Client configuration add-on

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Profile David Anderson
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Message 50897 - Posted: 18 Oct 2013, 18:59:21 UTC

BOINC Client Configuration is a Windows GUI for editing the BOINC client configuration.
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 50900 - Posted: 18 Oct 2013, 22:09:20 UTC - in response to Message 50897.  

BOINC Client Configuration is a Windows GUI for editing the BOINC client configuration.

Does anyone know whether this application is still under active development?

The most recent version is dated June 2012 (16 months ago), and there seem to be significant discrepancies from the current state of the BOINC code.

For example,

No sign of <android_debug>
Still contains <debt_debug>

It would have been a nice idea if this news had been posted in a timely fashion, but times change....
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Message 50901 - Posted: 18 Oct 2013, 22:16:50 UTC - in response to Message 50900.  

I'm emailing David about it. Just tested it, it can't even find my cc_config.xml file when I start the executable.
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Yin Gang

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Message 50915 - Posted: 20 Oct 2013, 12:29:36 UTC - in response to Message 50900.  

Sorry for the past delay, just updated the program (some options like coproc and exclude_gpu still not supported).

ps. there is no <android_debug> in http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration ?

BOINC Client Configuration is a Windows GUI for editing the BOINC client configuration.

Does anyone know whether this application is still under active development?

The most recent version is dated June 2012 (16 months ago), and there seem to be significant discrepancies from the current state of the BOINC code.

For example,

No sign of <android_debug>
Still contains <debt_debug>

It would have been a nice idea if this news had been posted in a timely fashion, but times change....




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Yin Gang

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Message 50916 - Posted: 20 Oct 2013, 12:36:41 UTC - in response to Message 50901.  

I'm emailing David about it. Just tested it, it can't even find my cc_config.xml file when I start the executable.


Just tested the last year's version with my 7.0.64 client and it works well. Could you help me to improve the program by telling your exact using scenario?

Thanks in advance~



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Message 50923 - Posted: 20 Oct 2013, 15:22:37 UTC - in response to Message 50915.  

Sorry for the past delay, just updated the program (some options like coproc and exclude_gpu still not supported).

ps. there is no <android_debug> in http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration ?

This is actually a very well-timed debate. Last week, Rom Walton emailed the alpha testing list to say that the current v7.2.23 alpha client was being considered as a release candidate. It shouldn't be released quite yet, because at least one bug has been partially fixed since then, and there are others still to do, but it's getting very close. I'd suggest that it would be really cool to work to v7.2.23++ as your design specification, and release your next version to coincide with the public update of BOINC.

v7.2.23 is available from the 'all versions' BOINC download page (for all platforms except Mac OS X, so far).

A little-known, but very handy little trick is that you can generate a fully-populated cc_config.xml framework with all currently-defined tags (and current or default values) by using the 'exclusive applications' pane of the 'computing preferences' dialog in the GUI. It's probably better to use that for your master reference list, rather than the Wiki - they have been known to slip out of synch, and any discrepancies you find could usefully be fed back into the Wiki.

Having said that, it does seem odd to have found an <android_debug> tag in the list generated by my Windows client. The developers might want to look into that.
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Message 50928 - Posted: 20 Oct 2013, 17:44:36 UTC - in response to Message 50916.  

Just tested it, it can't even find my cc_config.xml file when I start the executable.

Just tested the last year's version with my 7.0.64 client and it works well. Could you help me to improve the program by telling your exact using scenario?

I'm using BOINC 7.2.23 - 64bit (Change Log has download links), on Windows 7, with the data directory residing in C:\Programdata\BOINC\

I unzipped the ccConfig.zip file into the data directory, so that the ccConfig.exe is IN the data directory. Starting it from there, be it as the regular user or as the system administrator will always yield a message box stating it failed to load the cc_config.xml file. Even after having loaded it once from the program, then exiting and restarting the program, will it not load the cc_config.xml file.


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Message 50939 - Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 13:00:59 UTC - in response to Message 50923.  


A little-known, but very handy little trick is that you can generate a fully-populated cc_config.xml framework with all currently-defined tags (and current or default values) by using the 'exclusive applications' pane of the 'computing preferences' dialog in the GUI. It's probably better to use that for your master reference list, rather than the Wiki - they have been known to slip out of synch, and any discrepancies you find could usefully be fed back into the Wiki.

