Some requests of a .PDC fan

[CrazyBerserk 0]

Hey guys,

it's a nice and fancy client you made there, congratulations.

Lately I've been searching for and testing new DC clients and was actually waiting for your release of ApexDC. I've compared many clients, so I did with ApexDC 0.1.0.

Actually I'm still using Twink's and Phantom's .PhantomDC in it's last version 1.19c, based on BCDC++ 0.306, as are many other users in my LAN hub. As you can see, it's quite an old client and due to recent mobbing of old clients by the DC++ programmers (NMDC-style filelists no longer supported) we are now more ore less forced to upgrade. But most of us aren't willing to change to a client that lacks in many nice and handy features that we have in .PDC. Neither I do intend to ban the new DC++ versions and it's mods just because they don't wanna deal with our old ones.

So on my search for a worthy new client I've put together the most important features of .PDC and checked what the newer alternatives can offer. You can see my testing status here. For further explanations of the features please read my post in this forum.

So basically we're missing the following features in ApexDC 0.1.0. I don't know how much you care, but it would be nice if they could find their way to ApexDC (and for some of them their way back to the DC community):

1 - Userlist filter that is activated

without

having to press [ENTER]. Meaning a real-time filter, just the way it was back in PWDC.

2 - Tab completion of nicknames that works with

any

part of the nick, not only with the first letters or the first ones after a [prefix]; not all hubs use prefixes the [iSP] style.

3 - A refresh filelist button in the toolbar, would be nice and fancy

, but not elementary.

4 - An away message that can do both, multiline and random message. If I understand the

Expected Features List

right, this seems to be planned. (Well, the random was not in .PDC, but still sort of fancy.)

5 - real direct downloading, e.g. with a parameter like %[targetdir] additionally to %[targetdrive]. So it wouldn't be necessary for downloaded files to be moved from temp folder to destination on another drive, what really sucks with a 4.5GB DVD image. Temp files can be recognized easily by their .dctmp suffix.

Well, apart from the random away message feature, that's about all the features we're missing to have found our new allround DC client (presupposing ApexDC will not mysteriously lose some of it's features already present. ). For some of those desired features it's actually a real shame that they disappeared from the DC community since they once had existed, many of them in even more clients than only .PDC.

With hope for positive response,

CrazyBerserk

EDIT: Added numbers for better reference

[Greg 0]

Hey guys,

it's a nice and fancy client you made there, congratulations.

Lately I've been searching for and testing new DC clients and was actually waiting for your release of ApexDC. I've compared many clients, so I did with ApexDC 0.1.0.

Actually I'm still using Twink's and Phantom's .PhantomDC in it's last version 1.19c, based on BCDC++ 0.306, as are many other users in my LAN hub. As you can see, it's quite an old client and due to recent mobbing of old clients by the DC++ programmers (NMDC-style filelists no longer supported) we are now more ore less forced to upgrade. But most of us aren't willing to change to a client that lacks in many nice and handy features that we have in .PDC. Neither I do intend to ban the new DC++ versions and it's mods just because they don't wanna deal with our old ones.

So on my search for a worthy new client I've put together the most important features of .PDC and checked what the newer alternatives can offer. You can see my testing status here. For further explanations of the features please read my post in this forum.

So basically we're missing the following features in ApexDC 0.1.0. I don't know how much you care, but it would be nice if they could find their way to ApexDC (and for some of them their way back to the DC community).

Thanks for your interest in ApexDC++, I'll give you my opinions on your feature requests.

- Userlist filter that is activated without having to press [ENTER]. Meaning a real-time filter, just the way it was back in PWDC.

Yes, I agree, I would like to see that back, as an OP it would save a little bit of time often, which adds up. I noticed it earlier, and then realise that it'd use my CPU, but that's probably a non-issue really, and if it is.... I'd rather have a setting. I liked the old way.

- A refresh filelist button in the toolbar, would be nice and fancy , but not elementary.

Sure, I wouldn't mind having that, I'd probably use it sometimes, I wouldn;t mind F5 being the (or another) hotkey to refresh the filelist too, as that's quicker/easier to press than Ctrl+E... and more logical (Internet Browsers ).

Tab completion of nicknames that works with any part of the nick, not only with the first letters or the first ones after a [prefix]; not all hubs use prefixes the [iSP] style.

I don't quite know what you mean because it's late and I don't wanna re-read multiple times until I do, but I'll probably udnerstand when i re-read this thread tomorrow. However, I would like to note here that I would like to ahve the option maybe for it to take away the prefix at the beginning when doing prefix completion... Normally when I'm going to mention someone's name, the prefix does not need to be included too, I'm sure I've seen clients that do this.

