FAHClient V7.3.2 released (9th Open Beta)

[jcoffland]

This release adds two new major features. 1) a screensaver based on FAHViewer 2) a new user interface which runs in your browser which we call Web Control. In addition, there have been a lot of bug fixes and enhancements since the last beta release and the install process has been streamlined.

Beta Downloads


Documentation
Installation and user guides can be found here:
FAHControl -> The Graphical User Interface (GUI) what controls the Slots.
FAHViewer -> It shows the protein being folded, if applicable.
Pictorial Installation Guide (Windows) -> A detailed pictorial guide on the V7 installation.
Installation Guide (Windows) -> A brief guide on Windows installation.
Installation Guide (Linux) -> A guide for Linux installation.
Installation Guide (OSX) -> A guide for OSX installation that is in progress.
Client Remote Interface -> Documentation for 3rd party developers.
Main Page -> Main page of the V7.

Getting Help
Aside from the documentation the best place to get help is in this forum. If you do have a problem post a message. There are many knowledgeable people ready and willing to help. Keep in mind, we greatly appreciate thorough reports delivered by patient people who can keep a cool head even when things go wrong.

Bugs/Tickets
Open Tickets Ordered by Milestone and Priority
Active Tickets by Change Time
Note: Some tickets may be closed because they are fixed in an upcoming internal release but are not yet fixed in the beta release.

Change Logs:
FAHClient:
v7.3.2:

• Remove desktop link on uninstall.
  
• Avoid stylesheet caching.

v7.3.1:

• Attempt to solve excess disk IO problem.
  
• Wait up to 5 minutes for user idle, but prevent sleep if waiting.

v7.3.0:

• Don't keep computer from sleeping when on battery.
  
• Removed "Validate Name" button from Web interface.
  
• Name change "Web Client" -> "Web Control".
  
• Added FAHWebControl to menu in Linux.
  
• Avoid caching of main Javascript code.
  
• Updated copyright dates.
  
• Only one instance of Web Control. http://caniuse.com/#search=webstorage
  
• Default level "medium" for machines wo/ a battery.
  
• Don't both cut the number of CPUs and throttle by default.
  
• Display version in Web page title.
  
• By default only allow Web access from localhost regardless of 'allow'.
  
• Log HTTP access errors as warnings.
  
• WU not downloading at 100%, i.e. before current WU upload. #970

v7.2.14:

• Change systray icons based on activity or failure.
  
• Use system idle information as well as screensaver for idle modes.
  
• Keep system from sleeping while folding. (Windows and OSX only)
  
• Text changes to Web interface per suggestions in forum.
  
• Added "Validate Name" button in Web interface Identity tab.
  
• Signed installer. (Windows) #343
  
• Changed "Restarting" to "Reconfiguring".
  
• Stopped using cookies for session ID due to iframe/cookie issue w/ Safari.
  
• More robust loading & timeout message for Web client.

v7.2.13:

• Merge SMP and Uni slot types into one CPU type. #586, #693
  
• Implemented new folding power levels. #396
  
• Only, but always, restart cores if # CPUs or % usage has changed.
  
• Eliminated waiting between successive, intentional core restarts.
  
• Hide HTTP messages at log level 3 in Windows too.
  
• Changed ambiguous date format in log. #947
  
• Added Systray GUI in Windows. #217, #565, #487, #321
  
• Allow moving config and logs across file systems. #965
  
• Auto restart cores after relavant configuration changes. #261

v7.2.12:

• Don't display fractions of credit points to reduce queue_info updates.
  
• Added Web interface on port 7396.
  
• Removed 'screensaver' option.
  
• Added 'power' option.
  
• Linked Web server 'allow' and 'deny' to 'command-allow' and '-deny'.
  
• Removed quotes from GPU slot description.
  
• Auto configure a SMP or Uniprocessor even if a GPU slot is configured.

v7.2.11:

• Install with screensaver by default.
  
