Development for LHC@home

A new version of the Theory app (v0.3) has been released that provides a default app_config.xml as suggested in the following post.

http://lhcathomedev.cern.ch/vLHCathome-dev/forum_thread.php?id=192&postid=2841

The aim is that newbie users who first join the project don't get swamped by tasks and then leave the project as it froze their machine. Advanced users who would like to run more tasks can then modify this file as they choose.

I have just tried this on my machine by re-adding the project and ended up with only one running task as desired.

Hi Laurence,

It's not working properly for users already having an app_config.xml and maybe also not for an xml adjusted file afterwards.
At least my requested Theory task ended into computation error.

vLHCathome-dev 27 Apr 16:44:07 Requesting new tasks for CPU
vLHCathome-dev 27 Apr 16:44:08 Scheduler request completed: got 1 new tasks
vLHCathome-dev 27 Apr 16:44:10 File app_config.xml exists already, skipping download
vLHCathome-dev 27 Apr 16:44:10 [error] Signature verification failed for app_config.xml
vLHCathome-dev 27 Apr 16:44:10 [error] Checksum or signature error for app_config.xml

Result: http://lhcathomedev.cern.ch/vLHCathome-dev/result.php?resultid=161712

Maybe you could arrange, that the app_config.xml don't need a signature.

What about if you clean the project and modify the file after it has downloaded? This would only affect the existing dev users here who added one themselves.

I removed my own app_config.xml and rerequested a task.
I got your version and the task started.
I changed in the newly app_config.xml the version limit to 2 for Theory and also added <fraction_done_exact/> for each app.
Reread the config files and asked a 2nd task.
That went fine, but sometimes the client will verify the signature and/or the filesize and we'll have the same problem again.

The new app_config overwrote the one I had but I just edited it to suit my own setup (max 3 -devs running, max 2 of each flavour app) then got Boinc to "Read config files" for it to take effect. No damage to already running tasks.

Same here.

I can create a new version of the Theory app with the same content and see if you have any difficulties getting the new version.

I had a perfecly working app_config file.
Now, it constantly gets overwritten by the project.EDIT:(when boinc starts)
It would have been a much better approach, to post it in the message boards.

I belive everybody here had one already.

Have just released a new version (v0.4) that has the same content as v0.3. For those of you that modified the config file after getting v0.3, let see if the breaks.

I asked and got a new task.
I didn't receive a new app_config.xml, so my modified version is still active.
Although I didn't restart BOINC since 26-Apr-2016 07:14:08 CEST.

Do you see any reason why this approach may break something?

As this gets sorted out it should be made easily clear on a post for the final version the name of the file to be modified, its location in the BOINC file directory, and directions for what part of the file to change. Users who may not be very technically adept may nonetheless know how many units they can run on their machine based on the amount of RAM they have.

Thanks!

Sure. There should be a prominent entry in the FAQs.

http://lhcathome.web.cern.ch/faq

In terms of priority, it is more important that we don't lock up new volunteer's machines by swamping them with tasks than trying to maximize then number of tasks we can run by default.

We hope that those volunteers with powerful machines and who would like to donate more can follow the FAQ.

If any of you can think of a better way to do this please let us know. Later tonight I will create a new version of the CMS app that also has this file to see if it breaks anything.

Sure. There should be a prominent entry in the FAQs.

http://lhcathome.web.cern.ch/faq

In terms of priority, it is more important that we don't lock up new volunteer's machines by swamping them with tasks than trying to maximize then number of tasks we can run by default.

We hope that those volunteers with powerful machines and who would like to donate more can follow the FAQ.

If any of you can think of a better way to do this please let us know. Later tonight I will create a new version of the CMS app that also has this file to see if it breaks anything.

Sounds like a good plan. Agree to not swamping new volunteer's machines! People will probably also ask in the forum and then can be guided to the FAQ.

Thanks!

ok, a new version (v47.02) of the CMS app has been added. The only difference is the addition of the app_config.xml file. Let me know if you have modified the file and fail to get new CMS tasks. If so move the file out of the way, get a new task and move it back.

ok, a new version (v47.02) of the CMS app has been added. The only difference is the addition of the app_config.xml file. Let me know if you have modified the file and fail to get new CMS tasks. If so move the file out of the way, get a new task and move it back.

Wrong thread?

Do you see any reason why this approach may break something?

Yes, cause from BOINC client configuration (cc_config.xml in BOINC Data-directory):

<dont_check_file_sizes>0|1</dont_check_file_sizes>
Normally, the size of application and input files are compared with the project-supplied values after the files are downloaded and just before starting an application.
If this flag is set, this check is skipped. Use it if you need to modify files locally for some reason.

I restarted BOINC and had no problems with my modified and extended app_config.xml. Project size 411 bytes, my size 594 bytes.
But I already had the flag <dont_check_file_sizes> set to true (1) in my cc_config.xml.

My app_config.xml at the moment:

<app_config>
<project_max_concurrent>3</project_max_concurrent>
<app>
<name>ALICE</name>
<max_concurrent>1</max_concurrent>
<fraction_done_exact/>
</app>
<app>
<name>ATLAS</name>
<max_concurrent>1</max_concurrent>
<fraction_done_exact/>
</app>
<app>
<name>CMS</name>
<max_concurrent>1</max_concurrent>
<fraction_done_exact/>
</app>
<app>
<name>LHCb</name>
<max_concurrent>1</max_concurrent>
<fraction_done_exact/>
</app>
<app>
<name>Theory</name>
<max_concurrent>3</max_concurrent>
<fraction_done_exact/>
</app>
</app_config>

<dont_check_file_sizes>0|1</dont_check_file_sizes>

Very usful hint!
Thanks CP.

Wrong thread?

No, we are discussing the app_config.xml. The CMS version was just to test.

I Aborted a few Theory0.03s and CMS47.01s to make way for the new ..4s and ..2s.
My modified app_config didn't get overwritten and it didn't appear to even try to download a new one. I thought there might have been a Boinc message saying that an app_config already exists so it wasn't going download another one (or words to that effect) as it did yesterday,
27/04/2016 16:57:55 | vLHCathome-dev | Started download of app_config.xml
27/04/2016 16:57:56 | vLHCathome-dev | Finished download of app_config.xml
There was no such message so I'm not sure if it tried in the background and didn't report it, or didn't try?