Feature request (finished _directories_ folder)

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johnb
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Feature request (finished _directories_ folder)

Post by johnb » 2004-03-14 08:02

It would be rather nice to have a feature that would move "all finished" downloads (finished definition is when the file has been removed from the download que by the client) to a sererate file.

The reason for this is all finished files are stored in incoming "or defined file". When one has a large download que due to many users been offline it is hard to see which downloads are fully complete.

It is of relevance because I like to collect and share full albums.
The work involved in comparing the incoming and download que is large is very time consuming.

If the finished downloads were moved to another file (this could be an optional feature) they could be quickly checked and shared as complete.

If anyone agrees or has a better idea Post your comments.

Keep up the good work.

John

GargoyleMT
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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 11:17

It looks like you're describing the existing feature "Unfinished downlads directory" under Settings > Downloads.

Either that, or the topic currently 12 topics down:

Unfinished Downloads (for directories)?

Can you elaborate?

johnb
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Post by johnb » 2004-03-14 14:39

I had searched for a similar Thread before posting without avail, but the Topic topics down: seems to describe roughly what I was thinking.

The current download directories are:

temp (unfinished parts)
incoming (Complete files) uncomplete and complete downloads.

What I am requesting is to transfer files from the incoming dir to a seperate directory once the dc++ client has removed the completed download from the download que.

The incoming directory would then serve as incoming files only and would not contain complete downloads and the new dir would contain only completley finished downloads.

The seperate directory would be useful so one could check the complete download before further action (burn, share complete download).

At the moment one has to manually compare the incoming dir against the download que to work out which downloads have been completed (a lot of work especially when one has many unfinished downloads in the que due to off line users).

The feature would act as a guide to which downloads are finished, and would save the user valuable sorting time.

I hope I have managed to explain my idea.

John

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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 14:49

Ah, thank you for the explanation. You have different terms and goals, however, the feature seems to be identical to the other one - you want to have directories kept together, so you know it's complete when it has been moved into your completed downloads folder.

johnb
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Post by johnb » 2004-03-14 15:02

I think you have managed to understand my explanation.

Yes the file file would only de moved when The whole download has been completed. Thus making our lives easier in identifying the completed downloads.

Is my idea worth following?

John

GargoyleMT
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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 15:23

It's just as worthy as when it was proposed in the other thread. =)

Seisled
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Post by Seisled » 2004-03-14 15:53

The incoming directory would then serve as incoming files only and would not contain complete downloads and the new dir would contain only completley finished downloads.
Isn't this already possible? Or are you talking about having directories corellating with the directories in completed downloads in the incoming downloads folder?
If you're just talking about having incoming and finished DL folders, then you can do that now.

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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 16:13

Seisled wrote:Isn't this already possible? Or are you talking about having directories corellating with the directories in completed downloads in the incoming downloads folder?
That's it - the complication here. They want (I presume) downloads started from directories (in the file list or "Download Whole directory") to be kept together as a logical unit - so only when the last file is finished from the directory will it get moved into the Finished Downloads folder.

This means some complication... It seems each directory download will have to be assigned some unique ID (unless the timestamp is the same on all of them - which I doubt), and the Queue and XML config files will have to keep "finished" files around until the last one completes. There's a bit of complication here, especially if you think of how file removing / renaming (to a different folder) and downloading other files to the same directory can complicate matters.

It sure *sounds* simple, though.

Seisled
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Post by Seisled » 2004-03-14 17:17

They want (I presume) downloads started from directories (in the file list or "Download Whole directory") to be kept together as a logical unit
So, is the point of this to make it more likely to be able to keep someone's slot until all available files inside a directory are downloaded? Or is there some other reason for doing this?

JohnB says it would make it 'easier' to identify the completed downloads, but I don't see how it's easier.... Perhaps if a directory were listed as complete in the "finished downloads" window when it's being removed from the queue this would make it clearer that the contents of a directory have downloaded completely. I wonder if this is what he meant?

