diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fdbe9c8d..cfe57c4e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -121,3 +121,7 @@ By using template classes and common functions found in `_common`, the user can
     - RL4SysTrainingServerAbstract(ABC)
   - `BaseAction.py`
     - RL4SysActionAbstract(ABC)
+
+# Installation Notes
+If using python 3.7 or earlier, you will need to install pickle as it is not included as part of the python standard library until python 3.8
+You can uncomment the lines for pickle in setup.py or requirements.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/job-scheduling/scheduler.py b/examples/job-scheduling/scheduler.py
index f17495a4..f00226c9 100644
--- a/examples/job-scheduling/scheduler.py
+++ b/examples/job-scheduling/scheduler.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 """
 Environment script: Batch Job Scheduling
-
+x
 Training server parameters:
     kernel_size | MAX_QUEUE_SIZE = 128
     kernel_dim  | JOB_FEATURES = 8
@@ -155,6 +155,11 @@ def __init__(self, path):
                         self.max_procs = int(line.split(":")[1].strip())
                     continue
 
+                # if max_procs = 0, it means node/proc are the same.
+                if self.max_procs == 0:
+                    self.max_procs = self.max_nodes
+
+
                 j = Job(line)
                 if j.run_time > self.max_exec_time:
                     self.max_exec_time = j.run_time
@@ -173,14 +178,18 @@ def __init__(self, path):
                 if j.run_time < 0:
                     j.run_time = 10
                 if j.run_time > 0:
-                    self.all_jobs.append(j)
+                    #job has to pass checks below before adding to the list
+
+                    if j.request_number_of_processors > self.max_procs:
+                        j.request_number_of_processors = self.max_procs
+                        #makes sure no job has more than file set max procs
 
                     if j.request_number_of_processors > self.max:
                         self.max = j.request_number_of_processors
+                        #self.max = largest processor request seen so far
+                    
+                    self.all_jobs.append(j)
 
-        # if max_procs = 0, it means node/proc are the same.
-        if self.max_procs == 0:
-            self.max_procs = self.max_nodes
 
         print("Max Allocated Processors:", str(self.max), "; max node:", self.max_nodes,
               "; max procs:", self.max_procs,
@@ -318,12 +327,12 @@ def reset(self):
 JOB_FEATURES = 8
 DEBUG = False
 
-JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE = 256
+# JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE = 256
 SKIP_TIME = 360  # skip 60 seconds
 
 
 class BatchSchedSim(ApplicationAbstract):
-    def __init__(self, workload_file, seed, job_score_type=0, backfil=False, model=None, tensorboard=False):
+    def __init__(self, workload_file, seed, job_score_type=0, backfil=False, model=None, tensorboard=False, sequence_length=256, batch_job_slice=0):
         super().__init__()
         print("Initialize Batch Job Scheduler Simulator from dataset:", workload_file)
 
@@ -335,23 +344,47 @@ def __init__(self, workload_file, seed, job_score_type=0, backfil=False, model=N
         self.visible_jobs = []
         self.pairs = []
 
-        self.current_timestamp = 0
-        self.start = 0
-        self.next_arriving_job_idx = 0
+        self.sequence_length = sequence_length
+        self.batch_job_slice = batch_job_slice
+
+
+        if seed < 0:
+            print(f"Seed must be a non-negative integer or omitted, not {seed}")
+        
+        seed_seq = np.random.SeedSequence(seed)
+        self.np_random = np.random.Generator(np.random.PCG64(seed_seq))
+
+        #have to set up randomnness seed before we do random start, as it will affect the randomness seed and we wont get consistent results
+
+        if self.batch_job_slice == 0: #if the user does not specify a slice, use the entire workload
+            self.start = self.np_random.integers(
+            low=self.sequence_length,
+            high=(self.loads.size() - self.sequence_length - 1) + 1,
+            endpoint=True
+        ) #ensures the we can fit the sequence length
+        else:
+            assert batch_job_slice > self.sequence_length, "Slice must be larger than sequence length"
+            self.start = self.np_random.integers(
+            low=self.sequence_length,
+            high=(self.batch_job_slice - self.sequence_length - 1) + 1,
+            endpoint=True
+        ) #ensures the slice can fit the sequence length
+
+        self.next_arriving_job_idx = self.start + 1
         # just avoid hitting the end of the workloads. 
-        self.last_job_in_batch = self.start + self.loads.size() - JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE
-        self.num_job_in_batch = self.loads.size() - JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE
+        self.last_job_in_batch = self.start + self.sequence_length
+        self.num_job_in_batch = self.sequence_length
+        self.current_timestamp = self.loads[self.start].submit_time
+
+
+
         # 0: Average bounded slowdown, 1: Average waiting time
         # 2: Average turnaround time, 3: Resource utilization
         # 4: Average slowdown
         self.job_score_type = job_score_type
         self.backfil = backfil
     
