The ipcluster command is now able to reuse FURL files.

This is done by passing the -r, --client-port and --engine-port options
onto ipcontroller.  Docs are also updated to indicated this new feature.

IPython/kernel/scripts/ipcluster.py

@@ -478,15 +478,31 b' Try running ipcluster with the -xy flags: ipcluster local -xy -n 4""")'
         cont_args.append('-y')
     return True
 
+def check_reuse(args, cont_args):
+    if args.r:
+        cont_args.append('-r')
+        if args.client_port == 0 or args.engine_port == 0:
+            log.err("""
+To reuse FURL files, you must also set the client and engine ports using
+the --client-port and --engine-port options.""")
+            reactor.stop()
+            return False
+        cont_args.append('--client-port=%i' % args.client_port)
+        cont_args.append('--engine-port=%i' % args.engine_port)
+    return True
 
 def main_local(args):
     cont_args = []
     cont_args.append('--logfile=%s' % pjoin(args.logdir,'ipcontroller'))
-
+    
     # Check security settings before proceeding
     if not check_security(args, cont_args):
         return
-
+    
+    # See if we are reusing FURL files
+    if not check_reuse(args, cont_args):
+        return
+    
     cl = ControllerLauncher(extra_args=cont_args)
     dstart = cl.start()
     def start_engines(cont_pid):
@@ -514,14 +530,17 b' def main_local(args):'
 
 
 def main_mpi(args):
-    print vars(args)
     cont_args = []
     cont_args.append('--logfile=%s' % pjoin(args.logdir,'ipcontroller'))
-
+    
     # Check security settings before proceeding
     if not check_security(args, cont_args):
         return
-
+    
+    # See if we are reusing FURL files
+    if not check_reuse(args, cont_args):
+        return
+    
     cl = ControllerLauncher(extra_args=cont_args)
     dstart = cl.start()
     def start_engines(cont_pid):
@@ -555,11 +574,15 b' def main_mpi(args):'
 def main_pbs(args):
     cont_args = []
     cont_args.append('--logfile=%s' % pjoin(args.logdir,'ipcontroller'))
-
+    
     # Check security settings before proceeding
     if not check_security(args, cont_args):
         return
-
+    
+    # See if we are reusing FURL files
+    if not check_reuse(args, cont_args):
+        return
+    
     cl = ControllerLauncher(extra_args=cont_args)
     dstart = cl.start()
     def start_engines(r):
@@ -599,6 +622,10 b' def main_ssh(args):'
     if not check_security(args, cont_args):
         return
     
+    # See if we are reusing FURL files
+    if not check_reuse(args, cont_args):
+        return
+    
     cl = ControllerLauncher(extra_args=cont_args)
     dstart = cl.start()
     def start_engines(cont_pid):
@@ -621,6 +648,26 b' def main_ssh(args):'
 def get_args():
     base_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
     base_parser.add_argument(
+        '-r',
+        action='store_true',
+        dest='r',
+        help='try to reuse FURL files.  Use with --client-port and --engine-port'
+    )
+    base_parser.add_argument(
+        '--client-port',
+        type=int,
+        dest='client_port',
+        help='the port the controller will listen on for client connections',
+        default=0
+    )
+    base_parser.add_argument(
+        '--engine-port',
+        type=int,
+        dest='engine_port',
+        help='the port the controller will listen on for engine connections',
+        default=0
+    )
+    base_parser.add_argument(
         '-x',
         action='store_true',
         dest='x',

docs/source/parallel/parallel_process.txt

@@ -308,6 +308,11 b' This is possible. The only thing you have to do is decide what ports the contro'
 
     $ ipcontroller -r --client-port=10101 --engine-port=10102
 
+These options also work with all of the various modes of 
+:command:`ipcluster`::
+
+    $ ipcluster local -n 2 -r --client-port=10101 --engine-port=10102
+
 Then, just copy the furl files over the first time and you are set.  You can start and stop the controller and engines any many times as you want in the future, just make sure to tell the controller to use the *same* ports.
 
 .. note::