Merging overlapping spans/ranges

[Max M]

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot
of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a
list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----

------- -------- # meta spans
I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered if
anybody has an idea for a better approach?
######################################
# -*- coding: latin-1 -*-

"""
1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----
------- --------

"""

class MetaSpans:

"""
Populate with a list of span tuples [(start,end)], and it will make
"meta"
spans, with overlapping spans folded into one span.
"""

def __init__(self):
self.spans = []

def add(self, span):
start, end = span
overlapping = [span]
non_overlapping = []
for spn in self.spans:
spn_start, spn_end = spn
# span rules for iterated spans
starts_before = spn_start <= start
ends_after = spn_end >= end
is_outside = starts_before and ends_after
starts_inside = start <= spn_start <= end
ends_inside = start <= spn_end <= end
overlaps = starts_inside or ends_inside or is_outside
if overlaps:
overlapping.append(spn)
else:
non_overlapping.append(spn)
# overlapping spans are changed to one span
starts = []
ends = []
for start, end in overlapping:
starts.append(start)
ends.append(end)
min_start = min(starts)
max_end = max(ends)
non_overlapping.append( (min_start, max_end) )
self.spans = non_overlapping
def findFreeTime(self, duration):
self.spans.sort()


if __name__ == '__main__':

ms = MetaSpans()
ms.add((0,3))
ms.add((4,7))
ms.add((2,5))
ms.add((9,14))
ms.add((12,17))
print ms.spans
from datetime import datetime
ms = MetaSpans()
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 3, 0, 0)))
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 4, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 7, 0, 0)))
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 2, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 5, 0, 0)))
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 9, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 14, 0, 0)))
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 12, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 17, 0,
0)))
print ms.spans

--

hilsen/regards Max M, Denmark

http://www.mxm.dk/
IT's Mad Science

[bearophileHUGS]

This is the problem of finding the connected components inside an
interval graph. You can implement the algorithms yourself, of you can
use my graph data structure here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pynetwork/

The graph methods:
createIntervalgGraph
And:
connectedComponents
can probably solve your problem quite fast, algorithmically, and with
few lines of code.
If you need more help, then ask for it and I'll give the little code
needed.

Bear hugs,
Bearophile

[Jordan Rastrick]

Max M wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----

>> ------- -------- # meta spans
I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered if anybody has an idea for a better approach?
######################################
# -*- coding: latin-1 -*-

"""
1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----
>> ------- -------- """

class MetaSpans:

"""
Populate with a list of span tuples [(start,end)], and it will make "meta"
spans, with overlapping spans folded into one span.
"""

def __init__(self):
self.spans = []

def add(self, span):
start, end = span
overlapping = [span]
non_overlapping = []
for spn in self.spans:
spn_start, spn_end = spn
# span rules for iterated spans
starts_before = spn_start <= start
ends_after = spn_end >= end
is_outside = starts_before and ends_after
starts_inside = start <= spn_start <= end
ends_inside = start <= spn_end <= end
overlaps = starts_inside or ends_inside or is_outside
if overlaps:
overlapping.append(spn)
else:
non_overlapping.append(spn)
# overlapping spans are changed to one span
starts = []
ends = []
for start, end in overlapping:
starts.append(start)
ends.append(end)
min_start = min(starts)
max_end = max(ends)
non_overlapping.append( (min_start, max_end) )
self.spans = non_overlapping
def findFreeTime(self, duration):
self.spans.sort()


if __name__ == '__main__':

ms = MetaSpans()
ms.add((0,3))
ms.add((4,7))
ms.add((2,5))
ms.add((9,14))
ms.add((12,17))
print ms.spans
from datetime import datetime
ms = MetaSpans()
ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 3, 0, 0))) ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 4, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 7, 0, 0))) ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 2, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 5, 0, 0))) ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 9, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 14, 0, 0))) ms.add((datetime(2005, 1, 1, 12, 0, 0), datetime(2005, 1, 1, 17, 0, 0)))
print ms.spans

I think the following code does what you want. It should be O(n log n)
- at least I hope thats what Python takes to sort the list of spans :)
Of course I've assumed you have the spans available to you all at once
as a list, and dont need to add them one at a time as you did in your
original code.

def get_metaspans(spans):
"""Given a list of span tuples [(start,end)], will generate all
meta spans, with overlapping spans folded into one span.
"""
spans.sort()
spans = iter(spans)
metaspan = spans.next()
for span in spans:
start, end = span
m_start, m_end = metaspan
if start > m_end:
yield metaspan
metaspan = span
elif end > m_end:
metaspan = (m_start, end)
# Need to yield the final metaspan once the span list is exhausted
yield metaspan

def get_breaks(metaspans):
"""Gets all the breaks in between a sequence of metaspans"""
metaspans = iter(metaspans)
_, prev_end = metaspans.next()
for metaspan in metaspans:
start, end = metaspan
yield (prev_end, start)
prev_end = end

I must admit I'm a bit of a generatoraholic, I'll tend to throw yields
at anything given half a chance :) Having to yield once more at the end
of the get_metaspans loop seems a little inelegant, maybe it could be
done a bit better. But its nice the way empty lists are handled
gracefully - the StopIteration thrown by the .next() calls are just
absorbed by the, uh, generatorness.

