-oneunit?

[iBozz]

My trusty iMac is going for repair tomorrow so i want to stop Folding and not download a unit which will them be abandoned.

i seem to recall that there is a command "-oneunit" which I thought ensured that a new unit was not downloaded at the end of the current unit.

Well, I've been trying it to check if it works and it doesn't - at least not the way i do it!

I'm using the System Preference panel method of control which reports v6.29.3, and my settings are ...

-advmethods -verbosity 9 -oneunit

I have stopped F@H and restarted it as I believed that that was necessary to get the "new" command to operate - it didn't work.

I have stopped F@H and shut down the computer, then restarted it and that didn't work either.

I suppose that I could just "lose" a unit, but I'd prefer not to unless that is the only way.

What am I doing worng and what else can I try?

[Joe_H]

From my experience the -oneunit flag does not work from the System Preference control panel. It is one of several flags that work from the command line method only. I used that method all the time to run folding on my iMac before going to the V7 client, so if you installed 6.29 in the default location, here are the directions:

1. Disable folding in the System Preferences control panel
2. Open the Terminal app in the Utilities folder of Applications
3. In the Terminal window enter the command /usr/local/fah/fah6 -advmethods -verbosity 9 -oneunit after the prompt
4. Press the Return key

That should start processing the current WU your iMac has downloaded, upload it when done, and then exit without downloading a new WU. At worst it might finish the current WU, then exit after completing the next WU it downloads without getting another. If the command does not work with the path I listed in the directions, then you might have installed F@H in a non-default location. It can still be run from the command line, just the path to the fah6 executable would need to be changed.

[bruce]

Version 7 for the Mac still has a number of bugs that need to be fixed before we can honestly recommend an upgrade ... particularly if V6 is working for you ... but one thing that will be much easier when it's adopted is that flags like -oneunit will be essentially unused because there's a button for things like that in the GUI program FAHControl.

[iBozz]

Thanks, both, much appreciated.

I've done that, Joe and Terminal shows:

Code: Select all

Note: Please read the license agreement (fah6 -license). Further
use of this software requires that you have read and accepted this agreement.

8 cores detected


--- Opening Log file [May 20 19:12:24 UTC]


# Mac OS X SMP Console Edition ################################################
###############################################################################

                       Folding@Home Client Version 6.29r3

                          http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: /Users/roy/Library/Folding@home
Executable: /usr/local/fah/fah6
Arguments: -advmethods -verbosity 9 -oneunit -advmethods -verbosity 9 -oneunit

[19:12:24] - Ask before connecting: No
[19:12:24] - User name: iBozz (Team 37761)
[19:12:24] - User ID: ***************
[19:12:24] - Machine ID: 1
[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] Loaded queue successfully.
[19:12:24] - Autosending finished units... [May 20 19:12:24 UTC]
[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] Trying to send all finished work units
[19:12:24] + Processing work unit
[19:12:24] + No unsent completed units remaining.
[19:12:24] Core required: FahCore_a3.exe
[19:12:24] - Autosend completed
[19:12:24] Core found.
[19:12:24] Working on queue slot 08 [May 20 19:12:24 UTC]
[19:12:24] + Working ...
[19:12:24] - Calling './FahCore_a3.exe -dir work/ -nice 19 -suffix 08 -np 8 -checkpoint 5 -verbose -lifeline 8408 -version 629'

[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] *------------------------------*
[19:12:24] Folding@Home Gromacs SMP Core
[19:12:24] Version 2.22 (May 7 2010)
[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] Preparing to commence simulation
[19:12:24] - Looking at optimizations...
[19:12:24] - Files status OK
[19:12:24] - Expanded 1798791 -> 2086937 (decompressed 116.0 percent)
[19:12:24] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=1798791 data_size=2086937, decompressed_data_size=2086937 diff=0
[19:12:24] - Digital signature verified
[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] Project: 6079 (Run 0, Clone 57, Gen 403)
[19:12:24]
[19:12:24] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[19:12:24] Entering M.D.
Starting 8 threads
NNODES=8, MYRANK=5, HOSTNAME=thread #5
NNODES=8, MYRANK=7, HOSTNAME=thread #7
NNODES=8, MYRANK=4, HOSTNAME=thread #4
NNODES=8, MYRANK=3, HOSTNAME=thread #3
NNODES=8, MYRANK=0, HOSTNAME=thread #0
NNODES=8, MYRANK=6, HOSTNAME=thread #6
NNODES=8, MYRANK=1, HOSTNAME=thread #1
NNODES=8, MYRANK=2, HOSTNAME=thread #2
Reading file work/wudata_08.tpr, VERSION 4.0.99_development_20090605 (single precision)
[19:12:30] Using Gromacs checkpoints

