More Sobistrator Questions

[Stromkarl]

I have been using SoBistrator for coordinating the sieve at home. Now that I am familiar with it, I set it up at work to replace all the DC PRP machines. In the process, I came up with a few questions:

1) Which program creates the nextrange.txt file, proth_sieve_cmov or SoBistrator?

2) How is the nextrange.txt file used when using both the client and SoBistrator?
I understand that the client will read nextrange.txt when done with the current range and transfers these numbers into SobStatus.dat in reversed order.

3) If the nextrange.txt contains the same range as the the current client range, would the client start over with the same range when complete?

4) Why doesn't the current range get removed from nextrange.txt by the client or SoBistrator?

5) What is the effect of using the SoBistrator Equalize button on the nextrange.txt and SobStatus.dat files? I understand that equalize cannot be used on the very first assigned range because SoBistrator needs a speed history.

6) If logged into the sieve submit page on one computer, and SoBistrator tries to log in on a different computer, is the log in refused? Would this prevent the fact.txt file from being submitted?

Help!

Stromkarl

[Rychek]

I'm afraid I can't answer all of your questions, but I'll do what I can. Anyone who knows more, feel free to add and correct.

1) I'm not exactly sure which program creates the file. I believe Sobistrator creates it, but the client uses it.

2) As far as I can tell, nextrange.txt simply holds the next range values. Sobistrator can edit the content, but it's the client that uses the information contained therein. Sobistrator is only a manager. It doesn't really do any of the actual sieving. The client follows the instructions given through Sobistrator.

3) Yes.

4) I don't know, I've never experimented with it.

5) The equalize button will take the ranges you have entered and distribute them evenly among your clients. Once Sobistrator knows how fast each system is, it can determine how large each range should be so that each system finishes at approximately the same time.

6) Not sure. Never tried it.

-Rychek

[Stromkarl]

Originally posted by Stromkarl
6) If logged into the sieve submit page on one computer, and SoBistrator tries to log in on a different computer, is the log in refused? Would this prevent the fact.txt file from being submitted?
6) I have answered this one myself. It seems that the privacy settings were too strict on the computer using SoBistrator. I fixed it for this one case and now it works fine.

Stromkarl

[Stromkarl]

Originally posted by Rychek
5) The equalize button will take the ranges you have entered and distribute them evenly among your clients. Once Sobistrator knows how fast each system is, it can determine how large each range should be so that each system finishes at approximately the same time.
I have seen the same thing. However, it doesn't know how to split it up until you have actually run the client on each system. It is sort of like the endless debate over the chicken or the egg. Once the initial range starts, there is a pmax and pmin added to the beginning of the SobStatus.dat file. This does NOT get updated after doing an equalize. So, for SoBistrator to get a speed, I may need to start each computer with a very small segment of the total range until the speed is read. Once the speed is found, press SoBistrator 's Equalize Range button to deal with the remaining portion of the range, and the nextrange.txt file is changed to reflect what is in SoBistrator.

Do I have this right? I had no problem with one computer at home. I had a bit of trouble using the equalize button at work with multiple computers over a network.

Stromkarl

[Rychek]

I seem to have misunderstood your question. Your explaination is consistent with the experience I've had. I don't use equalize very much because I'm working with Joe_O and VJS on their large .dat work, so I need the ranges to be a ceratin size for facilities sake. I'm glad you're getting things worked out. The sieve effort will benefit greatly from your efforts. Keep up the good work.

-Rychek

[Stromkarl]

Originally posted by Stromkarl
4) Why doesn't the current range get removed from nextrange.txt by the client or SoBistrator?
I have found that this can get removed by SoBistrator by clicking the Ranges button to enter the Manage Ranges window. Click on the machine name, then the range, then the Delete button. This way the range won't get repeated once it is finished.

BTW, Rycheck, thanks for being there to bounce some ideas off of. You have been a big help, whether you realize it or not. Looks like we've got it figured out! :cheers:

Stromkarl

[Rychek]

Glad to be of assistance. :)

-Rychek