A little bit of testing:

spans = [(12, 13), (0,3), (2,5), (1,4), (4,6), (1,2), (8,9), (9, 10)] print list(get_metaspans(spans)) [(0, 6), (8, 10), (12, 13)] print list(get_breaks(get_metaspans(spans)))

[(6, 8), (10, 12)]

Is that more or less what was required?

[elbertlev]

The linear method:

You create an array - one bool per minute. For one day 24 * 60 entries
is enough. Spans (Start, End) are in minutes from midnight. Set array
slots in range(Start, End) to True for each input span.

Scan the array and find metaspans - contiguous sequences of False.

[Mike Rovner]

Max M wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot
of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a
list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

"Almost" linear method (includes .sort() which is afaik N*logN):
[Set all priority to 1, or you will get changes in priorities as well.]

def merge(p):
""" p is a seq of (start, priority, end)
returns list of merged events:
(start1, pri), (end1, 0), (start2, pri), (end2, 0), ...
"""
all=[] # list of x, h, up, id
for id,(l,h,r) in enumerate(p):
all.append((l,h,1,id))
all.append((r,h,0,id))
all.sort()

sl = [] # skyline solution
slx = slh = 0 # current values
vis = {} # active {id:h}
for x,h,up,id in all:
if up:
vis[id]=h
if h>slh:
sl.append((x,h))
slh=h
else:
del vis[id]
assert h<=slh
if h==slh:
v = vis.values()
if v:
h = max(v)
else:
h = 0
sl.append((x,h))
slh=h
slx=x
# merge same time events
s=dict(sl)
sl=s.keys()
sl.sort()
return [(k,s[k]) for k in sl]

[Steven Bethard]

el*******@hotmail.com wrote:

The linear method:

You create an array - one bool per minute. For one day 24 * 60 entries
is enough. Spans (Start, End) are in minutes from midnight. Set array
slots in range(Start, End) to True for each input span.

Scan the array and find metaspans - contiguous sequences of False.

Yeah, this would basically have been my suggestion. One implementation:

py> def merge(spans, nbins):
.... bins = [0]*nbins
.... for start, end in spans:
.... for bin in xrange(start, end):
.... bins[bin] += 1
.... def key((i, count)):
.... return count != 0
.... index_groups = itertools.groupby(enumerate(bins), key=key)
.... for isnonzero, indices in index_groups:
.... if isnonzero:
.... indices = [i for (i, count) in indices]
.... yield (indices[0], indices[-1])
....
py> spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
py> list(merge(spans, 20))
[(0, 6), (9, 16)]

Obviously, this needs some modification to handle datetime objects.

STeVe

[Bengt Richter]

On Tue, 10 May 2005 15:14:47 +0200, Max M <ma**@mxm.dk> wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot
of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a
list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----

------- -------- # meta spans
I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered if
anybody has an idea for a better approach?

Maybe (not tested beyond what you see ;-)

def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None: start, end = s,e; continue
... if s <= end: end = e; continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None: yield start, end
... spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
list(mergespans(spans))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]
Regards,
Bengt Richter

[Bengt Richter]

On Tue, 10 May 2005 15:14:47 +0200, Max M <ma**@mxm.dk> wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot
of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a
list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----

------- -------- # meta spans
I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered if
anybody has an idea for a better approach?

spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
Non-recommended one-liner:
reduce(lambda L,se: (L and se[0]<=L[-1][1] and (L.append((L.pop()[0], se[1])) or L)) or L.append(se) or L ,sorted(spans), [])

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

Regards,
Bengt Richter

[Jim Sizelove]

Bengt Richter wrote:

On Tue, 10 May 2005 15:14:47 +0200, Max M <ma**@mxm.dk> wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lot
of time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into a
list of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----

------- -------- # meta spans

I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered if
anybody has an idea for a better approach?

Maybe (not tested beyond what you see ;-)

It is with some trepidation that I write this message; after hanging
around in c.l.p for the better part of a year, I have come to expect
Bengt's messages to be right-on and error-free.

However this time... :)

>>> def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None: start, end = s,e; continue
... if s <= end: end = e; continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None: yield start, end
... >>> spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
>>> list(mergespans(spans)) [(0, 7), (9, 17)]

There can be a problem in mergespans if one span fits inside another:

spans = [(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)]
list(mergespans(spans)) [(0, 3), (4, 7), (9, 17)]

Here is a revised version (not tested beyond what you see ;-) def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None:
... start, end = s,e
... continue
... if s <= end:
... if end < e:
... end = e
... continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None:
... yield start, end
... list(mergespans([(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)])) [(0, 7), (9, 17)] list(mergespans([(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

Can anyone find any other errors in this? ;-)

With humble regards,
Jim Sizelove

[Jordan Rastrick]

Should work fine as far as I can see. Of course, thats not very
'pythonic' - I should probably give at least 10 different unit tests
that it passes ;)

Its gratifying to know I'm not the only one who needed that final
yield.

