G-Tablix 0.0.8 review

G-Tablix is a graphical user interface for Tablix Timetabling software, written in GTK2/Perl. G-Tablix helps user to prepare a ti

License: GPL (GNU General Public License) File size: 189K Developer: Bo?tjan ?pe

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G-Tablix is a graphical user interface for Tablix Timetabling software, written in GTK2/Perl.

G-Tablix helps user to prepare a timetable for high school, using Tablix as a backend. It features extensive documentation, a nice user interface, and several helper features for efficient timetabling.

Here are some key features of "G Tablix":
Helper features:

full use of gettext for easy translations. For now, G-Tablix works in English, Slovenian and Spanish
step-by-step wizard
lots of documentation
input file sanity check and validation
start up dependency check
handy tool bar with the most needed actions
very open design with good overview of the project
dynamic view of internal relations in the timetable setup
preview printing directly from gtablix, using html2ps

File handling:

open and save properly formatted tablix XML files
import and export partial data lists as text files
support unicode encoding and gzipped files
import FET XML files
preview and export the result timetables in 4 different ways

Tablix support:

intensive use of tablix_modinfo for informing the user and automating the work of timetabling
full support and use of tablix_plot
full support and use of tablix_output
full support and use of tablix, including the -r switch
full support and use of tablix modules and restrictions
real-time tracking of tablix progress and on demand plotting of convergence graphs
shortcut to xpvm if present

Requirements:
gettext
perl-gtk2
tablix

What's New in This Release:
some modules have default values, based on tablix manual recomendations. This should help inexperienced users setup modules properly and efficiently.
the restrictions editor got a nicer layout, allowing user to point and select the restrictions in one tab, or have detailed view in another.
new colorful 'relations' view of timetable definition might replace the old boring table like format. The four lists of entities dinamicaly display the relations of other entities to the currently selected one. I expect this feature to evolve even more after some user response.
new dialog: 'mini timetable' in the 'Schedule' tab. It allows user to point and click the desired day and period rather than typing it into the entry fields. It stays on top but doesn't freeze the main window. It also paints the periods of the selected entity which are alredy fixed.
new dependency: instead of clusterconf gtablix now links to 'xpvm', for controlling the pvm. It seems very useful.
tablix parameters can now be defined in a nicer way - with spinbuttons, but the actual commandline for tablix can still be manualy edited.
the results view is now internaly separated from project editing. you can even load other results files and watch and export and print different timetables
printing of results is also new feature. It is rather simple, it just renders the html output to postscript and sends it to printer, but it should do for previews of work done.
gettext support for full i18n. This means, that now you can translate gtablix into your favourite language. This also means, that if you want gtablix in perfect english, you should have your locale set to 'en' rather that 'C'.
context menus with most needed functions for all lists, including brand new functions 'complete delete' and 'rename', which can perform the desired change in the whole project.
keyboard shortcuts for all menu options, including 'run tablix', 'check' and 'restrictions editor'.