Would like to run this, buuuuttttt... (Config file help)

So I have a machine with a couple of Xeon 5650s and 24 GB of RAM. I tried to run this project, but saw when it flooded me with WUs and tried to run all tasks simultaneously it would crash BOINC. Then I went to the project forums, and here, and saw the *ahem* "love" for the project.

I could probably run 1-2 tasks simultaneously non-stop and still have memory to fill the other threads with the kinds of projects I tend to run. What I would like to know is- A. Given the project's issues (long run times, interminable validation waits, inconsistent credit granting etc.), should I bother?

B. How do I properly create an app_config (cc_config?) to limit this project to 2 running tasks at a time, and limit the number of tasks it downloads at a time so I don't run into errors with late results?

I would probably need to use these parameters:

<max_wus_in_progress> N </max_wus_in_progress>
<max_wus_to_send> N </max_wus_to_send>

What I don't know is which config file to use and how to properly structure the added lines. Could someone provide an example and the "friendly name" of the project I would need to include? Is there a key somewhere that helps you determine what the project <name> is? For example, Collatz (the colloquial name) is <solo_collatz>, but the real app name in BOINC manager is longer still.

Thanks in advance for any guidance. I'm still fairly new and run just a few "cut-and-paste" optimizations, but I'm trying to learn more about how to target and parcel out the resources I have in a more granular fashion.

I can't speak to Lattice specifically but I would create an app_config.xml file in the project directory:

<app_config>
<app>
<name>xxxxxxxxxxx</name>
<max_concurrent>x</max_concurrent>
</app>
</app_config>

For the "name" open your client_state file in the BOINC folder and search for lattice. The app should be tagged with <name> brackets.

I've seen <max_concurrent>, but would that stop me from getting a buttload of WUs I had no chance of finishing? Is there a way to set an assignment limit? I think it's supposed to figure that out based on turnaround, but I don't know how long (and late WUs, exacerbating the project's problems) that would take. I suppose if there was such a limit setting, then the opposite would be true, and you could say, "Give me 10000000000 WUs!" to a project instead of having to go through the trouble of bunkering.

And I think the parameters I looked at were for the server side anyway. BOINC's documentation can get a little confusing.

Oh and I removed the project, so I couldn't find the user friendly name. Lattice just showed me the lattice sieve of another project. I'd like to stop this thing from giving me too many WUs before it starts, but I don't know if that can be done without adding it and taking the initial flood.

You can put this file in your cc_config.xml in the BOINC directory:

<fetch_minimal_work>0|1</fetch_minimal_work>

(Fetch one job per device (see --fetch_minimal_work). List-add.pngNew in 6.11)

Remember to tell BOINC to re-read config files each time you make a change. Otherwise the changes won't be picked up until the next time you restart BOINC.

That way you will get only one task at a time. It will give you time to suspend the project after attaching, so you can add an app_config.xml. Also, no, app_config.xml does not effect the amount of work your client normally asks for. For example, lets say you have an 8 thread machine, but allow a project to use only 2 threads. So BOINC *should* be smart enough to know to ask for only 1/4 of your normal queue size. This came up on the mail lists a while back. DA said that maybe they will address that later. Anyway, let it download however much it wants. It will auto abort un-started tasks if/when they go past due.

Here are all the config file settings, for both cc_config.xml and app_config.xml:

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration

Also, it looks like the name would be GARLI.

<name>garli</name>
<user_friendly_name>GARLI</user_friendly_name>

Thanks all! That app name was the last piece I was looking for. Unfortunately it looks like I can't get out in front of it like I had hoped with <max_concurrent>. Puts the cart before the horse I guess. BM tells me I have an invalid app name in the app_config (because it has no app named that, yet). I got everything set up as I think it should be... only to see the project had no work. D'oh! I'll get the hang of this one day. Oh well, good exercise in the config files/options and I have it all ready when I check later. (except for fetch_min_work, which I removed)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by finalfugue

(except for fetch_min_work, which I removed)

---

No need to remove it.

<fetch_minimal_work>0|1</fetch_minimal_work>

0 = off
1 = on

Just change the value as needed, and then have BOINC re-read the config files.