Two questions:
i) When installing I ticked the boxes as directed but was then given a second lot of boxes on the next "page" which were unticked by default. Not sure what they were for and I left them unticked. Was this the correct thing to do?

ii) There's an application for Astropulse but it doesn't run as an installer and I can't see any guidance on how to install. Should I install this application and if so, how?

1) The second page is for users who have an AMD/ATI graphics card. You don't, so you did the right thing leaving all the boxes unticked.

2) By all means choose an Astropulse application on the first screen if you wish. I checked, and you didn't seem to have run any Astropulse tasks on that computer yet, so you didn't need the AP program. If you want to start running them, just re-run the installer, adding the AP section to the boxes you ticked before (you have to re-select all the apps you want - the installer doesn't remember your previous choices).

/*I checked, and you didn't seem to have run any Astropulse tasks on that computer yet, so you didn't need the AP program. */

I'll download it. I was puzzled by your reply because my account preferences are set to accept astropulse work units. But, I see I'm only showing 160 tasks, that must be since I downloaded the latest version of BOINC, and note that 107 have failed. So, it doesn't show the astropulse units I have processed.

...that must be since I downloaded the latest version of BOINC, and note that 107 have failed. So, it doesn't show the astropulse units I have processed.

No, the Task page only shows tasks that are still in the system. When done they get "purged" in setispeak:)

But they do show up here http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/host_app_versions.php?hostid=5280605 so you're ok.

app_info.xml

I've just been reading about this and I think it's why I'm not getting any new work units. I've checked and this file doesn't exist on my computer. I assume that's because I've always run the stock programs.

It's something I can figure out for myself by referring to the available examples but if someone has an appropriate file they could post I would appreciate that very much, thanks.

Also, I'm not sure which directory it should sit in.
My computer has Program Files->BOINC->locale
->Skins
->sym
I'm guessing it will sit in the BOINC folder.

app_info.xml

I've just been reading about this and I think it's why I'm not getting any new work units. I've checked and this file doesn't exist on my computer. I assume that's because I've always run the stock programs.

It's something I can figure out for myself by referring to the available examples but if someone has an appropriate file they could post I would appreciate that very much, thanks.

Also, I'm not sure which directory it should sit in.
My computer has Program Files->BOINC->locale
->Skins
->sym
I'm guessing it will sit in the BOINC folder.

Download and run the 32bit Lunatics 0.40 Installer, run it, select the apps you want to run, it'll copy the apps to the correct directory, make a suitable app_info.xml and restart the Boinc client,

The app_info doesn't go in any of the Boinc Program files locations, it goes in the respective project directory (a subfolder of the Boinc Data directory)

Claggy

app_info.xml

I've just been reading about this and I think it's why I'm not getting any new work units. I've checked and this file doesn't exist on my computer. I assume that's because I've always run the stock programs.

It's something I can figure out for myself by referring to the available examples but if someone has an appropriate file they could post I would appreciate that very much, thanks.

Also, I'm not sure which directory it should sit in.
My computer has Program Files->BOINC->locale
->Skins
->sym
I'm guessing it will sit in the BOINC folder.

Download and run the 32bit Lunatics 0.40 Installer, run it, select the apps you want to run, it'll copy the apps to the correct directory, make a suitable app_info.xml and restart the Boinc client,

The app_info doesn't go in any of the Boinc Program files locations, it goes in the respective project directory (a subfolder of the Boinc Data directory)

Claggy

I believe he ran the Lunatics installer yesterday....probably just has not looked in the correct folder for it.

---

"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

app_info.xml

I've just been reading about this and I think it's why I'm not getting any new work units. I've checked and this file doesn't exist on my computer. I assume that's because I've always run the stock programs.

It's something I can figure out for myself by referring to the available examples but if someone has an appropriate file they could post I would appreciate that very much, thanks.

Also, I'm not sure which directory it should sit in.
My computer has Program Files->BOINC->locale
->Skins
->sym
I'm guessing it will sit in the BOINC folder.

