Merge pull request #3035 from heplesser/fix_shrink_buffer

Set buffer shrink limit to 20% by default (activates shrinking) and fix documentation

nestkernel/event_delivery_manager.cpp

@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ EventDeliveryManager::EventDeliveryManager()
   , recv_buffer_target_data_()
   , buffer_size_target_data_has_changed_( false )
   , global_max_spikes_per_rank_( 0 )
-  , send_recv_buffer_shrink_limit_( 0.0 )
+  , send_recv_buffer_shrink_limit_( 0.2 )
   , send_recv_buffer_shrink_spare_( 0.1 )
   , send_recv_buffer_grow_extra_( 0.5 )
   , send_recv_buffer_resize_log_()
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ EventDeliveryManager::initialize()
   // Ensures that ResetKernel resets off_grid_spiking_
   off_grid_spiking_ = false;
   buffer_size_target_data_has_changed_ = false;
-  send_recv_buffer_shrink_limit_ = 0.0;
+  send_recv_buffer_shrink_limit_ = 0.2;
   send_recv_buffer_shrink_spare_ = 0.1;
   send_recv_buffer_grow_extra_ = 0.5;
   send_recv_buffer_resize_log_.clear();

nestkernel/kernel_manager.h

@@ -126,38 +126,35 @@
                                                      (read only).
  growth_factor_buffer_target_data      double      - If MPI buffers for communication of connections resize on the fly,
                                                      grow them by this factor each round, defaults to 1.5.
- spike_buffer_grow_extra               double      - When spike exchange buffer needs to be expanded, resize to
-                                                     (1 + spike_buffer_grow_extra) * required_buffer_size
+ spike_buffer_grow_extra               double      - When spike exchange buffer is expanded, resize it to
+                                                     (1 + spike_buffer_grow_extra) * required_buffer_size,
+                                                     defaults to 0.5.
  spike_buffer_shrink_limit             double      - If largest number of spikes sent from any rank to any rank is
                                                      less than spike_buffer_shrink_limit * buffer_size, then reduce
                                                      buffer size. spike_buffer_shrink_limit == 0 means that buffers
-                                                     never shrink. See `spike_buffer_shrink_factor` for how much buffer
-                                                     shrinks.
- spike_buffer_shrink_spare             double      - When buffer needs to shrink, set new size to
+                                                     never shrink. See `spike_buffer_shrink_spare` for how the new
+                                                     buffer size is determined. Defaults to 0.2.
+ spike_buffer_shrink_spare             double      - When buffer shrinks, set new size to
                                                      (1 + spike_buffer_shrink_spare) * required_buffer_size`.
                                                      See `spike_buffer_shrink_limit` for when buffers shrink.
+                                                     Defaults to 0.1.
  spike_buffer_resize_log               dict        - Information on spike buffer resizing as dictionary. It contains the
                                                      times of the resizings (simulation clock in steps, always multiple
-                                                     of min_delay), global_max_spikes_sent, i.e., the observed spike
+                                                     of min_delay), global_max_spikes_sent, that is, the observed spike
                                                      number that triggered the resize, and the new_buffer_size. Sizes
-                                                     are for the section addressing one rank (read only).
- keep_source_table                     booltype    - Whether to keep source table after connection setup is complete,
-                                                     defaults to true.
- local_spike_counter                   integertype - Number of spikes fired by neurons on a given MPI rank during the
-                                                     most recent call to Simulate(). Only spikes from “normal” neurons
-                                                     are counted, not spikes generated by devices such as
-                                                     poisson_generator (read only).
- max_num_syn_models                    integertype - Maximal number of synapse models supported (read only).
- network_size                          integertype - The number of nodes in the network (read only).
- node_models                           arraytype   - The list of available node models (neurons and devices; read only).
- num_connections                       integertype - The number of connections in the network (read only; local only).
- stimulation_backends                  arraytype   - List of available backends for stimulation devices (read-only).
- structural_plasticity_synapses        dicttype    - Defines all synapses which are plastic for the structural
-                                                     plasticity algorithm. Each entry in the dictionary is composed of
-                                                     a synapse model, the presynaptic element and the postsynaptic
-                                                     element.
- structural_plasticity_update_interval integertype - Defines the time interval in ms at which the structural plasticity
-                                                     manager will make changes in the structure of the network (creation
+                                                     are for the buffer section sent from one rank to another rank (read
+ only). keep_source_table                     booltype    - Whether to keep source table after connection setup is
+ complete, defaults to true. local_spike_counter                   integertype - Number of spikes fired by neurons on a
+ given MPI rank during the most recent call to Simulate(). Only spikes from “normal” neurons are counted, not spikes
+ generated by devices such as poisson_generator (read only). max_num_syn_models                    integertype - Maximal
+ number of synapse models supported (read only). network_size                          integertype - The number of nodes
+ in the network (read only). node_models                           arraytype   - The list of available node models
+ (neurons and devices; read only). num_connections                       integertype - The number of connections in the
+ network (read only; local only). stimulation_backends                  arraytype   - List of available backends for
+ stimulation devices (read-only). structural_plasticity_synapses        dicttype    - Defines all synapses which are
+ plastic for the structural plasticity algorithm. Each entry in the dictionary is composed of a synapse model, the
+ presynaptic element and the postsynaptic element. structural_plasticity_update_interval integertype - Defines the time
+ interval in ms at which the structural plasticity manager will make changes in the structure of the network (creation
                                                      and deletion of plastic synapses), defaults to 10000.
  synapse_models                        arraytype   - The list of the available synapse models (read only).
 