An away message that can do both, multiline and random message. If I understand the Expected Features List right, this seems to be planned. (Well, the random was not in .PDC, but still sort of fancy.)

Sure, but I wouldn't put it as a top priority. Maybe instead of random it could jsut rotate through the options you give it, I cna imagine that would be simpler, and perhaps more useful to some. As for the multipleline thing, if Crise can do it fairly quickly and there's some demand for it, then there's no reason not to do it. Crise is already doing a lot however though, and I'm sure all these relatively small things add up to be the biggest thing of all to code, and there's also some pretty major features which will be worked on for the client too I would think.

real direct downloading, e.g. with a parameter like %[targetdir] additionally to %[targetdrive]. So it wouldn't be necessary for downloaded files to be moved from temp folder to destination on another drive, what really sucks with a 4.5GB DVD image. Temp files can be recognized easily by their .dctmp suffix.

So basically you want to be able to set the temp-file location of files too? I can see the advantage of this, but not too sure how you would change the GUI to make use of this... If someone can think of a good way to put this into the GUI, and Crise is willing to implement it and has time and it's fiarly easy.... then sure. the problem is, as previously mentioned, all these possibly simple things add up, and some of them probably won't be as simple as expected. If this is in the client you are using now... can you explain how it is implemented into the GUI?

As for LUA scripting.... yes I'd like that, especially in the OP clint, but I'm not too sure how easy this is? ...Any modern clients that include this that you know of?

Basically, if I personally don't want the reture.... then it's an "if Crise has time" thing. I'm not qualified to say how easy these features are to implement or code or whatever, hopefully Crise can answer that kind of stuff. I hope you enjoy ApexDC++ and use it in future,

Greg

[CrazyBerserk 0]

Wow, good morning Greg, that was fast. Thanks for your reply.

@2 - tab completion:

I don't quite know what you mean because it's late and I don't wanna re-read multiple times until I do, but I'll probably udnerstand when i re-read this thread tomorrow. However, I would like to note here that I would like to ahve the option maybe for it to take away the prefix at the beginning when doing prefix completion... Normally when I'm going to mention someone's name, the prefix does not need to be included too, I'm sure I've seen clients that do this.

Yes, in some clients there is an option to cut away the [iSP] style prefix. But that's not what I mean. For a better illustration, please read the part of my thread in another forum I mentioned: For faster finding just search for the red words.

@4 - multiline and random away message:

Sure, but I wouldn't put it as a top priority. Maybe instead of random it could jsut rotate through the options you give it, I cna imagine that would be simpler, and perhaps more useful to some. As for the multipleline thing, if Crise can do it fairly quickly and there's some demand for it, then there's no reason not to do it. Crise is already doing a lot however though, and I'm sure all these relatively small things add up to be the biggest thing of all to code, and there's also some pretty major features which will be worked on for the client too I would think.

In release 0.1.0 of ApexDC multiline away messages are already possible by pressing [CTRL]+[ENTER] in the away message field in the settings. Just no random yet. But yes, I think a rotating message would do it. And yes, it wasn't really meant as a priority, rather as a fancy goodie.

@5 - direct downloading:

So basically you want to be able to set the temp-file location of files too? I can see the advantage of this, but not too sure how you would change the GUI to make use of this... If someone can think of a good way to put this into the GUI, and Crise is willing to implement it and has time and it's fiarly easy.... then sure. the problem is, as previously mentioned, all these possibly simple things add up, and some of them probably won't be as simple as expected. If this is in the client you are using now... can you explain how it is implemented into the GUI?

No, I don't wanna set it explicitely. It's just that I have several harddisks in my computer, some of them mounted as NTFS drives into other folders. And normally I'm not downloading files via double-click but via right-click > "Download to..." and choose a destination folder other than the standard drive:\folder. So I want the temporary files to be created exactly there where the file will end up after downloading. This makes it unnecessary for the DC client to move the files afterwards. With the %[targetdrive] parameter in the "Unfinished downloads directory" field files can at least be downloaded directly to the destination drive (works with some clients, also ApexDC) and will only be moved to their destination folder, what normally is done immediately. But when the destination folder is actually another drive, mounted as a subfolder, moving the file will take some seconds or even minutes, depending on the computer and on the filesize since it still needs to be copied from HDD1 to HDD2. And furthermore, by being able to download directly to the destination location, you will never face troubles like "DC says not enough space on HDD but I have plenty of free space", just because the temp drive might be full.

