Some challenges count work reported during a certain time frame. The general approach to this is to complete the work outside the time specified and upload it once the challenge has started. This is commonly referred to as "bunkering"
The trick is to download as many tasks as you will be able to complete BEFORE the challenge actually starts and to crunch them ready for uploading later.
This is a popular strategy so the usual result is that once a challenge has been announced, all the work for the project is quickly grabbed and the user is sat there continually pressing the "Update" button trying to fill their caches.
Having done this on numerous projects that either produce little work or where the server can't handle the load and keeps stalling, I decided to create a simple batch file to automate the process.
Code: Select all
@echo off
SET PROJECT=https://rake.boincfast.ru/rakesearch/
:START
::Do any retries
echo Retry
boinccmd --network_available
::Pause for two seconds
TIMEOUT /T 2 >NUL
::Ask for a project update
echo Update
boinccmd --project "%PROJECT%" update
::Pause for twenty eight seconds then repeat
TIMEOUT /T 28 >NUL
GOTO START
- Copy the above into notepad and save it as a DOS batch file (extension ".bat") into any folder you please.
- Change the "SET PROJECT=" line to point to the project you're interested in bunkering. No spaces between the '=' and the 'http' and quotes aren't necessary.
- Copy "boinccmd.exe" from the BOINC programme directory into the same folder. These are the only two files you need.
- Change your cache settings to the required duration.
- Click on the file to run it. This will open a DOS command window where status messages are displayed. If you don't want the messages, remove the two "echo" commands. The file will retry any pending transfers, request new work and repeat every thirty seconds.
- Make a cup of tea and enjoy a Hobnob.
- Once your cache is full or you've reached the limit of tasks that the project will send you, set BOINC network access to OFF
- Close the DOS window
Mark