[ANN] NiceHash Control 1.1.1 - Auto profit switching control for NiceHash servic

[StuffOfInterest]

Yea, CryptoMining Blog has been doing some interesting things with NHC.  They've written about it three times now.

I'm actively working on the anti-flicker management now.  If I can get another spare hour or two I should be able to wrap it up and get it out the door this weekend.

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[Zels]

Hmm something not working for me, can't find what 

this .conf is working:

Code:

{
	"address":"1G5BiEDSaEmoHHDFqG2EhbpJvhdx8JvSYW",
	"power":0.15,
	"exchange":630,
	"algos":[
		{ 
			"name":"x11", 
			"algo":3, 
			"hashrate":2650, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"ccminer.exe", 
			"arguments":"-a x11 -o stratum+tcp://stratum.nicehash.com:3336 -u _ADDRESS_ -p d=0.04" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x13", 
			"algo":4, 
			"hashrate":2100, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"ccminer.exe", 
			"arguments":"-a x13 -o stratum+tcp://stratum.nicehash.com:3337 -u _ADDRESS_ -p d=0.04" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x15", 
			"algo":6, 
			"hashrate":1600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"ccminer.exe", 
			"arguments":"-a x15 -o stratum+tcp://stratum.nicehash.com:3339 -u _ADDRESS_ -p d=0.04" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"nist5", 
			"algo":7, 
			"hashrate":8600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"ccminer.exe", 
			"arguments":"-a nist5 -o stratum+tcp://stratum.nicehash.com:3340 -u _ADDRESS_ -p d=0.04" 
		}
	]
}

But this one not, NHC don't even open and no error

Code:

{
	"address":"1G5BiEDSaEmoHHDFqG2EhbpJvhdx8JvSYW",
	"power":0.10,
	"exchange":620,
	"algos":[
		{ 
			"name":"x11", 
			"algo":3, 
			"hashrate":2650, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x11 _ADDRESS_"
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x13", 
			"algo":4, 
			"hashrate":2100, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x13 _ADDRESS_" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x15", 
			"algo":6, 
			"hashrate":1600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x15 _ADDRESS_" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"nist5", 
			"algo":7, 
			"hashrate":8600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat nist5 _ADDRESS_" 
		}
	]
}

Anything wrong or missing on the 2nd?
Same behavior with NHC 1.03 or 1.04 

[StuffOfInterest]

Hmm something not working for me, can't find what 

this .conf is working:
<snip>

But this one not, NHC don't even open and no error

Code:

{
	"address":"1G5BiEDSaEmoHHDFqG2EhbpJvhdx8JvSYW",
	"power":0.10,
	"exchange":620,
	"algos":[
		{ 
			"name":"x11", 
			"algo":3, 
			"hashrate":2650, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x11 _ADDRESS_"
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x13", 
			"algo":4, 
			"hashrate":2100, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x13 _ADDRESS_" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"x15", 
			"algo":6, 
			"hashrate":1600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat x15 _ADDRESS_" 
		},
		{ 
			"name":"nist5", 
			"algo":7, 
			"hashrate":8600, 
			"power":50, 
			"folder":"", 
			"command":"cmd.exe", 
			"arguments":"/c MINERS.bat nist5 _ADDRESS_" 
		}
	]
}

Anything wrong or missing on the 2nd?
Same behavior with NHC 1.03 or 1.04 

Yup, you have ' "arguments":"arguments" ' in your X13 config.

[Zels]

Oh! Crap I'm soo stupid 

Working fine now.
Tip for future, don't update AMD rig and Nvidia rig on the same time when half asleep ^^

Thanx for the quick reply

[ltc_bilic]

notice: if you’re running NHC in minimized mode and using improved code from cryptomining-blog, you have to manually kill the ccminer process with command like “taskkill /im ccminer.exe /f”, cause there’s a bug that NHC cannot always bring back the process from minimized mode, if you don’t, you end up with multiple processes and eventually graphic driver crash,…learned this the hard way  now successfully switching between additional 2 backup pools

[StuffOfInterest]

notice: if you’re running NHC in minimized mode and using improved code from cryptomining-blog, you have to manually kill the ccminer process with command like “taskkill /im ccminer.exe /f”, cause there’s a bug that NHC cannot always bring back the process from minimized mode, if you don’t, you end up with multiple processes and eventually graphic driver crash,…learned this the hard way  now successfully switching between additional 2 backup pools

Yuck, I'm going to have fun recreating that one.

[StuffOfInterest]

Just uploaded version 1.1.0 with anti-flicker control.  This version brings three new config parameters to help control flickering between algorithms and getting stuck on a backup pool (if you use that feature from CryptoMining Blog).

mintime - Minimum time in minutes that an algorithm will be mined before being allowed to switch to a new algorithm that is better paying.  This can be left left out or set to 0 if you don't want any minimum.

maxtime - Maximum time in minutes to mine an algorithm in auto mode before forcing a restarting.

switchtime - Time in minutes that the current algorithm should no longer be the best paying before switching to a new algorithm in auto mode.  This is the important one to prevent flickering.  If a new algorithm becomes the best paying but the one currently being mined returns to being the best paying within this time then no switching will occur.

Finally, you can also now specify a worker which will be appended on the address for the "_ADDRESS_" substitution value.

