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Introduction
 

What is the Timetable Generator ?

Timetable Generator (Timetable Generator) is a program originally developed to automate timetabling in the teacher training college. It should easily be adapted for school use.

 

It will allow you to do the following:

  • Manage input of basic information, data to be arranged and conditions to be followed
  • Generate the timetable automatically - at least most of it (Appendix A describes other ways of arranging the timetable)
  • Keep track of non teaching activities by lecturers
  • Make changes
  • Output the timetable
  • Generate reports
  • Do simple Queries

 

Extensive on-line HELP is provided to help you use the program. You are to use this manual together with the on-line help. The on-line help as well as the program interface is written in BAHASA MALAYSIA. Note that the user guide is more recent.

 

To cater for users who find reading manuals boring, included in the accompanying diskette are a set of six data files which are necessary to run the program. Either it is on a teacher training college (*.tMt and *.dMt) or on a secondary school (*.tSt and *.dSt). You cannot use them in their original format, you must convert them to the *.txt and *.dat format.

 

Will this program arrange all the data automatically ? It should reach close to 100% if your input data passes the feasibility tests.

 

What about the rejects ? Ways are provided to enable you to insert back the rejects as simply as possible.

 

This program has worked for institutions with about 30 classes and 44 periods per week. I would not advise you to try on much larger numbers as this program keeps all variables in RAM (not temporarily in the hard disk) thus giving you speed.

 

Appendix B describes the kind of problems you might encounter while using this program.

 

Those who are new to this program would want to begin with the Tutorial.

 
 

Installation

 

You must transfer all the contents of the diskette into the hard disk of your computer to use this program.

 

  1. Insert the disk in drive B.
  2. At the DOS prompt (c:\>) type md c:\penjana to create the penjana directory.
  3. Type copy b:*.* c:\penjana to copy the files in the disk to the penjana sub directory.

 

Starting Timetable Generator

  1. Get into the penjana sub directory by typing cd\penjana.
  2. Type penjana to start the Timetable Generator.

 

 

To configure the program for your institution, start the program by typing

penjana configure

 

Using the example files

  1. If you want to make use of the example files for the school, type copy *.tSt *.txt and then type copy *.dSt *.dat.
  2. If you want to make use of the example files for the college, type copy *.tMt *.txt and then type copy *.dMt *.dat.

 
 

Requirements

  • An IBM -compatible machine with an 286 processor or higher. I wouldn't advice a 286 machine though, it takes minutes to generate a timetable (Semua) using a 386 machine to seconds on a Pentium machine.
  • A hard disk with at least two megabyte space.
  • A 5 1/4" or 3 1/2" floppy drive.
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1 or later.
  • At least one megabyte of memory.
  • An EGA, VGA, 85214, Hercules , or compatible display.
  • A printer.
  • A mouse.

 
 

Prerequisite knowledge

  • Familiar with any word processor. (intermediate level)
  • Familiar with simple DOS commands
  • Familiar with the use of the mouse. In the rare possibility that you don't have one, the following keys might be useful:

 

To move from one button to another :

 

press the TAB key

 

To make a selection :

 

while holding the ALT key, press the highlighted letter on the button (if any).

 

 

Appendix C describes a suggested sequence of using this program to prepare timetables.