Maheshri:Computing

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Lab computers

• All of the following can be accessed using the "Lab User" ID and the password provided by the Guru
• OPTIPLEX (\\18.56.2.232, Office Database) (narendra.mit.edu)
• OPTIPLEX_JR(\\18.56.1.35, Lab) (nm-optjr.mit.edu)
• NM-MICROSCOPE (\\18.56.5.7, Meta Imaging Workstation)
• PRECISIONWS (\\18.56.1.28) (nm-opt.mit.edu)

Lab Workgroup Access

Windows

• Change your computer "Workgroup" to "MAHESHRI"
• In control panel, go to your user account and save passwords for the above computers (Windows XP: "Manage my network passwords"; Windows 7: "Manage your credentials")
• For each computer fill in "Server" as the IP address listed above, "User name" as "(CAPITALIZED NAME ABOVE)\Lab User", and the "Password" you get from the Guru
• Restart

• Via ethernet:
  • Navigate to the "Maheshri" workgroup in the Windows Extended Network
  • Open any lab computer for access to the shared files

• Via wireless:
  • Navigate to the desired share use either Start>Run or Windows Explorer
  • Enter "\\(desired server IP)\(shared folder name)"

• To setup a shortcut:
  • In My Network Places, use "Add a network place"
  • Select "Choose another network location" and click Next
  • Enter "\\(desired server IP)\(shared folder name)" and click Next (can use "Browse" button if on ethernet)
  • Fill in an appropriate shortcut name and finish

Linux

• The following code will mount one of the Maheshri lab's shared folders. Change the folder names and host names as needed to mount other directories.
  • sudo mkdir /media/nm-micro
  • sudo echo # NM Microscope >> /etc/fstab
  • sudo echo //18.56.1.23/Images /media/nm-micro smbfs username=Lab\040User,password=[Ask the Guru] >> /etc/fstab
  • sudo mount /media/nm-micro

Printers

• In the printers and faxes folder, use the add a printer wizard
• Select "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer"
• Select "Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer, select this option and click next" and in the "Name:" field enter \\18.56.1.28\OPTIPLEX (in office, B&W double sided) or \\18.56.2.232\Narendra Lab (in microscope room, B&W)

Databases

DNA Sequence Analysis

• See computer guru for sequence analysis software
• Shared vector and oligo database available on OPTIPLEX (\\18.56.2.232\VNTI Database\Shared Database\)

Vector and Yeast Stocks

• dbPlasmid on OPTIPLEX (\\18.56.2.232\Maheshri Office\Databases\)
• Changes made remotely are automatically updated in central database
• DO NOT use the "save" function on other computers as this will create copies of the databases and results in duplicate stock IDs throughout the lab

Backup Your Data

• Ask the Guru about backup resources
• BACKUP FREQUENTLY

Code Management

Revision control software allows users to track code edits and changes over time, provides a way to quickly roll code back to a previous version, and lets multiple users to concurrently work on the same projects. The Maheshri Lab runs a Subversion server for managing code in this way.

Installing Subversion

• In Windows, the easiest way to start with Subversion is to install TortoiseSVN.
• TortoiseSVN integrates with Windows Explorer; version control operations are handled through the context menu (right-clicking).

1. Install the TortoiseSVN client. TortoiseSVN downloads
2. Create a repository for your code on the Maheshri lab server. (Alternatively, ask the Guru to do this for you.)

   Open the VisualSVN Server in the office.

   Create a new repository.

3. Choose a location on your machine where you'd like to keep a local copy of your code.
4. Right-click on the folder on your machine and select "SVN Checkout"

   URL of repository: https://18.56.6.223/svn/[your repository's name]

   Ask the Guru to set up your username and password

5. Add your existing code to this folder.

   If you're using the default directory structure, your current code should be placed in 'trunk'

6. After your code has been added, right-click and select "SVN Commit" to place your code in the repository.

Once SVN is running on your machine, your normal workflow will look like this:

1. Right-click on your code folder, select "SVN Update" to download the most up-to-date version of your code from the server
2. Make your changes
3. When finished, right-click, select "SVN Commit", and write a description of the changes you've made

You may also find it helpful to add the directory of your code to Matlab. The Matlab 'pathtool' command is the simplest way to do this.