CODEWITHSUNDEEP
multithreadingmatlabmatlabpool
Olivier Hubert
Olivier Hubert

Reputation: 327

Do not use all MATLAB pool workers

I have set up a local Matlab (R2015b) pool of workers according to my CPU configuration (quad-core, multi-threading => 8 workers in total.)

I have simulations that last 24h but I want to be able to use my computer at the same time. Therefore, I limit myself to 4 simulations a day (sent via batch) so that I can keep working at the same time.

My question is this: how can I queue several jobs without eating up the 8 workers? Another related question is if I reduce the size of the pool to 4 workers, will I still be able to run Matlab smoothly?

Thank you very much for your answer.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 118

Answers (1)

Nicky Mattsson
Nicky Mattsson

Reputation: 3052

I would say that the best solution to your problem is to do it via bash in stead of matlab. In bash you have a command called nice which allows you to down prioritize the simulation. Which means that if you are using the computer you will get the power, and if you are not using it, the power goes to the computations.

Regarding the second part of your question. The easiest way to queue all the jobs is to make a bash script something like the following:

for f in $(find . -name name_of_matlab_script*)
do
nice -n 10 matlab -nodisplay <$f
done

where the name of the matlab scripts would be called something with the same base and then the start will take care of the rest. Then it will run the scripts after each other however give priority to what you otherwise use your computer for.

If you want more advanced scheduling software I normally uses Slurm.

Regarding the 4 workers in stead of 8, then as Ander Biguri says in the comments, as few as possible as long as you do not add to much extra time.

Upvotes: 1

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