[ic] Multi box shipping

[Ron Phipps]

Hello,

Has anyone built shipping tags that work in a multi box situation?
Here's the deal.  A client ships parts each weighing an ounce to 100lbs.
I have identified the following scenarios:

1. Total weight is less than max weight for shipmode
2. Total weight is more than max weight for shipmode, but each item
alone does not weight more than the max weight
3. Total weight is more than max weight for shipmode, but 1 or more
items along in the order weight more then max weight

Scenario 1 is easy, you price it like IC does now based on total weight
of the order

Scenario 2 is more difficult because you need to figure out how many
boxes (not taking into account dimensions) and the weight of each box.
You want to fill the first box to as close as max weight as possible,
then the second box would be the left overs (or there could be 3 boxes,
2 being as close to full as possible and the 3rd being the leftovers).
In this situation it's almost as though you need to arrange the parts
being ordered into containers and then price each container separately
then the total shipping price is made up from that.  I'm not sure how to
write the algorithms to determine which parts go in which container.

Scenario 3 is simple, loop over the cart and find out if any parts are
over the max weight.  If they are you cannot ship the order and special
arrangements need to be made.

I guess I'm looking for some input on how others have handled this
situation.  In the meantime I'm going to be doing some studying on
algorithms to determine best fit.

Thanks,
-Ron