Jump to content

µTorrent doesn't allow me to see file contents


Kavinu

Recommended Posts

Hi.

I'm new to this whole Magnet link thing on The Pirate Bay so if someone would be nice enough to clear this up with me I'd appreciate it. When I used to download torrents using the Green torrent icon, it would open in uTorrent with a breakdown of the file contents, allowing me to pick (tick the box) of which files I wanted to download. But with this new magnet link, it doesn't show me anything in uTorrent (at all). My only option is proceed with the download without knowing the file contents. I've tried it several times with different torrents and it just gives me the same results. In the end, the download folder contains the subtitles, notepad files, sample, the film and possible other files that I didn't need or wanted to download. This is very fustrating since I'm on a bandwitdh cap with my ISP.

This is what my screen looks like when I'm about to download a film;

62561151.png

And these are the options I have set;

93119817.png

I managed to find a similar thread to my issue but the troubleshooting steps that helped the OP did not help me. http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=66031

Can anyone fix this for me please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's how magnets work.

I've had users on other forums that I've inquired about this issue tell me that it works fine for them so I don't think that's the case. There should be a way to see the file drop-down, even with magnets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Upgrade to uTorrent Version 3.1.2 stable (build 26821)

I just finished upgrading to that version and I still have the issue.

Sorry' date=' I misinterpreted this

Fix: Check existing files before start downloading the torrent added via magnet link
in the Changelog.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can't see files in advance with magnet links.

Why is that? Is there a way around it? Another torrent client perhaps?

No client will be able to see files in with magnet links. They contain nothing more than a HASH (or simple id) so that it can grab the actual torrent file from another peer (Via DHT, a tracker (if listed in the link) o other form). (This is a good thing, as no metadata or content is stored on the website you download from, and the actual torrent file resides with the peers) Think decentralization.

Once you've added the magnet link, and wait a bit (assumes no tracker is in the url), you can then highlist the torrent, click the files tab, and select don't download for any files you do not want to download.

Hope this clears things up.

IFar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can't see files in advance with magnet links.

Why is that? Is there a way around it? Another torrent client perhaps?

No client will be able to see files in with magnet links. They contain nothing more than a HASH (or simple id) so that it can grab the actual torrent file from another peer (Via DHT' date=' a tracker (if listed in the link) o other form). (This is a good thing, as no metadata or content is stored on the website you download from, and the actual torrent file resides with the peers) Think decentralization.

Once you've added the magnet link, and wait a bit (assumes no tracker is in the url), you can then highlist the torrent, click the files tab, and select don't download for any files you do not want to download.

Hope this clears things up.

IFar[/quote']

I'm afraid that's not correct at all.

I'm not sure whether i'm allowed to mention any other client's name here , so i won't, but most of them actually can. Go ahead and try and see for yourself.

so as far as i can see, we do have an issue and apparently some people here, including some moderators, won't admit it. Therefore, we won't get a fix ASAP as we always do which is obviously grieving me as it's my favorite client and the only one which i can easily tweak and handle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks knk2006,

I should have said that no client without downloading the .torrent from the magnet link will be able to show the file list, as the magnet link doesn't contain any of that data.

Having said that, using the not mentioned client on a not well seeded torrent yields horrible results (10+ minute) waiting for the file list to appear. ;)

IFa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has this issue been resolved? I am not very savvy with all this, but have been using Pirate Bay with Utorrent for some time without issue, but after having upgraded to the new version 3.1.2, I also am not able to preselect the items I want. I've tried to follow this exchange. Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

on a not well seeded torrent yields horrible results (10+ minute) waiting for the file list to appear

What about well seeded torrents? Why can't we see the contents at least for them?

I mean uTorrent can start "fetching the TOC" right after the add dialog is opened. If the user is willing to wait a bit to be able to deselect some files it will be up to him how long to wait.

But of course adding a torrent should work either way.