As for LUA scripting.... yes I'd like that, especially in the OP clint, but I'm not too sure how easy this is? ...Any modern clients that include this that you know of?

Hmm.. I guess that the latest versions of BCDC++ and CZDC++ could still have it. But I don't know if these clients are still in development, at all. I guess they aren't, otherwise I think I would have tested and documented them together with the first ones on my list.

Well, I hope my feature requests can now be fully understood.

But now, good night.

CrazyBerserk

[Greg 0]

@3

Hmm, I see what you mean about the tab completion now. If Crise thinks it's worth doing, and the source for a client that already does this is availble and easy to put this into ApexDC++ then i guess it will happen. Although I'm not sure there would be much demand for it to be honest.

@4

Well ok, I don;t think we can anywhere enar prioritise that, which seems to be ok.

@5

I see what you mean, and that would be useful to a lot of people (and possible me), but a lot of people are already sharing the folders to where they download and obviously can't have DCTMP files there. Personally I just have my default Downloads folder on the same drive as my temp folder. :thumbsup:

Sorry if I've not read any of what you've posted as well as I should have, but it's late and I'm tired so I'll just wait until tomorrow.

Hopefully Crise will get a chance to look at this and give his opinions on these requests.

[Zlobomir 3]

...@5

I see what you mean, and that would be useful to a lot of people (and possible me), but a lot of people are already sharing the folders to where they download and obviously can't have DCTMP files there. Personally I just have my default Downloads folder on the same drive as my temp folder. :thumbsup:

This may not be a problem, as we have an option "Don't share unfinished files". Probably it's enough to add *.dctmp there, if it's not already (or adding a field to type, f. ex.: *.dctmp; *.tmp), so you could easily correct the list for your own needs.

BTW, can this be used for some share customizing? If you have such field also for each of your Fav Hubs, you could easily exclude all your *.something files for this hub (so your share will lack all audio or video files, or both).

P. S. If the above two lines are usable, please split into new feature request, otherwise delete it. :)

[Greg 0]

So what you want is a skip list on a per hub basis. Maybe this a nice idea.... but how easy would it be, this basically is the seperate share per hub request in its early forms if you see what I mean. There are limitations to the client... maybe this is one of them?

[Crise 26]

So what you want is a skip list on a per hub basis. Maybe this a nice idea.... but how easy would it be, this basically is the seperate share per hub request in its early forms if you see what I mean. There are limitations to the client... maybe this is one of them?

Share skiplist per hub basis is not likely to happen, as it'd have the same flaws as variable sharing...

[CrazyBerserk 0]

Good morning.

@3:

If Crise thinks it's worth doing, and the source for a client that already does this is availble and easy to put this into ApexDC++ then i guess it will happen.

Since I couldn't find .PhantomDC's sourcecode in the internet anymore, I just uploaded the SRC of .PDC's last version. Though I actually thought that there were more clients that did it once. I guess you're right, there might not be much demand for that, but still, I do think that there are more hubs, probably LAN hubs without any access to DC in the internet, that might have prefix styles other than [iSP] as my hub does.

@5:

This may not be a problem, as we have an option "Don't share unfinished files". Probably it's enough to add *.dctmp there, if it's not already (or adding a field to type, f. ex.: *.dctmp; *.tmp), so you could easily correct the list for your own needs.

In ApexDC 0.1.0's settings in the Advanced section, there is an option "Remove forbidden (Unfinihed Kazaa, Win MX, GetRight, eMule, ApexDC++). So I think the not-sharing should already be there.

Well, I'm gonna search for some breakfast now.

So far,

CrazyBerserk

[Crise 26]

Also you'll see something nice and more useful, than randomization, happening to away messages in pr2.

[Greg 0]

Also you'll see something nice and more useful, than randomization, happening to away messages in pr2.

Sound good..... now I'm curious. :D

[Crise 26]

Sound good..... now I'm curious.

Well i'm not telling you what that is, also it will only happen if i can find the space needed for it...

[Zlobomir 3]

Well i'm not telling you what that is, also it will only happen if i can find the space needed for it...

Space? Just another popup box... :D

[balder 1]

zmDC++ has lua and is based on 0.691. it also has the tab complete function which was mentioned

[Lee 84]

Space? Just another popup box...

Uh? Settings area space.

[Crise 26]

Uh? Settings area space.

And we are short on that one since only page that has enough extra space is general, but this feature cannot be put in general page. (I'll probably add one extra settings page to solve this issue though)

[CrazyBerserk 0]

zmDC++ has lua and is based on 0.691. it also has the tab complete function which was mentioned

Nope, it doesn't.

