[sims] Temporal locks in Nova T

[tpcc]

I have used this forum to solve several issues I have experienced with SIMs over the last few weeks (thank you to those who have unknowingly helped me) and wonder if anyone can please shed some light on a situation that we have regarding temporal locks in Maintenance Datasets (Nova T).

 

Whilst I can remove them and get the timetable to work, I am wondering what is causing them in SIMs. Being new to the job this year I have inherited someone else's timetable and do not have the original Nova T file, so am correcting issues with the timetable through Maintenance datasets. However, every time one is created it has hundreds of Temporal locks. Even after removing them and exporting back into SIMs the temporal locks are still in place when another Maintenance set is created.

 

My initial thought is that an old academic year is still running in SIMs - is this even possible? The locks that are being created must be at least 2 years old.

 

Any advice anyone can give would be greatly appreciated as, although I have a work around, I'd like to sort the issue which is causing the locks

[vikpaw]

- you've picked the deepest darkest area of SIMS for your first post. There was a similar post around locks not long ago.

Usually, you start the year with a construction dataset, then maintenance is for adding updates. This means changes you make in one can't be altered in another inadvertently.

 

You don't have to use maintenance sets, you could make a change in a new construction set and send that back, but it totally overwrites everything. However, you can always send the new dataset back with a new start date. This is how we operate, so you always preserve history and the new changes are made from date = today onwards. If you want to record future changes, you can just make a file ready for that but not send it back, so if more changes occur in the interim you can send them back.

 

I wouldn't dare to guess what is happening on your system. It would be a nightmare if the timetable file has been modified for over two years as just maintenance sets. I would be tempted to start with a new construction set, which would probably involve creating a new file from scratch. Then send this back some day in future until end of year. This would clear all future issues. But, i'd check with your support in case that will cause any undue effect elsewhere.

 

The documentation is pretty big on Nova, so hit documentation on the homepage and get the latest file online from Capita. It may list the caveats and risks involved in switching half year.

[tpcc]

Thank you so much Vikpaw.

 

 

I am going to run a variation check today to see which construction timetables(s) are currently active, but if my worst fear is confirmed it will be due to an old construction set with an end date in the future.

 

A couple of further questions if you don't mind:

 

If I create a construction dataset will it import the data from SQL or will the timetable have to be manually duplicated?

 

If the end date of the corrupt construction set is further in the future than this year will I simply be sticking a temporary fix on a wound for now, yet have the same issue next year?

 

Is there anyway to delete the corrupt construction set from SIMs?

 

I do know this is a complex problem - but it's the last one (I think) we are facing. There have been several end of year jobs which have not happened for some reason or another and I am looking forward to being able to swim on as opposed to tackling the shark which is biting my feet whist trying to keep everything appearing as 'normal'.

[tpcc]

FYI the temporal locks have reduced and I now know why they are created. Thank you again vikpaw for your help in this. Thankfully it seems all is now well ( well nearly)

[vikpaw]

Hi,

Not sure how much help i can be as i don't use maintenance sets.

 

You should be able to use an old construction set to make a new one for a new date range. I'm not sure if you can use a maintenance set and save it as a construction set, but that would be ideal so all your data is preserved.

 

The datasets basically store the structure and send that to SIMS / SQL. You wouldn't load it from SQL. The bits that load if you want are the list of teachers, subjects, rooms etc. but in terms of preserving the timetable you have to either create from scratch, which actually wouldn't take that long or save as an older file.

 

Be careful, to make sure, the new file has the same structure and class names, if that is true, then hopefully your student memberships of the classes which is set in sims won't be affected.

Just in case you can export those from the curriculum assignment by scheme screen to a spreadsheet type file.

 

I don't think that the end date would be in the future beyond the academic year, usually you have to create a new year and then send your data back for that range. If you look at the top right in Nova, or there is a command in one of the menus it will tell you the current file status and the date range it applies for. Not sure if you get this with a maintenance set.

 

If you delete the construction set i don't know what would happen, and whether it's used any more. I'm pretty sure it's just a file after you send it to SQL. You keep it so you can change it and resend easily.

 

Hope you're getting to grips with the issue.

[tpcc]

Thanks again for your time VikPaw.

 

For future reference (if anyone gets stuck in the same situation) go to data>>temporal locks and remove each of them individually. This removes all the locks from the working system so that the next time you export your curriculum the maintenance set is fine (unless you have made local changes to rooms in SIMs). A Maintenance set is best used for future timetable alterations and will create temporal locks for the rooms/classes which change for the relevant future period.

Thankfully our situation is now resolved