F@H Console Client: User Guide

[WackyComputer]

Console Client Configuration Options

Folding@Home Console Client: User Guide
Note: The below is intended for Folding@Home v.5. Older versions support similar flags, and an exact listing can be seen by running the program with the argument -?.

F@H Client Do's and Don'ts
The console is not an installer, but the actual Folding@Home client executable. In general, just download it, run it, and don't worry about it. However, if you like to be "hands on" with F@H, please keep in mind:

Each different running copy of F@H has to have its own Machine ID number. If you download each copy of F@H from the web site and configure fresh, there will be no problems.
Please don't manually retry to send WUs soon after a netsend failure. The netsend failure means that the server was probably overloaded and retrying will just make things worse.
Do not run multiple copies of FAH from the same directory
We have seen some issues with running the Windows console client with the service option and the Windows GUI version simultaneously. While we debug this, we recommend not combining these two options simultaneously.
Console Client Configuration Options

-config
Allows users to change their configuration information. This includes user & team names (reflected in the stats), whether or not to ask before a network connection is made to fetch/send work, set up proxy servers, preferred work unit type (Folding/Genome), process priority, CPU usage requested (5-100%), whether or not to use assembly loops, whether or not to use deadline information, and Machine ID changes.

-configonly
Same as above, but quit following configuration instead of beginning work.

-delete x
Delete item #x from work queue. This option should only be used if there is a serious error with the current unit that the client does not automatically recover from (e.g. crash-inducing). This should not normally happen, and if it does, we would be grateful if you could send us the FAHlog.txt file from the unit that causes the error.

-license
Displays the end-user license agreement

-queueinfo
Get information on queued work units. Includes for each unit the status (READY/FINISHED/EMPTY), unit type (Folding/Genome), originating server, and date when the unit was received (local time in GMT), as well as deadline if the server sent that information.

-send x
Send result #x back to server. Exits after trying to send unit (successfully or unsuccessfully). Use "-send all" to send all results outstanding. If unit x is not a completed work unit then the client exits without doing anything.

-verbosity x
Sets the output level, from 1 to 9 (max). The default is 3. This option should be used if the user wishes to see more detailed client output, particularly useful if there is a problem which needs to be reported to the F@H client development team.

-oneunit
Instruct the client to quit following the completion of one work unit.

-forceasm
Instruct the core to use SSE/3DNow assembly instructions if possible, even if it has previously made the determination that the machine may not be handling this well.

-advmethods
Request to be assigned work units from new projects, before they are broadly released to the rest of Folding@home. As among the first to try out new advanced simulations, you may wish to post any observations (positive or negative), questions, or issues at the user Forum.

-local
Use configuration files from local directory. This option has no meaning on Linux, but is vital on Windows and Macintosh for running multiple clients on a machine. It instructs the client to read its config information from the client.cfg file in the current directory rather than, on Windows, from the installation directory specified in the registry, or, on Macintosh, the Library/Folding@home directory. Information such as the user name, team name, proxy information, machine ID are maintained in the client.cfg file. The flag ensures that work does not conflict. Use "-local" only if you are planning on running more than one instance of Folding@Home on the same machine (this is only useful if you are running on a multi-processor machine). Create as many directories as there are processors on the machine, copy the exe files and client.cfg file into each of these directories, run "FAH3Console -local -config" on each and specify unique machine IDs for each directory (under the Advanced Settings option). From then onwards you may run each copy by switching to its directory and running with the -local flag.

-help
Print out the command line flags available and then exit.

Linux Specific

-freeBSD
For use by those wishing to use the Linux client on a machine running FreeBSD. See our FAQ for details on how to do this, but with this flag, all Cores downloaded will automatically be branded as being a Linux executable.

Windows Specific

-pause
Pause after finishing and trying to send current unit. Allows a user to shut down after finishing a unit, by pressing Ctrl-C, without then getting new work to process. This is recommended if you are planning on shutting down your machine for a long time (e.g. for a vacation), or are planning to un/re-install F@H after finishing the currently processing work unit.

-service
Run in service mode (for programs such as firedaemon). This prevents the client from exiting when it detects the current user is logging out. If this option is used when the client is not run as a service then it will run normally, but will not shut down automatically if the user logs out, and a "Wait for program to close." dialog box will be displayed.

-svcstart
This flag is used if you configure the console client to be run as a service (through the standard client Configuration). The user should NOT give this flag manually, it is automatically given by the Windows scheduler and is just listed here for information.

Source: http://folding.stanford.edu/console-userguide.html

[WackyComputer]

As you can read in the above post, you must have the -local flag in the F@H shortcut target, if you have more than one client running on one PC.

Sorry it took me so long to find this out.

[mdzcpa]

Good stuff WC. It's a sticky now.

[WackyComputer]

Thanks Mike.

This info was staring me in the face, right on the f@h downloads page.

I just hope everyone reads it.

[Pyro]

Call me an idiot, but where do you enter "-config" or "-queueinfo" etc. I run the console though I can't type anything.

[WackyComputer]

Hi Pyro,

In the shortcut target.
You can read more setup tips here.

[BeatYou]

Thanks for the guide ;] Running my client on a linux machine and my windows machine.