v3.2 Features Missing or Incompatible in v3.3

[ShigeoYoshio]

v3.2 Features Missing or Incompatible in v3.3

I routinely switch between v3.2.3.28705, Released 2012.1209 (the last stable release of the v3.2 series) and the most recent stable release to date (currently, v3.3.2.30303, Released 2013.1115). I do appreciate the improved multitasking performance of v3.3. Unfortunately, there are two features I use in v3.2 that are missing in v3.3. (I have tested all stable versions of v3.2 and v3.3 which have resulted in the same results as reported below.)

1. v3.2 allows me routinely to "Force Seeding" for over 700 torrents, whereas that soon “overloads” v3.3. There are two symptoms of apparent v3.3 "overload" with many (over 200) "Forced" torrents.

First, usually within 10 minutes, download and upload rates drop to less than about 5 kB/s, whereas they had been both over about 50 kB/s. Second, exiting v3.3 after the appearance of the first symptom results in v3.3 NEVER closing, but remaining as an active process, with CPU ranging from 5 to 70% and averaging above 20%. (I use System Explorer, Process Hacker, and Process Explorer to view active processes.) If I force v3.3 to end/terminate, upon restarting v3.3, my previously active downloads are all "Re-Checking," as would be expected from an improper uTorrent exit, and all else seems normal for up to 5 to 15 minutes. Thereupon the apparent v3.3 overload symptoms recur.

I have also noted that when “overloaded,” v3.3 often hangs at “flushing to disk” for just-completed downloads. Waiting longer does not solve the problem, and the only solution seems to be termination of uTorrent, which unfortunately results in the just-completed downloads becoming incompletely downloaded!

The above noted symptoms could be due to OS, hardware, active process interaction, malware, uTorrent, or a combination. For the record, I am using WinXP SP3 with a P4, 2.4 GHz, with 2 GB RAM. I have more or less eliminated active process interaction and malware by several times reloading a clean HDD with clean WinXP and running uTorrent as the only user-initiated active process.

2. "Set Download Location" does not act the same in v3.3 and v3.2. v3.3 added the new feature, "Set Destination Name," whereas v3.2 only had "Set Download Location." Yes, I understand and use both.

If the destination file(s) already exist, v3.2, "Set Download Location" prompts, "File move target ... already exists. Overwrite?" can be answered with "NO", which modifies the uTorrent "Save Directory" but changes no source or destination location files or folders. Unfortunately, answering the prompt, "File move target ... already exists. Overwrite?" with "NO", results in v3.3 taking no action; but answering "YES" results in v3.3 "MOVING" the files from old to new Destination Location.

I prefer the action of v3.2 for changing the uTorrent "Save Directory." On the other hand, v3.3 is useful for moving files, but not for changing the uTorrent "Save Directory." If my purpose is to change the "Save Directory" in v3.3, I have at times resorted to the Bencode editor, which does the job but requires care and could result in difficult to undo mistakes! More routinely, I use a batch file to copy updated “resume.dat” files between different folders for v3.2 and v3.3. Unfortunately, both Bencode and switching between v3.3 and 3.2 necessitates closing uTorrent and interrupting ongoing good upload and download streams.

SUGGESTION: These differing actions for v3.2 and 3.3 for "Set Download Location" are all useful, so I suggest replacing "Set Download Location" with "Move Download Location" AND "Set Save Directory.”

Thank you for producing a useful and reliable product and for listening to your user base.

Paul Y. Shimada

[rafi]

1. The whole "overload" detection is buggy (not a real condition. Verified in Performance Monitor). They just need to fix it...

2. >If my purpose is to change the "Save Directory" in v3.3...

I thought "Set Destination Name" does exactly that... They just forgot to include the full path in it's edit dialogue, for convenience.

[ShigeoYoshio]

1. The whole "overload" detection is buggy (not a real condition. Verified in Performance Monitor). They just need to fix it...

2. >If my purpose is to change the "Save Directory" in v3.3...

I thought "Set Destination Name" does exactly that... They just forgot to include the full path in it's edit dialogue, for convenience.

