descri.txt

A very small 250-line library (written entirely in MATLAB) that allows multiple MATLAB programs to t

  Author:  Lucio Andrade
  Name:    parmatlab   v1.77 Beta 11/01
  Summary: This toolbox distributes processes over matlab workers available over the
           intranet/internet. This toolbox implements a SPMD parallel architecture 
           model.
 
 
  NEW IN v1.77 ---> Solved bugs when tx/rx cells, structs, and sparse 
               ---> Now, also can tx/rx int8, uint8, int16, uint16, int32 and uint32.
  
  Still missing: Capability of tx/rx objects.
                 Warning: When using chars of 16 bits, it will not tx/rx the HO byte
 
 
  New in v1.7: ---> Real CROSS-PLATAFORMS, CROSS-OS and CROSS-Matlab versions !, 
                    tested with Solarisv, linux, win98, winNT, win200, matlab 5.3 & matlab 6
               ---> Error handling capabilities, you can debug the workspace of a worker if 
                    it had an error and without stopping the other workers or the majordomo
               ---> Improved demo which explains how to use basic functions to implement also
                    a MPMD parallel architecture model  
               ---> Capability of re-use data which was already transmitted to the workers 
                    worspace
    
  New in v1.05: --> Better explained demo files to introduce faster the user to the tool
 
  Important note: I have received lots of e-mail with ideas to improve this toolbox, I'll
                  appreciate if you send me an e-mail explaining your application, to plan
                  future improvments.
     
    Description:
        This toolbox distributes processes over matlab workers available over the
        intranet/internet. These workers must be running a matlab daemon to be accessed. 
 
        This tool is very useful for corsely granular parallelization problems and in the
        precesence of a distributed and heterogeneus computer enviroment. You can operate 
        the toolbox in twomodes:
  
        [MPMD mode] Multiple program-Multiple Data parallel model; the user has the control 
        to send different matlab tasks to remote machines simultaneusly and retraive results
        later.  
 
        [SPMD mode] Single program-Multiple Data parallel model; parallelization and managment 
        of remote workers is done automatically. Input data must be regularly ordered in
        matlab hyperblocks. 
 
        1) You DO NOT need a common file system, all communications between tasks (tx of
        commands/data) are througth tcpip connections. 
        2) The parallel virtual machine does not need to know which workers are available,
        it'll will be listening until workers report ready. New workers can be added even if 
        the process has been started. 
        3) Parallelization can be done over different dimensions (up to 5) at the same time
        and using contiguous, overlapping or constant hyper-blocks. Indexes can also vary for
        different input variables, the only restriction is that the total number of parallel
        elements should be the same. 
        4) Tcpip TOOLBOX 1.2.3 by Peter Rydesater is used for communications, but some 
        improvments have been done to avoid file writing to serialize data before tx. 
        Instead, serialization of data is achieved with a low-level MEX file. Serial data to 
        Matlab variables is also done with a MEX file. The latest version of the Tcpip toolbox 
        is not available in the Mathworks site, I included  version 1.2.3 in this 
        distribution, but you should visit http://petrydpc.itm.mh.se/tools and check
        if there is a newer version available.
 
        Note 1: Please refer to the demos to understand how the tool is used 
        Note 2: Timeout utilities  will be added in a future version. 
        Note 3: Capability to manipulate data in remote workers will be added in a future
                version. But it is not clear for me yet if it is really needed.
 
 
        This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
        terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation;
        either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. 
 
        This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY 
        WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A 
        PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
 
 =======================================================================
   I'll be very glad if you let me know that this toolbox is useful for
   you, please let me know any comment ([e-mail]). 
 
   Postcards or voluntary monetary contributions to: 
       78 S. Huntington Av. 12
       Boston MA,02130 USA
 =======================================================================
 
 
   Main implementation:             
   ===================
 
   Lucio Andrade               
   CETYS University, Mexico                    
   e-mail:[e-mail] 
   
 
   Contents         This help file.
 
     THESE ARE THE FILES THAT A NORMAL USER SHOULD USE
 
   initmajordomo.m  Initializes communication ports
   closemajordomo.m Closes comm ports and realeses workers
   parallelize.m    Parallel implementation of a function
   worker.m         Deamon for matlab workers
   sendtask.m       Send a function (with variables) to a matlab worker
   receivetask.m    Receive results of a function finished by a matlab worker 
   distm_demo_1.m   Basic demo
   distm_demo_2.m   Demo with functions from the Image toolbox
 
     SOME UTILITY FILES THAT THE USER MIGHT USE
 
   sendvar.m        Send a var with tcpip (No file flushing)
   getvar.m         Get a var that was sent with sendvar.m
   getmyip.m        Obtains the IP address of local machine
 
     SOME OTHER TOOLS NEEDED BY THE TOOLBOX
 
   mvar2str.m       Converts a matlab var to a string
   str2mvar.m       Reverses mvar2str.m
   msub2ind.m       Modyfied version of sub2ind.m, uses a vector of subindexes instead
   mind2sub.m       Modyfied version of ind2sub.m, uses a vector of subindexes instead
   serial2double.c  C-Source for Mex file for data conversion tool
   double2serial.c  C-Source for Mex file for data conversion tool
 
     ADDITIONAL FILES FROM THE TCPIP TOOLBOX by Peter Rydes鋞er (not all used and some modifyed)
 
   tcpip_close      Closes an open tcpip connection.
   tcpip_open       Opens a new tcpip connection.
   tcpip_read       Reads an array of bytes from pipe.
   tcpip_readln     Reads a line of chars (bytes) if their is a complete.
   tcpip_sendfile   Sends a file throw connection to receiving "tcpip_getfile"
   tcpip_getfile    Receives a data from sending "tcpip_sendfile" and saves to file.
   tcpip_sendvar    Send matlab variable.
   tcpip_getvar     Get matlab variable.
   tcpip_servopen   OLD! Only for compatibility. Blocking wait for connetion!
   tcpip_servsocket Creates a socket binded to a port, waiting for connections!
   tcpip_listen     Checks/Gets connection connected to tcpip_servsocket
   tcpip_status     Returns status of open connection. Detects broken connections.
   tcpip_viewbuff   Returns whats in receiving buffer but will not empty it.
   tcpip_write      Sends an array of bytes to connection.
   tcpipmex.c       C-source for the mex file that is core of this toolbox.