I've been using BOINC now since it's inception, and find the messages thrown up by the previous front-end versions useful in diagnosing potential problems as they happen. I miss the "Messages" tab. What's the new "Notices" tab that replaced it anyway? All I've ever seen is "There are no notices at this time."

I do know how to get to the "Messages" Advanced->Event Log. But why hide it away in a sub-menu. Wouldn't it just have been better to add another tab?

Your notices will update as soon as your BOINC contacts any of the projects it is attached to and which have a reasonably updated BOINC server software that does notices.

Notices will be messages that require a user's attention, or which are (project) news. Things you can do something about, such as a project unable to fetch work --because you chose the wrong application for which there is no work-- will give a Notice.

Things you cannot do anything about, such as Server is down messages, will only show in the Event Log, not in the Notices. This is done to make BOINC's messages less scary for newer people. Plenty of them were just uninstalling BOINC, because they saw all messages as errors. So those messages have been hidden even further.

No, there won't be a Messages tab anymore in any future version.

---

In which case, wouldn't the better solution be to offer an option where advanced users like myself could restore the old behavour by selecting some sort of checkbox somewhere. We already have a per machine local config dialog.

Try using BoincTasks instead, its designed specifically for advanced users, is customisable and is suitable for managing multiple machines.

---

CIC1=CC=C(C2=N[C@@H](CC(OC(C)(C)C)=O)C3=NN=C(C)N3C4=C2C(C)=C(C)S4)C=C1

Just installed it, first impressions OK. Can't seem to get it to connect to my LAN server running BOINC on Ubuntu 11.04. I've already scanned for the address. It can't find it. I know I've set things up at that end, because the default manager can talk to it perfectly happily. Unless, that is, BoincTasks needs a different configuration.

http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/manual.html outlines the steps for adding computers you want to monitor to boinctasks.

using hostnames instead of ip addresses can be problematic sometimes, so use ip addresses initially in your remote_hosts.cfg

---

CIC1=CC=C(C2=N[C@@H](CC(OC(C)(C)C)=O)C3=NN=C(C)N3C4=C2C(C)=C(C)S4)C=C1

Dagorath...
I know this is not a message board for Boinc-Tasks. I'm not that stupid. I was originally posting feedback on the stock GUI manager. I was pointed to this alternative GUI and tried it out. I was just posting my initial findings and opinions in the same topic as logic dictates that Trog Dog would look here first.

Trog Dog...
I have set everything as IP addresses and I'm scanning for IP addresses, not machine names.

try with one machine first - add it to boinctasks as per the instructions at the start of the page I posted in the previous message. After adding the details (hostname,ip address & password), tick the box next to the details you have just input, click on the tasks tab after a few seconds boinctasks will connect to the remote pc and show you its workunits etc.

If that doesn't work, first you need to confirm that boinc is setup for remote communications correctly. On the host running boinctasks start the boinc manager and connect to the remote host. If that works then boinc on the remote computer is correctly setup to communicate - double check the info matches what you typed in to boinctasks - make sure there is nothing on your main pc blocking the outgoing communications of boinctasks.

---

CIC1=CC=C(C2=N[C@@H](CC(OC(C)(C)C)=O)C3=NN=C(C)N3C4=C2C(C)=C(C)S4)C=C1

Forgot to post back sooner, but got it talking to the LAN server a couple of days ago. Want to try and take control of the other machine too. This is running WinXP Pro 32 and BOINC 6.10.58. GUI uses default settings to login here, can't seem to find the pwd file. I've used what I think is the password and connected via the local IP address. Doesn't seem to wanna know. Any ideas.

P.S - Is there any way of removing the default GUI from the system without clobbering BOINC back-end process at the same time. I'm confident enough with this one to use it to replace the default GUI.

Further feedback:- Getting BOINC Screensaver initialisation error on Windows startup with 6.12.33. The only way I can clear the SS when it comes up is to give the system a three-finger-salute <Ctrl+Alt+Del> and then Cancel on the resulting dialog. Does anyone know a fix for this annoying bug that's crept into 6.12.33?

I agree with the people above who want the messages tab back. I'm avoiding installing the new version on my other computers simply because I don't like having this important information hidden away in a submenu. The idea of being able to turn it on via some checkbox is a good one.

Also, the notices tab is nice, but since new notices are so uncommon it shouldn't be the very first tab on the list; leave the first tab spots for ones that people look at frequently.

I agree with the people above who want the messages tab back.

It isn't coming back. So you'll either be stuck on some 6.10 version then or you'll have to switch to a 3rd party BOINC Manager. Or go program and build your own.

Gareth Lock wrote:

Does anyone know a fix for this annoying bug that's crept into 6.12.33?

Yes, it's called 6.12.34.

---

I agree with the people above who want the messages tab back.

It isn't coming back. So you'll either be stuck on some 6.10 version then or you'll have to switch to a 3rd party BOINC Manager. Or go program and build your own.

[/quote]

Dismissing people and their opinions in such an arrogant way is a better method of losing volunteers than the "scary" information in the messages tab.

Dismissing people and their opinions in such an arrogant way is a better method of losing volunteers than the "scary" information in the messages tab.

If you don't like the message, I can't help that. If you don't like the method in which you got the message, perhaps it's time for you to start patenting how to write messages on a forums where one can read the facial expressions of the writer, so you manage to know if what I wrote was meant to be arrogant or not. Until that time, it's all in the way that you read it. :-)

It wasn't my decision that the Messages tab isn't coming back, but that of the (3) BOINC developers, who have more urgent priorities on their plate than just the demand of a few that they won't update until the messages tab is back.

There were 7,700 new users to BOINC on T4T lately, of whom I have seen no-one complain about the Notices tab or them missing a Messages tab, but instead having a Messages window. Now then, why do people who have run BOINC for a while then think they can tell the developers that their decision is a wrong one, that requires to be withdrawn or else they'll never update again in their further life? You haven't even tried it for a while, it may grow on you. And if not, well, there's 3rd party options available, or a workaround through which you can run an older BOINC Manager on a newer client.

BOINC is Open Source. You can get the source code and build it into the image you so desire.

What everyone always forgets is that when you are helping a new person and need his messages, you tell him to turn the Messages tab on. You get his messages, tell him what's wrong and then dismiss him and forget about him. No one ever tells the new user how to turn the messages tab BACK OFF. At each BOINC Manager start the messages tab is now activated with all those scary messages scrolling past, all of which can be perceived as error messages. At least with the messages window, you can close it and it won't be back at a next BOINC Manager start.

What everyone also forgets is that BOINC is being paid by the National Science Foundation in the USA. These people will want that people applying for grants make their continued project different than from the last grant request. BOINC Manager was virtually unchanged for 5 years. Now it's going through some major refurbishments, with a lot of changes still to come.

You don't want to update because you don't like something in the program? That's your own decision. It's not a group decision, nor is anyone forcing you to update or not.

---

Yes, it's called 6.12.34.

Installed 6.12.34. Doesn't popup error message any more, but I still have to use the three-fingered-salute <Ctrl+Alt+Del> and hit Cancel to get out of the screensaver.