[ltc_bilic]

U rock man! Testing it out right now 

[StuffOfInterest]

notice: if you’re running NHC in minimized mode and using improved code from cryptomining-blog, you have to manually kill the ccminer process with command like “taskkill /im ccminer.exe /f”, cause there’s a bug that NHC cannot always bring back the process from minimized mode, if you don’t, you end up with multiple processes and eventually graphic driver crash,…learned this the hard way  now successfully switching between additional 2 backup pools

OK, just put out version 1.1.1.  This uses a different technique for killing off the miner that may handle child processes better.  I think the problem with the CryptoMining Blog implementation was that the batch file was launching the miner and the kill signal wouldn't pass down when the UI is hidden.  The new technique I'm using walks the tree of processes and tries to kill them all off.

I've tested it by having the test-run.bat file spin off a couple of executables at the same time.  When I hit the stop button, everything went away.

[ltc_bilic]

OK, I'll test it with one miner to see if it works. But as I've said was not a huge problem, I've just put an extra command into the bat file and it worked flawlessly. It only cost me a few hours of hashing before i've noticed it. The new switching is working perfectly, because I reboot the machines anyway in the morning so I've set maxtime to 0. Other two parameters are also working great.

The next awesome feature would be to implement TradeMyBit support, they also have an API (https://pool.trademybit.com/api/)   Sometimes their prices are over the roof, because they add the latest coins to their multipool collection   Although then we also need a new name for the app

[StuffOfInterest]

OK, I'll test it with one miner to see if it works. But as I've said was not a huge problem, I've just put an extra command into the bat file and it worked flawlessly. It only cost me a few hours of hashing before i've noticed it.

The next awesome feature would be to implement an TradeMyBit support, they also have an API (https://pool.trademybit.com/api/)  Sometimes their prices are over the roof 

I'll have to look into it but this will require changing out most of the guts to support a second service.  Would be interesting to switch between services based on whichever is paying best.

Before moving on to something like that I have three major goals.  1) Capture the miner output into a window in the control program so the miner can always be hidden from the task bar. 2) Based on the first items capture, send a copy of the output to another machine for remote monitoring.  3) Rework the UI to use a grid display and make it easier for adding new algorithms.  Once 3 is implemented that will make it easier to add services such as TradeMyBit.

[ltc_bilic]

The first two points for me personally are not so critical, i've made my own logging utility from the blogs code i've only modify it for my own perferences, i'm writing log files on my samba server for each worker:
SET "worker1=%2"
set nice=%date:~4,2%.%date:~7,2%.%date:~10,4%   %time:~0,2%:%time:~3,2%   %1.nicehash
and inside each loop
echo %nice% >> x:\cuda\logs\%worker1%.txt

i'ts very basic with EU timezone (13.7.2014   14:15   x11.nicehash), separated with tabs so you can open it also with excel to analyse it furthure more, but you can see when stratum connection was lost or if it was changed because of the price...

If you could implement all that,
that would be really epic!

[Zels]

test-run.bat & TestMiner.exe 

You didn't forgot to put the real mining batch ? )

Took batch from 1.04, everything looks working fine, nice work ^^

[StuffOfInterest]

test-run.bat & TestMiner.exe  

You didn't forgot to put the real mining batch ? )

Took batch from 1.04, everything looks working fine, nice work ^^

I've never distributed it with a real mining batch file as that would have to be customized for your own environment.  The test-run.bat file has been there since the beginning to show launching a file.  Latest version now includes the TestMiner.exe just to show that an executable inside of a batch file can run without issue.  It is nothing more than a nine line console program which prints a line of text every second.  Once you have your own mining config setup you can throw those two files away.  You may have been using the distribution that CryptoMining Blog put together.  They've created sample configs for both nVIDIA and AMD mining.  Most likely they'll update those at some point to include the restart and flicker control from the latest version.

OK, time to get off the computer and start on the "honeydo" list for today.  Nothing like spreading two cubic yards of mulch in 90F weather.  

Code: (TestMiner)

            var x = 1;
            Console.WriteLine("I'm pretending to mine.");
            while (!Console.KeyAvailable)
            {
                Thread.Sleep(1000);
                Console.WriteLine(string.Format("Found block {0}!", x));
                x++;
            }
            Console.ReadKey(true);

[Zels]

Oh true, found your release first on cryptomining

Wanted to mine on nicehash with your BTC addresses to earn you some btc as donation but looks like your using another one or not mining ^^
Will need to wait to get some payout on my wallet

[StuffOfInterest]

Oh true, found your release first on cryptomining

Wanted to mine on nicehash with your BTC addresses to earn you some btc as donation but looks like your using another one or not mining ^^
Will need to wait to get some payout on my wallet

You can always mine against the donation address on the program.  Always, greatly appreciated.

One future feature that has been suggested is to let NHC mine for a percentage of time to my address as a donation.  Might consider adding that eventually.

[ltc_bilic]

The new technique I'm using walks the tree of processes and tries to kill them all off.

Can confirm, that it's working properly.

[StuffOfInterest]

The new technique I'm using walks the tree of processes and tries to kill them all off.

Can confirm, that it's working properly.

Good news.  Nothing like a bit of recursive programming.

Also, I've seen the flicker protections kick in several times today, so that appears to be working properly as well.

[StuffOfInterest]

The first two points for me personally are not so critical, i've made my own logging utility from the blogs code i've only modify it for my own perferences, i'm writing log files on my samba server for each worker:
SET "worker1=%2"
set nice=%date:~4,2%.%date:~7,2%.%date:~10,4%   %time:~0,2%:%time:~3,2%   %1.nicehash
and inside each loop
echo %nice% >> x:\cuda\logs\%worker1%.txt

I have to say, I haven't seen a batch file like that in a few years.   Nice to see that the art of complex logic in batch files is not completely dead!

[ltc_bilic]

Then you should see some of my unix code Love the batches also to get the easy tasks going on multiple versions of Windows.