"Run Now" button

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Profile Steve Dodd

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Message 866183 - Posted: 16 Feb 2009, 18:21:56 UTC

Hopefully, this isn't a duplication of another request (my perusal of topics didn't find it) -
On the "Tasks" tab there are "Graphics", "Suspend", and "Abort" buttons. I would like to see a "Run Now" button that would switch the currently highlighted task to be a running task. Lately, I've encountered tasks from various projects that show 100% completion, but haven't uploaded results. Their task status is "Waiting to run". Would love to be able to tell BOINC to run it now to clear it from the task list. (I know this could be a dangerous function in terms of scheduling for completion. I also know the task will get run time before its due date, so this is just a "wanna have".
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Message 866184 - Posted: 16 Feb 2009, 18:26:23 UTC

Just a note on possible implementation - disable the "Run now" button if the highlighted task is not 99% complete or more to help prevent scheduling problems in BOINC.
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Message 872771 - Posted: 6 Mar 2009, 7:24:59 UTC

Or just modify the BOINC manager code so it doesn't do task switching on jobs that have < 1% left to run.
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Message 873379 - Posted: 7 Mar 2009, 15:28:29 UTC

The problem with the suggestion is that BOINC is designed to support multiple projects. If you are running a ClimatePrediction workunit that has 1% left to run, depending on the speed of the computer that 1% can be days before it completes. If you have other workunits that are in danger of missing their deadline, one workunit will need to be paused so that it can be completed before the deadline.

BOINC has no real idea about how long each workunit actually is, it can only "guesstimate" the time to completion. For example, some workunits are very slow to process at the beginning, but speed up near the end (they are not linear) or vice versa.

Building a "run now" button would put too much power in the hands of the user who might be trying to micromanage BOINC when BOINC is designed (very well, I might add) to meet all resource shares between projects and attempt to meet all deadlines for a workunit.

The way I see it, there's no dire need to force a workunit to be completed and turned in, and if there were, BOINC would be running that workunit in High Priority mode instead of switching to another. That last 1% will be completed eventually, so I really don't see the need to program in a button that allows the user to force what will be done eventually other than to appease the viewer who hates to see a workunit with only 1% left to go.
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Message 873607 - Posted: 8 Mar 2009, 2:43:27 UTC - in response to Message 873379.  

The problem with the suggestion is that BOINC is designed to support multiple projects. If you are running a ClimatePrediction workunit that has 1% left to run, depending on the speed of the computer that 1% can be days before it completes. If you have other workunits that are in danger of missing their deadline, one workunit will need to be paused so that it can be completed before the deadline.

BOINC has no real idea about how long each workunit actually is, it can only "guesstimate" the time to completion. For example, some workunits are very slow to process at the beginning, but speed up near the end (they are not linear) or vice versa.

Building a "run now" button would put too much power in the hands of the user who might be trying to micromanage BOINC when BOINC is designed (very well, I might add) to meet all resource shares between projects and attempt to meet all deadlines for a workunit.

The way I see it, there's no dire need to force a workunit to be completed and turned in, and if there were, BOINC would be running that workunit in High Priority mode instead of switching to another. That last 1% will be completed eventually, so I really don't see the need to program in a button that allows the user to force what will be done eventually other than to appease the viewer who hates to see a workunit with only 1% left to go.

There are also projects that run for a long time after they reah 100%. I am talking days in at least one case.


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Message 875269 - Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 21:23:14 UTC

Party poopers :)
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Questions and Answers : Wish list : "Run Now" button


 
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