Having said that, it does seem odd to have found an <android_debug> tag in the list generated by my Windows client. The developers might want to look into that.


Great trick, thanks for your sharing:)


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Yin Gang

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Message 50941 - Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 14:09:43 UTC - in response to Message 50928.  
Last modified: 21 Oct 2013, 14:11:37 UTC


I'm using BOINC 7.2.23 - 64bit (Change Log has download links), on Windows 7, with the data directory residing in C:\Programdata\BOINC\

I unzipped the ccConfig.zip file into the data directory, so that the ccConfig.exe is IN the data directory. Starting it from there, be it as the regular user or as the system administrator will always yield a message box stating it failed to load the cc_config.xml file. Even after having loaded it once from the program, then exiting and restarting the program, will it not load the cc_config.xml file.


After the program is started (it doesn't matter where to start), it tries to get the data directory from system registry. I just rebuilt the program to display detailed cc_config.xml path when fails to load it: download link from google drive.


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Message 50942 - Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 14:50:58 UTC - in response to Message 50941.  
Last modified: 21 Oct 2013, 15:46:24 UTC

Your program is looking in the wrong directory. It looks for the BOINC Data directory in C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\, a directory that's never used for the data directory under Windows Vista, 7 or 8. It may be the directory in which the BOINC program files are installed, in this case on a 64bit Windows, with a 32bit BOINC installation.

However, I have:
1. a 64bit Windows 7.
2. a 64bit BOINC 7.2.23
3. my BOINC program installation directory is at P:\BOINCProgram\BOINC\

The correct place for the program to check where the DATADIR entry is, is from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup
It will then find that the program directory is in my case at C:\ProgramData\BOINC

From my own FAQs on this subject:

BOINC Programs directory
The default directory where BOINC will install its executables to is:
Windows 32bit: C:/PROGRAM FILES/BOINC
Windows 64bit: C:/PROGRAM FILES (x86)/BOINC for 32bit BOINC, C:/PROGRAM FILES/BOINC for 64bit BOINC
Linux: wherever you are unpacking it/BOINC/
Macintosh: /Applications/BOINC/

BOINC data directory
The default directory where BOINC will install the data files to is:
Windows 98/SE/ME: C:/Windows/All Users/BOINC or C:Windows/Profiles/All Users/BOINC (*)
Windows 2000/XP: C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/BOINC (*)
Windows Vista/Windows 7: C:/ProgramData/BOINC (*)
Linux: wherever you unpack it/BOINC/
Macintosh OS X: /Library/Application Support/BOINC Data/

(*) This directory may well be hidden, so either put the path to it directly into Windows Explorer, or instruct Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders.
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Message 50944 - Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 15:23:10 UTC - in response to Message 50942.  

Agreed totally. The master reference point is

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup]

Within that, the key search order is

DATADIR (for BOINC v6 and BOINC v7)
INSTALLDIR (for legacy BOINC v5, and possibly even older)
The default locations listed in Jord's FAQ for the various OS versions.
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Message 51030 - Posted: 26 Oct 2013, 12:21:11 UTC - in response to Message 50942.  

The program did try to find DATADIR before INSTALLDIR, the problem you encountered may come from that the previous program would always try to find x86 registry before x64 one, so if some old version x86 BOINC clients have been installed on a same machine, the program would use those installation information.

Please use the latest 1.3.1 version (download) to help me to confirm that (it will try to use x64 registry information first).



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Message 51032 - Posted: 26 Oct 2013, 17:11:10 UTC - in response to Message 51030.  
Last modified: 26 Oct 2013, 17:14:19 UTC

so if some old version x86 BOINC clients have been installed on a same machine, the program would use those installation information.

Does your program work with BOINC 5 as well?

As when not, I wouldn't know why it would want to look in %systemdrive%:\Program Files\BOINC\ or %systemdrive%:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ for the cc_config.xml file, as it will never be there. Especially for Windows Vista, 7 and later 8, BOINC went with a separate data directory in which it can write to all files, without Windows UAC constantly bugging you that there's a program trying to write to the protected Program Files directory structure.