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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 17:42

Seisled wrote:So, is the point of this to make it more likely to be able to keep someone's slot until all available files inside a directory are downloaded? Or is there some other reason for doing this?
No, it shouldn't affect downloading at all - just what's done with the individual files after they're successfully downloaded. In the current system, they get moved from the incomplete to completed directory. Under the suggested way, the folder (think RAR release directory or MP3 album, presumably) gets moved only when it's done.
Seisled wrote:JohnB says it would make it 'easier' to identify the completed downloads, but I don't see how it's easier.... Perhaps if a directory were listed as complete in the "finished downloads" window when it's being removed from the queue this would make it clearer that the contents of a directory have downloaded completely. I wonder if this is what he meant?
If you download a directory currently, and don't look at the DC++ queue beforehand, you will not have a good idea if the directory is complete or not ("are there 12 tracks in that album, or 17?"), which is what JohnB seems to dislike. He wants to have confidence that a given directory is complete when it shows up in his Finished folder.

You mention the finished downloads window, but I'm not sure how they'd like that display to interact with the behavior they're requesting.

Seisled
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Post by Seisled » 2004-03-14 18:05

He wants to have confidence that a given directory is complete when it shows up in his Finished folder.
Well, how about having a "tag completed directories" option? When a directory is deleted from the queue because the last file has finished downloading, the end of the downloaded directory could be tagged with [DL Complete] or something chosen by the user. This would make it obvious that a specific directory is complete without referring to the queue.

Though, I guess this might run into problems with exceptionally long directory names, and the client would most likely have to keep track of all the items in a given directory as you mentioned before. That would probably be too complex. So how about a solution where a blank text file is inserted in the directory with a title of [DL Complete] or something chosen by the user?
Last edited by Seisled on 2004-03-14 18:17, edited 2 times in total.

GargoyleMT
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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-14 18:10

Hmm, interesting idea. I don't know if that's any simpler (or more complex) than the other solution. It's something to think about when the time comes to code it (whenever that may be).

Seisled
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Post by Seisled » 2004-03-14 18:20

I don't know if that's any simpler (or more complex) than the other solution.
I agree. I also think any eventual solution to this issue should be simple, so scratch the tagging idea. The text file might work though.

To add to the previous idea, the text file could be titled with the main message and then some sort of time-stamp to avoid conflicts with possible previously existing files.

johnb
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Post by johnb » 2004-03-15 18:15

I thank you all for discussing the technical possibilities to integrate a feature to Identify completed directories or files (depending on what one was downloading).

If is not possible or too much codeing to transfer the file to another directory. Maybe a Finished download list could be implemented, maybe like a log . The files would still be identified.

I do think that this sort of feature is worthy, because I have a large DL list, I visit 4 hubs in rotation so I can vary my share. I do not know which files have been completed without checking the download list against my incoming directory.

John

Twink
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Post by Twink » 2004-03-16 01:13

johnb wrote:I thank you all for discussing the technical possibilities to integrate a feature to Identify completed directories or files (depending on what one was downloading).

If is not possible or too much codeing to transfer the file to another directory. Maybe a Finished download list could be implemented, maybe like a log . The files would still be identified.

I do think that this sort of feature is worthy, because I have a large DL list, I visit 4 hubs in rotation so I can vary my share. I do not know which files have been completed without checking the download list against my incoming directory.

John
there is a finished downloads window and a log, the only problem currently is whether a full directory(album) is finished. Since the dc++ queue is stored in xml I guess a flag could be set for each item in a folder to move the folder on complete, would be messy though I'm just trying to throw some ideas around.

Seisled
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Post by Seisled » 2004-03-16 02:16

I guess a flag could be set for each item in a folder to move the folder on complete
I'm wondering if it might be possible to use a tagging scheme for individual files in order to distinguish when items should be moved. For example, imagine a situation where 24 files are destined for folder B and upon completion B is to be moved inside directory C. If you have direct connect tag each completed file destined to be moved with ".dcf" (or something like that), then when all 24 files are downloaded and direct connect is removing directory B from the queue, it can first of all check to see where it is instructed to move the contents of directory B upon completion, and, once it has confirmed this, it can then move all files tagged with ".dcf" to the new directory B inside folder C. Once it has done this, direct connect could then remove the ".dcf" tags for files in that folder. Then it could check the contents of the original folder B (where the files were originally downloaded) and, if it is empty, it would then delete it. I'm guessing this method could cause problems with files that have extremely long names that might need to be culled in order to make room for the ".dcf" tag, but files with names that long are pretty rare.
Using the above method, it would probably make sense to make a specific "Partially Downloaded Directories" folder where (on default) the directories would reside until completion. This might then discourage people who don't know better from messing around too much (and possibly cause problems) in the 'unfinished' directories, and would also clearly seperate the unfinished directories from the unfinished files which could get kind of cluttering if they were together by default.
In any case, this is just a rough idea I thought up off the top of my head, so if anyone finds anything useful about it then great.

