========================================================= C O N F E R E N C E , R O O M , S E R V I C E , A N D E V E N T P R O P E R T I E S ========================================================= This file is a list of conference properties, room properties, service properties, and event properties for the year-three test. ST Module allows changing the list of properties by editing the STP world model; however, it does not allow changing it during the runtime. Every property is an integer, string, amount of money (represented as a natural number of cents), or piecewise-linear function; we mark string properties by the word "string" in the list, money properties by the word "money," and function properties by the word "plf," whereas the unmarked properties are integers. For each property, we specify its displayed name in quotes; for instance, the name of the "length" property is "Length (in feet)." Some properties are dependent, which means that the system uses default rules to compute their values from other properties; we mark them as "dependent." Some properties are noneditable, which means that the system includes hard-coded procedures for computing their values, and it does not allow changing these values manually or through default rules; we mark them as "noneditable." Finally, some properties are not displayed in GUI; we mark them as "hidden." --------------------- Conference properties --------------------- -= General =- Conference attendance ("Attendance"): The expected number of conference participants, which is used in determining the attendance of events that involve (almost) all participants, such as banquets. -= Initial cost =- Initial room cost ("Room reservations", money, noneditable, hidden): The initial cost of room reservations; that is, the sum of the "total costs" of individual rooms in the initial schedule. If the "total costs" of some rooms are uncertain, then the initial room cost is the sum of their minimal possible values; note that this sum is certain. Initial order cost ("Vendor orders", money, noneditable, hidden): The total cost of all vendor orders in the initial schedule. If the costs of some orders are unknown, then the initial order cost is the sum of the known costs; we skip the unknown costs when computing this sum. -= Budget =- Total initial cost ("Initial cost", money, noneditable): The overall initial cost, which is the sum of the initial-room and initial-order costs. Crisis budget ("Additional budget", money): The additional budget allocated for rescheduling after the crisis. Total budget ("Total budget", money, noneditable): The total budget for a new schedule, which is the sum of the total initial cost and crisis budget. -= Current cost =- Room-reservation cost ("Room reservations", money, noneditable): The current cost of room reservations; that is, the sum of the "total costs" of individual rooms in the current schedule. If the "total costs" of some rooms are uncertain, the room-reservation room cost is the sum of their expected values; note that this sum is certain. Vendor-order cost ("Vendor orders", money, noneditable): The total cost of all vendor orders in the current schedule. If the costs of some orders are unknown, then the vendor-order cost is the sum of the known costs; we skip the unknown costs when computing this sum. Total current cost ("Total", money, noneditable): The overall cost, which is the sum of the room-reservation and vendor-order costs. Bumping cost ("Bumping cost", noneditable, hidden): The current total of "bumping costs," which is the sum of the costs of all room-bumping events since the beginning of the scheduling process. These costs are integer values, which may be different for different bumping events. --------------- Room properties --------------- -= Type and name =- ID ("ID", hidden): The unique identifier of a room, used for internal references; the user does not have access to room IDs. Type ("Type", string, hidden): The type of a room, which is a pointer to its parent node in the room hierarchy. Label ("Name", string, hidden): The name of a room; it is only for the user's information, and we do not use it in preferences. Although it is hidden, the system uses it to display the room name in the list of rooms and at the top of the room-details pane. -= Location =- Building ("Building", string, noneditable): The name of the building containing a room; it is for the user's information, and we do not use it in preferences. We do not allow editing it, because we may use buildings in constructing the room hierarchy, and editing the building name may lead to a mismatch between this name and the building used as a parent node in the hierarchy. Floor ("Floor"): The floor of the building, which may be negative; for instance, we may represent Floors A and B in the Newell-Simon Hall as 0 and -1; it is only for the user's information, and we do not use it in preferences. -= Size =- Length ("Length (feet)"): The length of a room in feet. Width ("Width (feet)"): The width of a room in feet. Area ("Area (sq feet)"): The area of a room in square feet, which may not be equal to the product of the length and width. Height ("Height (feet)"): The height of a room in feet. -= Seating capacities =- Maximal capacity ("Maximal", dependent, hidden): The maximum of all other capacities; that is, the capacity of the arrangement that allows the greatest number of people. Banquet capacity ("Banquet"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use