--- loncom/homework/bridgetask.pm	2006/01/21 08:27:09	1.97
+++ loncom/homework/bridgetask.pm	2006/01/26 07:12:38	1.98
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA 
 # definition of tags that give a structure to a document
 #
-# $Id: bridgetask.pm,v 1.97 2006/01/21 08:27:09 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: bridgetask.pm,v 1.98 2006/01/26 07:12:38 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -1231,6 +1231,7 @@ sub queue_key_locked {
 
 sub pick_from_queue_data {
     my ($queue,$check_section,$queuedata,$cdom,$cnum)=@_;
+    my @possible; # will hold queue entries that are valid to be selected
     foreach my $key (keys(%$queuedata)) {
 	if ($key =~ /\0locked$/) { next; }
 	if ($key =~ /\0timestamp$/) { next; }
@@ -1248,11 +1249,18 @@ sub pick_from_queue_data {
 	    &Apache::lonxml::debug("not time");
 	    next;
 	}
-	if (&queue_key_locked($queue,$key,$cdom,$cnum)) {
+	if (exists($queuedata->{"$key\0locked"})) {
 	    &Apache::lonxml::debug("someone already has um.");
 	    next;
 	}
-	return $key;
+	push(@possible,[$key,$slot_data{'endtime'}]);
+    }
+    if (@possible) {
+        # sort entries in order by slot end time
+	@possible = sort { $a->[1] <=> $b->[1] } @possible;
+	# pick one of the first ten entries
+	my $max=($#possible < 10) ? $#possible : 10;
+	return $possible[int(rand($max))][0];
     }
     return undef;
 }
@@ -1336,7 +1344,7 @@ sub get_from_queue {
 	my $regexp="^$symb\0queue\0";
 	my $range= ($attempts < 1 ) ? '0-100' : '0-400';
 
-	my %queue=&Apache::lonnet::dump($queue,$cdom,$cnum,$regexp,$range);
+	my %queue=&Apache::lonnet::dump($queue,$cdom,$cnum,$regexp);
 	#make a pass looking for a user _not_ in my section
 	if ($env{'request.course.sec'}) {
 	    &Apache::lonxml::debug("sce");
@@ -1348,8 +1356,7 @@ sub get_from_queue {
 	# ready for grading
 	if (!$todo) {
 	    &Apache::lonxml::debug("no sce");
-	    $todo=&pick_from_queue_data($queue,$env{'request.course.sec'},
-					\%queue,$cdom,$cnum);
+	    $todo=&pick_from_queue_data($queue,undef,\%queue,$cdom,$cnum);
 	    &Apache::lonxml::debug("no sce $todo");
 	}
 	# no user to grade