newsbin.com

Having the checkboxes for setting paths in Newsbin is confusing and inflexible. You the user can't set any order for instance. There are changes in 6.40B3 to address this but, they might be controversial changes so, I thought I'd describe them here to give you a heads up.

Instead of a series of check boxes, you'll be able to manually tell the path code what you want in the path using symbols instead of checkboxes

$(GROUP)
$(NZBFILE)
$(NZBPATH)
$(SUBJECT)
$(DATE)
$(YEAR)
$(MONTH)
$(DAYS)
$(HOURS)
$(MINUTES)


So a download or unrar path set to

C:\Download\$(GROUP)\$(MONTH)\$(NZBFile)\
Might expand out to:
C:\Download\Alt.binaries.test\12\Testnzb\


C:\Download\$(MONTH)\$(NZBFile)\$(GROUP)\
becomes:
C:\Download\12\Alt.binaries.test\Testnzb\

C:\Download\$(YEAR)-$(MONTH)\$(NZBFile)\$(GROUP)\
becomes:
C:\Download\2012-12\Testnzb\Alt.binaries.test\


You can edit the paths with a visual editor that shows you what the paths will look like. In the cases where some element doesn't exist the entry is simply ignored.

C:\Download\$(GROUP)\$(NZBFILE)\
For example would expand out to:
C:\Download\Alt.binaries.test\

If you're downloading from a group or search and not from an NZB file.

The first cut in 6.40 is preliminary. The number of symbols can be expanded out for other purposes. When 6.40B3 comes out, I'll be looking for feedback on how it works and what symbols people might want.

NZB load autoload folders have been moved to the options now so, you can NZB Autoload from many different folders and each folder can have it's own download and unrar path. The symbols work in both the unrar and download path too. You can have as many autoload folders for as many topics as you want.

cool this will come in handy looking forward to using it though I must say I'm using the search almost exclusively these days the

Nice
I doubt that I'll use it a lot but I can see how this might be very interesting for a lot of users.

$poster would be nice also. Alot of times, same titled mp3 files will be posted by different posters with different bitrates etc.

Ok

This would be great for me. I already set something like C:\Download\$(GROUP) in the local properties for each group - but the ability to use this for the UNRAR would be fantastic - I can't really use it the way it is now.

Thanks.

It's getting pretty close. Some of the IRC users ID'd some problems last night that I need to clean up before I can forum it.

I was thinking about "$(RES)" like "720p" extracted from the subject too.

I loaded this release (6.40B3).

In "Newsbin Options" / "Setup", the "Download Folder" settings work great for me - saves me a lot of fuss managing downloads from multiple groups without having to go into the properties for each group to set a unique download folder path.

What happened to "Newsbin Options" / "AutoPAR Options"? I don't see the "Edit" box next to "Override UnRAR Path". I see only "Browse". Is this coming in a future Beta? I'd like to set something like "C:\Download($Group)\UnRAR" or "C:\Download\$(GROUP).UnRAR".

Thanks - good work!

UnRAR PATH isn't hooked into the new scheme yet. That'll probably be in B4 but, since you can tell autopar to use the source folder, it can bring the group over from the download path.

C:\Download\a.b.impossible\

-> Unrar

C:\Unrar\a.b.impossible.

It's called "Add a path prefix".

Could the devs make the clickable links from the news screen open in a different browser than IE ? or at least the default browser of the system. It is a pain in the butt to have to switch from IE to my primary browser when I click a link in the news section screen in the application.

thanks

Can't. Wish I could. IE will only start IE and the MOTD window is IE. I've considered including a different HTML renderer but, that would blow the program size up something fierce. I typically right click "Copy Link Address" and paste it into my favorite browser.

slightly off topic but what is the best way to integrate s slick beard using these new settings

So far, don't change anything, the specifics aren't finalized. For the most part, the way you would do it in the past should still work the same.

DT

Late to the game here. $(CUSTOMFOLDER)

I've got groups partitioned into different folders.

So I'd use C:\NBDOWN\$(CUSTOMFOLDER)\$(GROUP)

C:\NBDOWN\Misc\Alt.binaries.test

I might be missing something, but you would just put your custom name in, not a variable, no? Where would you define that variable and how in order to make it meaningful (I. E. have it different for different downloads)? Keep in mind that there will be more than one location you'll be able to use the vars, such as group properties, it's just not there yet.

DT

Late to the game here. $(CUSTOMFOLDER)

I've got groups partitioned into different folders.

So I'd use C:\NBDOWN\$(CUSTOMFOLDER)\$(GROUP)

C:\NBDOWN\Misc\Alt.binaries.test

If you know what the custom folder is, you just assign it.

So, you'd set the base path to "C:\NBDOWN\Misc\$(GROUP)\" if you want to use NBDOWN\Misc with a group modifier. You can still do per group and per topic download paths so, each group or set of groups can have it's own download path.

