[Condor-users] Defects - Java Universe , JAR Files , and Condor Submit Description File

[BBrooks <brian.brooks@xxxxxxx>]

First, I'd like to thank the folks behind Condor.  I've enjoyed using
the product.  Additionally, thank you for spending so much time
documenting Condor.

My comments are based on Condor 6.8.0 on x86_64 CentOS Linux 4.4 (Rocks 4.2).

I encountered the following defects when trying to submit a job to the
Condor java universe.  I've worked around these defects based on
extensive review of the condor-users mailing list.  Please change the
Condor manuals so that others have a better experience with the Condor
java universe.

1) The Condor manual's coverage of JAR (Java Archives) files is incomplete.
2) The Condor manual lacks an example of using a Java class file
contained in a package.
3) The Condor manual does not explain how to add third party JAR files
to the JVM class loader.
4) A Java example missing is from the condor installation 'examples' directory.

Defects #1, #2, and #3 exist in all versions of the Condor manual, including

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/manual/v6.9/2_8Java_Applications.html
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/manual/v6.8/2_8Java_Applications.html

DEFECT #1

When discussing use of JAR files for the Condor Java universe, the
manual fails to mention that when JAR files are used, the 'executable'
line must switch from A.class to A.jar e.g.

executable = sortmerge.jar
jar_files  = sortmerge.jar,statemap.jar

DEFECT #2

The Condor manual needs to explain/demonstrate how to reference a Java
class declared in a non-default package.  For example, for the Java
source

package hpc;

public class CondorDriver
{
  // snip
}

the Condor submit description file would have the line

arguments  = hpc.CondorDriver

DEFECT #3

If a user's Java job is packaged in a JAR file sortmerge.jar and
relies on a third party JAR file like
http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/lang/ the Condor submit description
file would have the line

jar_files  = sortmerge.jar,commons-lang-2.1.jar

Additionally, both sortmerge.jar and commons-lang-2.1.jar must exist
in the submit directory.

DEFECT #4

No Java example exists in the Condor installation examples directory
/opt/condor/examples/.  Here is a full, Java example Condor submit
description file.  The original Java command line

java -classpath statemap.jar:sortmerge.jar \
 hpc.CondorDriver -merge left right out

is translated to

Universe   = java
Log        = sortmerge.log
Output     = sortmerge.out
Error      = sortmerge.error
should_transfer_files = YES
when_to_transfer_output = ON_EXIT
transfer_input_files = left,right
executable = sortmerge.jar
jar_files  = sortmerge.jar,statemap.jar
arguments  = hpc.CondorDriver -merge left right out
Queue

--
Brian Brooks
(770) 794-9850
brian.brooks@xxxxxxx / bbrook23@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx