[comp.sys.sgi] Batch Files

twolf%ug.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Tom Wolf) (03/19/90)

Recently, there has been talk of different techniques to use to make batch
files unobtrusive to users, in general a great thing for a graphics machine.

But I support a Personal IRIS which is primarily funded for the purpose
of running large simulations that take 48-72 hours to run. As we get our
funding for these simulations, it is very important to us to have the
batch run simulations have top priority. 

The nice function does not seem to provide this benefit, after the first day,
or so, the system seems to put the batch program farther and farther down the
priority list. Does anyone out there know how to solve the problem?

Thanks,

Tom

 

bennett@galois.esd.sgi.com (Jim Bennett) (03/22/90)

In article <1990Mar18.171556.24167@hellgate.utah.edu>, twolf%ug.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Tom Wolf) writes:
> Recently, there has been talk of different techniques to use to make batch
> files unobtrusive to users, in general a great thing for a graphics machine.
> 
> But I support a Personal IRIS which is primarily funded for the purpose
> of running large simulations that take 48-72 hours to run. As we get our
> funding for these simulations, it is very important to us to have the
> batch run simulations have top priority. 
> 
> The nice function does not seem to provide this benefit, after the first day,
> or so, the system seems to put the batch program farther and farther down the
> priority list. Does anyone out there know how to solve the problem?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Tom

What you need are non-degrading priorities, which are provided by the
npri(1) command, for example:  "npri -h <PRI> <COMMAND>".

You must be a super user to set non-degrading priorities, and be careful
not to set it so high (low number) that nothing else gets scheduled.

Do a "man npri" for more details.


Jim Bennett			(bennett@esd.sgi.com)