The tab completion is just like any other current client that I found recently - unhandy for non-[iSP]-style prefixes. And neither I could find LUA in zmDC.

But well, it's late here, or actually, early in the morning. I'll test the client later a little more for it's features and update it to my checklist.

Thanks anyway for the suggestion. I'm still hoping for Crise's positive opinion.

So far, good morning and good night,

CrazyBerserk

Oh, one more thing @Greg, concerning your question about modern LUA clients:

I just noticed that CZDC++ and BCDC++ still seem to be in development. At least it appears so according to this list of DC clients.

[balder 1]

it seems you are right about the tab complete thing (i was sure i saw that in there). however it does have LUA but the script editor icon is not on the toolbar by default. and it dosn't seem like you can get to it any other way but the script editor.

With that said i have not actully used the lua so ... i may end up :)

[Crise 26]

Thanks anyway for the suggestion. I'm still hoping for Crise's positive opinion.

I'll take a look into most of your reqs... but i can't quarantee them being in ApexDC++.

[CrazyBerserk 0]

Hey, for those who might be interested, I just updated my DC clients checklist, according to my wishlist for my new client after .PhantomDC. You can see the list here.

I'll take a look into most of your reqs... but i can't quarantee them being in ApexDC++.

Crise, you give me hope. :ermm: I'd really be glad if you could find a way to include especially features 1, 2 and 5 from my wishlist in the first post. (Though I'm afraid these would be the harder ones....)

So far,

CrazyBerserk

[Pothead 0]

I just noticed that CZDC++ and BCDC++ still seem to be in development. At least it appears so according to this list of DC clients.

Yes, they both are still being developed. :ermm:

[CrazyBerserk 0]

@2 - Tab completion of nicknames:

Since I just tested all the new clients but didn't really use them because I was too disappointed and went back to .PDC, I didn't notice this earlier:

In .PDC the tab completion even worked in a PM window and in OP-Chat windows. So in what window ever you were you could tab-complete a nickname from the hub the window belonged to. And you could do that by typing ANY part of the nick, just like the userlist filter does it. So you could enter 'ber' and press the tab key to complete to 'hostel1.CrazyBerserk' and press it another time to complete to 'hostel3.strawberry' or '[prfx]bernard' - no matter what window you where in! I found this very useful, especially in Op-Chat, when talking about or quoting someone. (And also I demonstrate the prefix style on my hub, where the nowaday's tab completion doesn't work usefully since it only works after [prfx].)

Just wanted to mention that to illustrate what I don't like about the currently common tab completion.

@5 - direct downloading to target drive and folder:

In .PDC and also in older versions of DC++ itself this was actually realized by just leaving the field "Unfinished downloads directory" in "Downloads" empty. Until DC++ 0.401 this field was named "Unfinished downloads directory (empty = download directly to target)" - does someone remember? :ermm:

And again back to something older:

@5:

In ApexDC 0.1.0's settings in the Advanced section, there is an option "Remove forbidden (Unfinihed Kazaa, Win MX, GetRight, eMule, ApexDC++). So I think the not-sharing should already be there.

I Just found this in the Changelog of StrongDC++ 2.01:

*.antifrag and *.dctmp files are always unshared regardless the "Remove forbidden" settings

As far as I understood, ApexDC is based on the latest version of StrongDC, so this should definitely not be a problem.

So far,

CrazyBerserk

EDIT: Addition to @5

[Big Muscle 1]

Yes, they both are still being developed. :ermm:

yes, only in CZDC++, author of it started adding feature to kill competitive clients instead of fixing bugs.

[TheBlazingIcicle 0]

@2 The tab completion of nicks from any part of the nick from any main or pm chat window of the hub would be awesome. Excellent suggestion, well worth doing IMO.

[CrazyBerserk 0]

Thanx for supporting this request.

@2 The tab completion of nicks from any part of the nick from any main or pm chat window of the hub would be awesome. Excellent suggestion, well worth doing IMO.

Yep, that's why I don't want a new client without.. Actually, this was the main reason why I didn't switch to another client yet. You can get so used to it.

In case the source of .PhantomDC helps, since this feature was built in there: At least the download section of the old .PDC homepage is back online or you can find it here.

I hope the guys can and want to do it...

[CrazyBerserk 0]

I'll take a look into most of your reqs... but i can't quarantee them being in ApexDC++.

Sorry for appearing impatient... But can you already tell if the features are likely to be added? Just to know if I shall wait for next release of ApexDC or continue with my search, you know? I don't really like to settle with something less good (because of missing features) than I have now...

(BTW: I'm still talking about all 5 of my requests mentioned and explained in posts above )