[SIMS] Timetable report - data format, not printable

[localzuk]

I'm trying to create a report in SIMS.net which outputs the following information:

Teacher
Class
Period
Day of Week
Week Cycle

So, in other words, I want a giant text file output which lists the timetables for the staff, so I can use the data in a program.

However, when I try to deal with 'timetable details' I get a bunch of information but no way to link the resulting classes to which period they take place in etc...

Any clues as to which focuses I should be using?

[Sivadam]

Have you tried the new Timetable Reports that the Summer Release has given us?
You can 'print' a full staff timetable and then export it!
As with NT4 Reports the format of this report is editable.

[localzuk]

Ah, we only got the Summer release last week, so not really looked at new stuff yet.

Looking at it now, it doesn't provide the export data in any meaningful manner. ie. it sticks the formatted timetable into a file - eg an excel file or an html file. Or, if I choose, an XML data file. If I export as HTML, the HTML is very poorly formatted - instead of using a single 'table' element, there are loads of them - making parsing that file very difficult. If I export as Excel, the data is again formatted oddly, making parsing of the file very difficult.

It does look like you can provide an XSLT file to format things how you want, but then there is zero information on the XML schema to work with to create one.

I just want a list really.

[Sarconia]

Hmm... this seems to be similar to what you want...

I created a report based on the Period (it's under the school focus in the report design).

I then added the fields:

Period
Day Name
TimeTableModel (this seems to pick up the cycle)
Lessons (Sub Report)
Class Name of the class
Class teacher of the class

It did give me a really long list... I hope it helps.

[localzuk]

Thanks for the info Sarconia. Doesn't seem to work for me. I just get The Period (Fri 8 etc...) Day Name (Fri) a TimeTableModel (Model 1/Model 2) and then 2 blank columns.

I've tried setting the effective date to the past (during term time), the future (during term time) and today. Zilch.

[vikpaw]

Ah, we only got the Summer release last week, so not really looked at new stuff yet.

Looking at it now, it doesn't provide the export data in any meaningful manner. ie. it sticks the formatted timetable into a file - eg an excel file or an html file. Or, if I choose, an XML data file. If I export as HTML, the HTML is very poorly formatted - instead of using a single 'table' element, there are loads of them - making parsing that file very difficult. If I export as Excel, the data is again formatted oddly, making parsing of the file very difficult.

It does look like you can provide an XSLT file to format things how you want, but then there is zero information on the XML schema to work with to create one.

I just want a list really.

If you can output to XML, that's enough info to build a makeshift XSL. I've started playing with these, but it requires something as a start point. I've been doing it for registration reports to alter the output of days from mon-fri to sat-wed it's a bit of a head against wall.

sarconia's report sounds the easiest thing, if you can get it to work. is the timetable applied for the next year...?

[localzuk]

The timetable has been applied, yet the report still returns empty fields.

I've decided to go down the 'figure out the excel sheet' route, as it is in a repeating pattern, so programmatically grabbing data from it won't be that hard, plus the instructions for creating a correctly formatted report for importing into my program will be simpler using just built in functionality, rather than needing extra .xlst files etc... Just wish I could automate it now.

[Martin_W]

Hey Localzuk,

can you explain how you use the xls files to get to the output you want?
I have reformatted data using Excel before. Maybe it is not so hard to automate what you are doing.

[localzuk]

Hey Localzuk,

can you explain how you use the xls files to get to the output you want?
I have reformatted data using Excel before. Maybe it is not so hard to automate what you are doing.

I've managed to process it using c sharp now thanks. I'll post some details on my blog at some point!

[Martin_W]

Ok, that's a nice solution too (although it would have been nice if SIMS itself would output format the data in a nice way, but hey