Library items in Red?
 

I'm using a Mac G4 & OS 10.3.4, & Limewire 4.0.4

When I started using this version a month ago, one or 2 items in the Library items from my InComplete folder were listed in red colour. Now I have quite a few such items in red. What does this mean? Is it a serious problem & how can it be overcome if it is a problem?

(I started using this Limewire version after a 2+ year battle to get my internal modem working. Before a month ago I was using Limewire 2.x with its problems on a G3 in OS 8.5. Such dramatic improvements in this version.)

I am trying to start a solutiion discussion here:
http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=26392

The short answer to your quesion is that if the files in your incomplete library are red, they are going to start over at zero percent when and if they resume. That has been my experience uisng the pro version on 9.2.2.

In options, there's a place where you can specify how long to keep them but I have had that change from 365 days to 7 by a ghost at least twice.

People, these files are not incompletes, although I forget what they are (again, if someone is willing to tell the masses one more time...). Consequently, if you click resume on them then the dld will start at O%.

I am kind of new to this, and don't mean to be argumentative but if they are not incompletes, what the hell are they? I am absolutely positive that the red files in my incomplete library were partially downloaded files. In fact, as I look at the ones I have left in there, I can see exactly how much each one has downloaded, but when I resume the download, they begin at zero.

If these are not an incomplete files, then tell us what they are and how this happens if it's not as I have mentioned: "Days to keep incomplete files" expires as a result of that number arbitrarily changing to less than what I had set it for. Specificallly, mine is set for 365 days but it has changed to default (7) without my having physically changed it. It' s that pesky LimeWire ghost that's wreaking havoc on my files.

The questions I think to be addressed are these.

1) Is there a way to make those files resume where they left off downloading after they changed to red?

2) What is the relationship between downloads.dat and/or downloads.bak and the incomplete files?

3) Would it make sense to back up the entire incomplete folder and could it replace the newly changed one containing red files when this happens?

Surely there is a solution and an explanation of what downloads.dat and downloads.bak are?

From what little I myself know, downloads.bak and downloads.dat are not to be tampered with: they contain the information of whatever happens in your incompletes folder: how much of a file is dlded and stuff. If you want to upgrade to, say, a newer OS with a clean install (I mean, format then install), then back up the incompletes folder (and whatever else you want backed up of course). When you reinstall LW, a new Incompletes folder is created with a new set of download.bak and download.dat files. Delete these and replace them with the ones you backed up (and, of course, add all the incomplete files you backed up in the new incompletes folder): LW should now know what files were dlding last time you used it (with the previous OS) and what other files were in your Icompletes folder.
Updating only LW keeps the old preferences, including the old Incompletes folder and shared folder so you don't have to do any of that if you only change the version of LW you are using.

As I said before, I am quite positive that the red files are not Incompletes (if you go to your incompletes folder in the finder, I'm pretty sure that you won't find them there) because one of the more experienced people in these forums told me so (I believed him), but unfortunately, I forgot what they were exactly and have no idea how to look for that particular post.

I looked for my post and I was -partially- right. It was one of the more experienced people (so to speak) that replied to my, virtually identical thread: stief and then sberlin (one of the software developers).

stief tried to give me an explanation thru his own knowledge (thanks man) , but then a software developer came to clear thing up.
Here's what he wrote:
"Red rows in the library mean that the file is not shared. For incomplete files, sharing means that the file is eligable for partial file sharing (PFS). A file being shared via PFS will not be found by normal querying methods, but is instead shared only through the "download mesh". When you download a file, you insert yourself into the download mesh. As other clients download a file, they try sources that are advertised in the mesh.

The download.dat (download.bak being an automated backup of download.dat, used when LimeWire senses that .dat is corrupt), as stief mentioned, is an index into your incomplete files. It keeps track of exactly what byte-ranges have been downloaded for any given incomplete file. If an incomplete file is not listed in download.dat, then it will not be shared through PFS (and will be listed in red in the library)."

Neat huh?
You understand of course the 'so to speak' at the beginning: a software developer is, well, indeed a whole lot more experienced than most regarding one of the apps he helps create and improve.

