[billybob128]

im sure that somewhere i read that this is possible but cant remember for the life of me where could someone point me in the right direction?
thanks

[reader50]

If Folding is launched from a crontab, it will run even if all users are logged out.

[billybob128]

wat is crontab and how is it set up is it that time thing and does it keep it going overriding the sleep option

[mikkyo]

You can launch it manually and have it run all the time too.

Code:
sudo /usr/bin/nohup /usr/bin/nice -20 ./OSX-3.25 -local -forceasm -advmethods &

is what I use to launch.
I put this in a shell script called "startfolding" and call that from my crontab as root.

So startfolding looks like this for a Dual

Code:
!/bin/sh
cd /Applications/Folding
/usr/bin/nohup /usr/bin/nice -20 ./OSX-3.25 -local -forceasm -advmethods &
cd ../
cd Folding2
/usr/bin/nohup /usr/bin/nice -20 ./OSX-3.25 -local -forceasm -advmethods &

Then I have a crontab file called "foldtab" that looks like this

Code:
@reboot /Applications/Folding/startfolding

I set the crontab file for root

Code:
sudo crontab foldtab

and forget about it.
Now everytime that machine reboots it will be running F@H in the background.

This is an OS X machine, many other unix versions don't support the "@reboot" macro in cron jobs unless that support is specifically built for them.

If you want to get fancy and use the "ClientCheck.php" script to check on your clients, you can add this to the foldtab, under the @reboot

Code:
0,15,30,45 * * * * cd /Applications/Folding; cp unitinfo.txt /Users/me/Sites/
0,15,30,45 * * * * cd /Applications/Folding2; cp unitinfo.txt /Users/me/Sites/unitinfo2.txt

Which copies the unitinfo.txt files to your home directory Sites folder so that the ClientCheck app can read them.
For the dual, you have to rename the second unitinfo.txt so you don't overwrite the first.
Or you could just call them stats1.txt and stats2.txt.
You will have to find the thread on setting up ClientCheck for that info if you want to monitor all your clients via the web browser.
But it is pretty easy.

BTW the Nice value sets the harshness(priority) of the F@H processes.
-20 is use all my cpu mode
0 is normal
20 is super nice let me use the machine for other stuff over F@H getting any crunching done mode.

Of course all this info has been posted many times, someone should put the team instructions back up.
Heck you could even make a package or .sit with the full install with the supporting files and a firsttime.command script that asked the user if they wanted it to run at reboot, login, and if they were going to monitor their clients, then set up the cron job automagically.
Sort of like I did for Ubero.

[billybob128]

ok that doesnt relly help me im what is kown as a simpleton so wat would i put into terminal?do i need to creat folers else where?

[reader50]

"cron" is the unix scheduling utility. A "crontab" or "cron table" is the user schedule that cron uses. You don't need to know all that in order to use it.

Launch Terminal. It's usually in Applications/Utilities/

type crontab -e followed by Return. This opens/creates your crontab file for editing.

type i to begin insertion mode.

type:
@reboot cd "/Applications/fold/"; ./folding -local -advmethods -forceasm -verbosity 9 &
This is a cron table entry to launch folding on reboot. The cd blah/blah/blah/; part specifies where the folding CLI is located. If it's not in a folder called "fold" within the Applications folder, then adjust the filepath until it's correct. The second part launches folding with the following control flags:
-local (use local folder for storing data)
-advmethods (use latest software that Stanford offers, which is usually the fastest)
-forceasm (force optimized code to be used, in case it got turned off last time)
-verbosity 9 (log all the details - useful if something gets messed up)
& (continue executing even if the user logs out)

Hit Esc to exit insertion mode.

Now to save the new crontab, type:
:wq followed by Return. ":" escapes editing mode, "w" writes out the edited crontab, and "q" quits the editor program.

You're done, you can even quit Terminal. The next time you reboot, folding will launch by itself. Don't launch it manually, you will probably end up with duplicate copies of folding working on the same work unit. Which will presently screw up.

Edited to include Welnic's corrections - thanks.

[Welnic]

The only thing missing from the above explanation is that after "crontab -e" return you have to hit "i" so that you can start entering text.

And after you enter the text you have to hit "esc" so it knows that you are through entering text.

[billybob128]

it wont work i type in crontab -e and it comes up with a long colum of ~ and i type in wat was written in here before but it just doesnt workcan it be done while folding is running?
what i type in is:
@reboot cd"/Applications/F@H/OSX-3.25/"; ./folding -local -advmethopds -forceasm
-verbosity 9 &
:wq

[reader50]

Put a space between cd and "/Applications/F@H/OSX-3.25/";

-advmethods is the correct spelling

The command must not be broken across two lines. Put it all on one line, don't break to a new line between -forceasm and -verbosity 9 &

[billybob128]

ive got it to write and install but when i quit terminal my CPU moniter showed a major drop off in power usage showing that F@H stopped is this normal?

also if someone else logs onto the computer does the folding stop till they log out?

and i must say reader50 you are being a great help thanks

[Welnic]

The crontab that you installed will only start f@h when you boot your computer. If you reboot it should start up and run. If you ever need to stop it for some reason you would have to start it back up using the terminal until you rebooted.

If someone else logs on to the computer it will just run in the background like when you are logged on. You can set it up so that it would stop if someone else logged on, but you shouldn't and it is a real pain in the ass to do.

[billybob128]

so there is no way to check like with the CPU moniter if it is running?

[reader50]

If it is running, CPU Monitor will show the CPU maxed out all the time. You can see the Folding process in the Terminal using "top", as well as using Process Viewer from the Utilities folder.

[billybob128]

its not working ill try installing again

[mikkyo]

Someone should just post their working scripts with a terminal.command file to make them all go.
I'll do it when I have the time.
It really shouldn't be hard for anyone to get going.