Using temporary sparse files (on NTFS)

[Sergeo7 1]

Don't you think that saving temporary files as sparse on NTFS would be a good idea?

[Satan 1]

Definately not, this becomes a real problem when users HDD are almost full.

It used to be this way and was removed for good reason.

[Sergeo7 1]

What kind of problem do you mean? Is it psychological, like when user see file already occupy "full size", but real space still decreases?

For test I had added this function to build and see no technical problems at all. File class just throw FileException when disk is full, but when I freed some space download normally resumed.

[Satan 1]

Well, think of the scenario where someone has a queue of say 60Gb, they go to My Computer and checking the disk properties fine they have 56 Gb free, now, if the space is pre-allocated, you know the HDD has the space for the files, however, if it isn't, you have to go out and buy a new HDD to resume your downloads.

Secondly, if it's an optional feature, I have np with it, but I for one prefer the pre-allocation.

[Sergeo7 1]

But on the other hand you can't temporary save big file on 'almost full' disk even if physically downloaded just 10% of that 60Gb. So if download isn't fast preallocated space will be a waste of resources needed just to ensure that you'll have required space in the end (as long as target and temporary dirs on the same logical drive).

[Zlobomir 3]

Voted "probably" and don't think it is of top priority, if implemented should be an option (default off).

[Seeker 0]

Voted yes.

If there is no technical difficulties why not?!

uTorrent does not pre-allocate files by default (i think- myabe i just switched it off) and it works great. Sometimes i have like for instance 4GB free and i start downloading a 7GB game and are in a hurry or something, better to download 4GB while i return back to free more space then to not download at all.

edit: maybe its not the same thing. maybe uTorrent does not use sparse files, but to turn off pre-allocation is a good enough feature to have.

[Big Muscle 1]

and what about to switch off antifrag downloading? This option has been there since year zero.

[Zlobomir 3]

and what about to switch off antifrag downloading? This option has been there since year zero.

Since it is already an option, I do not see a problem to leave it as it is.

[Sergeo7 1]

This option is totally lacks in descriptiveness - maybe rename it to "Enable files pre-allocation"?

PS: But I still think sparse files are better, because if this option enabled, actual filesize reported by OS at the begining of download is zero and there is no way to watch over required space. Sparse files, instead, use filesystem means of file definition and filesize reported as is, even when file is empty and takes no harddisk space.