thanks! That worked a treat. :)
also changed <run_if_user_active>0</run_if_user_active> to 1 which I assume sets it to do work while computer in use. If I\'ve got that wrong can someone tell me...please! Have left the others alone as they seemed to be the default values.

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Did you have to re-boot or re-start Boinc for this to take effect?

I\'d closed Boinc anyway as I decided to back up the model before I started messing. I did it when it was shut down and then when I restarted it had changed. -swapped between projects to try it out - not got much patience! :-)

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Did you have to re-boot or re-start Boinc for this to take effect?

Boinc reads the global_prefs_override.xml file whenever Boinc starts so re-starting Boinc is one way to make it take effect. It isn\'t necessary to reboot.

You can make it take effect while Boinc is running if you issue the \"read global prefs override\" command. You can issue that command by putting the command in a batch file (the easy way) or by typing the command at a command prompt (the hard way). The command looks like this:

boinccmd.exe --host localhost --passwd password --read_global_prefs_override

Substitute the gui password for password. The gui password is found in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file in your Boinc directory and you can open, read and edit the gui_rpc_auth.cfg with Notepad. If you have never changed the password in gui_rpf_auth.cfg then it will a very long password assigned by Boinc. You can change the password to something more convenient if you wish. Use Notepad not Word.

Here is the batch file I use to force Boinc to read the global_prefs_override.xml without re-starting Boinc. Just cut and paste the text into a text file and rename it to something like \"read-prefs.bat\", the name can be anything you want but it must have the .bat extension. Then you can just click on that icon to run the batch file.

@echo off
cd \"c:\\program files\\BOINC\"
boinccmd.exe --host localhost --passwd drowssap --read_global_prefs_override

The first line merely prevents the 2nd and 3rd line from being echoed to the screen. The second line changes the current directory to the Boinc directory. If you installed Boinc in a directory other than c:\\program files\\BOINC then you must edit the second line appropriately. The third line is the actual command to read the preferences override file, change \"drowssap\" to whatever your password is.

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thanks! That worked a treat. :)
also changed <run_if_user_active>0</run_if_user_active> to 1 which I assume sets it to do work while computer in use. If I\'ve got that wrong can someone tell me...please! Have left the others alone as they seemed to be the default values.

You have it right. You can verify by starting Task Manager and witnessing the CPU usage of the science app drop to zero when you are active.

The following line specifies how long you must be inactive before the science app resumes. The example below specifes 3 minutes.

<idle_time_to_run>3</idle_time_to_run>

The next line is a throttle. If set to 100, the science app will use 100% of any CPU time available to it. If set to 60, for example, the science app will use only 60% of any CPU time available to it. Note that since Boinc runs the science app at lowest priority, the phrase \"any CPU time available to it\" means \"whatever is left over after other normal priority or higher apps have had their requirements fulfilled\". The throttle is useful if your computer overheats and you cannot add more cooling capacity.

<cpu_usage_limit>100</cpu_usage_limit>

I believe the throttle is available only on Boinc version 5.4.11 and higher? Or is it 5.6 and higher?

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5.6 apparently http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/forum_thread.php?id=5006

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I just loaded a new core duo machine yesterday and it began running two units immediately -- while in \"run based on prefs\" but it would respond to \"suspend\" and stop running. I checked in comments and it did load the project prefs \"work\". I switched the machine to a different \"known good\" prefs profile running on the machine next to it (in the project for years) and the new machine still just takes off immediately at 100% CPU. I have CPU set at 90% in all profiles. Odd thing is all other project machines are running according to their prefs.
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thanks! That worked a treat. :)
also changed <run_if_user_active>0</run_if_user_active> to 1 which I assume sets it to do work while computer in use. If I\'ve got that wrong can someone tell me...please! Have left the others alone as they seemed to be the default values.

You have it right. You can verify by starting Task Manager and witnessing the CPU usage of the science app drop to zero when you are active.

The following line specifies how long you must be inactive before the science app resumes. The example below specifes 3 minutes.

<idle_time_to_run>3</idle_time_to_run>

The next line is a throttle. If set to 100, the science app will use 100% of any CPU time available to it. If set to 60, for example, the science app will use only 60% of any CPU time available to it. Note that since Boinc runs the science app at lowest priority, the phrase \"any CPU time available to it\" means \"whatever is left over after other normal priority or higher apps have had their requirements fulfilled\". The throttle is useful if your computer overheats and you cannot add more cooling capacity.

<cpu_usage_limit>100</cpu_usage_limit>

I believe the throttle is available only on Boinc version 5.4.11 and higher? Or is it 5.6 and higher?

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Your computers are hidden, so I can\'t see them. Which boinc version are you running? 5.6 (now withdrawn) or 5.7 (in test) are required to control CPU throttling.


