BLOCKS & LINKS
Blocks and Links are useful in automatic rooming, although they can also be used in manual timetabling as a warning will be given if a timetable tries to break the rules that have been created.
BLOCKS Overview
(Guide on page 2)
These may be used where two or more events must be scheduled at the same time. Any timetabling operations carried out on one of the events will be applied to them all.
Blocks can specify that events at the same time have the same room or also have the same lecturer.
An advantage is that it preserves the relationships within the Blocks if changes are made to one Block in the chain
They are set up via theTimetable/Blocksmenu
NB If you intend 2 events to happenin the same week rangeat thesame time, in thesame room, with thesame lecturer, you do not need a Block and it may be better to use just one event. This precludes the need to create a block.
LINKS Overview
(Guide on page 5)
These may be used to let the computer know that events are connected in some way. It is possible to specify that events in a link should:
Keep the same roomAND/OR Keep the same lecturer
When auto-rooming, they preserve rules that the timetabler sets. However, they are more difficult to room than unlinked events because they are asking for something more difficult to service, ie longer duration of time.
An advantage is that it preserves the relationships within the links if changes are made to one link in the chain.
They are set up via theTimetable/Linksmenu BLOCKS + LINKS Combination
It is possible to combine Blocks and Links. But tricky!Avoidif you can as it could lead to no room being allocated!!
BLOCKS
Creating event Blocks within CMIS
Some events may need to be grouped together so that they always occur simultaneously in the timetable i.e. the same start time and day. This type of relationship is called a Block. The events could be for different weeks, needing different types of facility or lecturers during the period.
The system will deal with block events as if they were one event. If any event in the block is placed, moved or locked, the same action will be carried out for all of the blocked events.
Select Timetable | Blocks from the main menu and the following dialog box appears:
Creating blocks
The screen shot below highlights how the Block creation process is executed within CMIS: Step 1:Open standard timetable view as normal and select relevant module.
Step 2:From drop down‘Timetable’menu select‘Blocks’.The window shown on left of the screenshot will open.
Step 3:Resize both windows as shown in the screenshot.
Steps 4&5:Highlight the events (can been blocOR one at a time) you want to select for blocking. Holding down the left mouse button, drag and drop the event(s) into the lower of the 2 windows in the area indicated in the screenshot below. Repeat this process for all the relevant events within the module.
NBAll events in the Block MUST be same time and length. They must also have thesame Room Requests information.Otherwise, NO rooms will be allocated to any of the events
Step 6:Once all relevant events have been collected within the‘Timetable Blocks’window, ensure that‘Same Room’option is ticked. This will ensure that CMIS will concentrate on this element only. ‘Same Lecturer’is NOT needed for auto-rooming so should be left unticked
Step 7:Once you are satisfied that all data configuration is correct: within‘Timetable Blocks’click ‘New’.This commits the changes you have made to the database.
Once the Block has been created a unique Block code is created which enables CMIS users to easily refer to the Blocks table, where they verify data and make any necessary adjustments. You can use the free textNamefield to add helpful information such as BIOL2004 Sem KB to show type of teaching and initials of timetabler creating the Block
NOW
If a room is allocated to one of the events in the Block, the same room will be allocated to all events in the Block. [The same ripple effect applies if a room is deleted from one event]
NB Weeks 24 & 29 were NOT roomed as they are different times & length
FIELDS TO COMPLETE
TheCategoryfield in the example has been left empty as it is not needed.
‘Same lecturer’may be used as a check on timetabling, but does not affect auto-rooming. BUTTONS
Refresh: Do not use. Updates the information displayed in the dialog box. New: A new Block will be added .
Modify: Saves any changes made to the currently selected Block. Delete: Deletes the selected Block.
Clear: Clears View in bottom Block window and sets you up for next New Block. Cancels any selection made in the list view.
Remove: Removes an event from the Block. Highlight the event in the bottom of the screen prior to pressing this bottom.
Close: closes the ‘ Block’ dialogue box.
Step 5:
Drop selected
event(s) into this area of
‘Timetable Blocks’
window
Step 7:
click
‘New’
button to create Block
Step 6:
Make
sure
‘same room’
box is ticked
Step 4:
Highlight
event(s), press and
hold left mouse: drag
to indicated area
Viewing Block data
A list of created Block data can be viewed at any time. The screenshot below highlights the key elements of data relating to Blocks you’ve created. The Blocks table can be manipulated in the same fashion as other CMIS tables: you can activate and hide columns, re-order columns, filter to particular data etc.
