utility that backs up lw's downloads.dat/bak files automatically for mac os x here
 

here it is: a utility that runs on os x 10.2.8 and probably higher (and maybe lower) but i don't know. it makes backups of your downloads.dat and downloads.bak files periodically and can restart limewire if it crashes. a folder is put in the same folder as your incompletes folder is in and in that folder the backups are made. every now and then it makes a permanant backup (as opposed to repeatedly overwriting the current two backups).

instructions:

unzip the app.
put it in your applications folder (or probably ok elsewhere)
open and leave running at the same time as you're using lw.
on first run choose Set Up... from the application menu and fill in the full path name to where your incompletes folder is (instructions in the window) and then close the Set Up window.

one slight issue is i think, that it makes dated&timed permenant backups a little bit too often so you're likely to end up with quite a few backus in the folder the utility makes -- not a serious problem though: better too many back ups than too few.

be interetsed to know if it works ok on panther or tiger. be interested in any thoughts or problems also.

cheers.

There's something wrong when I downld it. I get a attachment.php file!???

i think i've uploaded it correctly -- the correct size is reported next to the attachment and i saw no errors or problems when doing so -- everything seemed to go as expected. do you think it's the way i've uploaded it or is a site issue?

maybe someone who knows about the site could help out? how can you download a zip is the question?

maybe someone else could post a small zip just to see if that works?

i don't know -- i suspect it's a site issue. how else can i post it?

i can get it to kind of download -- but my browser treats it as a web page not as a file that should be saved: i see a 'completed x of 54.5 KB' in the bottom left of the browser window counting upwards and when it's finished i end up with a blank page and no file. pretty crap really.

ffs. have i uploaded it incorrectly or is there a proplem with the forum/site? do tell.

it's a bit galling to have spent quite a bit of extra time on the utility based on a request for it and get the above situation / lack of response.

Control-clicking the file also just links to a .php so I guess the forum isn't handling .zip files (even though it shows they are allowed).

Actually, I'm surprised .zip files are allowed. Even google mail won't allow .zip's

Try using LimeWire's forum for programmers: maybe you can ask about the file there more easily http://www.limewire.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=67

? i don't want to know about the zip format, easily or otherwise! :) thanks anyway.

the galling aspect stief, that i was referring to, is after i received a request from Lord of the Rings i spent a considerable amount of further time on the utility to make it useable by not just me, then posted it on here and now there's a problem with the site's dealings with zip files LotR has done nothing on his side so far as i can tell to find out why it isn't working. if this site doesn't want to allow zips it shouldn't advertise that zips are one of the formats that are attachable, and if this site does want to make zips available: it isn't working. -- but my thoughts are that it would be fantastic if LotR made some effort to get to the bottom of the zips as attachment in gnutellaforums problem rather than me.

LOTR volunteers a tremendous amount, and as you know, the forum just upgraded to a newer version. If he hasn't replied, he's not around. He normally replies VERY quickly. He certainly will try to find out why there is a problem with .zip attachments.

As for your app, I recommended that you discuss it on the programmer's page if you wanted to make it useful for the 10.2.8 community. I wasn't talking about the zip format.

Anyway, hope that clears up some of the misunderstandings. Good luck with your program.

I'm sorry for the problems; I'll need to investigate. I was trying to have a day off from the forums. :D

oh ok :)

Thanks for the program johnyboy. I found out it was my set up which was causing the downld problem. I was using Speed Download. It was misreading the MIME of the filetype or something like that. But using browser by itself worked fine. Also Stief was able to downld it without problem. Thanks again. I think there'll be a no. of people who will find it useful. :)
Windows users often have this problem with corrupt downld preferences for various reasons such as system crashed. But they'll have to find their own. :D

I'll give you some feedback as soon as I've tried it out. I'm running Tiger.