[Tutor] sqlite3 Dilemma

[Peter Otten]

Khalid Al-Ghamdi wrote:

> I am a teacher at an industrial training center. We have to conduct
> hands-on exams (fixing pumps, etc). I review all the test schedules for
> all the students (made by other teachers) to make sure there are no
> clashes due to lack of ample supply of equipment or tools. Meaning no two
> trainees are to have the same test at the same time. If this is the case,
> then the date or time or test code have to be changed to avoid the
> conflict.
> 
> I have the schedule in csv format. I have been able to export it to
> sqlite3 as seen below and I have found all the conflicts, too.
> 
> My dilemma is how to go about making sqlite3 alter the date, time, or exam
> code if another trainee is scheduled at the same time and date with the
> same test code.
> 
> What is the proper approach to handle this?

I think what you have is a "constraint satisfaction problem". There are 
packages in Python that address it, but I have no experience with them and 
therefore cannot make any recommendations. This one

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/constraint/

...has an example similar to your problem which may help you get started:

http://www.logilab.org/3441

> I'm using python 3 on windows.

I see no mention of Python 3 on their site, so you probably have to resort 
to Python 2 should you end up with the solver mentioned above.

> Below is how far I've gotten.

I'd forget the database for the moment, but keep the code to verify the 
solution once you have arrived at it through other means.