What’s new in version 2018

What’s new in aSc TimeTables 2018

aSc TimeTables online
Yes, that’s correct - it is now possible to create the timetable from your browser. You can input the data, move cards around, verify, test and even generate the timetables online. All users of yearly maintenance can immediately use this feature. You can switch between online and offline version freely - because the data structure is the same.

What are the main advantages of the online version?

Access from anywhere
Just login from any web browser from PC/Mac even iOS/Android tablets. No need to install anything.

If you want to create new timetable - use the "First steps" button in upper right corner, and use "Create timetable online" section.

If your Edupage is already created and you have uploaded some timetables - login as admin or as teacher with assigned user rights and use Timetable administration and click on "Timetables Online" button:

Improved versioning & tracking changes
Each time you save the file in the online version a separate copy of your data is created. The software will show you what was changed since the last save and you can revert back to any previous state of your work.

More people can work simultaneously
Two or more people can input data or move the cards in one timetable simultaneously. You will see who is working together with you.

Better data safety
Your saved timetables are immediately replicated to several servers. With nightly backups - you will never lose your timetable file again. No more USB, shared folders, emails.

New timetable viewer for web pages
Timetables share on webpage are now using timetables online viewer. This means that you can display your timetable in the same exact format/cell layouts/ font size as you have defined in aSc TimeTables. Users can view the timetable, print it – or use the updated mobile application to view the timetable.

aSc TimeTables Windows/Mac application

Does this mean that my beloved timetables windows/mac application is no longer available and I need to use online version?
Don’t worry: windows/mac version is still available. It is up to you which one will you use. Actually you may even use both to utilize strengths of each one. For example initially you may use online version to let more people input the data. Then you can switch to the application and generate the timetable there. Once the timetable is ready, you can upload it back to online version and then let your headmaster do some small timetable tweaks during the school year in the online version. He or she doesn’t need to contact you every time she wants to move one lesson or just change something in the printouts.

Ok, so are there any new features in the aSc Timetables application? Yes:

Card relationships can be applied to individual students
It is now possible to define special constraint for just one student. So if for whatever reasons certain student cannot have biology on Wednesday afternoon – you can input it.

New cardrelationships.
We have added several new card relationships that deal with student-teacher assignments. For example you can specify that certain student can be assigned to teacher Einstein or Leibnitz, but not to teacher Newton. Or, you can specify that some students shall have the same teacher for two different courses.

New gap checking options
By default if a teacher (or class,student) has nothing on his 1st period then this 1st period not counted as gap - teacher can come later to the school. In order to have a gap the teacher must have lesson before and after some period without lesson. We have added also an option to count these initial or ending free periods as gaps.

New improve mode
It is now possible to ask the software to “generate safely”. If you have already generated a timetable and you want to try to add some constraints, the best way is to generate a new timetable. Why? Because a new constraint might require the algorithm to structure your timetable in a completely different way. So if you can – generate a new timetable. If your timetable generates 10 minutes – add constraints and always generate new timetable. The success rate of adding new constraints is much higher if the software knows before placing the very first card, what you want.

So when to use this new safe improve? If you have really complicated timetable that takes long time to generate and you have some wishes that are not very important or realistic. The safe improve will always try to have the timetable in “completed state”. It will not to explore changes that might end up with uncompleted timetable. But because of this limitation, the success rate of incorporating new constraints is lower.

Support of higher resolutions & icons refresh

The software now better supports higher resolutions.
Also the icons were refreshed – design and fashion is evolving so we needed to provide some more modern icons. But since we understand that timetablers use aSc TimeTables to do their work and not to learn new icon fashion each year - the old icons are still available to select ;-)

Bug fixes and smaller improvements
Many smaller fixes,improvements were added over the last year.