Edit: @ Mike Mars: I don\'t know how boinc controls CPU time for this option. It could somehow keep client CPU activity minimized to Preference value. Or, it could allow 100% for nine seconds of every ten, for example, to achieve 90%. Have you looked at the code, or watched task Manager with it active?

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"We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo
Greetings from coastal Washington state, the scenic US Pacific Northwest.

It works on a 100 second cycle. So, for example you\'ve set 50% CPU. It runs at 100% usage for 50 seconds, then suspends itself for 50 second, then repeat...

I would guess the reason they\'ve done it with such a long interval is because there\'s too much overhead in the process (i.e., if it takes a second to get into suspend mode, then making the cycle quicker would increase the overhead). I\'d have preferred to see something measured in milliseconds...

--- Edit

I\'m not sure now, the above was based on the description I\'d read, but someone has now posted a conflicting description.

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I'm a volunteer and my views are my own.
News and Announcements and FAQ

Thanks, Mike. That could explain what KC0KRI sees.

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"We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo
Greetings from coastal Washington state, the scenic US Pacific Northwest.

It works on a 100 second cycle. So, for example you\'ve set 50% CPU. It runs at 100% usage for 50 seconds, then suspends itself for 50 second, then repeat...

I would guess the reason they\'ve done it with such a long interval is because there\'s too much overhead in the process (i.e., if it takes a second to get into suspend mode, then making the cycle quicker would increase the overhead). I\'d have preferred to see something measured in milliseconds...

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I\'m not sure now, the above was based on the description I\'d read, but someone has now posted a conflicting description.

I\'ve tested 5.7.2 this afternoon and when setting the CPU at 50%, the CPU is suspended every second, so I don\'t think this version works on a 100 second cycle (perhaps the next ones...)

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Arnaud

Dagorath,
Thanks for all your help on setting up this bat file. It did not work till I put it in the Boinc file (it did not recognise Boinccmd.exe as a valid command). Then I had to allow BC access to the net, which it had never wanted before. Now I can deal with these small matters \"in house\" without having to bother one of the projects, and then perhaps waiting for the preference to take effect. Instant. Wonderful. Thanks again.
One further question. Rather than delete an individual line to allow a project\'s prefs to take effect for that item, how do I turn that line into a comment?

Dagorath,
Thanks for all your help on setting up this bat file. It did not work till I put it in the Boinc file (it did not recognise Boinccmd.exe as a valid command).

Just to avoid confusing others (not to be pedantic) I think you meant to say \"till I put it in the Boinc folder\". Anyway, thanks for pointing that out because I should have mentioned it in my original post.

Then I had to allow BC access to the net, which it had never wanted before. Now I can deal with these small matters \"in house\" without having to bother one of the projects, and then perhaps waiting for the preference to take effect. Instant. Wonderful. Thanks again.

Hmmm. I don\'t recall having to allow access to the net and I can\'t think of a reason why that should be so. But if it worked for you then perhaps it will help someone else too, thanks for sharing that tip.

One further question. Rather than delete an individual line to allow a project\'s prefs to take effect for that item, how do I turn that line into a comment?

I\'m not sure. I haven\'t needed to do that, yet, so have procrastinated finding the answer :<) Comments in XML 1.0 start with <!- and end with ->, for example,

<!- This is a comment ->

is a valid comment according to the XML reference I\'m looking at as I write. So it seems we should be able to take a line from global_prefs_override.xml and turn it into a comment, for example, the line

<max_cpus>2</max_cpus>

could be made into a comment this way

<!- <max_cpus>2</max_cpus> ->

I think, except that my reference suggests the < character cannot be used literally between the < > pair. That is not to say Boinc\'s XML parser won\'t allow it, it might, I have heard the parser is not entirely kosher.

Another idea (and I\'m not sure this works) is to mangle the line in a very obvious way, for example,

<xxxx_max_cpus>2</xxxx_max_cpus>

the idea being the line is legitimate XML but Boinc\'s parser will simply ignore it because the opening tag is not in Boinc\'s lexicon. On the other hand, it could halt the reading of the remainder of the file, for all I know. I have a hunch you\'re clever enough to devise a simple test to verify whether it works or not. Boinc Manager\'s comments may even tell all. I doubt it would cause serious damage if it failed.

Sorry I can\'t offer something I know to be tested and true.
.

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Hello!

After reading about global_prefs_override.xml, I\'ve fooled around and have seen a similar file in the BOINC dir that\'s called global_prefs.xml. This file looks the same as the frist one, and I assume this is the one that stores the preferences configured in the web.

Since there are some difficulties syncing this prefs, I\'ve tried to
1) configure the prefs in the web as normal,
2) update the project (I\'ve done it via the manager\'s update button) and
3) edit global_prefs.xml to manually make it reflect the web\'s prefs.

This gave me the expected results, so I\'ve deleted global_prefs_override.xml and have my machine working exactly as I want.

Hope this helps!