<?php require_once("docutil.php"); page_head("Make your own client software"); echo " <p> BOINC applications, and the BOINC core client, are native-mode programs, so different versions are required for each platform (a 'platform' is the combination of an operating system and a processor type: e.g., Linux and Intel/x86). <p> BOINC-based projects compile program versions for common platforms (Windows/Intel, Linux/Intel, Mac OS/X. etc.), and place them on its servers. A participant downloads the core client for his platform (assuming that platform is supported by the project). When the core client requests work from the project's scheduling server, the client tells the server its platform, and the server instructs it to download the appropriate executables. <p> This addresses the needs of most BOINC participants, but it's inadequate if: <ul> <li> your computers have platforms not supported by the project; <li> for security reasons, you want to only run executables you have compiled yourself; <li> you want to optimize applications for particular architectures. </ul> <p> To handle these cases, BOINC lets you make or obtain the client software yourself rather than downloading it. <p> First, get the BOINC client software for your computer. You can do this in either of two ways: <ul> <li> <a href=compile.php>Download and compile</a> the BOINC client software on your computer. <li> If available, download BOINC executablers for your computer from a third-party source. A list of such sources is <a href=download_other.php>here</a>. </ul> Second, get the project's application for your computer. Again, you can either compile it yourself or download the executable from a third party. The details vary between projects, and not all projects make their source code available. As an example, instructions for SETI@home are <a href=http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_porting.php>here</a>. <p> Finally: <ul> <li> Run the core client and attach to the project. This will create a 'project directory' (whose name is the project URL) in the BOINC directory. Exit the client. <li> Create a file <b>app_info.xml</b> in the project directory. This file lists the applications you have compiled or downloaded. It has the following form: ".html_text(" <app_info> <app> <name>setiathome</name> </app> <file_info> <name>setiathome_4.07_windows_intelx86.exe</name> <executable/> </file_info> <app_version> <app_name>setiathome</app_name> <version_num>407</version_num> <file_ref> <file_name>setiathome_4.07_windows_intelx86.exe</file_name> <main_program/> </file_ref> </app_version> </app_info> ")." where 407 is the application's version number. <li> Run the core client again. When it requests work from the scheduling server, it will report its platform as 'anonymous', and provides a list of the applications it has. The server then sends whatever work is available for those applications. </ul> <p> This model is possible only with projects that make their application source code available. <p> You may want to check out the following email lists (e.g. the port may already exist): <ul> <li> <a href=http://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/boinc_opt> boinc_opt@ssl.berkeley.edu</a>: discussion of porting and optimization of BOINC applications. <li> <a href=http://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/boinc_dev> boinc_dev@ssl.berkeley.edu</a>: discussion of development and porting of BOINC software. <li> <a href=http://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/boinc_cvs> boinc_cvs@ssl.berkeley.edu</a>: CVS checkins to the BOINC source are reported here. </ul> "; page_tail(); ?>