Thread Subject: Standalone Parallel Computing

Does anybody know how to set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" for a standalone application?
I use a ParallelConfigurationFile, but an error occures:

// *************************

Parallel configuration file "jobmanagerStandalone.mat" defines a configuration c
alled "jobmanagerStandalone" that specifies a local scheduler.

The local scheduler cannot be used in deployed applications. To specify a valid
scheduler set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" MCR userdata key to the full path
of a parallel configuration file.

// ************************

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:24:01 +0000, Stephan wrote:

> Does anybody know how to set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" for a
> standalone application? I use a ParallelConfigurationFile, but an error
> occures:
>
> // *************************
>
> Parallel configuration file "jobmanagerStandalone.mat" defines a
> configuration c alled "jobmanagerStandalone" that specifies a local
> scheduler.
>
> The local scheduler cannot be used in deployed applications. To specify
> a valid scheduler set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" MCR userdata key
> to the full path of a parallel configuration file.
>
> // ************************

This message indicates you are setting the ParallelConfigurationFile
correctly for your application - the message is saying that the
configuration in jobmanagerStandalone.mat is for a local scheduler and it
is not possible to use the local scheduler in a compiled application.

Instead you will need to specify a configuration that specifies a
different scheduler.

Thanks,

--
Richard Alcock - ralcock@mathworks.co.uk - +44 (0)1223 226764

Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message <glsa4u$mft$2@fred.mathworks.com>...
> On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:24:01 +0000, Stephan wrote:
>
> > Does anybody know how to set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" for a
> > standalone application? I use a ParallelConfigurationFile, but an error
> > occures:
> >
> > // *************************
> >
> > Parallel configuration file "jobmanagerStandalone.mat" defines a
> > configuration c alled "jobmanagerStandalone" that specifies a local
> > scheduler.
> >
> > The local scheduler cannot be used in deployed applications. To specify
> > a valid scheduler set the "ParallelConfigurationFile" MCR userdata key
> > to the full path of a parallel configuration file.
> >
> > // ************************
>
> This message indicates you are setting the ParallelConfigurationFile
> correctly for your application - the message is saying that the
> configuration in jobmanagerStandalone.mat is for a local scheduler and it
> is not possible to use the local scheduler in a compiled application.
>
> Instead you will need to specify a configuration that specifies a
> different scheduler.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Richard Alcock - ralcock@mathworks.co.uk - +44 (0)1223 226764

That's exactly my question: How do I specify a different scheduler? I know I have to do it in the Configuration Manager. But if I choose another type, and try to validate it with "Start Validation", it's not working (not valid). So how do I have to configure?

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:18:02 +0000, Stephan wrote:

> Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message

>> Instead you will need to specify a configuration that specifies a
>> different scheduler.

> That's exactly my question: How do I specify a different scheduler? I
> know I have to do it in the Configuration Manager. But if I choose
> another type, and try to validate it with "Start Validation", it's not
> working (not valid). So how do I have to configure?

Firstly, you need to have access to a cluster running MATLAB Distributed
Computing Server - see <<http://www.mathworks.com/products/distriben/>>
and <<http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/mdce/>>

You can then create a new configuration and fill in the details of this
cluster.

Thanks,

--
Richard

Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message <glshp2$mft$3@fred.mathworks.com>...
> On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:18:02 +0000, Stephan wrote:
>
> > Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message
>
> >> Instead you will need to specify a configuration that specifies a
> >> different scheduler.
>
> > That's exactly my question: How do I specify a different scheduler? I
> > know I have to do it in the Configuration Manager. But if I choose
> > another type, and try to validate it with "Start Validation", it's not
> > working (not valid). So how do I have to configure?
>
> Firstly, you need to have access to a cluster running MATLAB Distributed
> Computing Server - see <<http://www.mathworks.com/products/distriben/>>
> and <<http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/mdce/>>
>
> You can then create a new configuration and fill in the details of this
> cluster.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Richard

OK, I don't have the Distributed Computing Server License. I don't really understand, why do I need the Computing Server License (Toolbox) to use the Parallel Computing Toolbox in standalone mode? I thought it's working on the same way as it's working if I use it in Matlab...

On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:58:04 +0000, Stephan wrote:

> OK, I don't have the Distributed Computing Server License. I don't
> really understand, why do I need the Computing Server License (Toolbox)
> to use the Parallel Computing Toolbox in standalone mode? I thought it's
> working on the same way as it's working if I use it in Matlab...

The advantage of standalone applications is that they can be run on
computers that don't have MATLAB installed. However, the local scheduler
works by starting extra MATLABs.

If MATLAB is installed then you can run the application directly in
MATLAB and don't need to compile it, if you don't have MATLAB installed
then there is nothing for the local scheduler to start.