OK, this is starting to make sense to me.

downloads.dat CAN be backed up and probably could be used as a replacement to restore partially downloaded files that turn red as I am 100% positive has happened to me.

Still, I don't see any way to restore those partially downloaded files to the state they were in previously without a backup.

Would probably be helpful to others if this post were combined with "What A Bummer."

http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=26392

I really appreciate your response murasame & I'm sure the others in these related threads & many other people are also appreciative & interested to know the answers. Pity you can't remember or find that particular thread. How far back was it? It will probably shed a great amount of light on this topic!

Likewise I agree with jordan2, your comment:

'As I said before, I am quite positive that the red files are not Incompletes (if you go to your incompletes folder in the finder, I'm pretty sure that you won't find them there) because one of the more experienced people in these forums told me so (I believed him), but unfortunately, I forgot what they were exactly and have no idea how to look for that particular post.'

Unfortunately both jordan2 & I have found the items in Red are in our Incomplete folders & their file sizes agree with what LW's Library window says. You are either suggesting that LW's Library (or download.dat file) has a bug toward keeping track of partial download files or as I suggested earlier, in the related thread 'What a bummer', that these items in red have lost their links with their counterparts in the download window. Which I suppose is arguably a bug or just inefficiency. It does say in the manual/FAQ something semi-related to this about attempting to keep files grouped. Unfortunately, it seems I'm unable to open the LW manual PDF on my mac. (I have a suspicion it's been configured for opening on a pc.)

I think it would be of great value to all of us if you could possibly locate that article/thread you mentioned. Because your response doesn't seem to totally ring true. As far as the prefs becoming corrupted, I wouldn't be surprised. LW's engineer's still haven't quite cleaned up that issue. jordan2 would be more than happy to tell you.

Sorry murasame, after reviewing your post I realised you had found your earlier thread. Can you possibly leave a link for it either in this thread or in jordan2's thread 'What a bummer' ?!?

I'm presently processing video so my processor is rather busy & I can't really view the manual again (I viewed it online yesterday or the day before.)

I read another thread, I think it was in the os x section that somebody lost their entire systems & apps' prefs thru using Safari. jordan2 I don't suppose you use Safari if you're using OS9? That app can conflict with other apps, particularly internet apps. Still, although you have problems with your entire LW prefs returning to default, it was only a couple of my LW prefs that returned to default yesterday/12 hrs earlier. Which version of LW do you use again?

Any file can be placed in the 'Incomplete' folder on your computer. It is just a folder, after all. When you choose to view the 'Incomplete' folder in LimeWire, it will display every file it finds in that folder. If LimeWire does not have information about a particular file (the hash of the completed file and/or the range of bytes that have been downloaded for that file) then it will not consider it an 'incomplete' file and will display it in red.

The downloads.dat (downloads.bak just being an automated backup of downloads.dat, should it become corrupt in any way) file is essentialy a map that keeps track of filenames, and for each filename it points to the completed hash & range of downloaded bytes for that file.

downloads.dat is the only way LimeWire can keep track of what files it is currently downloading, and how far along those downloads have progressed. If it is missing information or is malformed, then LimeWire won't be able to re-start old downloads. This will lead to LimeWire saying, "Sorry, but LimeWire was unable to restart your old downloads." when LimeWire starts.

Sauron, I'm pretty sure the one you're talking about (lost all preferences and stuff) is me... I deleted the post though since it had nothing to do with LW (these are LW posts after all) since it was not active when my Mac started acting up.

If you're looking for a link of the post (sberlin himself has replied to this here thread anyway) I was talking about, visit the "What a bummer" post: stief posted the right link.

I'm not sure which thread to respond to now. But before I nod off, & time really does seem to slow down when you're converting to mpeg2 & you have a 733mhz & a modem connection, the response in itself brings some questions I wouldn't mind being explored. For now I'll keep it brief until I can 'get a few winks' & review this with a fresh mind. However I must say I am elated to receive such a response from developers & the experienced in one/2 related threads. I greatly appreciate your times (outside of your work & families) & awareness to these issues.

Q.1 How can we personally utilize the file downloads.bak to help us?

Q.2 It sounds from your description that my assumption about links was correct. Otherwise how else can a file become a PFS. A simple deviation from what is hoped for is not a major issue to admit to so long as you are still looking into solutions for it.