P.S. To avoid frustration and make it a bit more transparent some kind of indicator of torrent "health" might be useful on the add torrent dialog.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has this issue been resolved? I am not very savvy with all this, but have been using Pirate Bay with Utorrent for some time without issue, but after having upgraded to the new version 3.1.2, I also am not able to preselect the items I want. I've tried to follow this exchange. Thank you.

You are using magnet links now, and that is the way they work.

http://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-dumps-torrents-120228/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

on a not well seeded torrent yields horrible results (10+ minute) waiting for the file list to appear

What about well seeded torrents? Why can't we see the contents at least for them?

I mean uTorrent can start "fetching the TOC" right after the add dialog is opened. If the user is willing to wait a bit to be able to deselect some files it will be up to him how long to wait.

But of course adding a torrent should work either way.

Obviously for well seeded torrents the file index (from the downloaded torrent) pops up pretty quickly. But none-the-less the torrent still has to be downloaded from the peers and depending on the number of files and directories inside the torrent this can take a bit.

When clicking on a magnet link:

magnet:?xt=urn:btih:ff44b3ef5d67d049bf70a193b918970c869eb7d4

There is NO information about what files or the contents of the torrent. So anyway you slice it' date=' the torrent has to be downloaded into the client, before the client can even begin to display the contents.

Here is an example of a no-name client

[url']http://bayimg.com/LanImaadC

As you can see, it's at 73% and it took 8 minutes for it to FETCH the torrent file. Tons of peers as well :)

One way utorrent _COULD_ behave (I assume it would be a feature request) is to give you the option to NOT add the magnet link to the download list, but instead try to download the the torrent then continue via the file dialog box. Or alternately download the magnet link, once the torrent is downloaded re-pop up the file selection list.

P.S. To avoid frustration and make it a bit more transparent some kind of indicator of torrent "health" might be useful on the add torrent dialog.

From reading the web only education is going to help the frustration :)

If people want the ability to SELECT what files are to be downloaded from within the torrent, they need to wait until the .torrent file is actually downloaded. Apart from that, how it's handled is up to the individual client. Obviously a feature request to optionally select what files to be downloaded from within the torrent once the .torrent is downloaded is one option.

However once (if) that feature is enabled, then all the support tickets will start similar to "Why isn't the file dialog box popping up. or Why is it taking so long".

IFar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was having the same problems and switched to Tixati.

It reads the piratebay links np.However I didnt like when I tested no seeding it still was pumping out,

so I redownloaded uttorent just to cheak it I could pre choose what files I wanted yet,but I see we can't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once you've added the magnet link, and wait a bit (assumes no tracker is in the url), you can then highlist the torrent, click the files tab, and select don't download for any files you do not want to download.

IFar

What does highlisting mean, and where can I find the "files tab"? Thank you for all help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once you've added the magnet link' date=' and wait a bit (assumes no tracker is in the url), you can then highlist the torrent, click the files tab, and select don't download for any files you do not want to download.

IFar[/quote']

What does highlisting mean, and where can I find the "files tab"? Thank you for all help.

Sorry for the typo, Highlight (To select)

The files "Tab" is displayed at the bottom in the of the details window (you may need to press F5 if it is hidden).

IFar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately Vuze does that. If you insert a magnet link it checks the files and you CAN download the file you want to. I'm very sad because uTorrent is my favorite client.

I think I read the devs are considering or working on this as a feature enhancement.

However I believe this is not the correct way to handle magnet links (personally), and will cause all sorts of additional support problems. Just browsing the other clients support forums, people are complaining the file selection never pop up, or takes an extremely long time.

IFar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi, I've read through all the posts but I am still a bit confused on this issue... btw I am using uTorrent for MAC but the problem I think stems from magnet links not the client itself. Anyways, right now I have a torrent that has been active for > 3 hours and when I click the 'Files' tab there are no files..

I am not asking about the ability to tick which files to download, but if I am correct the file list should eventually propagate itself after this long, right? Also if it matters I did not use piratebay but a magnet link off a different website...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...