Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Arkham_c · Feb 1, 2002, 01:23 PM

The MacNN Distributed ComputingConfiguration Client (MDC3) is ready for some testing. RC5 and Ubero are complete and functional. If you're running OSX, take a minute and try it out, and post your feedback here.

MDC3 Download

Scotttheking · Feb 1, 2002, 02:56 PM

Come on people, test it.

This app will be our greatest recruiting tool. With it people will be able to setup the client with all the tweaks from a nice GUI interface. But it can't be used until it's tested.

Say what's wrong nad what you think could be changed to be better.

He took the time to write it, take some time to test it.

Osirisis · Feb 1, 2002, 05:49 PM

I tried it. It demands a admin password and then claims that they are all invalid. Strange to say the least.

Scotttheking · Feb 1, 2002, 06:30 PM

Originally posted by Osirisis:
I tried it. It demands a admin password and then claims that they are all invalid. Strange to say the least.

Put in your username and password. (Assuming you are the admin)

SkiBikeSki · Feb 2, 2002, 01:48 AM

I tried it out, and can login fine. The only problem is that I already have the clients installed, and don't want to install them again. Add a way to bypass the download, and jump right to the config.

Maybe these features are already there, maybe they're not, i don't know. Start the CLI by simply clicking one and only one button. Easily add -config, -verbose, -bench, -proxy, etc to the execution line. And an easy was to kill the client, since the "kill" command or process viewer is and effective yet clumsy way to do it.

Maybe no one else needs this feature but I would like it. launch all 3 CLI clients with the niceness and proirity settings so that each gets 33% of the CPU. Sometimes I don't know which to run so i run them all, and watch them fight for CPU time. I'm still working on finding the right levels. Seems like SETI always wants more than 33%.

Arkham_c · Feb 2, 2002, 09:03 PM

Some of your suggestions are good ones, and I will do what I can to add them. However, bear in mind this is NOT intended to be an expert configuration tool. The goal is to make recruiting easy by simplifying installation and configuration. As in "just go download this app and follow the instructions, and it willg et you all set up". That's the perspective from which I would like evaluations.

I do need to reevaluate the authentication code. I'm guessing that if you're not an admin user, putting in the login and password of an admin user won't work. I need to look into that.

Osirisis · Feb 2, 2002, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by Scotttheking:


Put in your username and password. (Assuming you are the admin)

I did. I even tried root to no effect. Might just be my system.

Arkham_c · Feb 3, 2002, 08:46 PM

Originally posted by Osirisis:


I did. I even tried root to no effect. Might just be my system.

Open a terminal. Type "sudo ls" and when prompted for a password, enter your password. If it works, you're golden. If not, that's your problem. What error did you get? Maybe I should look at providing an error message rather than just looking at the exit code for the test command.

Osirisis · Feb 3, 2002, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:


Open a terminal. Type "sudo ls" and when prompted for a password, enter your password. If it works, you're golden. If not, that's your problem. What error did you get? Maybe I should look at providing an error message rather than just looking at the exit code for the test command.

My box has been having permissions errors all over the place since last week. I couldn't even load iTunes

I just clean loaded it last night. With all the software loads, I didn't have time to go and test this. If I think about it tonight, I'll test it again. What can I say, my X install was not healthy. Got some healthly lessons in Unix though. Amazing how much permissions differ from NT based systems

Osirisis · Feb 5, 2002, 07:36 PM

Tested it last night without a problem. I do agree with the other poster that there should be an option to bypass the download and use the already installed copy of the software.

Arkham_c · Feb 6, 2002, 03:30 AM

Originally posted by Osirisis:
Tested it last night without a problem. I do agree with the other poster that there should be an option to bypass the download and use the already installed copy of the software.

I will add this. The goal was to make it easier for new users who did not have the software installed or configured to do so, so that was the reason I did not add this already.

Osirisis · Feb 6, 2002, 03:50 AM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:


I will add this. The goal was to make it easier for new users who did not have the software installed or configured to do so, so that was the reason I did not add this already.

Okie Doke. Just a little constructive criticism

Now we just need some of the people with shiny new Dual Gigahertz machines to go run the utility

Arkham_c · Feb 6, 2002, 08:48 PM

The other thing I need to add (I can't believe no one mentioned it!) is some way to make joining Team MacNN easier. I know how to do this for RC5, but how do you join a team in Ubero? Do you have to have submitted work units to join a team?