it for a banquet. Classroom capacity ("Classroom"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use it as a classroom. Conference capacity ("Conference"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use it for a regular conference session. Reception capacity ("Reception"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use it for a reception. Square capacity ("Square"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use the "hollow square" seating arrangement. Theater capacity ("Theater"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use the "theater" seating arrangement. U-Shape capacity ("U-Shape"): The maximal number of people in a room when we use the "U-shape" seating arrangement. -= Equipment =- Microphones ("Microphones"): The number of permanently available microphones in a room. Projectors ("Projectors"): The number of permanently available projectors in a room. We currently do not distinguish between computer projectors and slide projectors, and we assume that the number of screens in a room is equal to the number of projectors. Computers ("Computers"): The number of permanently available computers in a room. Podiums ("Podiums", hidden): The number of permanently available podiums in a room. -= Rental cost =- Per-hour cost ("Per hour", money): The hourly price of renting a room. Total cost ("Total", money, noneditable): The total cost of renting a room for the current schedule, which is the product of the per-hour cost and the total duration of all events in this room. Note that the system computes it automatically, and the user cannot edit it. -= Availability =- Marked Usable ("Usable", true/false string, hidden): If "false," Schedule Optimizer assumes that the room is completely unavailable, and it does not use this room in scheduling. Start ("Start", hidden): The earliest time when a room may be available for the conference. Duration ("Duration", hidden): The availability duration, which is the difference between the latest time and the earliest time when a room may be available for the conference. Availability ("Availability", plf, hidden): A piecewise-linear function with values "0" and "1," which shows the time intervals when the room is available. Although it is hidden, GUI shows the room availability in the main schedule pane, and in the small "Availability" table in the room-details pane. -= Display =- Shown in GUI ("Shown", true/false/default string, hidden): If "true," GUI displays a room; if "false," GUI does not display the room; if "default," GUI displays the room only if it is available for the conference. Although this property is hidden, GUI displays its value as a check-box in the room list. ------------------ Service properties ------------------ -= Catering services =- Vegetarian meals without alcohol ("Vegetarian w/o alcohol", hidden): The number of vegetarian meals without alcohol, delivered to a room. Kosher meals without alcohol ("Kosher w/o alcohol", hidden): The number of kosher meals without alcohol, delivered to a room. Vega meals without alcohol ("Vegan w/o alcohol", hidden): The number of vegan meals without alcohol, delivered to a room. Atkins meals without alcohol ("Atkins w/o alcohol", hidden): The number of Atkins meals without alcohol, delivered to a room. Regular meals without alcohol ("Regular w/o alcohol", hidden): The number of regular meals without alcohol, delivered to a room. Vegetarian meals with alcohol ("Vegetarian with alcohol", hidden): The number of vegetarian meals with alcohol, delivered to a room. Kosher meals with alcohol ("Kosher with alcohol", hidden): The number of kosher meals with alcohol, delivered to a room. Vegan meals with alcohol ("Vegan with alcohol", hidden): The number of vegan meals with alcohol, delivered to a room. Atkins meals with alcohol ("Atkins with alcohol", hidden): The number of Atkins meals with alcohol, delivered to a room. Regular meals with alcohol ("Regular with alcohol", hidden): The number of regular meals with alcohol, delivered to a room. -= Equipment services =- Connections ("Computer connections", hidden): The number of computer connections, that is, cables connected to ethernet jacks. Flip charts ("Flip charts", hidden): The number of flip charts delivered to a room. Laser pointers ("Laser pointers", hidden): The number of laser pointers delivered to a room. Easels ("Easels", hidden): The number of easels delivered to a room. CD players ("CD players", hidden): The number of CD players delivered to a room. TV sets ("TV sets", hidden): The number of TV sets without VCR or DVD players delivered to a room. Video players ("Video players", hidden): The number of TV sets with VCR and DVD players delivered to a room. Videotapings ("Videotaping operators", hidden): The number of videotaping operators in a room. Phone sets ("Phone sets", hidden): The number of phone sets delievered to a room. Fax machines ("Fax machines", hidden): The number of fax machines delievered to a room. Lecterns ("Lecterns", hidden): The number of lecterns delivered to a room. -= Misc services =- Flowers ("Flowers", hidden): The number of flowers delivered to a room. Guards ("Guards", hidden): The number of security guards in a room. ---------------- Event properties ---------------- -= Type and name =- ID ("ID", hidden): The unique identifier of an event, used for internal references; the user does not have access to event IDs. Type ("Type", string, hidden): The type of an event, which is a pointer to its parent