Please don't share your incomplete downloads

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Originally posted by manny's_mad
I usually "launch" the file after starting the DL, especially if it's a large file. If it doesn't launch, I'd quit right away. If the title and the content don't match, you can find it out before you spend hours of DL.

Normally this would work for files like MP3s but I've found some files out there (mainly DivX AVI video clips) that have all of the necessary information required to properly play the file stored at the END of the file rather than at the beginning (ie. size, codec version, and whatever other junk is needed). These files will not play unless they're complete.... starting them before they've completed downloading ALWAYS generates an error. So far, I've been lucky for not downloading any duds yet.

[D53]

About sharing incompletes.

I don't know, but perhaps if you allocate a whole drive to sharing, giving the root X:\ as the shared directory,then the incompletes must be on that drive and are not filtered by the software. I have a folder in the root and use that as my root to share. Incompletes are in a separate folder on the drives root.

Dave E.

Oops! Seem to have posted this twice!

[Julie Z]

Regarding my incomplete folder... My previous version of LimeWire used to put the Incomplete folder in the LimeWire folder. It wasn't in a shared folder. Now LimeWire puts it in my Music Files (my shared folder). I've moved it out, but when I relaunch, it is put back in. I've gone to Tools>Options>Sharing and there is no "Incomplete" listed as a separate item. I've tried going to the Library window and clicking on the Incomplete folder and clicking remove. Nothing happens. Unless anyone else has any ideas...

By the way, I'm using Mac OS 9.1.

[ThePowerTool]

A couple of things:

1. I always installed LimeWire without allowing it to search. It defaults to sharing your Incomplete directory. I always have to change this. I'll share complete files, but not my incomplete directory. There's too much low-quality data out there as it is for me to add to the problem.

2. Skill is a critical factor. I've downloaded many files designated "corrupt" or "broken" to discover they simply need a little more effort. Windows users tend to have the most difficulty (and limited skills/access to resources). One of my big frustrations in this area is DMC. Windows Digital Content Management (read encryption with online key) is a real pain. I'd like to know that a file is encrypted before I spend the time downloading (.wma, .wmv). It would be nice if this information were somehow available. Too frequently I download a file to discover it is impossible to obtain permission to access--I'd rate this as 1-in-4 at a guess from experience.

3. Feature request - I realize there may be many hidden pit-falls behind this, but better tracking of files would be very handy so that you could leverage partial files when downloading from multiple hosts (and still end up with a complete download. You would also be able to download a partial, have LimeWire recognize it as a partial, and then when a complete is available, complete the file. I don't know that this is possible at this time with the current technology we have (within reason), but it seems like it would be worth investigating.

How do you change your Incomplete folder?

[Lord of the Rings]

The reason LW defaults to your incomplete folder is that the newer versions are able to utilitise parts of incomplete files to help combine sources for speedy & effective dwnlding. Sure de-selecting it as a shared folder is easy to do however. As for changing the location of an incomplete folder, I'm not sure other than perhaps trying to change the location of the LW Dwnlds folder. The 2 should be located on the same level (to my knowledge.) So try your Saving options & choose Browse & select an new location at a different folder/directory hierarchy level as before. I'm a mac person but my dwnlds folder & its accompanying incomplete folder are both on a different HDD partition to the LW program.
Don't forget to move your files across to it. Though this might cause an issue in itself for presently incomplete files!

This is an old thread I shouldn't have dragged up b/c some of those issues no longer apply!!

[griff3]

I have never downloaded a incomplete file but i did not know it was a problem i will stop sharing my incomplete files.

[Lord of the Rings]

It's not a problem. This thread is very old & it was my mistake for bringing it up to the present. LW can now utilise incomplete files for assisting people accumulate resources. I assure you, there's no need to change anything.