R: Distributing an amount as evenly as possible II

Question

We have have a certain amount e.g. 300 units. This amount should be as evenly as possible distributed over 40 \"slots\" or \"bins\". It would be easy if each slot would be t

Answer 1

How about this

optimal.fill <- function(a, b, generalLimit = 8){
  a <- pmax(0, pmin(a, generalLimit))
  if(sum(a) < b){
    stop("not enough room")
  }
  if(length(a) * min(a) <= b){
    result <- rep(min(a), length(a))
  } else {
    result <- rep(floor(b / length(a)), length(a))
  }
  while(floor((b - sum(result)) / sum(result < a)) >= 1){
    if(min(a[result < a]) * sum(result < a) <= b - sum(result)){
      result[result < a] <- 
        result[result < a] + rep(min(a[result < a]), sum(result < a))
    } else {
      result[result < a] <- 
        result[result < a] + 
        rep(floor((b - sum(result)) / sum(result < a)), sum(result < a))
    }
  }
  extra <- sample(which(result < a), (b - sum(result)), replace = FALSE)
  result[extra] <- result[extra] + 1
  return(cbind(result,  result / a))
}
optimal.fill(ceiling(rnorm(40,10,4)), 300, 8)