Q.3 How can we finish/complete the downloads of PFS files. As suggested, force resume doesn't work. Although I'm still exploring this option.

Q.4 The issue of prefs becoming corrupted in some way, be it due to a conflict with another app or whatever, is there anythig we should do to help safeguard ourselves from this.

Any answers greatly appreciated & we would recommend others users to make an important note of our discussions directly/indirectly.

>Q.1 How can we personally utilize the file downloads.bak to help us?

LimeWire will automatically utilize it. There's no need to do anything yourself. (And, in fact if you try to do things yourself it likely will confuse LimeWire.)

>Q.2 It sounds from your description that my assumption about links was correct. Otherwise how else can a file become a PFS. A simple deviation from what is hoped for is not a major issue to admit to so long as you are still looking into solutions for it.

Hmm. After thinking about it a bit, I haven't stated the truth in its entirety. A red incomplete file means the file isn't eligable for PFS, but it doesn't necessarily mean LimeWire doesn't recognize the file as incomplete. There are rare cases where LimeWire can detect that a download has become corrupted, and in those cases it will unshare the partial file (making it turn red in the library), but the file will still be correctly listed in the downloads.dat, and LimeWire will remember what it has downloaded for the file.

I'm not positive what you're referring to when you say "still looking into solutions for it".

>Q.3 How can we finish/complete the downloads of PFS files. As suggested, force resume doesn't work. Although I'm still exploring this option.

PFS is an optimization to sharing & utilizes incomplete files. The files aren't really "PFS" files -- they're incomplete files, used by PFS. That aside, the only way to resume them is to click 'resume' on the file from the library. I have some ideas to add a progress column to the incomplete table so that you can easily see how far incomplete files have progressed (or how much of the progress LimeWire recognizes).

>Q.4 The issue of prefs becoming corrupted in some way, be it due to a conflict with another app or whatever, is there anythig we should do to help safeguard ourselves from this.

If the properties are corrupted, LimeWire should display a message letting you know that it detected corrupt properties and is reverting to the default ones. We'll likely add a warning box to clicking 'revert to default' so that people don't do it accidentally. I'm not sure what else could cause properties to revert, other than the operating system itself preventing you from writing the properties file (or reverting it every so often).

Thank you for giving such quick responses. I'm not sure if I should be responding now or later b'cause I'm hardly awake at present as suggested earlier. Not to mention ages for each page to open or for replies, etc. But I am keen to get your direct responses whilst I can.

How efficient is download.bak? Do you think the problem I or problems jordan2 have had recently could have been avoided? (Dare I ask, have you also read the thread 'What a bummer' which is very much about this issue about LW prefs?)

'A red incomplete file means the file isn't eligable for PFS, but it doesn't necessarily mean LimeWire doesn't recognize the file as incomplete. There are rare cases where LimeWire can detect that a download has become corrupted, and in those cases it will unshare the partial file (making it turn red in the library), but the file will still be correctly listed in the downloads.dat, and LimeWire will remember what it has downloaded for the file.'

Do you consider the file might not necesarily be corrupt (depends upon your definition of corrupt) for it to be listed in Red. I've still been able to download items in red either by using force resume or doing a source for resources & relisting/reselecting the item in the downloads window. Why is it that these items in red start to re-download from scratch & not from where they left off?
"Still looking into solutions for it" refers to a refinement toward maintaining the link b/w download items & their counterparts in the Incomplete folder. Surely there might be a solution to prevent items becoming red in the first place. I realise it's a complex issue when you're downloading from different sources & sometimes LW doesn't recognise one of the sources as being the same (despite it having the same file properties.) Perhaps it has something to do with the grouping concept. After all, even a simple search can end up with files listed that should have been included in a group of other files but isn't.

When you're refering to the OS affecting preferences, I'm guessing that might mean something to do with permissions (& certainly not everybody has permissions set the same way.) I haven't had an issue with permissions for a considerable time (as far as I know). The effects on the prefs for me was only partial but for jordan2 it was a total whitewash of his settings.

