[FR] Auto Cancel&Save for 'stuck' files from loading nzb

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tijgert
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[FR] Auto Cancel&Save for 'stuck' files from loading nzb

Post by tijgert »

Feature request:

When I download movies I mostly use Newzbin to download not the files of a post, but the nzb of that post. This because it's much easier to zift through a hundred nzb's than through ten thousand files. (I just search '1080 nzb' to filter out all the HD flics and get just 1 hit per movie).

However, even though the nzb tells you all files are there... they might not all be complete on your Usenet server.
The par files would normally simply fix the missing pieces, but (for me at least) UE keeps the file 'pending' at a certain percentage until eternity, trying to get that one piece. It will therefor never start parring because it keeps waiting for pieces that are not there.

You can see the files that will be 'stuck in limbo' in the Articles pane.
You then have to cancel them manually in the main window (after you find them, there might be a lot in the queue) and then save them manually after which UE starts checking and parring etc.
This should be much easier.

What I would like to see is:
- An automatic Cancel&Save function in case files take too long to complete.
- An option to manually Cancel&Save from the context menu so that you can do it in the Article window.


p.s. perhaps UE can already handle this scenario, but I just haven't figured out the right setting.
In that case, ignore the rant and please point me to the solution.
alex
Posts: 4514
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

in edit menu->properties->save/unpack do you have "ignore no such article errors" checked?

if you don't - just check it. if you do - pm me example of the subject. if UE can synchronize with the article queue it can handle that (when subject is formed well enough), it will clear the errors itself as well, if not you need to clear the errors, the risk is if you don't and it will start repair automatically if it or you will retry those errors later UE will overwrite repaired files with incomplete ones and the par2 set will become non-complete again, then if par2 files cleared (default) you couldn't repair it again without redownloading par2 files, if you set it not to clear par2 files automatically it would repair again and repeat that indefinitely, you wouldn't like that.

i'm asking for the subject if you have the option checked already since i have an idea how to improve handling badly formed subjects further relative to the latest version, if file name is totally missing or it is mistyped nothing can be done, but there are border cases which can be handled at expense of more CPU (maybe not significant in the end since it is very small anyway), i'm not sure there are enough cases here to justify this.

if the par2 set is not repairable and never was - there is nothing can be done, you see in the status column the set is not repairable, if you set it to retry errors it will just keep trying, most likely you are talking about such a case. if you hide and don't see the state column try to move the mouse cursor over the header control column dividers, when you see the shape changing to <-||-> drag the divider to see the column.
tijgert
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 11:51 am
Location: Amsterdam
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Post by tijgert »

Yes, the ignore box has been checked.

To give a little more detailed example how how and where it happens:

I search in Newzbin with the '1080 nzb' string. I get a list of available nzb's and I choose the ones I want. I load the nzb with nzb's in UE and leech them. Then I load the leeched nzb's and I have a list of files. These do NOT represent the completeness on any server, but are just a list of what the poster says he will post and where. Since these nzb's are automatically generated one can assume they are correct once the files start pouring in.

Then I leech the movie and of say 100 files it completes 98, leaving 2 files with one or two parts missing. If a part is missing from the server it is then UE keeps waiting for the part because it assumes that the nzb tells the truth and the part MUST be available.
There's nothing wrong with the nzb or with the server, just that a few parts are missing and UE, like dumb old dog, keeps waiting for it to come.

UE needs to smarten up and say 'Wait a moment, I've been waiting for these parts now for eons, time to consider them MIA and just save what I have and get on with business'.

Come to think of it, shouldn't the 'ignore no such article error' box be UNchecked then? Now it really does ignore it and keeps trying, while it should actually accept that error as truth and continue.
alex
Posts: 4514
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

but you maybe know newzbin is now totally closed for non-members, it is not clear if it is safe to be an editor or even a user, i think their admin is located in UK, say, what he will choose if served with the court order to reveal the editor identity? i stumbled into this recently:

"Newzbin has today received a letter from the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
In the letter, they claim that some editors may be reporting material from Usenet that is infringing the copyright of their members.

While these claims have not been substantiated, it should be noted that Newzbin does not condone the distribution or indexing of such materials. We will immediately act to remove any items that are found to be infringing copyright.

Please take a moment to refer to our Terms and Conditions, in particular sections 4 and 4.2.

Please note that we may revoke privileges, or ban accounts, of users found to be violating these Terms and Conditions."

so i don't have access to newzbin.

when i look using UE search service:

"1080"&"nzb"

i see 9 different posts 2 nl but maybe you are nl as well, is it avalanche or something different? if something different pm me the subject.

UE works just as you would like it to, as long as the set is repairable it will ignore remaining errors, cancel remaining tasks and will repair the par2 set, i just wanted to see if you mean some badly formed subject.
tijgert
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Location: Amsterdam
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Post by tijgert »

Actually it doesn't matter where you get the nzb's from. As long as pieces are missing from the server but not in the nzb list UE will keep trying to download even the missing parts. It never seems to cancel them and repair with what it has because it never accepts the parts as really not there.

UE always keeps expecting the missing parts to turn up, UNLESS in the nzb the parts were also missing. If UE knows the files are incomplete, it will save what it has and continue with the rest, but if the nzb says they must be there, UE will always keep trying.

If you like, I can send you my config file so you can see if any setting is screwy.
alex
Posts: 4514
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

a, ok, i know.

you tell the articles are stuck in the articles pane, not in the error pane.

it means you have a disabled server with newsgroups attached to it.

in the servers workspace pane, expand the server and detach all newsgroups from it (select all newsgroups and invoke "detach".

it gives warning about that when you disable a server. i'll add the warning on every program start.
tijgert
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 11:51 am
Location: Amsterdam
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Post by tijgert »

You sir, are correct. I do have disabled servers but figured that UE would completely ignore them then. I guess not. I will do as you say and if the problem returns, so will I.

(actually, I'll give you a thank you if it is gone too... good job!)

p.s.
You are correct again, UE does warn me about it when I disable servers. I'm sure this fixes it completely. Nights of frustration have ended :-)
alex
Posts: 4514
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

next version i'll treat disabled servers like servers which cannot download bodies, the only thing if then to disable all servers the article download queue will disappear; if to set number of tasks to 0 instead of disabling the servers the queue will persist as it works now.

i tried to add warning on program start, but the feeling is it is not so elegant.
tijgert
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 11:51 am
Location: Amsterdam
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Post by tijgert »

Warnings are never a bad idea if someone needs to be warned, but us slightly more advanced computer users often (think we) know what we're doing and just glance at a warning, not really thinking it is meant for them or has anything interesting in it.

Besides, not only didn't I think the subject of the warning wouldn't affect me, but after disabling the servers the problem didn't arise immediately and that gave me time to forget about the warning.
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