Arkham_c · Feb 6, 2002, 10:37 PM

Ok, I have a new release for you guys to try out. It's got the ability to use an existing Ubero or RC5 installation. It also has a few fixes and a button in RC5 and Ubero to join the team. It also has an about box now.

I guess I should look into SETI next. The only feature I know of that is missing for RC5 and Ubero is ubero support for multiple processors. I can add this, I just need to think about it.

Doh, I forgot the URL:

MDC3 beta 6 Download link

[ 02-07-2002: Message edited by: Arkham_c ]

reader50 · Feb 6, 2002, 11:56 PM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
The other thing I need to add (I can't believe no one mentioned it!) is some way to make joining Team MacNN easier. I know how to do this for RC5, but how do you join a team in Ubero? Do you have to have submitted work units to join a team?

You do not have to submit a work unit to join a team in Ubero. Check my stats for proof of this.

Once they offer buffering, I will try Ubero on my 56K. Really.

Scotttheking · Feb 7, 2002, 11:37 PM

Ok, here's what I've got so far.

1. Don't authenticate until you have to. You can install the apps without it, so only authenticate if they want to install a startup item.

Ubero

1. When it asks how much memory to use, it kept saying not enough when I was trying to type in 200. It gave that message based on 20, but I wasn't done yet.

2. I checked run at startup, then hit update configuration. I get an error of cannot create startup plist. Then I got a permissions error.

That'd be as far as I got.
More to come later.

Scotttheking · Feb 24, 2002, 05:02 AM

People, please, brutalize the app

The sooner this app is done, the sooner the team can start it's next recruiting effort.

--Scott

Scotttheking · Feb 24, 2002, 05:25 AM

Here's my config file.
In the next post I'll put my comments in.
Refer to this post for the correct total file.

Hopefully this makes sense, it's 4:30 in the morning

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR><pre>
[parameters]
id=sjaffa@mac.com

[buffers]
threshold-check-interval=1:00
frequent-threshold-checks=3

[misc]
project-priority=RC5,DES=0,OGR=0,CSC=0

[display]
detached=yes
progress-indicator=relative

[rc5]
fetch-time-threshold=24
preferred-blocksize=33

[networking]
autofindkeyserver=no
keyserver=rc5.macnn.com
firewall-type=http
firewall-host=rc5.macnn.com:1234
firewall-auth=bW9vOnNkYQ==

[triggers]
pause-on-no-mains-power=yes
pause-on-high-cpu-temp=yes
cpu-temperature-thresholds=90F:100F

[/code]

[ 02-24-2002: Message edited by: Scotttheking ]

Scotttheking · Feb 24, 2002, 06:18 AM

Ok, here's what I've got.
I don't think I missed any options.

Note: the stuff in quotes is the questions that are asked in each window
* mean it should always be there

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR><pre> *[parameters]

"What is the email account you would like to use as your ID?
Note: This ID will be the same on all computers, and will be how you check your stats. Make sure it's a valid email address"

id=sjaffa@mac.com

*[buffers]

"How often would you like the client to connect to the server? If you have an always on connection, it should be set low, like one hour. If you have a modem, set it to connect less often, like 24 hrs"

threshold-check-interval=1:00
*frequent-threshold-checks=3

*[misc]
*project-priority=RC5,DES=0,OGR=0,CSC=0

[display]
detached=yes
progress-indicator=relative

*[rc5]

"How many hours worth of work would you like the client to download?
If you are on a broadband connection, set it low, like 6 hours. If you are on a modem, set it higher, like 24 or 48 hours."

fetch-time-threshold=24
*preferred-blocksize=33

*[networking]
*autofindkeyserver=no
*keyserver=rc5.macnn.com

"Do you have a firewall? If it's http, put in the address and port. If it's socks or requires a password, you will need to configure the app itself, instead of using this program"

firewall-type=http
firewall-host=rc5.macnn.com:1234

*[triggers]

"Do you have a laptop and want it to only run when it's plugged in?"

pause-on-no-mains-power=yes
[/code]

x user · Feb 24, 2002, 10:54 AM

I have a laptop, so I'd want the option there of if I want main power running only or not. But I think once we've finished the setup, we should just be able to fire up this app and have it with three simple buttons. Start Stop Prefs.

