Java or Excel? Lifeguard rotation

**ThePwnageKing** · 05-18-2011, 05:49 AM

ok so i have only taken one semester of java in college so fairly new to java. here is my question for some of you java experts.

my job is a lifeguard/pool attendant at a resort and everyday, me or one of the other lead guards, need to make a rotation for the lifeguards to follow. sometimes we close down one of the stands because we are short staffed and sometimes we have enough for guards to clean or take a break for 15 minutes. it all depends on how many guards we have.

now for the question; would making a program that will fill out the rotation be more functional than trying to make an Excel file that would fill out itself??

and if java is your opinion, would you make an array in java with that basically mimics the excel fill and then print it to a .txt file or is there another way??

and if Excel is your opinion, what complications do you see as being a problem with java over Excel?

sorry if this isnt the right place to post.

**Dark** · 05-18-2011, 06:19 AM

It depends what you're trying to accomplish. Is it a static rotation or are you trying to input constantly changing variables?

The more static your rotation is the easier it would be to throw it into excel.

If you have to work peoples schedules in, ie can't work x days or x hours on x days it would take a little bit of work but I think java would be better.

If you plan on using Java, you're looking at a bit more coding. Excel is pretty easy and fast, so my advice is to not make it more complex than it needs to be.

**ThePwnageKing** · 05-18-2011, 06:31 AM

the rotation is a daily thing but we do have to work around somethings. for example, some of the guards tell us ahead of time that they will not be coming in until 1 PM (the rotation starts at 10 AM and goes till 6 PM at 15 minute intervals) so they cannot be scheduled to be on the stand until 1 PM.

i want to be able to make something that has the power to change based on lifeguard availability. like, if we were to start out with 8 guards at 10AM and then have a 1 hour gap where we only have 6 guards and then we would go BACK to having 8 guards, it would not have any problems with going back and forth.

ill post a picture of a typical rotation that was made in excel.

**Dark** · 05-18-2011, 06:59 AM

It would be best if you came up with a list of functionality you need, and functionality that you want. Then it would be easier to decide because you would be more able to compare the pros and cons of both programs.