= Preferences override file =

By default, [GlobalPrefs global preferences] and host venue are maintained on a project server, edited via a web interface, and downloaded from the server.

Some people may want to edit preferences locally, modify preferences on a single host, or hardwire the host venue. To accommodate these requirements, BOINC lets you create a 'preferences override file'. This file is read by the core client after it reads the preferences from the server, and it overrides those preferences.

The preferences override file is named `global_prefs_override.xml`. Its structure as follows:

{{{
#!xml
<global_preferences>
    <mod_time>%d</mod_time>
    <run_on_batteries/>
    <run_if_user_active/>
    <suspend_if_no_recent_input>%f</suspend_if_no_recent_input>
    <start_hour>%f</start_hour>
    <end_hour>%f</end_hour>
    <net_start_hour>%f</net_start_hour>
    <net_end_hour>%f</net_end_hour>
    <leave_apps_in_memory/>
    <confirm_before_connecting/>
    <hangup_if_dialed/>
    <dont_verify_images/>
    <work_buf_min_days>%f</work_buf_min_days>
    <work_buf_additional_days>%f</work_buf_additional_days>
    <max_cpus>%d</max_cpus>
    <cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>%f</cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>
    <disk_interval>%f</disk_interval>
    <disk_max_used_gb>%f</disk_max_used_gb>
    <disk_max_used_pct>%f</disk_max_used_pct>
    <disk_min_free_gb>%f</disk_min_free_gb>
    <vm_max_used_pct>%f</vm_max_used_pct>
    <ram_max_used_busy_pct>%f</ram_max_used_busy_pct>
    <ram_max_used_idle_pct>%f</ram_max_used_idle_pct>
    <idle_time_to_run>%f</idle_time_to_run>
    <max_bytes_sec_up>%f</max_bytes_sec_up>
    <max_bytes_sec_down>%f</max_bytes_sec_down>
    <cpu_usage_limit>%f</cpu_usage_limit>
    <day_prefs>			
        <day_of_week>%d</day_of_week>
        <start_hour>%.02f</start_hour>
        <end_hour>%.02f</end_hour>
        <net_start_hour>%.02f</net_start_hour>
        <net_end_hour>%.02f</net_end_hour>
    </day_prefs>
</global_preferences>
}}}

{{{
#!comment Where did [ <host_venue>venue</host_venue> ] come from? I've removed it since it's badly formed XML and I can't find it in the source.

Look in cs_prefs.c where it says:
// Read global preferences into the global_prefs structure.
// 1) read the override file to get venue in case it's there
// 2) read global_prefs.xml
// 3) read the override file again
//
// This is called:
// - on startup
// - on completion of a scheduler or AMS RPC, if they sent prefs
// - in response to read_global_prefs_override GUI RPC

It's the choice of venue that is done there. As you can set GPOs for different venues. 
}}}


NOTE: the above is updated for BOINC 5.10+; see [source:trunk/boinc/lib/prefs.C lib/prefs.C] and [source:trunk/boinc/lib/prefs.h lib/prefs.h] for more information.

If you write a program for editing preferences locally, you'll want to be able to tell a running core client to reread the preferences override file. You can do this using the [GuiRpc#function-read_global_prefs_override read_global_prefs_override()] GUI RPC, or run [BoincCmd boinc_cmd] with the `--read_global_prefs_override` option.