PHAST using MPICH2 for parallel processing - tips

[Rasmus]

Just some tips.... (from experience - rather than real insight)
When you install MPICH2 on Windows for running the parallel version of PHAST - from a command.com window or from PHAST for Windows - it will make life easier if you install it in a directory that does NOT have a space " " in its path. The obvious example is (unfortunately) the default directory "C:\Program Files". "C:\MPICH2" on the other hand works nicely, but may require administrator rights.
The steps on this link:
http://swash.sourceforge.net/online_doc/swashimp/node9.html
will take you through the moves - but again don't install in "Program Files"

- and then when some time has passed and it doesn't work anymore - chances are high that you have changed your password in the meantime (probably because you have to) which means you have to reregister in MPICH2 with the new password.

Have fun in the parallel universe - Rasmus

[dlparkhurst]

We have been using MSMPI from Microsoft. It has been working working well, although we contacted them early on to fix a bug. Hopefully that patch is in the version that is currently released.

[Rasmus]

As David notes - they have been using MSMPI - and this is wonderfully, automatically installed when you install PHAST - so trying to make MPICH2 work is not something you need to worry about :-)