Usenet Explorer

I just updated to version 1.2.1 and have a few gripes and grumbles with the updated software.

There are still problems with UE opening small text files - Examples of size would be: 2.4kb, 3.6kb 1.2kb and so on.... Have to play with the file to get UE to open it. (files usually contain a small message) so they are not empty files.

Connections sometimes hang... but eventually open. Note, that I'm using Giganews and Newshosting as servers. The connections do not hang when using other software...!

Please, go back to using Version 4 of the Save Attachments Box. The current one is terrible to deal with. It seems to use the My document folder as a default. I can't seem to find any way of changing to a different folder permanently.

UE is super slow when saving large files. Example: Downloading a DVD. 120 segments - each segment is 50mb with 200 parts. UE downloads the files A.O.K., but... saving the parts to the HD takes a LONG time. I believe that Version 4 of the software was faster..!

That dialog box still pops up: Do You Want to Delete.... Please make it an option to close this box permanently... It is not needed....! Why would anyone want to delete headers after d/l them...! What happens if you need to re-download a few files..??

I do not mean be so negative, as I do like some of the improvements that you made in V 1.2.1

Doc_B

i don't understand what you mean by v4. if you mean newspro like save dialog properties->general->custom browse for folder dialog, if you mean no folder prompt properties->articles->save attachments->folder name prompt or something like that.

v1.2 had a problem with compiler (it is most probably compiler bug) casting comparison to a different type (as i explained in the other thread started by michaelm), i didn't see similar crashes with v1.21 if it will be the case the problem is resolved.

as to small files ensure they are downloaded in the first place since otherwise the window will appear empty until they are. when you mark for download the empty square icon changes gets the V check mark, it means the article is queued, then the icon changes into notepad like icon, it means the body is available and it appears in the article view as well.

if you have any problems with connections, ue very fast in handling connections for both header and article types of tasks but programs like firewalls or anitvirus may mess with the process (e.g. i see crashes from inside mcfee dll sometimes).

as to save attachments all new options are reversible see properties->articles, save attachments area, press the question sign button to the right, it also regarding the rest of your post (uncheck "ask for delete" etc.)

if you mean something different try to explain in more detail (but i'll answer next year ).

forgot to add, slow saving most probably means hard disk fragmentation, ue can save as fast as your disk can write.

apart from defragmenting consider keeping database on one hard drive and saving to another hard drive, then there will be less head movements and all will be even faster.

i don't know whether while saving ue database gets pushed out of RAM, for server i have a method to deal with it, i can add to the client too (but noone mentioned that so i guess it is not a problem with the client, just server occupies all the RAM).

in v1.2 / 1.21 if you uncheck 'suggest new folder' it indeed will start in "my documents", maybe it is the problem you were referring to (just most users i guess would keep the option checked which is default), it will be fixed in the next version.

Hello Forum Members and Alex, Thanks for your replies. I'll try your suggestions and post another message.

Doc_B

tug_hill2 wrote:I just updated to version 1.2.1 and have a few gripes and grumbles with the updated software.

There are still problems with UE opening small text files - Examples of size would be: 2.4kb, 3.6kb 1.2kb and so on.... Have to play with the file to get UE to open it. (files usually contain a small message) so they are not empty files.

Doc_B

I see this problem all the time and I also use Giganews. That is, I can download binaries from Giganews fast enough to saturate my DSL connection (5.4 Mb/sec), but if I double-click one text message, it will often take 30-45 seconds to open even if there is no other downloading going on. In the "Articles" tab, the message just sits there and indicates "connecting." It always opens eventually.

I don't remember this being a problem in very early versions of UE; it popped up somewhere around v 1.1(?).

connectiong means it actually contacts the server (otherwise the status would be "pending").

if you have several servers ensure it doesn't contact a number of servers in turn, check in the article "running tasks" pane (the green computer icon pane to the right of the "articles" pane) that the program contacts the intended server.

first try to pause all tasks (ctrl+a then "pause") wait until current running tasks are finished and then doubleclick the article. if then the program downloads it fast the reason is maybe because the bandwidth is saturated so estabilishing new connection to the server is slow.

then also try to set properties->articles->extra slots to zero (if it makes sense for your settings) and try to open the article while other tasks are running and all running slots are taken, then it will reuse existing connection, the delay will be finishing some current running task, so if the problem is in connect you'll see it then (but again it has nothing to do with usenet explorer, it is winsock layer, if you suspect it is something on your computer try everything on a fresh windows install without third party network related software).

and in the end it may be server as well if it responds slowly (i remember they increased retention about the same time as v1.1 it could affect their server) you won't notice it while downloading many articles in the same time since the delay is absorbed with other tasks, but you'll notice it when you need something specific fast (then you will also see prolonged "connecting" for every task in the running task pane).