NewsPro utility for managing downloads

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Wed May 28, 2003 12:39 am

I have written a program to work with the file NewsPro creates when you log downloads to a file (Properties...General...Saving attachments...log).

You will need the .NET framework v1.1 installed for this to work. The installer is less than 2 meg and can be found at:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mikestammer

The URL is case sensitive, so copy/paste it.

Basically once NP logs download activity, the program will parse the file and allow you to group by any of the fields in the file. Then you can select the files you want to move (which are grouped based on your criteria) to any folder you want via a GUI interface. Now you dont have to worry about what came from where or if several files have the same name from the same newsgroup.

I am looking for feedback and other options/features you guys would want to have. Please feel free to email me with your suggestions, bug reports, etc.

Alex, if this isnt the proper place or you would like to review this program first, please remove the link above and let me know how to proceed. Thanks alot!

Mike Stammer

PS The program is not 100% complete in all aspects, but it should be 100% functional for what it was intended to do.

This version will expire some time in July, but I will release an updated version before then.

JohnAmst · Post by **JohnAmst** » Thu May 29, 2003 7:18 am

This looks very nice. I must admit that I was not aware of the log file at all until I read this post. I played around with this (for a short time) and have the following comments up to now:

1. When I move a file from the original place to somewhere else, I can not move it a second time. The program currently does not seem to keep track of where the file was moved. It keeps looking in the original place.

2. After installation, there is only an icon on the desktop. There is no icon in the Start menu. It would be nice to modify the setup routine to allow a choice.

3. It would be great if the program somehow could check if a post is complete. (not a Par check, but if the post has 1/45 ... 45/45 in the name, the program could indicate if all 45 parts are there). (I dont have a complete post at the moment, perhaps this is already in there but I could'nt check)

4. At open file, the program always returns to the C: disk to look for Text files. It would be nice if the programs remembers the last couple of opened files. I have my newspro data 4 levels deep on the D: drive. This would save me a lot of mouse clicks.

5. I would like to be able to resize the window to full screen. This is currently disabled.

This is all for now. I will play around with it some more the next few days and see what else I can find. But it already looks very promising.

Tha*Lunat!k · Post by **Tha*Lunat!k** » Thu May 29, 2003 10:56 am

Am I doing something wrong or is there a limit on the size of the SavedAttachments file?

I use Open on the file but nothing seems to happen.

The file is apparently 17.4MB.

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Thu May 29, 2003 12:59 pm

Tha*Lunat!k wrote:Am I doing something wrong or is there a limit on the size of the SavedAttachments file?

I use Open on the file but nothing seems to happen.

The file is apparently 17.4MB.

I never tested it on a file that big! It should work, but it will take some time to parse that big of a file. I delete mine after I process it, so it never gets anywhere near 2 meg let alone 17! =)

Let it think for a while (and make sure you check 'ignore non-existant files') since I am guessing you have moved most of the files in your DL file. If you can zip your file and email it to me I can do some more testing, but there should be no limit to the size of the file.

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Thu May 29, 2003 1:24 pm

Thanks for the info! Here are my responses:

1. I can look at adding this, but the program was more intended to move things one time from where newspro put it to where you wanted it. Once it is there, you can use Windows Explorer to further manipulate the file.

2. I can add one to the start menu as well, but I dont know if my installer lets me allow a choice. I will look into this one as well for you tonight

3. NewsPro already does this to a degree. When you select posts to download, it will tell you how many posts you have highlighted. This is how I know if i am getting all parts. I can see about adding this (it sounds like fun in fact!)

4. There is an option under Tools to set the path to your 'Saved attachments.txt' file. Use this and now when you choose open it will start in that directory! =) I plan to add an 'Open last file' option as well. it should make the next release.

5. If you resize, do you want all the controls to stretch as well (maintain their proportion to the screen size)? I am pretty sure I can do this. I will play with it tonight to see what kind of effect it has. I dont think it makes sense to go full screen if all the controls on the screen stay the same size! This is why I disallowed full screen mode.

Thank you for all the feedback! I will make some changes tonight and post the new version for you guys to check out. I will also do a very basic help feature to explain what the options do. Off the top of my head, here is an explaination of what is under Tools:

Set file path - Sets the path to the 'Saved attachment.txt' file so you dont have to navigate to it every time. This setting is saved in the registry so it persists between sessions.

Ignore non-existent files - Only loads files that exist where NewsPro thinks they are. In other words, if you have a file with 50 things in it and move 20 of them, the next time you start the program you will only see 30 things listed since you moved 20 of them last time. I recommend ALWAYS using this option.

