Renaming obfuscated files?

[jwentzell]

Hey guys,

Is there a way to have newsbin automatically rename obfuscated filenames?
Most of the nzb's I get these days have obfuscated filenames in them, so, I obviously have no idea what files are what when it's done (short of viewing and renameing the files manually).

Is there a way around this? I thought there used to be an option to rename the files to the nzb name or something... does anything like that exist?

It's getting pretty frustrating.

thanks!

[Quade]

Well, you can set it to save to a folder named for the NZB file.

In the download path options click "Change" then double-click $(NZBFILE) to add that to the path.

I can consider an option to name the file after the NZB File.

[jwentzell]

thanks for the quick reply!

Good suggestion, but I prefer that it not making folders for every download. For now I guess i'll deal with it, and keep searching for alternate ways to do this for me.
If that option did get introduced in the future, it would be pretty awesome!

Thanks again

[no1butme]

Hey guys,

Is there a way to have newsbin automatically rename obfuscated filenames?
Most of the nzb's I get these days have obfuscated filenames in them, so, I obviously have no idea what files are what when it's done (short of viewing and renameing the files manually).

Is there a way around this? I thought there used to be an option to rename the files to the nzb name or something... does anything like that exist?

It's getting pretty frustrating.

thanks!

I'm still using v6.42 and the files I d/l are obfuscated and get renamed automatically. I'm naming the NZB file the same as the "release" name, downloading to a folder with the NZB name as Quade suggested above, and using Autopar. I believe the par2 files take care of the renaming.

With all of that said, I did run into an issue with v6.50 where the obfuscated par2 files weren't being d/l'd with the exact same filename as they were posted. They had some random numeric ID appended to the par2 filename after d/l. IIRC, the Autopar process wouldn't run due to the weird par2 filenames. Never did figure out what changed and unfortunately it didn't seem to be something anyone was interested in changing, so I downgraded and decided to live with it. See this thread about my issue with obfuscated posts: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=34484&p=201005#p201005

[Quade]

With all of that said, I did run into an issue with v6.50 where the obfuscated par2 files weren't being d/l'd with the exact same filename as they were posted. They had some random numeric ID appended to the par2 filename after d/l. IIRC, the Autopar process wouldn't run due to the weird par2 filenames. Never did figure out what changed and unfortunately it didn't seem to be something anyone was interested in changing, so I downgraded and decided to live with it. See this thread about my issue with obfuscated posts: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=34484&p=201005#p201005

The numeric code added to the par has no impact in repair. Newsbin adds it on purpose because some groups are using the same PAR filenames for all the PARS they post.

Keep in mind, there's not a single obscure format. Some obscure formats, the real filenames are used inside the RAR files. Some they aren't and all you get after unrar is

123445lkkjkj9093929skjkjs.mkv

This is the format I think the OP is talking about and which would benefit from an NZB filename based rename. PAR files can only rename the downloaded files into their real names. It can't rename the files inside the rar files.

[no1butme]

The numeric code added to the par has no impact in repair.

It did for me in v6.50. I'm going to test v6.54 and see if I have the same results or not.

[Quade]

My guess is that you misinterpreted something. Newsbin doesn't care what a PAR's filename is, it can identify the PAR file from the contents.

[no1butme]

My guess is that you misinterpreted something. Newsbin doesn't care what a PAR's filename is, it can identify the PAR file from the contents.

I didn't misinterpret anything. I've been using Newsbin for well over 10 years, thank you.

I'll let go of the hex ID thing - that's not what was causing the issue I was having. Let's go back to what initially raised a red flag for me in v6.50. Obfuscated rar files were and still are NOT immediately renamed as they are d/l. This behavior IS DIFFERENT than it is in v6.42. I thought the reason this was happening was due to the adding of the hex ID to the par2 files - it's not. When I noticed the renaming wasn't happening immediately upon d/l, the double clicked the par2 file and ran Quickpar manually to check and see if that would rename the files and it did, which is expected. However, once the entire d/l completed, those renamed files were ALL deleted - and NOT in my Recycle Bin. It happened then and it's still happening.