• After 5 minutes w/ no config attempts automatically set configured=true.

v7.2.10:

• Dropped 'unpause-while-connected <slot>' remote command.
  
• Added 'screensaver' remote command.
  
• Made slot-info and protein trajectory available even when paused.
  
• Added slot pause reason information.
  
• Add screesaver option to windows installer.
  
• Choose appropriate startup command after windows installer finishes.
  
• Added 'send-command' command line option.
  
• Added 'send-(un)pause' and 'send-finish' command line options.
  
• Shutdown any running clients on windows install.
  
• Default 'pause-on-battery' to true. #743
  
• Fixed: Limit ERROR: Exception: Have already seen this work unit. #496
  
• Added 'configured' command which reports of the client was configured.
  
• If not configured, don't start folding.
  
• Added 'fold-anon' configuration option, fold even if not configured.
  
• After 5 minutes if no connections automatically enable 'fold-anon'.
  
• Removed client configuration options from windows installer.
  
• Default gpu=true on Windows only.
  
• Default smp=false if ATI GPU detected.
  
• Windows: Remember custom data directory during upgrade. #838

FAHControl:
v7.3.2:

• Center About box text.

v7.3.0:

• Updated copyright dates.
  
• Restored 'Work Unit' pane to 'Status' tab.
  
• Fixed Missing, hidden, and vanishing text in Ubuntu 12.04. #898
  
• Remote system remains "Updating". #906

v7.2.14:

• Removed local client startup functionality.
  
• Flipped 'Folding Slots' / 'Queue' orientation. #951
  
• Always list local client first. #655

v7.2.13:

• Merged SMP and Uni slot types to CPU.
  
• Removed novice/advanced/expert modes. #852
  
• Removed project descriptions.
  
• Enforce min GPU and CPU usage of 10%.
  
• Removed all systray functionality. #217, #565, #487, #321
  
• Disable search on tree views. #953
  
• OSX: Don't quit app when window is closed. #606

v7.2.12:

• Autostart client by default, if it's not already running.

v7.2.11:

• Hide 'Folding Slot Status' column in expert/advanced.
  
• Show status colors even when row is selected.

v7.2.10:

• Fixed OSX: Copy/Paste not working. #588
  
• Fixed OSX: Copy the log clears the log window. #601
  
• Removed show project pane in advanced preference.
  
• Moved WU info to a separate popup dialog.
  
• Display Work Queue to right of Folding Slots in advanced/expert.
  
• Changed 'Stats' and 'PPD' to 'Points Per Day'.
  
• Hide PCRG Work Queue column in novice mode.
  
• Don't show RCG in 'About Project' line.
  
• Display slot status with reason in Work Queue. #743
  
• Check if client is configured and popup dialog if not.

FAHViewer:
v7.3.0:

• Updated copyright dates.

v7.2.13:

• Removed project description.

v7.2.10:

• Fixed slot handling when there are gaps in the sequence of IDs.
  
• Improved automatic zooming.
  
• Don't display info when values are unknown.

Screensaver & Power Management
Many versions and several years ago Folding@home ran exclusively as a screensaver. This was feature dropped somewhere along the way. Presumably because screensavers have been come less popular now that they are no longer required to "save" your screen. Now we've brought that feature back but for new reasons.

The new Folding@home screensaver can activate folding on GPUs when the computer is idle. Because of this GPU slots are now enabled by default, in "Idle" mode, on all machines with compatible hardware. These GPU slots only fold when the computer is idle. This guarantees that GPU folding will not interfere with desktop applications or games which in the past as been a deterrent for some users. Others with high performance computers can increase their work unit yields by choosing to fold on GPUs even when not idle.

Unfortunately the screensaver is not yet ported to OSX.

