CreateProjectCookbook

Make a project

* [Create a BOINC server](ServerIntro) (preferably using the Server Virtual Machine).
* Run [make_project](MakeProject):

cd boinc/tools/
make_project --test_app myproject

* Append the contents of ~projects/myproject/myproject.httpd.conf to httpd.conf and restart Apache.
* Use 'crontab' to insert a cron job to run the project's periodic tasks, e.g.
  0,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,55 * * * * ~projects/myproject/bin/start --cron
* Edit html/project/project.inc, changing the master URL and copyright holder.
* Protect the html/ops directory (e.g. use htpasswd to create .htaccess and .htpasswd files). 

Visible result: the project web site is up at http://hostname/myproject.

Troubleshooting: check the Apache access and error logs.

Install and enable test application

* Initialize database and add test application version

cd projects/myproject
bin/xadd
bin/update_versions

* Start the project

bin/start

* Create a client directory and copy the core client there, and run it.

mkdir boinc_test
cd boinc_test
cp ../boinc/client/boinc_client .
cp ../boinc/lib/boinccmd .
boinc_client

* Using the web interface, create an account on the project. Get the authenticator via email. Alternatively, create an account within the BOINC client by choosing Tools, Attach Project, http://hostname/myproject, and new user. If account creation is disabled, then change the entry in "config.xml" from "<disable_account_creation>1</disable_account_creation>" to "<disable_account_creation>0</disable_account_creation>".
* Attach to the account:

cd boinc_test
boinccmd --project_attach HOSTNAME/myproject/ authenticator

Visible result: the client does a stream of work; the web site shows credit accumulating.

Troubleshooting: check the log files of all daemon processes.

Add your own application version

* Edit config.xml and remove items related to the test application (uppercase).
* Add your application to project.xml and run bin/xadd again.
* Write a BOINC application and compile it for your platform of choice.
* Copy the executable to HOME/projects/PROJECTNAME/apps/APPNAME
* Install the version and restart the project

cd projects/myproject
bin/update_versions
bin/stop
bin/start

Create a work unit

• Using a text editor, create a work unit template file and a result template file.

• Run create_work

• Edit config.xml to add records for make_work, the trivial validator, and the trivial assimilator. For example

  validate_test -app appname validate_test.log validate_test.pid

• Restart the project

Visible result: the client downloads and runs your application.

Troubleshooting: check the log files of all daemon processes.

Develop back end components

* Write a [work generator](WorkGeneration).
* Write a [validator](ValidationIntro) if needed.
* Write an [assimilator](AssimilateIntro).
* Edit the [configuration file](ProjectConfigFile) to add these daemons.

Visible result: client executes a stream of workunits; a stream of completed results is handled by the assimilator.

Troubleshooting: check daemon log files

Before public launch

• Create a new project; this time, immediately move the code-signing private key to an isolated code-signing machine. Generate all signatures on that computer.
• Add message board categories: see html/ops/create_forums.php