-        if seed < 0:
-            print(f"Seed must be a non-negative integer or omitted, not {seed}")
         
-        seed_seq = np.random.SeedSequence(seed)
-        self.np_random = np.random.Generator(np.random.PCG64(seed_seq))
 
         self.rlagent = RL4SysAgent(model=model)
 
@@ -428,11 +461,25 @@ def reset(self):
         self.visible_jobs = []
         self.pairs = []
 
-        self.current_timestamp = 0
-        self.start = 0
-        self.next_arriving_job_idx = 0
-        self.last_job_in_batch = self.start + self.loads.size() - JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE
-        self.num_job_in_batch = self.loads.size() - JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE
+        if self.batch_job_slice == 0: #if the user does not specify a slice, use the entire workload
+            self.start = self.np_random.integers(
+            low=self.sequence_length,
+            high=(self.loads.size() - self.sequence_length - 1) + 1,
+            endpoint=True
+        ) #ensures the we can fit the sequence length
+        else:
+            assert batch_job_slice > self.sequence_length, "Slice must be larger than sequence length"
+            self.start = self.np_random.integers(
+            low=self.sequence_length,
+            high=(self.batch_job_slice - self.sequence_length - 1) + 1,
+            endpoint=True
+        ) #ensures the slice can fit the sequence length
+
+        self.next_arriving_job_idx = self.start + 1
+        # just avoid hitting the end of the workloads. 
+        self.last_job_in_batch = self.start + self.sequence_length
+        self.num_job_in_batch = self.sequence_length
+        self.current_timestamp = self.loads[self.start].submit_time
         print("[schedule.py - reset()]")
 
     """
@@ -481,7 +528,7 @@ def run_application(self):
 
                 self.rl_scheduled_jobs.append(job_for_scheduling)
                 print("[schedule.py - schedule_whole_trace()]: ",job_for_scheduling)
-                if rl_runs > JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE:
+                if rl_runs > self.sequence_length:
                     rl_runs = 0
                     rl_working = False
                     rl_total = self.calculate_performance_return(self.rl_scheduled_jobs)
@@ -843,8 +890,11 @@ def job_score(self, job_for_scheduling):
                         help="number of iterations of entire workload to train model on")
     parser.add_argument('--start-server', '-s', dest='algorithm', type=str, default="PPO",
                         help="run a local training server, using specified algorithm")
+    parser.add_argument('--sequence_length', '-l', type=int, default=256, help="sequence length to use from the workload")
+    parser.add_argument('--batch_job_slice', '-slice', type=int, default=0, help="slice of the workload to sample from during training")
     args, extras = parser.parse_known_args()
     
+    
     # get workload file's absolute location if user-specified
     app_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
     if args.workload == 'DEFAULT':
@@ -854,9 +904,9 @@ def job_score(self, job_for_scheduling):
 
     # start training server
     if args.algorithm != "No Server":
-        # buffer size for this environment should be JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE * 100
+        # buffer size for this environment should be sequence_length * 100
         extras.append('--buf_size')
-        extras.append(str(JOB_SEQUENCE_SIZE * 100))
+        extras.append(str(args.sequence_length * 100))
         rl_training_server = TrainingServer(args.algorithm, MAX_QUEUE_SIZE, JOB_FEATURES, extras, app_dir, args.tensorboard)
         print("[schedule.py] Created Training Server")
 
@@ -865,7 +915,7 @@ def job_score(self, job_for_scheduling):
 
     # create simulation environment
     sim = BatchSchedSim(workload_file=workload_file, seed=args.seed, job_score_type=args.job_score_type,
-                        backfil=args.backfil, model=model_arg)
+                        backfil=args.backfil, model=model_arg, sequence_length=args.sequence_length, batch_job_slice=args.batch_job_slice)
 
     # iterate multiple rounds to train the models, default 100
     iters = args.number_of_iterations
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 1aa719c3..27cd07c9 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 numpy
 torch
 pyzmq
-pickle
-tensorboard
\ No newline at end of file
+# pickle
+tensorboard
+seaborn
+scipy
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index bc6f341a..0b8b59fa 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         'numpy',
         'torch',
         'pyzmq',
-        'pickle',
+        # 'pickle',
         # Add other dependencies required by your package
     ],
     classifiers=[