(archive)mfaktXHelper - utility for managing mfaktX installations

[swl551]

This is not my first program and unless there are specific hooks into mfaktX for me to establish a thread safe IO operation I think you are making big deal out of a statistically insignificant situation. However to acknowledge your point I have updated my readme citing the situation and the work around. Also don't forget freedom of choice: If you believe your worktodo.txt should be untouched by external programs then you should not use a utility like mfaktXapp.

[swl551]

Originally Posted by kladner

This seems to be a useful utility. I appreciate your making it available.

That said, I have a feature request. Would it be possible for the work balancing option to take file dates into consideration so that the oldest would be as near to the top of each worktodo.txt?

Thanks.

EDIT: I just realized that what I asked for concerned the dates assigned rather than file dates. I am rather spoiled by chalsall's charts and graphs and forgot that the request above would require a similar database, or access to his.

8/6/2012 1.0.8
fixed "balance work" to ensure existing work stays at the top of the worktodo.txt files and new work ends up at the bottom of the files. Use the "Add Work", then "Balance Work" to ensure this condition remains optimal. It should be noted that it is not possible to guarantee "first in first out" based in how work is assigned by GIMPS.

Get the latest from SkyDrive at http://sdrv.ms/QsaP9Y

[Batalov]

Originally Posted by swl551

don't forget freedom of choice: If you believe your worktodo.txt should be untouched by external programs then you should not use a utility like mfaktXapp.

This translates into - "this program should not be used by anyone", doesn't it?
Also, personally, I'll be damned if I install .NET for the rare privilege of running this script that amounts to five lines in perl.

[kracker]

...worktodo.add?

[LaurV]

Originally Posted by Batalov

personally, I'll be damned if I install .NET for the rare privilege of running this script that amounts to five lines in perl.

Wanted to say that but I was a bit shy... Except I have the lines in a batch. Also, for the people who can't program, a copy/paste in James' page is enough.

[swl551]

Originally Posted by Batalov

This translates into - "this program should not be used by anyone", doesn't it?
Also, personally, I'll be damned if I install .NET for the rare privilege of running this script that amounts to five lines in perl.

Well the intent of mfaktXapp is for persons that don't write their own scripts. I should point out that a perl script is external to mfaktX programs and therefore is subject to the same contraints/limitations Chasall has pointed out.

It is too bad people will go this far to discredit a utility that is free and helpful to a lot of us working toward LL factoring.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by swl551

It is too bad people will go this far to discredit a utility that is free and helpful to a lot of us working toward LL factoring.

We are pointing out a real flaw with your program. So you know, this issue (how to add work to mfakt* in a safe manner) has been discussed here for quite some time here. This is why the very latest version of mfakto now supports file locking and worktodo.add.

And, with all due respect, while this might not be your first program, it is clear you are not familiar with the subtleties of IPC.

[JMLX]

Originally Posted by chalsall

We are pointing out a real flaw with your program. So you know, this issue (how to add work to mfakt* in a safe manner) has been discussed here for quite some time here. This is why the very latest version of mfakto now supports file locking and worktodo.add.

And, with all due respect, while this might not be your first program, it is clear you are not familiar with the subtleties of IPC.

I usually check the ETA on my instances of mfaktc before using SWL551's program to update files, but for fun I backed up one of my instances just as it was about to complete a cycle through which it would need to update worktodo.txt and results.txt. I then furiously clicked the update status button on the app as fast as possible while watching mfakt go through the process of reading and writing to the files in question. I restored the backup and let it run through the process about a dozen times while furiously clicking update. Not a perfect test to be sure, but it might be of some note that I was unable to break anything through this test.

[JMLX]

Originally Posted by Batalov

This translates into - "this program should not be used by anyone", doesn't it?
Also, personally, I'll be damned if I install .NET for the rare privilege of running this script that amounts to five lines in perl.

Regarding .net - if you are keeping your copy of windows up to date, it's just one of those things that's going to automatically get installed unless you explicitly deny it. I can see some advantage to maintaining a bare bones copy of windows to do tasks such as factoring, but unless that's all you are doing (and why bother running windows if it is) you are probably going to want to keep windows up to date and running with the rather useful, highly recommended, and rarely maligned .net extensions anyway.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by JMLX

Not a perfect test to be sure, but it might be of some note that I was unable to break anything through this test.

That's why it's called a "once a month bug". Doesn't happen often, but can happen....

[kladner]

Originally Posted by swl551

8/6/2012 1.0.8
fixed "balance work" to ensure existing work stays at the top of the worktodo.txt files and new work ends up at the bottom of the files. Use the "Add Work", then "Balance Work" to ensure this condition remains optimal. It should be noted that it is not possible to guarantee "first in first out" based in how work is assigned by GIMPS.

Get the latest from SkyDrive at http://sdrv.ms/QsaP9Y

Thanks! I'll check it out.