Distribute a random amount of tests in several files, among N machines equally

dataset.txt

# Example: ./file_path:number_of_tests_in_this_file

./file_path:50
./file_path:23
./file_path:7

sort_files_per_machine.sh

#!/bin/bash
 
DATASET=`cat dataset.txt`
NUMBER_OF_MACHINES=10
 
machine_counter=()
generate_machine_counters() {
    i="1"
    while [ $i -le "$NUMBER_OF_MACHINES" ]
    do
        machine_counter[$i]=0
        i=$((i+1))
    done
}
 
generate_machine_arrays() {
    i="1"
    while [ $i -le "$NUMBER_OF_MACHINES" ]
    do
        machine_name="machine_$i"
        #echo "machine_name declared as: $machine_name"
        declare -a "$machine_name"
        i=$((i+1))
    done
}
 
show_machine_counter() {
    for i in "${!machine_counter[@]}"
    do
      echo "machine $i contains : ${machine_counter[$i]} samples"
    done
}
 
report_files_per_machine() {
    i="1"
    while [ $i -le "$NUMBER_OF_MACHINES" ]
    do
 
        eval temp_var=( '"${machine_'${i}'[@]}"' )
 
        echo
        echo "Files on machine_$i"
 
        for temp_line in "${temp_var[@]}"
        do
            echo `echo $temp_line | cut -d':' -f 1`
        done
 
        i=$((i+1))
    done
}
 
# Initialize dynamic variables
generate_machine_counters
generate_machine_arrays
 
 
total_numbers_sum=0
index=1
for line in $DATASET
do
    [[ $line =~ (.*):([[:digit:]]+) ]] # [[:digit]] == \d
    file="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
    number="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
 
    total_numbers_sum=$((total_numbers_sum + number))
 
    if [ "$index" -le "$NUMBER_OF_MACHINES" ]; then
        machine_counter[$index]=$((${machine_counter[$index]} + number))
 
        # no need to search for lowest
        target_machine="machine_$index"
        eval "$target_machine+=(\"$line\")"
    else
        lowest_key=`echo "${machine_counter[*]}" | tr ' ' '\n' | awk 'NR==1{min=$0}NR>1 && $1<min{min=$1;pos=NR}END{print pos}'`
        machine_counter[$lowest_key]=$((${machine_counter[$lowest_key]} + number))
        target_machine="machine_$lowest_key"
        eval "$target_machine+=(\"$line\")"
    fi
 
    # uncomment to show evolution of distribution
    #echo "******* index: $index     *******"
    #show_machine_counter
 
    index=$((index+1))
done
 
show_machine_counter
report_files_per_machine