How to make Boinc ignore mouse input for idling purposes

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rick6

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Message 54421 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 7:11:25 UTC
Last modified: 11 Jun 2014, 7:12:20 UTC

I've been searching but i couldn't find much, if anything at all. Is there any option or way to make boinc ignore mouse input for idling purposes? As it stands if i either mouse\click my mouse or keyboard it idles for 10 second the way i configured it, but now i would like it to only pause tasks only if the keyboard is used.

Could anyone share a light on this?
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Profile Jord
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Message 54423 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 10:31:17 UTC - in response to Message 54421.  

BOINC by itself can't be set to ignore specific devices from waking up the computer, but this can be done through your operating system.

E.g. in Windows (7, 8 and 8.1), Start->type "Device manager" (without quotes) in the Search box->from the list choose Device Manager->click to open Mice and other pointing devices->right-click on your mouse by name (e.g. Logitech USB cordless mouse)->Properties->Power Management tab->Uncheck "Allow this device to wake the computer"->OK.

On some mice it may be necessary to manually disable the mouse (turn it off with a switch), as it can be so sensitive that a truck driving by in the street will have your mouse go off. (I've got such a mouse, it's a laser mouse instead of an optical one, and I have to switch it off through the switch underneath the mouse, as else it'll wake my computer at the weirdest of times. ;-))
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rick6

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Message 54424 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 14:29:45 UTC

Hi there. I've tried that but unfourtanely it didn't work :(
Boinc sill pauses if i move or click the mouse.

No chance then?
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Profile Jord
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Message 54426 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 14:55:41 UTC - in response to Message 54424.  

Boinc sill pauses if i move or click the mouse.

But that's not idling. The method I gave stops the computer --and thus BOINC-- from waking up when you move the mouse. It doesn't stop BOINC from doing computations when you move the mouse.

If you want BOINC to continue running when you use the computer, set Suspend work while computer is in use? to No in your preferences. Or check "While computer is in use" in the local advanced preferences (Tools->computing preferences->processor usage)

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rick6

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Message 54427 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 17:10:49 UTC - in response to Message 54426.  

Maybe language was a barrier here. I did not express myself correctly, i'm sorry.

I already unchecked "While computer is in use" for that, and as far as i know it works by detecting mouse or keyboard usage therefore suspending boinc works. I would like to know if there is any way for boinc to only acknowledge keyboard input in order to assume computer usage and ignore any mouse input.
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Message 54428 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 17:14:37 UTC - in response to Message 54427.  

I already unchecked "While computer is in use" for that, and as far as i know it works by detecting mouse or keyboard usage therefore suspending boinc works.

"While computer is in use", when checked, means that BOINC does always allow the science applications to do calculations, even when you use the computer. Unchecking it will make BOINC only run the science applications when the computer is idle, aka no mouse movements and no keyboard hits.
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Message 54429 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 17:39:20 UTC - in response to Message 54428.  

Hm, i guess that's more or less what i said :P
I understand what it does, i just wanted to know if there would be a way for it to ignore the mouse, even if that means adding something to the cc_config.xml file.
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 54430 - Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 17:53:52 UTC

My understanding is that for Windows, the actual monitoring of the mouse and keyboard hardware is done by a little helper application called 'boinctray.exe' (72 KB on my 64-bit system).

It should be relatively simple (!) for somebody with the relevant compiler to comment out the source lines relating to mouse activity and produce a replacement which only fires when the keyboard is in use - or vice versa. But I've never taken my BOINC knowledge that far, though. I'm pretty sure it can't be done any easier way.
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Message boards : Questions and problems : How to make Boinc ignore mouse input for idling purposes

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