In Windows Vista, 7 and 8, and its server versions, the %systemdrive%:\Program Files\ and %systemdrive%:\Program Files (x86)\ directory trees are protected by Windows. It does not allow (many) writes to these directory structures.
Instead, the %systemdrive%:\Programdata\ tree is used for this, hence that's where BOINC will put the data directory in which you'll find all the log files, the client_state.xml file and everything else that is much written to. By default cc_config.xml will be in this directory, not in the Program Files directory.

(writing %systemdrive%: because not everyone uses C: as their system drive.)

The program did try to find DATADIR before INSTALLDIR

It doesn't have to try to find it by trawling through the whole registry, you know? The entry will always be at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup, even if it's one of the 'third party versions', such as PtP, WCG, Charity Engine, or Grid Republic. On those only the exterior (skin) changes, not the registry entries or the actual program. Except possibly the name of the screen saver.

Please use the latest 1.3.1 version

That one works correctly.
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Message 51042 - Posted: 27 Oct 2013, 1:32:45 UTC - in response to Message 51032.  
Last modified: 27 Oct 2013, 1:33:55 UTC


Does your program work with BOINC 5 as well?


Yes, at least I hoped so when I was developing it years ago:)


It doesn't have to try to find it by trawling through the whole registry, you know? The entry will always be at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup, even if it's one of the 'third party versions', such as PtP, WCG, Charity Engine, or Grid Republic. On those only the exterior (skin) changes, not the registry entries or the actual program. Except possibly the name of the screen saver.


Yes, it just looks for the entry you said. But there are seperate views under x64 windows for x86 clients and x64 clients.

That one works correctly.


Great, thanks for all your help~


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Message 51104 - Posted: 30 Oct 2013, 17:11:31 UTC
Last modified: 30 Oct 2013, 17:12:46 UTC

I'm not sure if you guys want this information or not, but I'll put it out there anyway. I like to keep my cc_config.xml file sorted, so I can easily find flags and options that I want to switch. You might want to apply similar "sorting logic" to your UI for this program.

Here is my current reference cc_config.xml file. Notice how the flags that are most used are at the top, and grouped:

<cc_config>
	<log_flags>
		<!-- The 3 flags that are on by default are: file_xfer, sched_ops, task -->

		<file_xfer>1</file_xfer>
		<file_xfer_debug>0</file_xfer_debug>

		<sched_ops>1</sched_ops>
		<sched_op_debug>0</sched_op_debug>

		<task>1</task>
		<task_debug>0</task_debug>

		<unparsed_xml>1</unparsed_xml>

		<work_fetch_debug>1</work_fetch_debug>
		<rr_simulation>0</rr_simulation>
		<rrsim_detail>0</rrsim_detail>

		<cpu_sched>0</cpu_sched>
		<cpu_sched_debug>0</cpu_sched_debug>
		<cpu_sched_status>0</cpu_sched_status>
		<coproc_debug>1</coproc_debug>

		<mem_usage_debug>0</mem_usage_debug>
		<checkpoint_debug>1</checkpoint_debug>

		<http_debug>0</http_debug>
		<http_xfer_debug>0</http_xfer_debug>
		<network_status_debug>0</network_status_debug>

		<scrsave_debug>1</scrsave_debug>
		<notice_debug>0</notice_debug>

		<app_msg_receive>0</app_msg_receive>
		<app_msg_send>0</app_msg_send>
		<async_file_debug>0</async_file_debug>
		<benchmark_debug>0</benchmark_debug>
		<dcf_debug>0</dcf_debug>
		<disk_usage_debug>0</disk_usage_debug>
		<priority_debug>0</priority_debug>
		<gui_rpc_debug>0</gui_rpc_debug>
		<heartbeat_debug>0</heartbeat_debug>
		<poll_debug>0</poll_debug>
		<proxy_debug>0</proxy_debug>
		<slot_debug>0</slot_debug>
		<state_debug>0</state_debug>
		<statefile_debug>0</statefile_debug>
		<suspend_debug>0</suspend_debug>
		<time_debug>0</time_debug>
		<trickle_debug>0</trickle_debug>
	</log_flags>