Reading checkpoint file work/wudata_08.cpt generated: Sun May 20 20:10:28 2012

Making 1D domain decomposition 8 x 1 x 1
starting mdrun 'Protein in POPC'
202000016 steps, 404000.0 ps (continuing from step 201711135, 403422.3 ps).
[19:12:31] Resuming from checkpoint
[19:12:31] Verified work/wudata_08.log
[19:12:32] Verified work/wudata_08.trr
[19:12:32] Verified work/wudata_08.edr
[19:12:32] Completed 211119 out of 500000 steps  (42%)


... which, to my untutored eye, looks good although I can't quite work out why each flag appears twice under Arguments.

But it seems to be working and 100.0% of my CPU is being used so that will no doubt remain one of life's great mysteries!

When the iMac is returned by Applecare with its replacement DVD drive, how would I restart Folding via the Preference Panel method again?

Until, that is, v7 comes on stream when I infer, from bruce's response, that there will be a nice new shiny GUI which I assume will be a sort of "InCrease" type interface.

I used to use InCrease but I found the fact that there had to be different folders set up confusing and I couldn't get it to work when I got this iMac so reverted to the Preference method.

I look forward to a "similar" interface built-in!

[Joe_H]

The V6 client will store the various flags in its configuration file, but the action is not always consistent. From the command line the -configonly flag will do it, and consistently. But from the control panel or using other means of control, it sometimes stores them and other times does not. At least duplicating the flags on the command line does not matter, the extras are ignored. So at some point they were saved for your iMac's F@H client.

When you get your iMac back, all you should need to do to restart folding is enable it in the control panel. Unless you use additional flags, the command line and the control panel methods of using the client use the same files and work in the same directories.

As for V7, the issues under OS X are relatively minor if you are using 10.6. They are significant under 10.7, and the client does not currently have a version that will run under OS X prior to 10.6. So if you are using 10.6, you could try out the V7 client if you want. Installing it does not usually effect the V6 client since they use different directories and folders to hold their files. Just do not run both at the same time as they will have entirely different WU's to process.

[iBozz]

Yes, I'm running under MacOSX.6.8 so when I get it back I may try the v7 client.

I may come back and ask how to download it as a quick look just now doesn't show it on the Downloads page - it's probably there somewhere but tecnophobic myopia mean it eludes me!

[Jesse_V]

Yes, I'm running under MacOSX.6.8 so when I get it back I may try the v7 client.

I may come back and ask how to download it as a quick look just now doesn't show it on the Downloads page - it's probably there somewhere but tecnophobic myopia mean it eludes me!

It is. Click "Other platforms" and it talks about OS-X. Quick link is:
https://fah-web.stanford.edu/projects/F ... etaRelease

Good luck.

[bruce]

The OSX version of V7 installs a little differently than the Windows version so if you ask questions on the forum and you get an answer from people who run Windows, you may have to interpret their comments a bit. V7.1.52 installs a a service. That means there is a component called fahclient which runs continuously in the background. Whether it is busy processing a WU or it's sitting idle just waiting for you to give it something to do depends entirely on what you do with the GUI component called fahcontrol. Click on 'Pause" and it will suspend processing. Click on "Fold" and it will resume work. Click on "Finish" and it's like the -oneunit flag you asked about earlier ... finish the current WU, upload the results and then suspend processing.

[iBozz]

Thanks, one and all.

The recently poorly iMac is now returned (thanks, AppleCare, excellent service) restored to full rude health with a brand new, shiny, go-faster-striped optical drive!

I've deleted the old F@H configuration and installed v7.1.52 which kicked into life with no problem.

I am, though, a little confused about all the various options and will need to explore the new GUI components, but can someone just reassure me that the several warnings towards the end of the log ...

10:34:18:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174

... are not anything to worry about?

I haven't seen them in any logs before, but then again I rarely read the logs unless bumbling around and attempting to trouble-shoot!