Auto-rooming events with Blocks
It should be noted that such events can only maintain Blocked status during the earliest phase of room scheduling. As the process becomes more complex, with space being much harder to secure, all Block information may be deleted to help simplify the process and secure space for unroomed events. As such, departments are advised to use this feature sparingly to avoid
Unique
Block ID
Relevant
module
code
Relevant
event ID’s
Click Modify
after making
modifications to
existing data
‘Occ’
should be
set to 1
Click to remove
some, but not all,
events from
LINKS
Creating event links within CMIS
It is common for departments to indicate a preference for certain concurrent (where week numbers permit) and consecutive events to be placed in thesame teaching room.
Creating links
The overwhelming link related request is for events to be placed in the same room. The screen shot below highlights how the link creation process is executed within CMIS:
Step 1:Open standard timetable view as normal and select relevant module.
Step 2:From drop down‘Timetable’menu select‘Links’.The window shown on left of the screenshot will open.
Step 3:Resize both windows as shown in the screenshot.
Step 4: Enter number of events per day to be contained in the LinkORKeep Max blank. Select ‘no setting’ from the two fields on that line.
Steps 5&6:Highlight the events (one at a time) you want to select for linking. Holding down the left mouse button, drag and drop the event into the lower of the 2 windows in the area indicated in the screenshot below. Repeat this process for all the relevant events within the module.
Step 7:Once all relevant events have been collected within the‘Timetable Links’window, ensure that‘Same Room’option is ticked. This will ensure that CMIS will concentrate on this element only. Step 8:Once you are satisfied that all data configuration is correct: within‘Timetable Links’click ‘New’.This commits the changes you have made to the database.
Once the link has been created a unique link code is created which enables CMIS users to easily refer to the links table, where they verify data and make any necessary adjustments.
You can use the free textNamefield to add helpful information such as BIOL2004 Sem KB to show type of teaching and initials of timetabler creating the Link
NOW…
If a room is allocated to one of the events in the Link, the same room will be allocated to all events in the Link. [The same ripple effect applies if a room is deleted from one event]
LINKED BLOCKS
If you do give it a go…eg to link a Block at 11.00 with a Block at 12.00 so they have the same room:
Create a Block at 11.00 Create a Block at 12.00 Open Timetable Links
Highlight one week in the 11.00 Block and one in the 12.00 Block. Create a Link between those 2 events and the Link will apply to all events in both Blocks
FIELDS TO COMPLETE
Note that many of the fields in the Timetable Links window in the example are populated as events are dragged across. Other fields in the example have been left empty as they are not needed. Do NOT tick ‘Same Weeks’ or ‘Same Start’– leave them blank.
‘Same lecturer’may be used as a check on timetabling, but does not affect auto-rooming. BUTTONS
RefreshDo not use. Updates the information displayed in the dialogue box. New: A new link will be added .
Modify: Saves any changes made to the currently selected link. Delete: Deletes the selected link.
Clear: Clears View in bottom Link window and sets you up for next New Link. Cancels any selection made in the List view.
Remove: Removes an event from the link, highlight the event in the bottom of the screen prior to pressing this bottom.
Step 8:
click
‘New’
button to
create link
Step 6:
Drop
selected event
into this area of
‘Timetable
Links’
window
Step 7:
Make
sure
‘same
room’
box is
ticked
Step 5:
Highlight
event, press and hold
left mouse: drag to
indicated area
Step 4:
Leave
Max. events per
day blank. Select
‘No Setting’.
Viewing link data
A list of created link data can be viewed at any time. The screenshot below highlights the key elements of data relating to links you’ve created. The Links table can be manipulated in the same fashion as other CMIS tables: you can activate and hide columns, re-order columns, filter to particular data etc..
Auto-rooming events with links
It should be noted that such events can only maintain linked status during the earliest phase of room scheduling. As the process becomes more complex, with space being much harder to secure, all link information will be deleted to help simplify the process and secure space for unroomed events. As such, departments are advised to use this feature sparingly to avoid disappointment.