If I open a GoG in a post list, will $GROUP give me the name of the group, or the GoG? I currently download/extract everything to a folder named for the GoG.

-jackholexxxx

GOG.

That part hasn't changed.

I guess I was thinking designators like $(GROUP) could only be used for Options/Setup/Download folder. Looks like it also works for GOG properties too. However,

Misc [X] use download path {N:\nbdown\Misc}
a.b.one [ ] use download path
a.b.two [ ] use download path

I don't always open the GOG Misc. If use download path is not checked, I wish it would use the GOG setting for download path. So if I want to examine only a.b.two for some reason, anything downloaded will still go into N:\nbdown\Misc.

The new feature hasn't made it's way to gogs yet, but that's the plan. If I follow your concern, couldn't you just set the properties on the group itself to have it's own path? That way opening either the parent or child would behave the same.

DT

If the parent as you're describing it is the GOG, that doesn't work. Is this what you were describing?

Misc [X] use download path {N:\nbdown\Misc\$(group)}
a.b.one [X] use download path {N:\nbdown\Misc\$(group)}
a.b.two [ ] use download path

Yeah, that's what I meant, but it's not implemented yet. The only place you can currently use the vars atm is in the main download path. It's coming...

DT

Ok, cool. The vars concept is a nice addition.

I was about to post a bug report when I saw this thread.

There is this option (now obsolete?) :

Filename Options -> Filenames Modifications -> Folder Mode: Save files in Folders named for the Newsgroup

I noticed that it is no longer working for newsgroups or for custom folders, both from a group window or from the local search window.


Now it is clear, I just need to use download path ...$(GROUP)\
But this option is misleading, it should be removed.


BTW, $(GROUP) is working also for custom folders - a custom folder is used instead of a group when a download is initiated from the custom folder tab.
Not from the local search though - however, it is still working as previously.
When downloading from the results of a local search in a custom folder, not the custom folder is used but a specific group in it.
That was also the case with pre-6.40 b3 versions - not sure if it is done by design or a bug.
When downloading from a custom folder tab - the custom folder is used as a destination for the download
When downloading from the local search in the same custom folder - an inner group of a custom folder is used as a destination of a download.

Newsbin 6.40B3
Option $(Group)
Sometimes instead of using "alt.binaries.blank" it creates a new directory "a.b.blank".
This can be a real pain to find the files when you "assume" they are in "alt.binaries.blank" where they should be.

Windows 7 32 bit

Hmm, not sure about sometimes, for me it appears to always abbreviate. For the most part, you would want shorter, not longer, since one thing I noticed since playing with these vars is that it's extremely easy to create non-legal path lengths. It's easy to add a var, but if you have subject, filename, group, bam, it's trivial to exceed. Shorter is better.

DT

Quade wrote:Can't. Wish I could. IE will only start IE and the MOTD window is IE. I've considered including a different HTML renderer but, that would blow the program size up something fierce. I typically right click "Copy Link Address" and paste it into my favorite browser.

Thanks a lot for the reply. Sad yo hear about that.

DT

I don't use many groups, and one of them is a GOG's. I guess that is where the sometimes comes from as it doesn't have an a.b.xxxx

Thanks for the info.

I have a problem that $(NZBFILE) and $(NZBPATH) are not expanding at all, while $(GROUP) is working as expected.

Example:
I setup Y:\DL\$(NZBFILE)\ as the download path and then d&d a NZB file blabla.nzb, I get Y:\DL\ for the path instead Y:\DL\blabla\.
I setup Y:\DL\$(NZBFILE)\$(GROUP) (I know, weird, but just for test) as the download path and then d&d a NZB file blabla.nzb, I get Y:\DL\groupname\ for the path instead Y:\DL\blabla\groupname\.

Anyone else get this?

6.40B3 on Win7 x64 Ultimate

Hi Quade,
could you add a symbol $(FOLDER)? I combine groups into folders (categories) and i want the combined downloads in a folder for that category, not for each group.
OMG2011

could you add a symbol $(FOLDER)? I combine groups into folders (categories) and i want the combined downloads in a folder for that category, not for each group.

If you load the entire category into a post list then the group name = the category name. So "$(GROUP)" will work in that instance. Do you load them all up at once?

Quade, useful addition, however I think the "default" option needs to be set to \Download Path\$Groups rather than \Download Path as I have noticed with NTFS file systems that you do start running into problems when you have thousands of files in the same directory and its pretty easy for a newbie to start using Usenet and Newsbin and end up downloading all posts from multiple groups which end up in the same directory and lead to major problems.

Quade wrote:If you load the entire category into a post list then the group name = the category name. So "$(GROUP)" will work in that instance. Do you load them all up at once?

Damn, your right. I just made a quick test, and maybe I load just one group by mistake. It works exactly as it should.

Haha no problem. It still needs testing. I want to put B4 up tonight or in the morning.