To Rafi,

1. I was not aware that others have experienced overload in v3.3; I hope the developers are aware and are working to fix it! I had spent months on troubleshooting my hardware, software, OS, and interaction of processes before I concluded that uTorrent v3.3 was solely the problem. What do you mean by "not a real condition"?

2. "Set Destination Name" does NOT change the "Save Directory," but only changes the subfolder name (or filename for single file torrents) within the "Set Download Location" disc and folder. For example, if the download folder (completed or incomplete download) is T:\TorrentDownloads\myTorrent for myTorrent.torrent, the "Set Download Location" = T:\TorrentDownloads\, and the "Set Destination Name" = myTorrent (without disc or parent folder names), which is a subfolder of T:\TorrentDownloads\. Furthermore, the "Set Download Location" = "Save Directory" = T:\TorrentDownloads\, and NOT T:\TorrentDownloads\myTorrent as some might expect.

"Set Download Location" does change the "Save Directory," but only with additional and possibly unwanted side effects. For example, if it is desired to MOVE the downloaded file(s), such as from T:\TorrentDownloads\myTorrent to T\:\Movies\myTorrent, set the "Set Download Location" = T:\Movies, and the files will be MOVED without copying and subsequent deletion. Because the destination is on the same disc as the source, only the parent folder = "Save Directory" is reassigned from T:\TorrentDownloads to T:\Movies.

(Note that "Set Download Location" may be designated with the Explorer-like GUI or by typing the destination d:\PathSpec, where PathSpec should NOT include the "Set Destination Name" subfolder!)

However, if the files at T:\TorrentFiles\myTorrent are not yet completely downloaded and an already complete and fully downloaded set of files already exists at T:\Movies\myTorrent, v3.3 "Set Download Location" is incapable of only changing the "Set Download Location" unless you allow v3.3 to OVERWRITE the already existing destination files! Of course overwriting the files at T:\Movies\myTorrent would replace the good complete files with inferior incomplete files from T:\IncompleteDownloads\myTorrent. Thus, v3.3 "Set Download Location" does change the "Save Directory" but only if you allow overwriting the destination files; an undesirable outcome.

If you chose to NOT allow overwriting, no actions would be taken and the "Save Directory" remains unchanged. In v3.2, NOT allowing overwriting changed the "Save Directory" but manipulated no files. The side effect of v3.2 method is that the torrent files would be "Force Re-Check."

The above example was the motivation for my SUGGESTION: The differing actions for v3.2 and 3.3 for "Set Download Location" are both useful, so for clarity, I suggest replacing "Set Download Location" with "Move Download Files" AND "Set Save Directory,” thus giving three semi-independent related options, "Move Download Files," "Set Save Directory," and "Set Destination Name."

(a) "Move Download Files" would move files (complete or incomplete and with or without copy and subsequent deletion as may be necessary) and would automatically change the "Save Directory".

("Set Save Directory" would allow changing the "Save Directory" with NO file manipulation. File manipulation would be done externally from uTorrent, such as via Windows Explorer. "Set Save Directory" would flag files for "Force Re-Check" to maintain uTorrent download integrity.

© "Set Destination Name" would allow renaming the subdirectory of the "Save Directory" and would automatically rename the corresponding torrent "Name" = "Set Destination Name." For simplicity, "Set Destination Name" could be done by merely renaming the torrent "Name" (F2 key), which would automatically rename the subfolder name. Including "Set Destination Name" as an "Advanced" option is somewhat mysterious and confusing, whereas forcing the torrent "Name" to match the subfolder name has been in effect for several prior uTorrent versions! I merely propose to automate the effects of <F2> "Name" changes. (Of course, "Name" changes could only be done for "Stopped" torrents, otherwise, the OS would not allow changing subfolder names for active filehandles.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

[rafi]

>What do you mean by "not a real condition"?

This is what I mean:

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=758828#p758828

>"Set Destination Name" does NOT change the "Save Directory," but only changes the subfolder name

No. For a multiple files torret if acts like:

a. If you modify/edit-in a string (like abcdef) if changes the sub-folder name

b. If you modify/edit-in a full path name (like f:\test\abcdef) if changes the whole destination folder/path name (both in the "path" tag in resume.dat)

So, as I said, they should have just filled in this edit box the whole destination path string, for convenience.