lavalamp,

Thanks!

The practical problem I ran into is that, since I leave Factor4 running all the time (i.e., overnight, and it's not my main PC), I don't necessarily know the hour when it actually starts (or finishes) a new bit level so that I can start (or stop) timing it at that moment.

One way to get over this hurdle would be to run a test on a very low bit level and extrapolate from there, but that's too easy! :yawn: Why use the simple and fast method, when you can go the time-consuming, convoluted way? :cmd:

Rodrigo

If you run factor4 (why not factor5?) in Windows and from a batch file, then adding this before/after/between commands should output a handy time and date stamp to the window:[code]@echo %TIME:~0,8% %DATE%[/code]

Edit: Also adding the word "pause" (no quotes) as the last command will prevent the window from closing when all commands have been run so you can see any output from them.

lavalamp,

Thanks for the details. I hadn't been running Factor4 through a batch file, but directly on the DOS window command line. Your idea sounds pretty interesting!

BTW, I'm using Factor4 because my understanding is that Factor5 wouldn't run on the Windows 98 machine that I'm donating to OBD. Would the commands you propose work on Factor4 ? And what is the intent of that "~0.8" that follows the "TIME" command?

Rodrigo

It's a comma, not a decimal point. It basically means just take the substring from character 0 to character 8. If you left it out and just had %TIME% it would give you a couple of decimal places on the seconds, so I just trimmed it off. You could trim the seconds off too by changing it to %TIME:~0,5%.

The commands don't run on factor4, they run in DOS. I'm a little unsure if the format returned by %TIME% and %DATE% will be the same in Windows 98 as it is in Vista, but it doesn't hurt to try it out.

Create a text file and rename it whatever.bat (not whatever.bat.txt, so you may need to turn on file extensions to see if it's right, but the icon should change to something else), and then put this inside it:[code]@echo %TIME% %DATE%

@echo %TIME:~0,8% %DATE%

@echo %TIME:~0,5% %DATE%

echo %TIME:~0,5% %DATE%

pause[/code]Just play around so you can see what the bits do, but honestly it's nothing fancy.

In order to edit a batch file you may need to right click and select edit (and hopefully it should open up in notepad). Alternatively you can just open up notepad, then drag and drop the batch file into it, or go file -> open. Whatever your preferred method it all ends up the same. When you're done editing, save it, then double cilck the .bat file, you should get something a little like the attached image.

lavalamp,

This brings back nice memories of working in DOS. Nothing fancy, as you said, but functional. I'll definitely give it a try!

Much appreciated.

Rodrigo

What I using in the LLRnet2010 do-script is:

[code]
set /p =[%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul[/code]

gives:
[2010-10-31 10:32:17]

so printing a more ISO-formatted date/time in brackets easier to search/sort/word-processing.
To print this in a file only add ">>file.log" to the command.

For your intention you could use a batch-file like this:

[code]
set /p =Start: [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
pause
set /p =End : [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
[/code]

(Replace the "pause"-command with your factor-call.

It then gives:
Start: [2010-10-31 10:42:12]
End : [2010-10-31 10:42:15]

You could also create a small batch for calling factor4/5 with a parameter for the exponent:
factor5 %1 70 71 1

and the above script like:
[code]
set /p =Start %1: [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
factor5 %1 70 71 1
set /p =End %1: [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
[/code]

gives
Start 33212934607: [2010-10-31 10:54:49]
End 33212934607: [2010-10-31 10:54:56]

The same is possible for the bit-levels:

[code]
set /p =Start %1-%2-%3: [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
factor5 %1 %2 %3 1
set /p =End %1-%2-%3: [%Date:~-4%-%Date:~-7,2%-%Date:~-10,2% %Time:~,8%] <nul >>log.txt
echo.>>log.txt
[/code]

By calling it with "do_factor 33212934607 70 71" will print in "log.txt":

Start 33212934607-70-71: [2010-10-31 10:54:49]
End 33212934607-70-71: [2010-10-31 10:54:56]

kar_bon,

Pretty cool -- thanks for all the ideas! I have some fiddling around to do...

Rodrigo

I will take 3321934801 from 71 to 73

Grant.

I continue my job, triing M3321934951 from 78 to 79. have a nive week.

I'll do M3321929927 to 81 or until I find a factor. :smile:

Oliver

Taking factored exponent M3321934937 from 68 to 69 bits.

Luigi