Distributed computing > Client PCs: The tool NIGHTSHIFT

On every client PC you must install SPRAY. The minimal installation with the application files is sufficient. The installation routine copies a small program called nightshift.exe to the SPRAY directory.

After the installation, start and configure the small tool NIGHTSHIFT:

dc_night_shift

The controls in the upper half of the window are used to tell the program when it is night. At night, the program starts SPRAY as a hidden OLE automation server and passes tasks to it which are to be done. The tasks are looked for in the network folder which can be selected after pressing the Connect button:

dc_folder_dialog

During the night, NIGHTSHIFT looks for tasks to be processed (this state is indicated by the green rectangle to the right).

While a task is processed the color changes to blue:

dc_active

Working on pending tasks is indicated white. During the day NIGHTSHIFT looks like this:

dc_waiting

If you like you can show the SPRAY server running in the background by pressing the Show SPRAY button. The server is hidden again if you press Hide SPRAY.

The settings of the NIGHTSHIFT program are stored in the file nightshift.ini located in the program directory (where the program file nightshift.exe has been installed to) when you close the program. The settings are read at program start.