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#1 2004-05-16 09:27:00
- DevilsRejection
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Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
I will skip the formalities I know am I am new to the forums. I would just like to list this, an open letter, which I have sent to the developer of QuickPar.
Peter B Clements:
First off let me congradulate you on the fine program that is QuickPar. I use it on a daily basis for reparing all the archives which I fetch off of usenet.
Now let's get to the point:
Your program is great, but it can be so much more. I have been talking to the developer of ExtratNow <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.extractnow.com">http://www.extractnow.com</a><!-- w --> You can reach him at <!-- e --><a href="mailto:nmoinvaziri@yahoo.com">nmoinvaziri@yahoo.com</a><!-- e --> His program is appealing to me because it does one thing no other extraction program does. It automatically deletes the archives after a successful extraction!
Your program should do the same. After a repair is complete, what is the point to keep the original Par files? You certainly wouldn't have to turn on this feature by default, but you could make it an option in a check box. Now while searching on sourceforge, for a program to solve my delema I found this: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/newsprocessor/">http://sourceforge.net/projects/newsprocessor/</a><!-- m -->
Here is a quote : "News Spool Processor is a perl based script that is used to process files in a directory that has rar and par files in it. It first verifies the rar files, repairs what needs to be repaired, unrars the files, and then deletes the no longer needed files."
This program, well script, is the essence of what should be your target. I am not a very good developer. I took some c++ classes in High School and I'm taking Java, Visual Basic, and Assemly in college. As I mentioned before, I am not a fantastic developer, but my goal is to bring you two developers together to create something that would rock the usenet scene off its feet.
WinRAR is the defacto unraring tool for usenet junkies, and quickpar is the standard for reparing files. Why not combine them into a great product, that deletes unnessary files once you are complete with them.
Here is a proposal of the interface:
1) Maintain the current QuickPar interface, it doesnt need to be overhauled.
2)Integrate unraring into the shell so that a user may unrar by a click.
3) Create a folder, with the same name as the rar and extract it into that folder to keep everything nice and neat (again this feature can be turned on or off by a checkbox)
4) And the feature that is a personal request of mine. A user can double click on either a par file or a rar file and QuickPar will turn on, find all the rar's and pars in the directory with the same name. Check to see if its 100% complete. If it isn't then have it start a repair. Once the repair is over it begins to unrar, once the unrar is over the original par and rar files will be deleted and all you have left is a folder with the extracted contents.
This might seem like a daunting task to code but I think it can be done resonably quickly as you have code for a fine application, and the developer of extractnow has the code for his fine application. Teamwork might now be an issue hear, as you said in the forum the unrar.dll is currently available to everyone. I am just giving you an idea on what can be a stunning program.
One more thing. There is one bug in ExtractNow that kills me because it defeats the whole purpose of the program. On spanned archives (basically anything posted on usenet) It will delete all the rar files EXCEPT parts 2-19. This is a problem that I hope will be resolved quickly.
My best regards.
Stefan Constantinescu
I registered on these forums just to be able to give you this message I wish to thank you for readin it and take my idea into consideration.
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#2 2004-05-16 09:28:17
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
I really would like to hear user opinions on such a proposal and any ideas are welcome to improve upon mine! You can reach me via AIM at DevilsRejection or PM me.
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#3 2004-05-16 12:19:58
- PeterBClements
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Removal of the original damaged versions of files after a repair has been done is already in the wish list (and is definitely something that QuickPar aught to do automatically).
I'm not sure that deletion of the PAR2 files is something that should ever be done automatically though (even if you could turn it off via the Options dialogue). Depending on what the source files are, the user may or mey not wish to keep the PAR2 files.
It may be better to simply let the users right click on the PAR2 files in the verification window and choose the delete the files from the context menu (which I have not written yet of course).
I definitely want to include RAR extraction (since that seems to be the most common archive format used on UseNet), and had simply planned to use the UnRAR.dll directly. The fact that extractnow supports a greater number of formats is very usefull to know, and I will probably contact the author when I get around to working on that side of things.
newsprocessor looks like a usefull little tool, but from the comments in the script file it is obviously not complete. You should be aware that I already have ideas for a version of QuickPar which would verify all par2 sets in a folder simultaneously.
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#4 2004-05-16 18:31:15
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
My only other question is, what time frame do you expect this new version, with RAR support, to be introduced?
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#5 2004-05-16 18:56:25
- PeterBClements
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
"DevilsRejection":1qaouw37 wrote:
My only other question is, what time frame do you expect this new version, with RAR support, to be introduced?[/quote:1qaouw37]
That I cannot really say for certain, but it won't be in the near future.
Version 0.9 is due for release shortly, but it has been delayed due to other things I have been working on.
The next major things I want to work on are Unicode support, Subdirectory support, and the creation of a DLL that newsreaders can use to directly integrate PAR2 verification and repair into their software.
RAR support will have to come after them.