nestkernel/save_doc_fmt.txt

@@ -2,21 +2,23 @@
                                                      (read only).
  growth_factor_buffer_target_data      double      - If MPI buffers for communication of connections resize on the fly,
                                                      grow them by this factor each round, defaults to 1.5.
- spike_buffer_grow_extra               double      - When spike exchange buffer needs to be expanded, resize to 
-                                                     (1 + spike_buffer_grow_extra) * required_buffer_size 
+ spike_buffer_grow_extra               double      - When spike exchange buffer is expanded, resize it to
+                                                     (1 + spike_buffer_grow_extra) * required_buffer_size,
+                                                     defaults to 0.5.
  spike_buffer_shrink_limit             double      - If largest number of spikes sent from any rank to any rank is
                                                      less than spike_buffer_shrink_limit * buffer_size, then reduce
                                                      buffer size. spike_buffer_shrink_limit == 0 means that buffers
-                                                     never shrink. See `spike_buffer_shrink_factor` for how much buffer
-                                                     shrinks.
- spike_buffer_shrink_spare             double      - When buffer needs to shrink, set new size to
+                                                     never shrink. See `spike_buffer_shrink_spare` for how the new
+                                                     buffer size is determined. Defaults to 0.2.
+ spike_buffer_shrink_spare             double      - When buffer shrinks, set new size to
                                                      (1 + spike_buffer_shrink_spare) * required_buffer_size`.
                                                      See `spike_buffer_shrink_limit` for when buffers shrink.
+                                                     Defaults to 0.1.
  spike_buffer_resize_log               dict        - Information on spike buffer resizing as dictionary. It contains the
                                                      times of the resizings (simulation clock in steps, always multiple
-                                                     of min_delay), global_max_spikes_sent, i.e., the observed spike
+                                                     of min_delay), global_max_spikes_sent, that is, the observed spike
                                                      number that triggered the resize, and the new_buffer_size. Sizes
-                                                     are for the section addressing one rank (read only).
+                                                     are for the buffer section sent from one rank to another rank (read only).
  keep_source_table                     booltype    - Whether to keep source table after connection setup is complete,
                                                      defaults to true.
  local_spike_counter                   integertype - Number of spikes fired by neurons on a given MPI rank during the

pynest/nest/__init__.py

@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def __dir__(self):
     )
     spike_buffer_grow_extra = KernelAttribute(
         "float",
-        "When spike exchange buffer needs to be expanded, resize to "
+        "When spike exchange buffer is expanded, resize it to "
         + "`(1 + spike_buffer_grow_extra) * required_buffer_size`",
         default=0.5,
     )
@@ -238,14 +238,14 @@ def __dir__(self):
             "If the largest number of spikes sent from any rank to any rank is less than "
             + "`spike_buffer_shrink_limit * buffer_size`, then reduce buffer size. "
             + "`spike_buffer_shrink_limit == 0` means that buffers never shrink. "
-            + "See ``spike_buffer_shrink_factor`` for how much buffer shrinks"
+            + "See ``spike_buffer_shrink_spare`` for how the new buffer size is determined"
         ),
-        default=0.0,
+        default=0.2,
     )
     spike_buffer_shrink_spare = KernelAttribute(
         "float",
         (
-            "When the buffer needs to shrink, set the new size to "
+            "When the buffer shrinks, set the new size to "
             + "`(1 + spike_buffer_shrink_spare) * required_buffer_size`. "
             + "See `spike_buffer_shrink_limit` for when buffers shrink"
         ),
@@ -254,10 +254,10 @@ def __dir__(self):
     spike_buffer_resize_log = KernelAttribute(
         "dict",
         (
-            "Information on spike buffer resizing as a dictionary. It contains the "
+            "Log of spike buffer resizing as a dictionary. It contains the "
             + "`times` of the resizings (simulation clock in steps, always multiple of ``min_delay``), "
             + "``global_max_spikes_sent``, that is, the observed spike number that triggered the resize, "
-            + "and the ``new_buffer_size``. Sizes are for the section addressing one rank."
+            + "and the ``new_buffer_size``. Sizes for the buffer section sent from one rank to another rank"
         ),
         readonly=True,
     )