	<options>
		<!-- =================================================== TESTING OPTIONS =================================================== -->
<!--
		<start_delay>20</start_delay>
		<ncpus>12</ncpus>
		<exclusive_app>NotepadTest01.exe</exclusive_app>
		<exclusive_gpu_app>NotepadTest02.exe</exclusive_gpu_app>
-->

		<!-- =================================================== REGULAR OPTIONS =================================================== -->
		<report_results_immediately>0</report_results_immediately>
		<fetch_on_update>0</fetch_on_update>
		<max_event_log_lines>0</max_event_log_lines>

		<max_file_xfers>10</max_file_xfers>
		<max_file_xfers_per_project>4</max_file_xfers_per_project>

		<exclusive_app>iRacingSim.exe</exclusive_app>
		<exclusive_app>iRacingSim64.exe</exclusive_app>
		<exclusive_app>Aces.exe</exclusive_app>
		<exclusive_app>TmForever.exe</exclusive_app>
		<exclusive_app>TmForeverLauncher.exe</exclusive_app>

		<!-- ===================================================== SETUP GPUS ====================================================== -->
		<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>

		<!-- =========================================== SETUP GPU 0: GeForce GTX 660 Ti =========================================== -->
<!--
		<ignore_nvidia_dev>0</ignore_nvidia_dev>
-->

		<!-- Exclude World Community Grid's "Help Conquer Cancer" GPU app (hcc1) on main display - makes graphics slow, even on 660 Ti -->
		<!-- Commenting out, for now, since this round of hcc1 is completed, and next round may not exhibit the issue. -->
<!--
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
			<app>hcc1</app>
		</exclude_gpu>
-->

		<!-- Exclude Einstein/Albert, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://albert.phys.uwm.edu/</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude SETI/Beta, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/beta/</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude Milkyway@Home, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/</url>
			<device_num>0</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- =========================================== SETUP GPU 1: GeForce GTX 460 =========================================== -->
<!--
		<ignore_nvidia_dev>1</ignore_nvidia_dev>
-->

		<!-- Exclude POEM's "POEM++ OpenCL version" GPU app (poemcl) from a second heterogeneous GPU, since it does not work properly -->
		<!-- Note: Although 320.18 drivers successfully run smalltest_3, the drivers still do not work right with POEM. -->
		<!-- Note: Also, it appears that running POEM only on the GTX 460, does not work. So, it must run on the GTX 660 Ti! -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://boinc.fzk.de/poem/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
			<app>poemcl</app>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Reminder: For GPUGrid.net, if going to run 2-tasks-on-1-GPU, exclude this GPU (it only has 1 GB memory) -->
<!--
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://www.gpugrid.net</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>
-->

		<!-- Exclude Einstein/Albert, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://albert.phys.uwm.edu/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude SETI/Beta, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/beta/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude Milkyway@Home, since work from other GPU projects should give enough work to keep this GPU busy. -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/</url>
			<device_num>1</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- =========================================== SETUP GPU 2: GeForce GTS 240 =========================================== -->
<!--
		<ignore_nvidia_dev>2</ignore_nvidia_dev>
-->

		<!-- Exclude World Community Grid's Help Conquer Cancer GPU app -->
		<!-- GPU not supported per https://secure.worldcommunitygrid.org/help/viewTopic.do?shortName=GPU#610 -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org</url>
			<device_num>2</device_num>
			<app>hcc1</app>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude POEM's "POEM++ OpenCL version" GPU app (poemcl) from a second heterogeneous GPU, since it does not work properly -->
		<!-- Also, GPU is not supported, as all tasks immediately error out -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://boinc.fzk.de/poem/</url>
			<device_num>2</device_num>
			<app>poemcl</app>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude GPUGrid.net -->
		<!-- GPU not supported per http://www.gpugrid.net/forum_thread.php?id=2507 -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://www.gpugrid.net/</url>
			<device_num>2</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

		<!-- Exclude Milkyway@Home -->
		<!-- GPU not supported, as all tasks immediately error out -->
		<exclude_gpu>
			<url>http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/</url>
			<device_num>2</device_num>
		</exclude_gpu>

	</options>
</cc_config>

Regards,
Jacob
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Message boards : News : Client configuration add-on

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