The 5.8.16 release contained the following change:

- core client: add optional <detach_when_done> and <dont_request_more_work> flags to account element in account manager reply messages. See acct_mgt.php

The aim of this was to allow account managers to optionally specify those flags to give better control over the client.

The problem is the behaviour of the client has changed if those flags are missing from the account manager reply. If <dont_request_more_work> is missing, the client turns work requests back on. The <dont_request_more_work> will always be missing with account managers that have not been updated to support 5.8.16.

If the <dont_request_more_work> flag is missing from the account manager reply, the client behaviour should not be changing - the client should be using the state of dont_request_more_work that existed before the account manager was contacted.

Anyone agree? Is this a bug?

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I think that's in fact the only way the AMS has to disable detach_when_done setting: not sending the tag.

IMHO, the new <dont_request_more_work> account manager flag is not optional (as the change history says) if its absence changes the behaviour of the client (by always turning work requests back on).

Also, this change moves responsibility for the "no new work" setting to the account manager, and effectively removes the ability to control it via BOINC Manager - if NNW is set on the client via the Manager, the setting may get overridden the next time the account manager is contacted. This would be even worse if there isn't currently a way for the client to tell the account manager the current state of the "no new work" setting.

Being able to enable/disable "no new work" via an account manager would be quite useful, but being able to set it via the Manager too is very important.

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I would also like a way to set <detach_when_done> from a GUI RPC (even if the official manager has no button to send the message).

David's checked in a fix for this...

David 20 Mar 2007
! - core client: if "no more work" or "detach when done" tag
! is missing from account manager reply, don't change value.
! Note: this is implemented using new
! OPTIONAL_BOOL and OPTIONAL_DOUBLE types
! that may be useful elsewere as well.
!
! client/
! acct_mgr.C,h

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Kathryn :o)

Could a similar approach be used for this problem (simple GUI discarding custom settings in global_prefs_override.xml), discussed a few days ago in the Number of CPUs changing thread?

David did say his new technique might be useful elsewhere....

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