Interesting problem.

If I understand this correctly, a 600 entry table won't quite work out. One way to build the sequence is to start with: 

step 1: a b c x a b c x a b c x a b c x a b c x a b c x a b c x...
step 2:       d       e       f       x       x       x       d...

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basically, cycle through the first sequence, leave a blank slot (x), repeat sequence. You can run one other thing every 4 seconds (an x), start filling in slots with the second sequence. This time skip 3 x's between cycles of the second "24 second sequence".

After this, every 24 seconds, there will be 3 x's left every 24 seconds, or in a total of 600 seconds there are 600/24 = 25 "24 second groups" each with 3 open slots or 24*3=75 total open slots left.

This doesn't quite work out for the other tasks in a 600 second table because the "time slot opportunities" are modulo 24 seconds. But it appears possible to set up a pattern based upon modulo 24 seconds for the others...

seconds task   
  4     a b c    
 24     d e f  a group of 3 blank slots occur every 24 seconds
               There are 3 categories of other things. 
               Even if they all land on the same 24 second 
               "window", we can still run one of each
               of them. In other words, each of these 3
               slots could be dedicated as 
               "potential 96, 144 or 600 second thing".
 96     g      run once every 4th group
144     h i j  run one of them every other group 
               (pattern repeats after 6 groups)
600     k      run once every 25th group

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I think there are many ways to do this problem. I looked for a simple repetitive pattern to ensure that everything that has to get done will get done. The CPU loading is not optimally evenly distributed, but I guess you could interleave "x's with def in the 24 second "pattern" and that would help.

I'm not sure what the requirements are for this 12th, thing, but it could run in any slot not otherwise taken. Of course, the 100 second group runs every 96 seconds and the 150 second group runs every 144 seconds, but that sounded like that "tradeoff" was allowed by the rules.

Update:
For implementation, I might just hand code a 24 entry dispatch table. Something like this: 

1   a
2   b
3   c
4     d
5   a
6   b
7   c
8    potentially run one of the every 96 second group 
9   a
10  b
11  c
12    e
13  a
14  b
15  c
16   potentially run one of the every 144 second group 
17  a
18  b
19  c
20    f
21  a
22  b
23  c
24   potentially run one of the every 600 second group

[download]
Where, for example, the "potentially run one of the every 600 second group" entry means that it will do something every 25 times that you call it. If this otherwise meets the requirements, I like it because everybody has a dedicated slot to run in and I can absolutely guarantee that the maximum timing requirements will be met. The 12th thing can run at any opportunity where "potentially" means "not right now". The "12th thing" would be more like the "idle loop" - nothing else to do, might as well run you!

In reply to Re: Time Allotments by Marshall
in thread Time Allotments by alanonymous

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