Code: Select all

*********************** Log Started 2012-05-28T10:24:25Z ***********************
10:24:25:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
10:24:25:    Website: http://folding.stanford.edu/
10:24:25:  Copyright: (c) 2009-2012 Stanford University
10:24:25:     Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
10:24:25:       Args:
10:24:25:     Config: <none>
10:24:25:******************************** Build ********************************
10:24:25:    Version: 7.1.52
10:24:25:       Date: Mar 20 2012
10:24:25:       Time: 20:22:35
10:24:25:    SVN Rev: 3515
10:24:25:     Branch: fah/trunk/client
10:24:25:   Compiler: Intel(R) C++ g++ 4.2 mode 1110
10:24:25:    Options: -std=gnu++98 -diag-disable 279 -O3 -funroll-loops -msse3
10:24:25:             -axSSSE3,SSE4.1,SSE4.2 -openmp -restrict -mmacosx-version-min=10.4
10:24:25:   Platform: darwin 10.5.0
10:24:25:       Bits: 32
10:24:25:       Mode: Release
10:24:25:******************************* System ********************************
10:24:25:        CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80GHz
10:24:25:     CPU ID: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 30 Stepping 5
10:24:25:       CPUs: 8
10:24:25:     Memory: 16.00GiB
10:24:25:Free Memory: 12.00GiB
10:24:25:    Threads: POSIX_THREADS
10:24:25: On Battery: false
10:24:25: UTC offset: 1
10:24:25:        PID: 1174
10:24:25:        CWD: /Library/Application Support/FAHClient
10:24:25:         OS: Darwin 10.8.0 i386
10:24:25:    OS Arch: X86
10:24:25:       GPUs: 1
10:24:25:      GPU 0: ATI:3 M98L [Mobility Radeon HD 4850]
10:24:25:       CUDA: Not detected
10:24:25:***********************************************************************
10:24:25:<config>
10:24:25:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
10:24:25:</config>
10:24:25:Trying to access database...
10:24:26:Successfully acquired database lock
10:24:26:Enabled folding slot 00: READY smp:8
10:24:26:WU00:FS00:Connecting to assign3.stanford.edu:8080
10:24:32:WU00:FS00:Connecting to assign3.stanford.edu:8080
10:24:33:Server connection id=1 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
10:24:33:WU00:FS00:News: Welcome to Folding@Home
10:24:33:WU00:FS00:Assigned to work server 171.64.65.99
10:24:33:WU00:FS00:Requesting new work unit for slot 00: READY smp:8 from 171.64.65.99
10:24:33:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.99:8080
10:24:37:WU00:FS00:Downloading 1.98MiB
10:24:41:WU00:FS00:Download complete
10:24:41:WU00:FS00:Received Unit: id:00 state:DOWNLOAD error:OK project:7809 run:10 clone:342 gen:67 core:0xa4 unit:0x000000600a3b1e874e311bbb84cad52b
10:24:41:WU00:FS00:Downloading core from http://www.stanford.edu/~pande/OSX/x86/Core_a4.fah
10:24:41:WU00:FS00:Connecting to www.stanford.edu:80
10:24:43:WU00:FS00:FahCore a4: Downloading 1.86MiB
10:24:49:WU00:FS00:FahCore a4: 53.87%
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:FahCore a4: Download complete
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:Valid core signature
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:Unpacked 4.53MiB to cores/www.stanford.edu/~pande/OSX/x86/Core_a4.fah/FahCore_a4
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:Starting
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:Running FahCore: /usr/bin/FAHCoreWrapper "/Library/Application Support/FAHClient/cores/www.stanford.edu/~pande/OSX/x86/Core_a4.fah/FahCore_a4" -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 701 -lifeline 1174 -checkpoint 15 -np 8
10:24:53:WU00:FS00:Started FahCore on PID 1196
10:24:54:WU00:FS00:Core PID:1199
10:24:54:WU00:FS00:FahCore 0xa4 started
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:*------------------------------*
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Folding@Home Gromacs Core
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Version 2.27 (Thu Feb 10 09:46:40 PST 2011)
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Preparing to commence simulation
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:- Looking at optimizations...
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:- Created dyn
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:- Files status OK
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:- Expanded 2079122 -> 5386224 (decompressed 259.0 percent)
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=2079122 data_size=5386224, decompressed_data_size=5386224 diff=0
10:24:55:WU00:FS00:0xa4:- Digital signature verified
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:Downloading project 7809 description
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:Connecting to fah-web.stanford.edu:80
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Project: 7809 (Run 10, Clone 342, Gen 67)
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Assembly optimizations on if available.
10:24:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Entering M.D.
10:24:57:WU00:FS00:Project 7809 description downloaded successfully
10:25:02:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Mapping NT from 8 to 8
10:25:03:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 0 out of 1500000 steps  (0%)
10:31:03:Saving configuration to config.xml
10:31:03:<config>
10:31:03:  <!-- Network -->
10:31:03:  <proxy v=':8080'/>
10:31:03:
10:31:03:  <!-- User Information -->
10:31:03:  <passkey v='********************************'/>
10:31:03:  <team v='37761'/>
10:31:03:  <user v='iBozz'/>
10:31:03:
10:31:03:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
10:31:03:  <slot id='0' type='SMP'/>
10:31:03:</config>
10:33:36:Server connection id=2 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
10:34:18:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:34:18:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:34:18:Server connection id=2 ended
10:34:52:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:34:52:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:34:52:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:34:52:Server connection id=1 ended
10:35:37:Server connection id=3 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
10:35:43:Server connection id=4 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
10:38:24:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 15000 out of 1500000 steps  (1%)
10:39:40:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:39:40:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:39:40:Server connection id=3 ended
10:41:23:Server connection id=5 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
10:41:24:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:41:24:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:41:24:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:41:24:Server connection id=4 ended
10:44:27:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:44:27:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:44:27:WARNING:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 1174
10:44:27:Server connection id=5 ended
10:51:21:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 30000 out of 1500000 steps  (2%)
11:07:48:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 45000 out of 1500000 steps  (3%)
11:23:44:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 60000 out of 1500000 steps  (4%)
11:38:56:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 75000 out of 1500000 steps  (5%)
11:54:40:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 90000 out of 1500000 steps  (6%)
12:11:20:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 105000 out of 1500000 steps  (7%)
12:25:01:Server connection id=6 on 0.0.0.0:36330 from 127.0.0.1
12:28:23:WU00:FS00:0xa4:Completed 120000 out of 1500000 steps  (8%)


