I had to reformat my system and install new OS (Linux x86_64 OpenSuse Leap 42.2)
my app_info.xml specifies (gpu part)

<app>
     <name>setiathome_v8</name>
  </app>
    <file_info>
      <name>MBv8_8.23r3602_sse2_clNV_SoG_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu</name>
      <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
      <app_name>setiathome_v8</app_name>
      <platform>x86_64-pc-linux-gnu</platform>
      <version_num>823</version_num>
      <plan_class>opencl_nvidia_SoG</plan_class>
      <coproc>
        <type>NVIDIA</type>
        <count>1.0</count>
      </coproc>
      <avg_ncpus>0.25</avg_ncpus>
      <max_ncpus>0.5</max_ncpus>
      <file_ref>
        <file_name>MBv8_8.23r3602_sse2_clNV_SoG_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu</file_name>
        <main_program/>
      </file_ref>
    </app_version>

but all i see in boinc manager is "Waiting to run (0.25 CPUs + 1 NVIDIA GPU) (Scheduler wait can't read CL file)
I have perms 777 on BOINC, projects and setiathome directories but that didnt seem to make any difference.
How can i debug this and figure out why the CL files are missing?

There should be a CL file that came with the SoG app.
Can you post the first ~30 line of the startup log, it should have more details.

I went and downloaded the archive again and got the file - its working now. thanks!