Wisp
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Post by Wisp » 2004-03-16 07:17

http://dcplusplus.sourceforge.net/forum ... php?t=5079

i already suggested this feature.. how come no one is interested when i propose something and when someone else posts the same thing there are dozens reactions :?

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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-16 13:33

Wisp wrote:how come no one is interested when i propose something and when someone else posts the same thing there are dozens reactions :?
Because time has passed, and things are different at this point? Have you suggested anything lately that we've ignored?

Oh sorry, right, everyone must have received my be-mean-to-wisp memo. :lol:

No, honestly, I just don't know how to respond to your question. That was then, this is now, there's no conspiracy to ignore you or anything. If you post a new feature, I don't think you'll see any difference in the types of responses you get.

johnb
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Post by johnb » 2004-03-17 16:59

What would happen if the files to be downloaded were recognised somehow as an objekt.

Objekt 1
Directory clicked
- - - file 1
- - - file 2
- - - file 3
- - - file 4

Objekt2
another Directory clicked
- - - file 1
- - - file 2
- - - file 3
- - - file 4

They could be moved because the properties have been remembered in each objekt.

I am not familiar with the in`s and outs of how to achieve this, but that was somehow my solution to achieving the desired function before requesting it.

If I am talking rubbish you can say so!

John

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Post by GargoyleMT » 2004-03-18 19:50

johnb wrote:What would happen if the files to be downloaded were recognised somehow as an objekt.
Well, that is, essentially, what has to be done to implement your idea. I touched on an idea for implementing it earlier: assign a unique number (kept track of in the XML) to all files started from a "download (whole) directory" action.

When the time coems to code it, I'm sure there'll be a couple ideas about how to do it best. =)

dataholic
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Summary

Post by dataholic » 2004-03-25 13:00

I also support the idea. It would make it much easier to organize data :)

It could work as follows (user's point of view):

1. Whole feature is optional [settings/downloads/directories/uncompleted "data sets" dir (empty = feature disabled) ]

2. In download queue window it would be possible to mark a directory as a "data set" (DS) [preferably via rmb menu, marked folder would then have different icon].

3. Completely downloaded files and subdirs of such DS would be be then stored in a "unfinished sets" directory until whole DS is completed - then the whole DS will be moved to Default download dir.

Notes:
It would be only possible to mark directories, not files.
If a directory with already marked subdir is tagged, than the subdir's tag(s) is(are) deleted - it is only possible to have data sets, not sub-sets.
Subdir of a marked DS cannot be tagged . It would be necessary to un-mark upper-level DS first.
Default download directory cannot be marked as DS!

Dir added to queue via "download whole directory" could be marked automatically as a DS.

This feature wouldn't affect sharing of files stored in "uncompleted sets" dir.

cyberal
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Post by cyberal » 2004-03-25 14:08

Seisled wrote:Well, how about having a "tag completed directories" option? When a directory is deleted from the queue because the last file has finished downloading, the end of the downloaded directory could be tagged with [DL Complete] or something chosen by the user. This would make it obvious that a specific directory is complete without referring to the queue.
This is pure evil!

Any solution involving renaming of finished files/folders is murder to anyone that wants original releases. And btw. how would you get users to remove that tagging before they share it.. we sould soon have "The Movie [DL Complete] [DL Complete] [DL Complete] [DL Complete]" -folders.. nice?

Seisled wrote:so scratch the tagging idea.
yes please
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cyberal
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Post by cyberal » 2004-03-25 14:12

johnb wrote:What would happen if the files to be downloaded were recognised somehow as an objekt.

They could be moved because the properties have been remembered in each objekt.
Can't this be implemented together with the already existing sfv-checking? If one would always prioritize samples, sfv and nfo (like fulDC) and then move the directory when all files in the sfv are present?
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