In addition to the screensaver, we've also added other power management features. FAHClient will detect if the computer is idle (OSX & Windows only) and start "Idle" folding slots even without the screensaver. This new version also makes sure your laptop keeps folding when it is plugged in by keeping your computer from going completely to sleep. As with previous versions, FAHClient will detect if your laptop is running on battery and automatically disable itself to save your battery. Our aim is to get the maximum contribution from your computer while running in absolute stealth mode. You should hardly even notice it's running.

Web Control
The new Web interface is designed to be much easier to use. It does not have all the advanced features of FAHControl. Web Control instead focuses on simplicity, cross-platform support and integration with the Web. When you install the new client it will automatically offer to open Web Control for you. Later you can access it via a bookmark, the system menu or the system tray icon in Windows.

One thing you will notice immediately in Web Control is the folding power slider bar. This allows you to easily control how much of your system's resources Folding@home uses. You can adjust this level at anytime and FAHClient will automatically reconfigure itself, without requiring a restart. However, please note that some changes require first finishing the current work unit before they can be applied. There's no longer any need to worry about all the low-level configuration options need to customize Folding@home to your computer's needs or to optimize for maximum performance. All you need to do is click and drag the slider.

FAHControl Changes
If you are familiar with FAHControl you will notice some changes. FAHControl is now considered our expert interface. This will allow us to focus on features for power folders. To this end the novice mode, project descriptions, system tray icon and local client start up have been removed. The result is a much leaner FAHControl and less confusion about how FAHClient is started. Thanks to calxalot many of the previous problems with FAHControl on OSX have been fixed. Please note that FAHControl will no longer start or stop the local client when closing/quitting it.

FAHClient Changes
FAHClient is the workhorse which communicates with our servers and manages the folding process behind the scenes. When you are using the new Web Control your browser is talking directly to FAHClient. In Windows, FAHClient has gained the system tray icon that FAHControl lost. This allows us to run FAHClient behind the scenes in Windows, just like it does in Linux and OSX, yet still give you control over the process without having to run a low-level tool like Task Manager.

FAHClient's system tray icon functions much like it did in FAHControl or in the older v6 systray clients. It has a popup menu which allows you to quickly control folding or shut it down completely. Keep in mind that in Windows 7 and above system tray icons automatically go in to the overflow area after 45 seconds. This is a "feature" of Windows and Microsoft has intentionally made it very difficult to get around this. You can configure Windows to always show the icon or you can find it again easily by opening the icon overflow area.

There have been too many improvements to FAHClient to list them all here but I want to point out one more thing. For new installs, FAHClient will now start off paused while it waits for you to either tell it to fold anonymously or configure a name and possibly a team and passkey. This functionality was previously in the installers. Now it's handled in a platform independent way which still allows you to configure your passkey (if you have one) before the first work unit is downloaded.

Conclusions
In this round of changes, we have focused heavily on making Folding@home easier to install and use especially for the novice folder. Our aim is to vastly increase Folding@home installation around the world and thereby accelerate what our scientists can achieve with Folding@home in disease research.

What I've described here really only scratches the surface on new features of this release. The internal testing team has been working tirelessly to make this release super stable and well polished. That said I'm sure there are more bugs hiding in there somewhere. The only software that is truly ever finished is software that no one uses.

If you were involved in the last round of beta testing you will notice that many of the issues discovered then have been fixed. Your input is invaluable. Every bug or usability issue you help us solve means more people will install Folding@home and more importantly they will keep in installed.

Thanks for all your support,

Joseph Coffland
Folding@home Developer
Cauldron Development LLC

Mod Edit: Included a feature of FahControl - PantherX

[mmonnin]

7.3.0 = 7.2.9? Where is the current release

[Napoleon]

https://fah-web.stanford.edu/projects/F ... etaRelease

Apparently tarball releases haven't been updated yet, see https://fah-web.stanford.edu/projects/F ... llReleases

[Nathan_P]

OK, the good news - picked up all my settings from v7.2.9 and off it went

The bad news - Webcontrol isn't working for me, it just says:- Connecting to your Folding@home client. . . 0sec

The client and core are running and i can pull up advanced control with no problem. Win7 x64, IE8 - fully patched, 12gb ram and twin hex core cpu's.