Many thanks for all the help so far!

[Joe_H]

The warnings are nothing to be concerned about. They come from closing the "network" connection between the FAHControl GUI and the FAHClient process that now runs all the time in the background. It is a network connection using the local interface of 127.0.0.1. With the current setup of the V7 beta there can be up to 5 FAH processes running. FAHClient is started as a service running in the background and on future restarts of your iMac will start automatically. FAHControl does exactly that, controls the client by starting and stopping it processing work and handling the configuration parameters for folding. It does not need to be open for folding to run. The FAHcore process does the actual processing of the WU and FAHcorewrapper handles a keep-alive function. If you use the viewer, that is another possible process. Right now it only shows a demo protein for most projects, and does take a bit of CPU to operate.

There are useful guides to configuring the GUI linked in the V7 beta forums. I will mention one useful parameter to add to the configuration, pause-on-start set to true. That keeps the background client process from starting folding immediately when you restart your computer. Very useful if you are doing restarts as part of software updates or installations and don't want the folding to be active for those time periods. Most configuration changes can be made with folding active, they will apply on the next WU or after a restart of folding. Some changes though should be made with folding inactive, so pausing folding and then starting again after the changes have been saved is needed for those.

P.S. As you may have noticed, your first WU downloaded is from a different group of projects than you would have been doing with the V6 client.

[iBozz]

Regular readers of this forum will realise, Joe, that I suffer from technophobicfoldingmyopia (a disease from which I often think that only I suffer) so it will come as no surprise to them that I can't find the thread which suggests how best to configure v7 on my iMac.

I realise that this isn't the thread on which so to do, but if you could point me in the right direction via a link I would be most grateful - I'll post questions arising from my inevitable confusion on the correct thread when my efforts all go pear shaped!

I hope such instructions are in simple words of one syllable (maximum)!

It is partly a Pavlovian reaction, is this technophobicfoldingmyopia I guess, as I once drove the most helpful and unbelievably patient susato to utter despair and distraction with a problem and it has made me wary of trying anything without either understanding what I am doing 100% (unlikely, if not impossible) or with instructions aimed at the mental ability of a two year old!

[Joe_H]

The main area to find links is in the V7 client - latest Open Beta topic group, viewforum.php?f=67. There currently is no installation guide written specifically for OS X, but since configuration is the same for all OS's, that is not too much of an issue yet. PantherX has written a good guide to configuration under the topic Slot Options for V7 (Pictorial Guide), viewtopic.php?f=67&t=18187. I used that when I started out with V7. In addition there is a FAH wiki article on FAHControl here, https://fah-web.stanford.edu/projects/F ... FahControl.

V7 client - latest Open Beta is probably best for posting if you encounter a bug with the V7 software. A new topic area was recently created - V7 client - stable Public beta, viewforum.php?f=71. There is a subtopic - V7 - OS X install issues, viewforum.php?f=77 - that would probably be the place to post questions on configuration.

Edit 6/17/12: Due to a forum reorganization, V7 client - stable Public beta, viewforum.php?f=71 no longer exists. There is an OS X specific area for the beta V7 client, viewforum.php?f=77.

[iBozz]

Many thanks, Joe, very much appreciated.

[7im]

If anyone wants to send me some screen shots of the installation process, I can help coordinate getting those to the right people and see about getting a V7 Mac install guide started.