Jim Sizelove wrote:

Bengt Richter wrote:

On Tue, 10 May 2005 15:14:47 +0200, Max M <ma**@mxm.dk> wrote:

I am writing a "find-free-time" function for a calendar. There are a lotof time spans with start end times, some overlapping, some not.

To find the free time spans, I first need to convert the events into alist of non overlapping time spans "meta-spans".

This nice ascii graph should show what I mean.

1) ---
2) ---
3) ---
4) -----
5) -----
>------- -------- # meta spans

I can then iterate through the meta-spans and find non-busy times.

I have written the class below, but it is rather O^2, so I wondered ifanybody has an idea for a better approach?

Maybe (not tested beyond what you see ;-)

It is with some trepidation that I write this message; after hanging
around in c.l.p for the better part of a year, I have come to expect
Bengt's messages to be right-on and error-free.

However this time... :)

>>> def mergespans(spans):

... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None: start, end = s,e; continue
... if s <= end: end = e; continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None: yield start, end
...

>>> spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
>>> list(mergespans(spans))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

There can be a problem in mergespans if one span fits inside another:

>>> spans = [(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)]
>>> list(mergespans(spans)) [(0, 3), (4, 7), (9, 17)]

Here is a revised version (not tested beyond what you see ;-) >>> def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None:
... start, end = s,e
... continue
... if s <= end:
... if end < e:
... end = e
... continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None:
... yield start, end
... >>> list(mergespans([(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)])) [(0, 7), (9, 17)] >>> list(mergespans([(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

Can anyone find any other errors in this? ;-)

With humble regards,
Jim Sizelove

[Max M]

Jim Sizelove wrote:
Wow! c.l.py is allmost like an AI program generator. But I guess it
helps to ask questions about problems that programmers find interresting :-)

The "linear" approach is pretty simple to code and understand. I am just
afraid what happens when many users tries to book that 14 day conference
in the calendar sometimes this year.

365 * 24 * 60 = 525,600 booleans in the array

Well ok a few MBytes ain't too bad on a modern machine. It would even be
possible to cut the resolution down to 15 minutes. Yielding 35,040
bools, but the solution is still O^2 with regards to size of "search
window" and number of events.

Bengts/Jims and Jordans solutions seems to be relatively similar. I will
use one of those instead of my own code.
Thanks!
--

hilsen/regards Max M, Denmark

http://www.mxm.dk/
IT's Mad Science

[Bengt Richter]

On Tue, 10 May 2005 23:53:43 GMT, Jim Sizelove <si*****@insightbb.com> wrote:

Bengt Richter wrote: [...]

Maybe (not tested beyond what you see ;-) I had that feeling ... somehow the word "max" was trying to get my attention,
but I posted without figuring out why ;-/
It is with some trepidation that I write this message; after hanging
around in c.l.p for the better part of a year, I have come to expect
Bengt's messages to be right-on and error-free. Would that 'twere so ;-)

However this time... :) >>> def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None: start, end = s,e; continue
... if s <= end: end = e; continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None: yield start, end
...

>>> spans = [(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]
>>> list(mergespans(spans))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

There can be a problem in mergespans if one span fits inside another:

Good call. I should have thought of it.

>>> spans = [(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)]
>>> list(mergespans(spans)) [(0, 3), (4, 7), (9, 17)]

Here is a revised version (not tested beyond what you see ;-) >>> def mergespans(spans): ... start = end = None
... for s,e in sorted(spans):
... if start is None:
... start, end = s,e
... continue
... if s <= end:
... if end < e:
... end = e
... continue
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... if start is not None:
... yield start, end
... >>> list(mergespans([(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)])) [(0, 7), (9, 17)] >>> list(mergespans([(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)])) [(0, 7), (9, 17)]

Can anyone find any other errors in this? ;-)

Not off hand. OTOH, I really didn't like the aesthetics of all that crufty logic in my original.
Maybe (again, barely tested ;-)

def mergespans(spans): ... it = iter(sorted(spans))
... start, end = it.next()
... for s,e in it:
... if s <= end:
... end = max(end, e) # was what "max" was trying to tell me, I think
... else:
... yield start, end
... start,end = s,e
... yield start, end
... list(mergespans([(0,5), (4,7), (2,3), (9,14), (12,17)])) [(0, 7), (9, 17)] list(mergespans([(0,3), (4,7), (2,5), (9,14), (12,17)]))

[(0, 7), (9, 17)]

With humble regards,

Me too. UIAM we're all still human here (even my favorite 'bots, I think ;-)

Regards,
Bengt Richter