Download and run the 32bit Lunatics 0.40 Installer, run it, select the apps you want to run, it'll copy the apps to the correct directory, make a suitable app_info.xml and restart the Boinc client,

The app_info doesn't go in any of the Boinc Program files locations, it goes in the respective project directory (a subfolder of the Boinc Data directory)

Claggy

I believe he ran the Lunatics installer yesterday....probably just has not looked in the correct folder for it.

He's obviously found the program folder, judging by those contents. But he needs to find the data folder.

Which, according to the BOINC FAQ lives at a default (Windows XP) location of

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\ (*)

(*) This directory may well be hidden, so either put the path to it directly into Windows Explorer, or instruct Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders.

Or he could cheat by reading that location from the first few lines of the event log after starting BOINC.

He's obviously found the program folder, judging by those contents. But he needs to find the data folder.

Which, according to the BOINC FAQ lives at a default (Windows XP) location of

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\ (*)

(*) This directory may well be hidden, so either put the path to it directly into Windows Explorer, or instruct Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders.

Or he could cheat by reading that location from the first few lines of the event log after starting BOINC.

That's where it is in all my XP installations.

---

"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

He's obviously found the program folder, judging by those contents. But he needs to find the data folder.

Which, according to the BOINC FAQ lives at a default (Windows XP) location of

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\ (*)

(*) This directory may well be hidden, so either put the path to it directly into Windows Explorer, or instruct Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders.

Or he could cheat by reading that location from the first few lines of the event log after starting BOINC.

That's where it is in all my XP installations.

I configured mine to install in

D:\BOINC
D:\BOINCdata

pretty much from day one - much easier to fiddle around in there...

Richard, I vaguely recall something from the distant past about there being issues in putting BOINC and it's data folders in the non-standard installation location. It's been years, because I remember from the old days, maybe pre-BOINC, that was how it originally was? I thought I had tried to force it to be the "old way", and ran into issues, though I don't remember specifically what they were. Does this ring a bell to you, and is it still a problem? It seems not to be, but maybe it involves a lot more tweeking and hand holding of the app when new things are developed?

---

OK, I found the file in the data folder as directed. The file just consists of the tag <app_info> so I'll go and add stuff as per the examples I have. Then I'll come back and let you know how it's working.
Thanks in advance.

Richard, I vaguely recall something from the distant past about there being issues in putting BOINC and it's data folders in the non-standard installation location. It's been years, because I remember from the old days, maybe pre-BOINC, that was how it originally was? I thought I had tried to force it to be the "old way", and ran into issues, though I don't remember specifically what they were. Does this ring a bell to you, and is it still a problem? It seems not to be, but maybe it involves a lot more tweeking and hand holding of the app when new things are developed?

No problem that I'm aware of. You should keep programs and data separate, but that's all. I think the main reason for hiding the data directory was to prevent inquisitive little fingers, with more enthusiasm than knowledge, from going and fiddling with things in there.

We went to some effort with the Lunatics installer to make it automatically determine the active locations from the registry - that sometimes fails if people have changed folder locations after installation, without re-running the BOINC installer to update the registry keys, and it doesn't allow for people who run multiple BOINC copies on a single computer. But I'd say we have well over 99% success in finding the right place - either that, or people give up very easily without coming back to complain.

So far, I've failed to get any work units transferred for the optimised applications. Currently, I've walked it back to using the stock applications, work units transferred and the environment variable fix works just fine. The problem seems to be my failure to write the app_info.xml file correctly.

Now that I know the stock applications work I'll have another go at the xml file and if I still fail I'll post the contents here and you can see what mistakes I'm making.

Thanks for all the help, it has been very educational.

So far, I've failed to get any work units transferred for the optimised applications. Currently, I've walked it back to using the stock applications, work units transferred and the environment variable fix works just fine. The problem seems to be my failure to write the app_info.xml file correctly.

Now that I know the stock applications work I'll have another go at the xml file and if I still fail I'll post the contents here and you can see what mistakes I'm making.

Thanks for all the help, it has been very educational.