node in the event hierarchy. Label ("Name", string, hidden): The name of an event; it is only for the user's information, and we do not use it in preferences. Although it is hidden, the system uses it to display the event name in the list of events, and at the top of the event-details pane. -= General =- Attendance ("Expected attendance"): The estimated attendance for an event, which is used in constructing PLFs for the room-capacity preferences. Seating arrangement ("Seating arrangement", string): The type of seating arrangement for an event, such as "U-shape" or "reception," which is used in constructing PLFs for the room-capacity preferences. Duration ("Preferred duration (min)"): The preferred duration of an event in minutes, which is used in constructing a PLF for the duration preference. Weight ("Weight", hidden): The weight of an event, which represents its importance; the system uses it in computing the weighted sum of event scores, which serves as the overall schedule score. Moving penalty ("Moving penalty", hidden): The penalty for changing the room or time of an event; the higher this value, the more "reluctant" Schedule Optimizer to move this event. -= Size preferences =- Length ("Length (feet)"): The preferred room length, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Width ("Width (feet)"): The preferred room width, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Area ("Area (sq feet)"): The preferred room area, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Height ("Height (feet)"): The preferred room height, which is used in constructing the related PLF. -= Equipment preferences =- Microphones ("Microphones"): The preferred number of microphones, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding microphones. Projectors ("Projectors"): The preferred number of projectors, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding projectors. Computers ("Computers"): The preferred number of computers, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding computers. Connections ("Computer connections"): The preferred number of computer connections, that is, cables connected to ethernet jacks; it is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding connections. Flip charts ("Flip charts"): The preferred number of flip charts, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding flip charts. Laser pointers ("Laser pointers"): The preferred number of laser pointers, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding these pointers. Easels ("Easels"): The preferred number of easels, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding easels. CD players ("CD players"): The preferred number of CD players, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding CD players. TV sets ("TV sets"): The preferred number of TV sets without VCR or DVD players, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preferences regarding TV sets. Video players ("Video players"): The preferred number of TV sets with VCR and DVD players, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding these TV sets. Videotaping ("Videotaping operators"): The preferred number of videotaping operators present during an event, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding these operators. Phone sets ("Phone sets"): The preferred number of phone sets, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding phones. Fax machines ("Fax machines"): The preferred number of fax machines, which is used in constructing a PLF for the preference regarding faxes. Podium ("Podium", Yes/No string): The need for a podium, which is used in constracting a PLF for the preference regarding podiums. Lectern ("Lectern", Yes/No string): The need for a lectern, which is used in constracting a PLF for the preference regarding lecterns. -= Catering preferences =- Catering service ("Catering", Yes/No string): The need for a food service; it is used in determining the required number of regular meals. Alcohol service ("Alcohol", Yes/No string): The need for an alcohol service; it is used in determining the type of meals when constructing the meal PLFs. We assume that we may order "alcoholic" and "nonalcoholic" meals, which correspond to different preferences. Vegetarian meals ("Vegetarian meals"): The preferred number of vegetarian meals, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Kosher meals ("Kosher meals"): The preferred number of kosher meals, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Vegan meals ("Vegan meals"): The preferred number of vegan meals, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Atkins meals ("Atkins meals"): The preferred number of Atkins meals, which is used in constructing the related PLF. Regular meals ("Regular meals", dependent): The preferred number of regular meals, which is used in constructing the related PLF. If an event requires a catering service, this number is the difference between the expected attendance and the total of vegetarian, kosher, vegan, and Atkins meals; else, it is zero. -= Misc service preferences =- Flowers (Yes/No string): The need for flowers, which is either "Yes" or "No." If it is "Yes," then we get the full credit for ordering one flower. We use it for constructing a PLF for the flower preference. Guards (Yes/No string): The need for security guards, which is either "Yes" or "No." If it is "Yes," then we get the full credit for ordering one security guard. We use it for constructing a PLF for the guard preference.