Oh and it tried to setup using only 23 threads. I'm guessing that this is part of the new install to stop complaints from new people about an unresponsive computer - since that doesn't work it dropped to 20

[7im]

Try clearing your browser cache.

[Nathan_P]

That didn't work

[texinga]

Pretty slick update Jeff!! Understanding a bit more about why you created the new Browser interface, I like it. I like the new Slider-bar and the Tabs that provide Project WU details. It is working OK for me so far, but I have a bit more playing to do with the new stuff. Thanks for what you are doing with the FAH Client overall.

[Nathan_P]

Here's a thought:- when you download a gpu WU under the screensaver, if you wanted it to finish now it would be good if you could just highlight the slot in advanced control and click finish, selecting "full" from the systray icon resets all your slots including the cpu - and i know that you cannot usually change the number of threads mid WU - the WU starts over, which is a waste.

[texinga]

That didn't work

Hi Nathan. I'm using Firefox (ver 18.0.1) and the Browser interface is working just fine for me. I wonder if it could be a security setting in your Browser Options or something like that?

[Nathan_P]

That didn't work

Hi Nathan. I'm using Firefox (ver 18.01) and the Browser interface is working just fine for me. I wonder if it could be a security setting in your Browser Options or something like that?

I was just wondering the same thing, i've now managed to get an error message in the bottom left corner of the browser status bar. It now reads Done- but with errors on page.

Going to try turning off zonealarm and seeing if that does anything


Edit:- Nope that did nothing, using "developer tools" in IE8 i've pulled up the html code and it is saying that the connection timed out - it is also giving me an address that it is looking for, going to try that next in the address bar and see what happens

[texinga]

Yeah, a Zone Alarm disable was one of the first things I used to have to do when I was using their product (for years). I've recently made a switch to the Eset Smart Security suite because I've been using their AntiVirus product for many years. I will say that I've had a lot less of that interference that I used to endure with ZA and Eset is catching things too. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

[JimF]

To get Web Control to work in Firefox 18.0.1, I had to disable ABE (Application Boundary Enforcer) in NoScript.

EDIT: But to disable it on just the Folding site, use the ABE System Rulesets:

Code: Select all

# Prevent Internet sites from requesting LAN resources.
Site LOCAL
Accept from LOCAL
http://folding.stanford.edu/client/
Deny

[Nathan_P]

Well, putting the 127.0.0.1/7396 straight into the address bar gets me a little further - i now get an F@H screen thats says:-

If this page does not disappear after a few seconds then you may need to:

•Enable your Folding@home client.
•Install the Folding@home client.
•Enable Javascript. Click here to learn how.

Needless to say the page does not disappear

[texinga]

Just as a test, I also used this link to fire up the FAH Web interface in Internet Explorer (ver 9.0.8112.16421) and it displays correctly in that browser too.
http://folding.stanford.edu/client/

In Nathan's situation, the results he is reporting is similar to what I was seeing before I had the V7 Client running and was attempting to bring up the Browser interface. I was getting a similar screen. But once I brought up the normal Client (what is called "Advanced Control" now), the Browser interface loaded up OK.

[Nathan_P]

Oh the client is running, i've got both core a4 and core 15 work on the go and according to taskmanager both FAHclient and fahcontrol are running.

Having pulled up the code it would appear - although i am not a coder of any description - that there should be an error message popping up which isn't.

Edit:-

Ok this is the error message being reported by IE8 when i click the warning box in the corner of the status bar

Webpage error details

User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC2; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; Media Center PC 6.0; .NET4.0C; .NET4.0E)
Timestamp: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 16:28:19 UTC


Message: Unexpected call to method or property access.
Line: 5779
Char: 5
Code: 0
URI: http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jq ... /jquery.js