BitTorrent Plugin v0.06 BETA

[Ken]

This is the release of the BitTorrent Plugin v0.06. Unlike the previous versions v0.01-v0.03 (which were alpha versions) this is a beta version. Which means its not a testers-only version anymore.

Added features:

This is the latest version of a Phase-2 BT Plugin.

There have been some important changes to v0.04/v0.05:

* Option to keep torrents seeding until stopped manually (default turned on)

* Transfer missing ed2k gaps one more time when synced torrent is completed

There have been many changes to v0.03 (already implemented in v0.04/v0.05):

* Taking .torrent-links

* BT-uploadspeed controlled by and visible in eD

* New BT temp-dir structure.

* Converting 0.01-0.03 temps to new temp structure.

* Auto-detect eDonkey temp and incoming dirs.

* Moving completed BT-only files to eD incoming dir.

* Auto-restarting and auto-removal of (synced) torrents.

* "Remove torrent" feature.

* Choice between different matching BT-files.

And these were the main changes to v0.02 (already implemented in v0.03):

* Simultanious downloading with BT and eDonkey into the same file.

* Synchronization of BT and eDonkey downloads.

* New and much more practical GUI (easy multi-torrent handling).

* Simple search-assistant.

* Total-torrent-size can now be larger than 2GB.

There are many other small impovements made. I will not go in to them here (many of them are of a technical nature).

Installation:

You will need eDonkey2000 v1.0 (get it here) and this zip-file:

BitTorrent_Plugin_v0.06a.zip

To install it you will have to do the following:

* Unzip the zip file

* Copy all the files into the Plugins directory of eDonkey (usually C:\Program Files\eDonkey2000\Plugins)

* Open TCP ports 6881 through 6889 in your router/firewall

* Restart eDonkey2000 (v1.0)

* If asked accept the plugin to take .torrent links

How does it work:

There are 3 methods to use this BT plugin: (1 = very simple) Download files with BT only. (2 = fairly easy) Start downloading a BT-file and find a corresponding eDonkey file. You can then simultaniously download from both networks. (3 = hard) Start a download in eDonkey and try to find a corresponding BT-file. You can then also simultaniously download from both networks.

--- Note: method (2) and (3) only work with single-file torrents. These are torrents with only one file in them. This can be seen in the BT overview window in the 'Files'-column (which should be 1 if you want to synchronize). ---

1) Download files with BT only.

To downoad a file with BT only you will have to do the following:

* Click on a .torrent link in your browser. eDonkey will be started (if not started already) and the torrent will be added. You will get a console message (at the bottom of your screen) which says the torrent is started.

Instead you can also do the following:

* First get a .torrent file from somewhere and put it in a (preferably non-shared) directory

* Right-click somewhere in your Transfer-screen (doesn't matter where). Then click on Plugins->"Start a Torrent". Choose your .torrent file. You will get a pop-up telling you that the torrent has been started and asking you whether you want to see it in the overview window.

If you have done the above (one or several times) you may want to see an overview of all activated Torrents. You do this by right-clicking somewhere in your Transfer-screen (doesn't matter where) and then click on Plugins->"Overview of all active Torrents". An overview-window opens. From there you can pause, resume and stop (which doesn't remove any files) and remove selected torrents. You can also start new Torrents from there, see more details or configure the BT Plugin. (the reannounce-button in the detail-window is for manual reannouncing which is usually not required). Closing any of the windows doesn't stop Torrents from downloading: they will still go on.

--- Note: on default when a torrent is completed (by downloading it with BT only) it will start seeding . Seeding simply means that it will upload the completed file(s) to other BT clients. In order for the downloaded file(s) to be moved to your incoming directory you will have to stop the seeding by clicking on the “Stop Torrent”-button in the overview window. ---

2) Start downloading a BT-file and find a corresponding eDonkey file.

First you have to start a BT download as described above under: "1) Download files with BT only."

Now you have to find a eDonkey file that corresponds to the file in the activated Torrent. Here the Simple Search Assistent comes in very handy. You will have to do this (after you started the Torrent as described above):

* Remember the name of the Torrent you just started (that is: the most identifying words in the name)

* Go to the search tab and search for the file using the most identifying words in the name you remembered. Sort the search-list on the column: "Size".

* If a match is found within the search-result the Simple Search Assistant will automatically spot it and will send one or several console message(s) of the information you need (in the bottum of your screen). Look closely at the filesize.

* Look for the file with the filesize given by the Search Assistant.

* Double-click on the file with the same filesize (you can check this more precisely by right-clicking the file but the plugin checks it too). By that you have started a eDonkey download.

* The plugin detects that you have started a file and checks it filesize with the files in the active Torrents. If it finds a match (in filesize) it will show you this and wil ask you whether you want to synchronize both the eDonkey and the BT download. Click "Yes" if the filenames are similar.

* The active Torrent and the eDonkey download are now "linked" to each other. All the previous and future data downloaded with BT will be transferred to the eDonkey download. (note: when BT has already downloaded a lot of the file the moment you synch them you will get a sharp burst of 'download'-speed)

3) Start a download in eDonkey and try to find a corresponding BT-file.

If you have started a eDonkey download you can try to find a .torrent file which contains the same file you are downloading with eDonkey. You will have to do this:

* Start a eDonkey file as usual. Or simply use a eDonkey file you already started before.

* Click on a .torrent-link or get (and start ) a .torrent file from somewhere which contains the same file you are downloading with eDonkey (finding such a .torrent file may prove to be very difficult...)

* Right-click on the eDonkey-file you want to synchronize with the Torrent. Then click on Plugins->"Synchronize with an active torrent".

* If the .torrent indeed contains a similar file to your eDonkey file (in filesize) you will get a pop-up asking you wether you want to synchronize both the Torrent and the eDonkey download. Click "Yes" if the filenames are similar.

* The active Torrent and the eDonkey download are now "linked" to each other. All the previous and future data downloaded with BT will be transferred to the eDonkey download. (note: when BT has already downloaded a lot of the file the moment you synch them you will get a sharp burst of 'download'-speed)

Configuration:

You can configure the plugin by opening the BT-overview window and clicking "Configure" or by going to Options->Plugins then choosing the plugin and click on "Configure".

The Network settings speek for themselves hopefully. Important is the "Uploadspeed regulated by eDonkey" option. If turned on the max uploadspeed of the BT plugin will be regulated by eDonkey. The grayed out number is not relevant (its simply the previous manual setting).

The Files settings are there when you manually want to change the incoming/temp directories of the BT plugin. Normally these should be determined by eDonkey. A change in the temp-directory requires a restart of eDonkey.

--- Note: the "Uploadspeed regulated by eDonkey" option only works if the plugin is succesful in creating an uploadslot. At this moment it can only create an uploadslot when there is (or has been) at least one download in your transferscreen. But this is usually the case. ---

Test results wanted:

You can of course help me by testing this plugin. If you find a bug or anything strange then please report it. But PLEASE be very precise in what you did prior to a bug. Otherwise its useless to me. Also don't forget to mention if something actually works (not only the things that don't work ) It nice to hear if a feature is successful.

Things to do and to solve:

There are several features that are still to be implemented. And some problems I will have to solve. These:

* Synching for multi-file torrents (now you can only download multi-file torrents separate from eDonkey).

* Temporary freezing of the GUI when synching BT with eD and when starting a new Torrent.

* Inividual files are now limited to 2GB. Make this 4GB. (btw: total-torrent-size can be over 2GB now so its not a big problem)

* Improved/smarter synchronization.

Hope you enjoy it. Feel free to discuss this plugin or to ask questions here.

Regards,

The Orphan

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