Clear from list after move/delete - Removes the files from the contents grid once you either move or delete them. I recommend always using this as well since it will let you know when you are done processing files (the grid will be empty)

Delete download file after exit - This will delete the 'saved attachment.txt' file when you exit. USE WITH CAUTION! I have already added a safety catch to the program to ask to delete the file. It will be in the next version. If you clean use the 'Clear from list' option, this option is handy since it will keep your download file clean (once you move stuff, there is no need to keep the saved attachemet file around and let it get bigger and bigger). Do you guys see a value in renaming it vs deleting it for historical purposes? This wouldnt be hard to add.

Some other tips:

- Drag the 'from' column to the group by box to quickly group like posts together. You can do this with any columns in any order which allows for a lot of flexability in managing your downloads.

- Click any column header to sort by that column. Click again to reverse the sort. This works well after grouping to get things in post order (file 1, then 2, etc)

Thanks again and please keep the feedback coming! =)

-

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Thu May 29, 2003 6:08 pm

any new versions will be posted here:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mikestammer

I will also post changes, tips, help stuff at this site, so if you have any tips or ideas, let me know and I will add them ASAP.

The changes that are there now are ones I will do tonight or tomorrow. I will post here when that version is up. Thanks again!

Tha*Lunat!k · Post by **Tha*Lunat!k** » Thu May 29, 2003 8:16 pm

It must just be something on my system causing a problem. I got the file down to 1.62MB, but when I open it the same nothingness happens.

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Thu May 29, 2003 10:31 pm

Tha*Lunat!k wrote:It must just be something on my system causing a problem. I got the file down to 1.62MB, but when I open it the same nothingness happens.

What OS are you running? Do you have the final build of the v1.1 framework installed? Under your installation directory there should be a log directory. Are there any files in there?

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Thu May 29, 2003 10:37 pm

Version v1.1.1244.27982 was just posted. Please check out the change log and install this new build. Thanks

Mike Stammer

Tha*Lunat!k · Post by **Tha*Lunat!k** » Fri May 30, 2003 7:32 am

I'm running WindowsXP. I don't see any log file, but the path is C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/ and two folders are inside it: v1.0.3705 and v1.1.4322

I just installed the framework yesterday from a file I downloaded the day before.

JohnAmst · Post by **JohnAmst** » Fri May 30, 2003 12:52 pm

The new version looks nice. Great work on the resizing.

Tha*Lunat!k, all I did was download the most recent version of the framework from MS and it worked straight away. Perhaps if you uninstall the current framework and then install the new one.

MikeStammer, one small additional remark. Could you make the blue rows a bit less blue? A lighter shade of blue would enhance the readibility (is this really with 3 i's?).

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Fri May 30, 2003 2:02 pm

JohnAmst wrote: MikeStammer, one small additional remark. Could you make the blue rows a bit less blue? A lighter shade of blue would enhance the readibility (is this really with 3 i's?).

I will do that tonight. And I think it is 'readability'! =)

Maybe I can add a color picker for the alternate row color? I have some more ideas I will work in tonight as well. All will be documented in the change log. I was looking at things like adding a list of directories to ignore (say you net up newspro to move programs to a certain dir and thats where you want them. No need to see them in your download list since they are already where they belong) and the ability to remove items from the download list (but not delete them from the disk).

Anything else you guys can think of?

MikeStammer · Post by **MikeStammer** » Fri May 30, 2003 5:31 pm

Added some more stuff. Check out the change log. JohnAmst, make that alternate color whatever you like! =)

Tha*Lunat!k · Post by **Tha*Lunat!k** » Fri May 30, 2003 7:36 pm

It appears the older version of the .NET framework isn't installed on my computer after all, the newer version uninstalled it so the folder is there but it's only got one or two left over files in it.

I notice with the latest version of NPDL Manager there is the option 'Alternate row color'. It is dimmed when I open the program, I assume it doesn't work when there is no file loaded? When I choose to open the SavedAttachments file the program appears to do nothing, as I mentioned before, but now row color option becomes available.

I haven't rebooted since I installed the .NET framework, it never asked me to do so. Could that be the problem?

Tha*Lunat!k · Post by **Tha*Lunat!k** » Fri May 30, 2003 7:37 pm

It appears the older version of the .NET framework isn't installed on my computer after all, the newer version uninstalled it so the folder is there but it's only got one or two left over files in it.

I notice with the latest version of NPDL Manager there is the option 'Alternate row color'. It is dimmed when I open the program, I assume it doesn't work when there is no file loaded? When I choose to open the SavedAttachments file the program appears to do nothing, as I mentioned before, but now row color option becomes available.

I haven't rebooted since I installed the .NET framework, it never asked me to do so. Could that be the problem?

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NewsPro utility for managing downloads

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