https://github.com/h3ar7b3a7/sf-assignment

As preparation for a group assessment, we were asked to provide a solution in pseudocode for a business problem.
https://github.com/h3ar7b3a7/sf-assignment

pseudocode

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As preparation for a group assessment, we were asked to provide a solution in pseudocode for a business problem.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/h3ar7b3a7/sf-assignment
• Owner: H3AR7B3A7
• Created: 2020-11-10T11:18:14.000Z (over 5 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2020-11-25T12:44:22.000Z (over 5 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-10-25T19:43:12.044Z (8 months ago)
• Topics: pseudocode
• Homepage:
• Size: 714 KB
• Stars: 1
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

          
# Pseudo Code Assignment

The handout can be found [here](https://github.com/H3AR7B3A7/SF-Assignment/blob/master/assignment-handout.pdf).  

There were two assignment extensions as well: [1](https://github.com/H3AR7B3A7/SF-Assignment/blob/master/extension-1-handout.pdf) and [2](https://github.com/H3AR7B3A7/SF-Assignment/blob/master/extension-2-handout.pdf).

### Preface

To keep it simple we will take a look at a *single thread solution*. 

Then we will try to see what can be done to optimize the execution using multiple threads.

For brevity, we will just list some possibilities.

## Single thread

Given a growing list of mails (listOfMails):

    // To prevent data loss on power outage or shut downs,

    // we can fetch these from 'csv' (or any table/file we write to)

    // before the 'infinite' loop is started. 

    // (A reset could be asked through one of the args as a boolean.)

    

    recruitment = 0

    spam = 0

    sales = 0

    reception = 0

    

    spamReferenceList = null

    duplicate = 0

    

    get arg0 (reset): [default false]

    if arg0 = false

        recruitment = Read from CSV/file

        spam = Read from CSV/file

        sales = Read from CSV/file

        reception = Read from CSV/file

        duplicate = Read from CSV/file

        

    get arg1 (interval): [default 10]

        intervalInMin = INPUT("Interval in minutes?")

    

    WHILE liveSorting

        get listOfMails

        listOfMails -> stream

            if listOfMails != null

                FOREACH mail of listOfMails

                    // Using Apache commons string utils 'containsIgnorCase

                    IF contains "CV" (~ title / body / attachment ???)

                        forward to "recruitment@parkshark.com"

                        recruitment++

                    IF contains "sales" (~)

                        forward to "sales@parkshark.com"

                        sales++

                    IF contains "Promo" OR contains "advertising" (~)

                        IF NOT in spamReferenceList

                            forward to "spam@parkshark.com"

                            spam++

                            add to spamReferenceList

                        ELSE 

                            duplicate++

                    ELSE 

                        // devide work among 2 people (can use a modulus and switch case for more people)

                        if reception is even   

                            forward to "reception@parkshark.com"

                            reception++

                        else 

                            forward to "jobstudent@parkshark.com"

                            reception++

                    delete mail (* in info@parkshark mailbox)

            else

                liveSorting = false     // To stop program when there are no more new mails,

                                        // but having the program sleep for some time would make

                                        // more sense. This way it doesn't need to be restarted.

                // Execute some extra code before shut down

        print # of mails

        sleep (intervalInMin toMillis)

        

    getListOfMails

        listOfMails = (List) GET someApi // The single most simplified line in this writing

        return listOfMails

        

    deleteMail

        DELETE someApi

        

    print # of mails

        total = recruitment + spam + sales + reception

        print: total, recruitment, spam, sales, reception

        // Can print to csv file to save data 

        // This csv can be consumed by some other code and do more calc by adding collumns

        // For example (current - previous) for data on 1 loop

        

    print # of mails including duplicates

        total = recruitment + spam + sales + reception + duplicates

        print: total, recruitment, spam + duplicates, sales, reception

## Multiple threads

Things we could try to optimize:

- Use a **parallelStream** instead

  - List of mails has to be big enough to improve execution speed

- Introduce a **thread pool** and pass what comes after FOREACH to executors

- Have **different threads each take a list**, then filter for containing a string before FOREACH

  - There would be no future issues around the order in which the checks happen

  - Some lists could be made to have more / less importance

## Questions for 'Park Shark'

- Where does the list of mails come from? (We only have the address so far.)

- What is the average amount of mails received in the mailbox?

- What are the preferences regarding the interval to check the mailbox?

  - What should be the frequency?

  - Should it be changeable?

- Where will this program be running?

  - Should this program have an own interface? 

  - Or will it be integrated and run with command line arguments?

- ...

---

-- Steven D'Hondt