I'm not totally clear about the PFS's, (from your post on 11/4/04:)
"Red rows in the library mean that the file is not shared. For incomplete files, sharing means that the file is eligable for partial file sharing (PFS). A file being shared via PFS will not be found by normal querying methods, but is instead shared only through the "download mesh". When you download a file, you insert yourself into the download mesh. As other clients download a file, they try sources that are advertised in the mesh."

Can you possibly explain a little more about the "download mesh", & how we can maximize our efforts to fully access these files & not have their download percentage ignored at a later time? If I have misunderstood something please tell me.

Woh! You're using a modem connection?
...
You got guts man.

I am totally lost. I understand that it is incomplete files but for some reason when I opened specific folders for sharing most of the files I already had on my hard drive showed as red files. I know that they are not incomplete because I have opened them several times. So I guess my question would be.. Why would my files which were on my hard drive previous to me running LW be showing as incomplete?:confused:

When you add new folders to your shared list of folders, it can take LW a while to account for them. Firstly, when you add them, make sure you press Apply & not just ok. Next go to your LW Library window & press 'Refresh'. Click on the new folder's name. It will list the files (initially in red but after a few mins they'll turn to black.) Also the no. of files LW says it's sharing will gradually increase as it is accounting for them (particularly the new ones.) So your shared files in red is only a temporary display (don't forget to press Refresh.) This also applies to files added via a shared dwnld folder (may need to refresh the display.)

I'm going to stop reading because I'm only getting more confused! I reinstalled my OS and also LimeWire, and now each time I start LimeWire all of my files are in red, including complete files, just as if I hit refresh or rehash or whatever it is. Do I need to change something in preferences? What's a gal to do? I have like 1800 files and this is getting a little annoying....

:o)

Are u sure it's permanent? It can take LW several mins to account for all the files in the shared folders after LW opens. It's best to wait until the no. of files LW says it's sharing (bottom-left, front window) has been fully counted.

But then, if you trashed LW's dwnld prefs, your partially dwnlded files could be in a spot of bother. For shared folders, you might need to reAdd them. I don't suppose you made a backup of downloads.dat (found in the incomplete folder) before you reinstalled LW? When u reinstalled the os did u also reformat the HDD & change anything?

Lords Of the Rings, Thanks!
 

Like I posted three seconds ago, I have no idea why I never replied but here I am, and although this problem seemed to work itself out somehow your informartion will be good for furture reference. :o)

Yeah this might be a stoopid thing to ask but Why is my entire LIBRARY in RED

Yeah, as of a couple days ago, my whole library went red, and the shared files went to 0. Now any song I get, it doesn't show I have shared, and goes directly to red. Why did this happen, and how can I fix this problem?!

This thread is mostly refering to incomplete files in red. Shared files in red are files that aren't being shared. As soon as you open LW, it will take some time for LW to account for all the files & they all will start off red, but one by one they'll turn black as LW accounts for them. You can also see the bottom left corner a number like 56/850 for example, which means you're sharing a total of 850 files but at that very moment only 56 have been accounted for. After some time they should all turn black. BTW any files you see in the Saved Files folder will be red. AFAIK that's because that is not a sharing folder. It is a saving folder reference. Look in your shared folder & any other folders you've added to share & you'll find they're black. Also check the difference in the files between the Saved Files & Shared. This will show what I mean. The Saved Files folder doesn't exist outside of LW but is purely to show recently downlded files.

I don't know what happened to the share folder, but I went in and added what was the setting for saved into shared also. Thanks for the help!

I'd like to jump in here because this is a 'recent' thread and the subject touches on my question ... which is: How does one make the Search Page keep a permanent format? E.g., Quality, #, Type, Name, etc. in the order 1) you want it and 2) keep it in that order for new searches.

I know how to use the right-click dropdown to select Options but they change for each new search. This is driving me nuts as I accidently 'reverted to default' and this is when it started, even tho I've un-reverted.

Is there a ghost in this area or is it the operator?

Thanks for the tip on setting 'keep incomplete files' longer as I've had partial downloads start back at 0% but never had that problem until I cancelled them from the Download section putting them in the Partial Downloads. Keeping them in the bottom protected them from losing previous progress, altho I only had 1 or 2'ish that I kept there.

iMac, G4 running 10.2.8 and LW 4.9.23 Pro