6.40B4. Excellent. Now even if I load the GOG, the downloads will go into the folders based on the group the file came from. I guess $(GOG) is for those who always want the downloads to be placed in a folder named for the GOG. Everybody wins

How do you use these vars in the Filters Options?

hsedidin wrote:How do you use these vars in the Filters Options?

Not sure if this is what you mean but if you want to add vars then go to
Newsbin Options, Setup, Main Download folder, Edit.

The variables are for paths, not filtering.

DT

Psiho_Delija wrote:I have a problem that $(NZBFILE) and $(NZBPATH) are not expanding at all, while $(GROUP) is working as expected.

Example:
I setup Y:\DL\$(NZBFILE)\ as the download path and then d&d a NZB file blabla.nzb, I get Y:\DL\ for the path instead Y:\DL\blabla\.
I setup Y:\DL\$(NZBFILE)\$(GROUP) (I know, weird, but just for test) as the download path and then d&d a NZB file blabla.nzb, I get Y:\DL\groupname\ for the path instead Y:\DL\blabla\groupname\.

Anyone else get this?

6.40B3 on Win7 x64 Ultimate

*Edit 240612*

I ran into this problem with b4.

My main download folder is E:\Incoming\ and NZB download folder is E:\Incoming\$(NZBFILE)\

All NZB downloads were going to E:\Incoming\

After much troubleshooting and failure to resolve my $(NZBFILE) pathing issue I backed up and replaced my NBI file and reconfigured Newsbin from scratch as a testing step which produced the result I was looking for, NZB downloads pathing correctly. * Don't delete your NBI file, back your NBI file up if you're going to try this at home.*

You can setup your NZB file download location in "Options/Setup/Download folder for downloads from NZB Files" and "Options/NZB Options/Nzb Watch Folders/Properties"(of user created watch folder).

Using "Options/NZB Options/Nzb Watch Folders/Properties(of user created watch folder)" seems like a better option for your NZB download and unrar setup if you're downloading from NZB and groups, if you're just downloading via NZB then "Options/Setup/Download folder for downloads from NZB Files" works fine as well.

I strictly use nzb files. I don't download headers or browse groups at all. What I wanted to know is what is the unrar folder path setup used for? Is that kinda like a temp area where the files are unrared then moved back to the download folder? What is the benefit for using the unrar path?

The most reliable downloading happens when you download to one folder and unrar to a different folder. If you think about it, most of the files you download, the rar files, are just temporary files. They're there, they all download, they're then unrared and deleted. So, really the download folder is the temp folder. Some people want to download and unrar to the same folder. That's fine and it works most of the time. In cases where people post subtitles that happen to have the same name as one of the main RAR files, this is problematic. Newsbin works around this but, the safest thing is to download to one folder and unrar to a second folder. There are performance benefits to unraring to a different drive too.

I don't know if this answers your questions. The options are to allow you to tailer the download locations to your liking. You don't need to change anything if you like how the defaults work.

No I understand. Thanks for explaining it to me. I think I am going to setup a scratch folder on one drive and have the downloads go to it, then a folder on a separate drive for the unrars. I figure that will give me the best performance.

Thanks again.

That's what I've been doing for a long time and it does work nicely. I can visualize the disk throughput and it's clearly optimized in a setup like this.

I noticed tonight that several of my downloads were stored in the download(scratch) area but never made it to the unrar folder. Here is a screenshot of my settings. I could normally unrar them manually when trying.



Is this still a work in progress? Both scratch drive and unrar drive are separate drives.

Edit: I just tried another nzb and it worked fine...hmmm.

Yeah, you're the test subjects. Did the files unrar at all? Were they rar files or some other kind of file?

Files move to the unrar folder if they unrar there or are mentioned in the PAR files. Otherwise they stay in the download folder. What kind of files were they?

They were .rar files. I could manually unrar them when trying that is why I thought it weird newsbin didn't do it.

Last night I noticed zip files wouldn't unrar (naturally). I did try another nzb just now and it worked fine.

Wonder if it was a rar set in another rar set? I'm going to guess yes. You see that sometimes with re-posts.

Outch!

I was in love with the unrar that made catalogs of the nzbfile name and used day it got downloaded as catalog creation date.

Cant figure out how to get back to the good old days

Iam forced to rolling back.

Outch 2!

Cant find older beta versions to download.

Dho!

Havent gotten use to and not a real fan of this new path option.

Before the last few betas, my dl's were going to d:\download\[title of the nzb file]\
Now all the files just end up in d:\download and not going into easy to find sub directories =(
Might have to go back to the NON-beta version unless there is a fix for this.

It's not that hard. Edit the download path (with the edit button). Add "$(NZBFILE)" to the existing download path and that's where the files will go.

X:\<Download>\$(NZBFILE)\

You say you're not a fan but, it sounds like you haven't even tried it.

I was in love with the unrar that made catalogs of the nzbfile name and used day it got downloaded as catalog creation date.

I have NZBFile working in the unrar path now. There's actually a couple way for you to make this happen. It'll be in the next beta.