After running the Lunatics setup, the app_info should have everything needed to work, and should not be necessary to fill it manually. At most you will need to change the <count> tags to run more than one concurrent task per GPU, but that is an aditional/optional optimization step and not a "must to do" thing...
If after running the Lunatics install the app_info is still empty, first run the installer again... If still empty, look if there is a file named "aimerge.cmd" and several files with .aistub extension in the project folder (you should find one .aistub file for each app you selected in the Lunatics setup)... if you find them then run the aimerge.cmd script and look again on the contents of the app_info... if its still empty, ask here for more detailed help...
Trying to build the complete app_info file from scratch its more complex than just filling it with something you found in the forum, as it is different depending on your specific hardware, the version of the installed apps, and also you need to be sure that you have the right files in the project directory that matches the ones referenced in app_info.xml...
You dont need to wait until your cache is empty to install the optimized apps, just shutdown BOINC completely before running it and do not restart BOINC if the app_info seems to be wrong/incomplete. If everything fails, just delette the wrong app_info file (if it is not present the project will use the stock apps wich will be downloaded automatically if needed) before restarting BOINC to avoid loosing WUs already assigned and downloaded in your host.

---

The file just consists of the tag <app_info>

Are you running Avast antivirus? I had a similar problem a few months ago with an app_info.xml like that. If you're running Avast, there's an option to turn off the script blocker for 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure it caused my problem, but it's no longer on my system so I can't test.

---

Another Fred
Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop.

If after running the Lunatics install the app_info is still empty, first run the installer again... If still empty, look if there is a file named "aimerge.cmd" and several files with .aistub extension in the project folder (you should find one .aistub file for each app you selected in the Lunatics setup)... if you find them then run the aimerge.cmd script and look again on the contents of the app_info.


I've tried running the installer for a second time and running the cmd script but neither works. I have also tried repeating your instructions with my security software turned off but this doesn't seem to make a difference. The app_info.xml file is not empty but it is corrupt. The only visible item is an <app_info> tag.

If after running the Lunatics install the app_info is still empty, first run the installer again... If still empty, look if there is a file named "aimerge.cmd" and several files with .aistub extension in the project folder (you should find one .aistub file for each app you selected in the Lunatics setup)... if you find them then run the aimerge.cmd script and look again on the contents of the app_info.


I've tried running the installer for a second time and running the cmd script but neither works. I have also tried repeating your instructions with my security software turned off but this doesn't seem to make a difference. The app_info.xml file is not empty but it is corrupt. The only visible item is an <app_info> tag.

Also check if BOINC-DATA drive/map isn't Read-Only!

---

If after running the Lunatics install the app_info is still empty, first run the installer again... If still empty, look if there is a file named "aimerge.cmd" and several files with .aistub extension in the project folder (you should find one .aistub file for each app you selected in the Lunatics setup)... if you find them then run the aimerge.cmd script and look again on the contents of the app_info.


I've tried running the installer for a second time and running the cmd script but neither works. I have also tried repeating your instructions with my security software turned off but this doesn't seem to make a difference. The app_info.xml file is not empty but it is corrupt. The only visible item is an <app_info> tag.

Also check if BOINC-DATA drive/map isn't Read-Only!

It can't be, BOINC has to write data in there!

And if even one byte of an app_info.xml file has been written in there, it isn't read-only for the currently logged-on user, either.

Which *.aistub files (copy the names) do you see in SETI dir (...\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu\)?

aimerge.cmd just merges them (removing <app_info> and </app_info> tags from *.aistub files and put the same tags only at the beginning and end of app_info.xml)

Do you use Notepad to see the contents of app_info.xml ?

---

 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 

I see the following files:
AKv8b_SSE.aistub, APSSE.aistub, and MBCuda.aistub.

I have used notepad but I've also got a Chrome extension to view XML files.

As I typed this I thought I'd check the folder properties, just to be thorough. The folder was set to read only.

I've got to go and run yet another errand but I'll try running the setup exe again as soon as I can.