code, and BTW they must have it by tomorrow or they'll flunk. Nick's original post was nothing like that. Cut him some slack.
Software Zen:
delete this;I only gave my impression of his post and thus a posit about why it may have received so many 1 votes. Personally I don't care if his question was homework or not, but obviously it does to a lot of other folks who, like myself, don't reveiw the profile of every one who posts in the lounge. So, while we're cutting slack here...
“Profanity is the attempt of a lazy and feeble mind to express itself forcefully”
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Lol. I should have known. :D David
ok, this is way too funny... I never thought Dave would have remembered my site! Nick, I am going to be hit and miss online tonight (one of my servers had a motherboard melt (ok, not melt but it may as well have)... try to catch me on IM anyway. We may be able to come up with a solution or draw from the schedule from another feis (Chicago or Cleveland perhaps). Andrew Andrew Bryan
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brianwelsch wrote:
Check his profile. Not likely a homework question.
You aren't honestly expecting everyone not to jump to conclusions and vote rashly? :omg: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Or maybe not everyone looks as the profiles of every last poster in the world. I sure don't. Jeremy Falcon
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I've been "selected" to come up with a schedule of dance competitions. Not something I was expecting... Has anybody seen an algorithm that will allow to do to different weighted combinations into buckets? Here's an example: I've got 3 buckets (Stages actually) Competition 1: 3 Entries Competition 2: 4 Entries Competition 3: 2 Entries Competition 4: 1 Entry Competition 5: 2 Entries So the buckets would end up looking like this: B1: C1+C4 = 4 Entries B2: C2 = 4 Entries B3: C3+C5 = 4 Entries The idea is that each stage gets the same number of competitors so they all finish at the same time. Thanks for any help. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest..... -- modified at 22:46 Saturday 13th May, 2006
I probably don’t understand all the parameters and constraints of Feis scheduling well enough so this is probably too simplistic but with regard to a brute force method, doesn’t the solution resemble a game of Tetris? In Excel, each of the 8 stages is a column and you add to cells the values 1 through 1220 representing the competitor. For example, competitor 111 has 3 entries so on Stage 3 there might be three rows containing 111. Perhaps as you continue adding competitors to stages an algorithm will come to mind that can be implemented in an Excel macro. If not, you would still have time to fill in the cells by hand.
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I probably don’t understand all the parameters and constraints of Feis scheduling well enough so this is probably too simplistic but with regard to a brute force method, doesn’t the solution resemble a game of Tetris? In Excel, each of the 8 stages is a column and you add to cells the values 1 through 1220 representing the competitor. For example, competitor 111 has 3 entries so on Stage 3 there might be three rows containing 111. Perhaps as you continue adding competitors to stages an algorithm will come to mind that can be implemented in an Excel macro. If not, you would still have time to fill in the cells by hand.
deltaseq0 wrote:
In Excel, each of the 8 stages is a column and you add to cells the values 1 through 1220 representing the competitor. For example, competitor 111 has 3 entries so on Stage 3 there might be three rows containing 111.
Actually, I'm going to do something very similar to that. As I add a competition, I figure out which bucket has the fewest competitors in it, and just put it in there. The next competition will find the bucket with the smallest competitor count and add it, etc. This definitely wont provide the most effecient stage scheduling, but at least it's a start. If I had more time, like next year's feis, I'd probably look into a schedule where different scenarios are examined to determine what would be the most effecient. As it stands right now, there are about 80 different competitions where the competitors are split up into. Each competition is actually just designator for each kid's age. (They might have 3 different dance types, but we want all of the beginnner, age 5s to dance together on the same stage, so they don't have to move from stage to stage, kids tend to get lost when that happens, talk about parents yelling). I'll let ya know how it comes out. Nick This are my own opinions. You know the rest.....