Scotttheking · Feb 24, 2002, 02:21 PM

seti Shell script

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR><pre>"Would you like to use the team proxy? It is highly recommended that you do. <insert why>"

<path to seti>/setiathome -proxy seti.macnn.com:5517 -nice 19

[/code]

Shaktai · Feb 28, 2002, 01:58 AM

Okay, I downloaded the config client and followed it step by step. I started clean on my iBook 600 and on my PowerMac 800 followed the steps for a previous installation. After following all the way through, I click the configuration button and nothing seems to happen. I click the start now button and nothing happens.

This is the case on both machines. Am I missing a step, or is it doing nothing. I also marked it to startup on login or restart, but again, nothing happens. Same on both machines.

Shaktai · Feb 28, 2002, 02:46 AM

Guess I should clarify my last post. I was doing the Ubero config/installation. Not RC-5.

Oh well, back to the GUI client until it all soaks in and makes sense.

Arkham_c · Feb 28, 2002, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by Shaktai:
Guess I should clarify my last post. I was doing the Ubero config/installation. Not RC-5.

Oh well, back to the GUI client until it all soaks in and makes sense.

When you say "nothing happens", what did you expect to happen? Did you look at the process viewer or top and see if the java client is running? When you run the CLI tool, you don't see anything that indicates its status.

[ 02-28-2002: Message edited by: Arkham_c ]

Shaktai · Feb 28, 2002, 12:39 PM

When you say "nothing happens", what did you expect to happen? Did you look at the process viewer or top and see if the java client is running? When you run the CLI tool, you don't see anything that indicates its status.

[ 02-28-2002: Message edited by: Arkham_c ]

Thanks, It might be good to clarify that somewhere for us novices so that we know what to expect and where to look. Especially since that is who the app is intended for. What kind of a performance increase does this provide over the GUI?

Shaktai · Feb 28, 2002, 07:10 PM

IT WORKS!!

Now that I know what to expect, I tried it again on my iBook 600, and it is keeping pace with my Power Mac 800, which is a significant speed boost. Awesome!! I will try it again on the 800 later tonight.

Since I am one of those who needs reassurance to indeed tell me that it is working, I just brought up my CPU monitor in expanded screen mode. I also checked the processor monitor to verify that Java was indeed running.

For the other unix newbies like myself, it is different, but good. - The CPU monitor and Process monitor are located in the Utilities folder in side the applications folder. Using the client leaves you with the initial impression that nothing is happening, but then when you look at the processes, you can see that a lot is going on behind the scenes. You can also check your stats periodically on the Ubero website and see them soaring upwards at much faster rates.

Arkam, et al! Thanks for your hardwork and effort in creating this. Very sweet indeed, and it removes the intimidation of the CLI.

Arkham_c · Mar 5, 2002, 09:37 AM

Ok, I have a new version that is ready for release. It has the full RC5 configuration from Scott, and can install SETI, although running it does not work because I am not sure how to auto-confgure it.

I also added a status line at the bottom to tell you if your chosen project is running. This should eliminate confusion for new users or those unfamiliar with the command-line.

I still need a "full" Ubero config from Scott. The one I have does include the memory tweak, but it's not complete beyond that.

Once I get the ubero config, I'll release a new version for people to test.

Arkham_c · Mar 7, 2002, 12:09 AM

Alright, here we go. Try this version.

SETI now works, in addition to the stuff mentioned above.

MDC3 Beta 9

I'm sure it has ugs, because I'm sleepy. Tell me about them and I'll fix them.

Shaktai · Mar 8, 2002, 01:58 PM

Downloaded and trying it out. So far so good. Thanks for the status line. We UNIX / CLI newbies appreciate it.

Arkham_c · Mar 9, 2002, 07:59 AM

I should mention beta 10 is already out, with some changes requested by Scott and a few seti bug fixes. It also has the spiffy ubero script that was posted here (although it does not do dual processors yet).

You can get it here:Beta 10 Download.

If there are bugs, I need to hear about them today. I'll be out of the country Sunday until Friday, so after tonight no changes will be made until next weekend.

Scotttheking · Mar 9, 2002, 02:25 PM

The ubero startup script is oh so very messed up

More testing to come.

Shouldn't I be at work?

Shaktai · Mar 9, 2002, 07:47 PM

Originally posted by Scotttheking:
The ubero startup script is oh so very messed up

More testing to come.

Shouldn't I be at work?