Thanks,

--
Richard

Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message <glugsl$frc$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:58:04 +0000, Stephan wrote:
>
> > OK, I don't have the Distributed Computing Server License. I don't
> > really understand, why do I need the Computing Server License (Toolbox)
> > to use the Parallel Computing Toolbox in standalone mode? I thought it's
> > working on the same way as it's working if I use it in Matlab...
>
> The advantage of standalone applications is that they can be run on
> computers that don't have MATLAB installed. However, the local scheduler
> works by starting extra MATLABs.
>
> If MATLAB is installed then you can run the application directly in
> MATLAB and don't need to compile it, if you don't have MATLAB installed
> then there is nothing for the local scheduler to start.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Richard

Hello,

This sounds nice but I still do not see the reason for the necesssity for an additional toolbox just because someone wants to deploy a functionalitiy.

The compiler should be able to depoy any application on any supported platform without installing Matlab. This is the reason for which people buy it, or am I wrong?

Another thing is:

if some functionality is not supported for deployed applications, I think this should be mentioned in the documentation.

Especially if another toolbox is required to deploy an application.

Funny things occour trying to deploy several functions, (e.g. some guis as cpselect) but the information that they are not meant to be deployed is not mentioned. At least the support tells you if you call..
Does anyone know the use for non-deployable guis?

Cheers
Kinor

"nor ki" <kinor.removeme@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:h2cgeg$2k7$1@fred.mathworks.com...
> Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message
> <glugsl$frc$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
>> On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:58:04 +0000, Stephan wrote:

*snip*

> Another thing is:
>
> if some functionality is not supported for deployed applications, I think
> this should be mentioned in the documentation.

There's a chapter in the MATLAB Compiler documentation titled "Limitations
and Restrictions":

http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/compiler/br2cqa0-1.html

The first section on the real page in that chapter (skipping the "table of
contents" page) ends with the sentence "To see a full list of MATLAB
Compiler limitations, visit
http://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/compiler_support.html." and a
note linking to a page listing unsupported functions.

> Especially if another toolbox is required to deploy an application.
>
> Funny things occour trying to deploy several functions, (e.g. some guis as
> cpselect) but the information that they are not meant to be deployed is
> not mentioned. At least the support tells you if you call..

CPSELECT is part of Image Processing Toolbox, and going to the Image
Processing Toolbox section on the Compiler Support page:

http://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/compiler_support.html

CPSELECT is the first item called out as not being able to be compiled.

--
Steve Lord
slord@mathworks.com

"Steven Lord" <slord@mathworks.com> wrote in message <h2d4t9$dbl$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
>
> "nor ki" <kinor.removeme@gmx.de> wrote in message
> news:h2cgeg$2k7$1@fred.mathworks.com...
> > Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message
> > <glugsl$frc$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> >> On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:58:04 +0000, Stephan wrote:
>
> *snip*
>
> > Another thing is:
> >
> > if some functionality is not supported for deployed applications, I think
> > this should be mentioned in the documentation.
>
> There's a chapter in the MATLAB Compiler documentation titled "Limitations
> and Restrictions":
>
> http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/compiler/br2cqa0-1.html
>
> The first section on the real page in that chapter (skipping the "table of
> contents" page) ends with the sentence "To see a full list of MATLAB
> Compiler limitations, visit
> http://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/compiler_support.html." and a
> note linking to a page listing unsupported functions.
>
> > Especially if another toolbox is required to deploy an application.
> >
> > Funny things occour trying to deploy several functions, (e.g. some guis as
> > cpselect) but the information that they are not meant to be deployed is
> > not mentioned. At least the support tells you if you call..
>
> CPSELECT is part of Image Processing Toolbox, and going to the Image
> Processing Toolbox section on the Compiler Support page:
>
> http://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/compiler_support.html
>
> CPSELECT is the first item called out as not being able to be compiled.
>
> --
> Steve Lord
> slord@mathworks.com
>

Hello Steve,

Thank you for this link, it would have saved me a some time.

Reading the part for the parallel toolbox gives the information if you know that parfor needs local workers. As I do not have any clue about parallel computing and parfor is fine to test in the command line it was not apparent to me that a parfor needs a toolbox for distributed computing if applied on a single machine.

Is there a technical reason for cpselect not being supported by the compiler?

kinor

Hello!

I am also puzzled about the fact, that it is not possible to run a parallel task in a compiled program using the local scheduler! I would assume that the MCR will be started multiple times and that a communication will be established beetween the different running engines!?

It would be great if you implement the local scheduler into the Matlab Compiler - given the opportunity to start multiple MCRs! :-)

Cheers,
Michael


Richard Alcock <richard.alcock@mathworks.co.uk> wrote in message <glugsl$frc$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:58:04 +0000, Stephan wrote:
>
> > OK, I don't have the Distributed Computing Server License. I don't
> > really understand, why do I need the Computing Server License (Toolbox)
> > to use the Parallel Computing Toolbox in standalone mode? I thought it's
> > working on the same way as it's working if I use it in Matlab...
>
> The advantage of standalone applications is that they can be run on
> computers that don't have MATLAB installed. However, the local scheduler
> works by starting extra MATLABs.
>
> If MATLAB is installed then you can run the application directly in
> MATLAB and don't need to compile it, if you don't have MATLAB installed
> then there is nothing for the local scheduler to start.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Richard