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#6 2004-05-16 19:02:12
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Man that means 4 maybe even more months! Do you have a changelog for .9 or can I ask you, what extra features did you integrate into it?
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#7 2004-05-16 19:16:27
- PeterBClements
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
"DevilsRejection":236csicd wrote:
Man that means 4 maybe even more months![/quote:236csicd]
Can't be helped, sorry <!-- s--><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif" alt="
Do you have a changelog for .9 or can I ask you, what extra features did you integrate into it?[/quote:236csicd]
0.9 currently includes a total of 19 changes and fixes including AutoRepair and AutoMonitor, Partial Repair of certain types of damage, and detecting the situation where someone has created incompatible PAR2 sets.Offline
#8 2004-05-16 20:31:34
- paulus
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- Registered: 2004-01-11
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
hi guys,
if i can just help to remind one thing...
As most of you will probably be aware by now, i really do welcome extra features, but usually prefer them to be optional <!-- s
--><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
One thing that i think is worth emphasising is that thigns work great when people help each other. Sure, there are many examples of distribution methods, but if we focus on newsgroups for now, one thing which is seen quite often is where someone missed out on too many parts/blocks etc, and need a spare file from the set (eg lets say a rar file in this case)
If quickpar (or any other extraction util) automatically deletes par2 files, or rar files once we have verified/repaired and extracted the contents etc, then it would imediately reduce the amout of help that everyone could offer to others. eg it could make us all a bit selfish (even if we werent intending to be)
It could just be me, but whenever i manually go to delete files from explorer, it makes me think twice.... eg, "hey wait a minute... some guy just reposted a few files to help me to complete a set with par2 files... it sure would be nice of me to hold on to these data files for a little while, just in case someone else needs a helping hand") etc.
(well, something similar to that) <!-- s
--><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s -->
i guess all im saying is that if enough people want such a feature, and if does get implemented, then it would be great if it was optional (and maybe turned off by default), and maybe with a little popup to gently remind people to maybe hold on to them for a few days) - lOL <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
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#9 2004-05-16 21:30:28
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
it would be great if it was optional (and maybe turned off by default)[/quote:3l5cqixe]
That's the whole point. The majority of those who use usenet are leechers. I have never posted a file ever, and I know many other people shamelessy leech. I have a reason not to post. I am capped at only 128k upload. It is a pain to send something.
But for the many other people out there who leech and have no need for the par files and rar files after extraction then yes this feature should come included, turned off of course, as long as it gets implemented I'm one happy camper.
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#10 2004-05-17 04:15:28
- tolyngee
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
"DevilsRejection":1ozy24jb wrote:
That's the whole point. The majority of those who use usenet are leechers. I have never posted a file ever, and I know many other people shamelessy leech. I have a reason not to post. I am capped at only 128k upload. It is a pain to send something.
[/quote:1ozy24jb]
Why is that cap a "pain" for posting on usenet? All usenet guidelines I've ever read have ALWAYS asked that the amount of data uploaded to a NG be limited to a certain amt in every 24-hr period to keep other posts from being pushed out too quickly. Some suggest 300MB, some 700MB. At 12.8KB/s upload speed, you can post 1MB/~80secs, or ~45MB/hr. So, even if looking at the suggested 700MB/day cap, you'd be able to post that in under 16 hrs.
Sounds absolutely normal to me.
The thing I respect about most "leechers" though is that they just leech. They don't waste their time (or others' time) and waste bandwidth with pathetically lame explanations on why they never intend to ever post anything.
Unlike yourself. <!-- s--><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="
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#11 2004-05-17 21:36:36
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
You don't understand my ISP. They will ban you from the system if you upload over 20kb/s for a period of 30minutes or more. They consider this a server.
Now my ISP is Optimum Online, I get 1.3MB/sdown, why would I want to risk my wonderful 1150kb/s download speed to post something that I am sure will be posted anyway.
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#12 2004-05-17 22:08:39
- paulus
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
ok, thanks for the info Stefan.
If peter implements it, im sure it will keep leechers happy.
Im sure we're not too fond of leechers, but one thing that i've noticed over time which is good is when some of them realise how much benefit they can all get when they share just a little (eg on a p2p area etc) - or if they have a change of heart <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
i hope you enjoy quickpar in the meantime, and welcome to the board.
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#13 2004-05-18 01:31:45
- Jangle
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
hmmm.
I must be in the minority...I have no desire for quickpar to do anything other than verify/repair files.
It is not often that I want to unrar the files right after repair.
I like simple utilities that don't try to do everything, either.
Just throwing in my 2 cents for a GREAT program.
Jangle
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#14 2004-05-18 06:29:02
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
all these added features can be turned off manually thats the beauty of it.
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#15 2004-05-20 13:47:41
- mrwul
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
My reaction is a bit late - I agree.
