E10 - How to: Set up anchor classes to influence structure

Modified on Thu, 14 Aug at 12:55 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preamble
- Scenario

Preamble

This is a technique used to influence class structure to behave a certain way, where that behavior is not achieved through standardised syntax. E.g., it is easy to put all lessons of a class into a line, but to block some of the lessons of a class into a line and the rest as floating classes is difficult.... but possible.

Scenario

Classes for Yr8 SCI are associated with letter groups and run for 8 periods. For 2 of those periods the classes are blocked together and for the other 6 they can float freely. In the Yr8 Class data screen, simply code the classes as group classes. (You may opt to use letters or numbers depending on your existing structures).

Create a new year level called "Admin". There is nothing special about the name, but this is the year level that will house the anchor classes. In this year level, create 4 anchor classes and 1 extra class to 'fill' in the rest of that year level.

The 4 anchor classes need to be blocked on a line, each with #Per set to 2 periods, and they need to be linked to their corresponding Yr8 class. If required, use the Periods column to hardcode when this blocking must take place.

The Filler class is needed to 'fill' in the rest of the lessons on the Admin year. It's a little quirk... in the way E10 treats linked and lined classes, if there are spare empty lessons, then E10 starts to misbehave, similar to a child left unsupervised ;-)

Once the Yr8 classes go onto the grid, also add the Admin year level classes. At this point E10 will realise that the 4 anchor classes have to:

be in a line, i.e. all 4 anchor classes blocked together; and
be vertically linked to their corresponding Yr8 SCI class, thus locking them together for 2 out of the 8 periods.

Here is the Master grid F11, post adding classes:

Notice how the anchor classes influence the Yr8 SCI classes above, causing 2 periods of all the Yr8 SCI classes to run in a block / line and for 6 periods the Yr8 SCI classes run with other group classes.

Note this structure can run for more than one subject, just use a different line identifier in the Admin year level.