DITTO! My experience too. Shut down Ubero. Started the beta 10 client. Clicked on update, and then clicked start. Got the lovely spinning rainbow button that wouldn't quit. The status line read that Ubero hadn't started. However, my CPU monitor says that it it kicked into full gear. Strange, It seems that the OS is showing a greater percentage of activity than before. I will keep testing on my PowerMac 800 for a bit. The advantage of this is that being a non techie, I don't know what any of this does, but I will be able to tell if it is hurting or helping my bottom line results.

So far beta Nine was the most stable for me.

Arkham_c · Mar 9, 2002, 08:47 PM

Scott, what is specifically wrong with the ubero script? You asked me to put it in there, so I did. I can take it back out and go back to what I had previously (simply launching the client). I need to know specifically what you want changed tonight though, or it will be broken for a week.

Scotttheking · Mar 9, 2002, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
Scott, what is specifically wrong with the ubero script? You asked me to put it in there, so I did. I can take it back out and go back to what I had previously (simply launching the client). I need to know specifically what you want changed tonight though, or it will be broken for a week.

I'm not sure.
I think it's the "'" around the minram and max ram variables, not sure.
Could you repost beta9 also, for now?

Thx,

Scott

Have a agood trip

Arkham_c · Mar 9, 2002, 10:10 PM

Beta 9 is still on the server. See the link in an earlier post.

Beta 10 should still work fine for RC5 folk, and SETI never worked at all before beta 10, so if they want to try it, beta 10 is the place to be.

I'll be back on Friday. Hopefully I will be over 500k RC5 blocks when I get back

Shaktai · Mar 11, 2002, 09:28 PM

Arkham_C

Well, here is my feedback on Beta 10. Coming from a non techie, I hope it helps.

The beta seems to run fine until you get to the last step where you actually click start to start up the ubero client. At that point, the status line reads that ubero is not running, and the client seems to hang up. It goes to the lovely spinning rainbow wheel cursor and just stays there. In the meantime though, the client actually starts up and is running in the background. It becomes necessary to Force Quit the beta 10 client, but the process keeps running. I tried it on both my iBook and my Power Mac. The same thing happened on both. I also tried it both as an update, to just update the previous config and as a new install. Same thing happens either way. It just hangs up when you click the start button. After a force quit if you restart the config client, the status line then shows Ubero is running. Other than that, it seemed to work fine.

On my iBook I did a clean reinstall and it seemed to improve the overall performance slightly, so I just completed doing a clean reinstall on my Power Mac also. I should be able to tell in a couple of days, if the speed boost is real or just wishful thinking on my part.

Hope that helps.

Arkham_c · Mar 15, 2002, 08:44 AM

Hi all,
I am back in the USA again and can look at the ubero stuff in beta 10 that doesn't seem to work. I suspect I know the cause (not running the shell asynchronously), but I will know for sure once I investigate. I should not have released a beta just a couple of days before leaving the country, and should probably not have released one based on a script that I didn't bother to translate into something a little cleaner. I'll remedy both problems in the next release.

Arkham_c · Mar 15, 2002, 11:18 PM

ok Beta 11 is available. It should work for Ubero now. I tested the fix on my iBook and it seems to work. Damn single quotes in shell scripts. I also added support for a HTTP proxy, since I needed one at work. It only applies to RC5, SETI, and downloads (not Ubero).

MDC3 Beta 11 Download

Shaktai · Mar 16, 2002, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
ok Beta 11 is available. It should work for Ubero now. I tested the fix on my iBook and it seems to work. Damn single quotes in shell scripts. I also added support for a HTTP proxy, since I needed one at work. It only applies to RC5, SETI, and downloads (not Ubero).

MDC3 Beta 11 Download

Tried it out on my Power Mac 800, and no problems. It worked just fine. I will test it on my iBook tomorrow. You have done a great job on this. This is one non-techie, who appreciates your efforts. Thanks!!!

Michael A. Peters · Mar 16, 2002, 01:47 PM

Small recommondation?

There isn't a need for requiring an admin password because any user can run a distributed project, not just admins.

It would make it easier if password was not required.

-=-
Oh, and as far as everything getting equal cpu- just run 'em all at nice 19
It doesn't take root to set nice 19 either (as long as its YOUR process)

I believe folding by default runs at nice 19 or 20 (I think the doc says 20 but I think 20 is effectively 19 on OS X)

Arkham_c · Mar 16, 2002, 03:18 PM

Originally posted by Michael A. Peters:
Small recommondation?

There isn't a need for requiring an admin password because any user can run a distributed project, not just admins.

It would make it easier if password was not required.