Yes, I wud really support the idea from [b:2natcldy]DevilsRejection[/b:2natcldy] to delete par's after repair and subsequently unrar files...! It would be a major enhancement and actually
I intended to write a similar message. Happy to see that I am not the only
one.
Thanks DevilsRejection!
Allow me to add a further enhancement based on his idea:
imagine having downloaded a few DVD's...
checking-repairing-unrarring it takes a while and actually the user must stay around to activate the next job and the next and ...
In my case I run QuickPar and subsequently run PowerArchiver.
My idea (though I have not worked it out in detail) is to allow users to browse to various first par-files (e.g.of dififferent DVD's) and queue them in a kind of batch job window.
When done, execute.
After the job is done, pars-rars are indeed to be deleted and what is left are the actual files.
Next step:
Maybe even a kind of 'move/copy results to'-directory can be provided in the batch-job window, so QuickPar may move/copy the results to a user-defined directory. For each separat par2.
e.g. 3 movies:
1st par of:-------[x] copy [ ] move---output-dir---[browse][create]
[par-movie1]----------------------------[d:moviesname1video_ts]
[par-movie2]----------------------------[d:moviesname2video_ts]
[par-movie3]----------------------------[d:moviesname3video_ts]
[_________]----------------------------[______________________]
[x] Delete source-files after successful copy
This way Quickpar
-repairs files
-unrars files
-copy results to user-selected (created) dir
-delete results after copy
all as a kind of batchjob.
Just an idea...
brgds
-
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#16 2004-05-20 19:43:40
- paulus
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
actually, i can see a huge benefit in the automatic verifying, repairing and then unraring into a set folder, especialy in the case of large files like these.
Imagine leaving home in the morning, and then an hour later quickpar finished what it's doing but oh no.... 10 hours later when you get home, you now have to extract the contents which will take another 3 hours bringing you past your bedtime - and you then ahve to wait until the next day before you can do anything - LOL <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
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#17 2004-05-20 21:21:46
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
boo ya another suporter.
Peter the unrar.dll is freely avilable you should see what you can do with it.
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#18 2004-05-21 00:45:31
- PeterBClements
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Actually, I've already got a copy of the unrar.dll, I got it some time ago to check out what the API was like.
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#19 2004-05-21 22:24:34
- bloop
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Thumbs up on the dll. Works great so far in my home-brew program.
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#20 2004-05-21 23:49:17
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
what homebrew program are we talking about here? Details? Email me <!-- e --><a href="mailto:DevilsRejection@optonline.net">DevilsRejection@optonline.net</a><!-- e -->
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#21 2004-05-27 19:25:28
- bloop
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Details? just a VB program I wrote to handle my pars and rars. Other use scripting. I still run it within the VB IDE environment so it is not a stands alne app. Still has bugs but its fine for me.
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#22 2004-05-28 05:24:12
- DarkRyder
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
This sounds like it might be a good place for a plug-in interface. I imagine two lists in the QuickPar preferences: "After a successful verification:" and "After a failed verification:", each displaying a list of checkboxes for things like "Play a sound", "Bring QuickPar to the front", "Delete PAR/PAR2 files", "Expand RARs", "Expand ZIPs", etc.
There wouldn't even need to be a complex API built into QuickPar for it; just write a temporary text file with the names of all the Pars, all the checked files, which files were recovered, which were bad, the QuickPar version, your shoe size, etc. and pass the full path to that file as a command-line argument to the plug-in. Plug-ins could then be written to do pretty much anything and in any programming/scripting language. One could even write wrappers that would, for example, import the data from the text file into a Perl or Python array before loading the real plug-in script to make plug-in writing easier. If you wanted to get [i:1qukynw0]really[/i:1qukynw0] fancy, you could even allow plug-ins to pass info back to QuickPar through the same text file. ([b:1qukynw0]That[/b:1qukynw0] might be over-the-top, though... <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: --> )
This would, of course, be for the QuickPar application rather than the DLL. I well imagine you want the DLL to be as simple and straightforward as possible so that it is plug-and-go for app developers, and this kind of plug-in interface would be anything but... <!-- s
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[i:a9ero30x]And this is my friend Quoth, the raven...[/i:a9ero30x]
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#23 2004-05-28 10:15:35
- DevilsRejection
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
Speaking about that when is the dll due for release? i swayer if someone makes this app leechers would kiss your feet.
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#24 2004-05-28 12:07:17
- PeterBClements
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
"DevilsRejection":1gqcb176 wrote:
Speaking about that when is the dll due for release?[/quote:1gqcb176]
I'll be starting work on it once 0.9 has been released.
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#25 2004-05-28 18:47:51
- bloop
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Re: Delete pars after successful repair, and integrate RAR
I for one is willing to be one fo your beta testers for your dll if you decide to use beta testers.
I am not a programmer, just a schmoe who know a little visual basic and got tired of manually PARing,RARing and moving files. But with the dll I can chunk out a lot of code that deals with parsing the output from the cmdline version .
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