I hope that makes sense. If not, then do this: d/l some obfuscated files and before the entire rar set is complete, run Quickpar manually - the rar files that have been d/l should be renamed. Let the d/l complete and see if all of your renamed files are present when the d/l list is empty.

Not a big deal, it's just something I wasn't expecting to happen when upgrading to a new version. If you do find that your files are being removed, can you please try and find out why and prevent that from happening in a future version?

Thanks for your time and efforts.

[Quade]

Obfuscated rar files were and still are NOT immediately renamed as they are d/l. This behavior IS DIFFERENT than it is in v6.42.

Yes, it's different. The issue is restarting the download when you exit and restart Newsbin. If I rename immediately like I used to, the files will be completely re-downloaded on restart. Deferring the rename means on restart I can just re-check the downloaded files and not re-download. Rename is now part of the repair process. Like it is in Quickpar.

I think "misinterpret" is a good way to describe this. You saw changes that you thought were related to the added hex number but, they were unrelated. It's just so happened that multiple changes happened at once and you thought they were connected. It's not that you're wrong about the changes, just that the HEX number wasn't the trigger for the changes.

So, the hex number is a wild goose chase, your real issue is:

1 - The rename is now deferred to repair time.
2 - You're not seeing the renamed files go to the recycle bin.

I explained #1. It's how it works now. #2, I'll have to look at. I've got no other reports of it but, it's not likely something I've checked directly. I don't download obscured files most of the time so, I'll have to dig one up. If you want to PM me the subject of one that gets renamed in the PAR process, I'll try it.

[no1butme]

PM sent.

Of note - test the largest rar set in what I sent you. I doubt you'll have enough files or be fast enough to test the par2 files of the smaller sets/groups that are included.

So we're comparing apples to apples and on the same page, I'd recommend these steps once the d/l starts and leave Newsbin running continuously:

1. Download the main par2 file of the largest rar set.
2. Allow 2-3 rars of the main set to d/l.
3. Double click the par2 file to start Quickpar while Newsbin is still downloading the other rars. This should rename the rars that have been downloaded up to this point.
4. Leave those renamed rars as they are and where they are - make note of their names (.rar, .r00, .r01, etc.) and let the d/l finish.
5. See if those renamed files are missing when the d/l completes. I can't see them and they aren't in my Recycle bin.

Thanks.

Would still like to see users have the option to use or not use hex ID, as the OP requested, at some point. Same reason he gave.

Thanks a bunch.

[Quade]

3. Double click the par2 file to start Quickpar while Newsbin is still downloading the other rars. This should rename the rars that have been downloaded up to this point.

By doing this you're disconnecting the RAR files from Newsbin's ability to track them. if this is what causes the missing rars and they're not missing if you just let Newsbin handle the download then I'm going to chalk this up to "self-induced problem". Renaming files out from under Newsbin during download will always cause problems. It won't normally even run a repair because it thinks it's downloaded all the files. The fact the unrar works is just an artifact of how unrar works.

So, are you missing rars if you don't do this?

I'll check your files later today.

If you want to do this and not break Newsbin, your best bet is to copy the files to some other folder and do it.

[no1butme]

Chalk it up however you wish. I'm done with this BS.

[Quade]

- You thought the HEX numbers were causing you problems but, they weren't. I explained it to you. You didn't like the word "misinterpret" for some reason.

- You're having problems with files not deleting to the recycle bin and it sound like you're renaming them out from under Newsbin. It's not clear if you do that often and it's not clear if this is causing the problem you're reporting. I asked you to clarify, you got hostile.

- How's newsbin supposed to know you renamed the files out from under it? It's not like Quickpar tells newsbin it's done it.

- I offered to look at it for you and I will. I'm not going to rename the files out from under Newsbin though. That'll never work properly.

Some people I have to be careful not to set off. I didn't think you were one of them.