League Scheduling Algorithm or Function

[edwgib2002@yahoo.com]

Does anyone have any information related to a scheduling algorithm that
can be written in VBA and used in an access database to create balanced
team schedules for a league?

[ManningFan]

Re: League Scheduling Algorithm or Function

Depends on the league. It should be fairly easy to write a function if
you have a proper weighting schedule in place.

edwgib2002@yaho o.com wrote:

Does anyone have any information related to a scheduling algorithm that
can be written in VBA and used in an access database to create balanced
team schedules for a league?

[CDMAPoster@FortuneJames.com]

Re: League Scheduling Algorithm or Function

edwgib2002@yaho o.com wrote:

Does anyone have any information related to a scheduling algorithm that
can be written in VBA and used in an access database to create balanced
team schedules for a league?

I will be writing such an algorithm in the near future. The problem is
tougher than it looks, especially if by balancing you mean keeping the
strength of schedule fairly uniform so that teams that play stronger
teams at the beginning of the season don't have an advantage due to
handicaps. I will be doing this for pool leagues. Another factor is
that the establishments (venues) may have M tables and N teams. The
purpose of the league is to bring business into the establishment so
the schedules have to have half :-) of the scheduled matches (within
about one match) at home.

My idea is to be able to specify several kinds of constraints and
determine how many, if any, schedules meet those constraints. If
several schedules are possible, which ones are the most fair regarding
handicapping and, in the case where not all of the teams play all the
other teams, regarding the total strength of schedule? Keeping the
strength of schedule uniform usually means that teams playing tougher
matches at a particular point in the season will have some weaker
matches punctuating the schedule there also. Obviously, if the league
is just starting, there is no reference on which to base schedule
strength.

Once a schedule is chosen, Access can generate tables to store the
results. This may involve displaying K Tuesdays from a multiselect
listbox where the league operator selects the league nights for the
entire season. Pool leagues also have position rounds where the first
place team plays the second place team, etc. You also want the
database to allow the league operator to input the results on a form
similar to the form filled out by the teams. The league operators also
need to be able to enter league results out of order because of a match
being rescheduled or due to a delay in getting results. Software
developers making proposals to leagues often throw in the possibility
of putting schedules and league results on the internet. Perhaps team
captains will be able to log in and post league results through a
browser. I think this problem is going to require a fair bit of
planning.

James A. Fortune
CDMAPoster@Fort uneJames.com