The reason for the root password is it makes my life easier. With root access I can make the folder "/usr/local/macnn" and do my downloads and installs there (except ubero anyway). The password also allows me to do startup items, which require root access.

I don't think I'm going to eliminate the requirement. Most OSX users are used to seeing it now, and most users would only see it once.

I believe all processes are already run niced.

Shaktai · Mar 16, 2002, 03:35 PM

I agree, leave the password, and that is from a non-techie who is normally bugged by such things.

vesalius · Mar 16, 2002, 03:49 PM

Just tried beta 11 of MDC and I ran into a major problem. The app worked great. It started and configured ubero correctly, but,on my yikes g4, something has gone wrong during startup. The startup item "ubero" stalls and does not complete making it impossible too login to this machine without removing ubero from /Library/startup items/. BTW, even before this happened the ubero script significantly increased the startup time on this machine. Is there anyway to background the process and allow other startup items to initiate?
Another related question, is their a key combination I can press during startup in Mac OS 10.1.3 that will halt and bypass a stalled startup item or in lieu of that how about a key board combo to bypass all startup items?

Vesalius

Michael A. Peters · Mar 16, 2002, 07:26 PM

The password also allows me to do startup items, which require root access.

You can do startup items via the crontab.
That doesn't require root.

As far as a common directory to download stuff too, try ~/MacNN

Scotttheking · Mar 16, 2002, 08:40 PM

Originally posted by Michael A. Peters:


You can do startup items via the crontab.
That doesn't require root.

As far as a common directory to download stuff too, try ~/MacNN

Not really you can't.
You can set it to run at a certain time, but not a startup item.
This way is best.

Michael A. Peters · Mar 16, 2002, 09:21 PM

* * * * * cd ~/bin; sh wrapper.sh

wrapper.sh is a shell script that checks to see if the item is running and starts it if it isn't.

Net result is it starts within a minute of the cron daemon starting.

Arkham_c · Mar 16, 2002, 11:06 PM

Cron is not the right way to do this. It should be thought of as a server daemon, not a cron job. If someone kills it, it shouldn't restart itself. Coming from a unix background, this is how people expect things like this to behave.

As to the ubero startup script hanging, I'm not surprised. That script is too complicated to be a startup item. I'm going to move it to a separate script in /usr/local/macnn/ubero and call it from a simple startup item that runs it in the background. That'll be in the next release.

Michael A. Peters · Mar 16, 2002, 11:14 PM

Actually, cron is the right way to do it.

When you start these from /etc/hostconfig and /Library/StartupItems it is root that is starting the processes.

When root runs the process, the danger is much greater if there is exploitable code or a back door.
Remember, these clients are continually downloading and uploading info as the root user.

That's not the *best* idea in the world.

With cron, the process runs with the permissions and ownership of the user who's crontab is starting the process.
It's a lot cleaner that way. More secure.

Also with cron, should the service "unexpectedly quit" the process will restart itself.

Cron is frequently used to start services etc. that don't _need_ to be started by root.
It's much more secure, and there's no reason not to run distributed computing clients through cron.

In fact, many recommend it!

Shaktai · Mar 17, 2002, 10:31 AM

Well I don't know about all the previous instructions, but I do know that when I restarted my Power Mac which is running Beta 11, that it hangs up on restart. tried booting into OS-9, but no luck. For some reason it can't find it. Basically right now my 800mhz is dead in the water, until I can figure out how to start up in either 9 or X , to get the CD tray open so that I can startup from a CD.

Everything goes fine until the Ubero Client loads, then it freezes the startup process. Anyway to get beyond this so that I can remove the Ubero client from startup items - remember, it is not letting me boot into OS 9 or insert a CD to startup from.

Michael A. Peters · Mar 17, 2002, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by Shaktai:
Well I don't know about all the previous instructions, but I do know that when I restarted my Power Mac which is running Beta 11, that it hangs up on restart. tried booting into OS-9, but no luck. For some reason it can't find it. Basically right now my 800mhz is dead in the water, until I can figure out how to start up in either 9 or X , to get the CD tray open so that I can startup from a CD.

Everything goes fine until the Ubero Client loads, then it freezes the startup process. Anyway to get beyond this so that I can remove the Ubero client from startup items - remember, it is not letting me boot into OS 9 or insert a CD to startup from.

You can eject your cdrom manually.
There might also be a key combination to eject it on boot.

Anyway- there should be a pinhole you can use to activate the eject mechanism.