Restarting an incomplete download from a magnet link

[darrenbest]

I haven't seen this addressed anywhere, sorry if I missed it.

I'm using Transmission 2.22, installed on FreeNAS 0.7.2. As per FreeNAS' web configuration utility, I have set up the Download Directory ("/Downloads"), the Watch Directory ("/TorrentFiles"), and the Incomplete Directory ("/IncompleteFiles"), and have left the Configuration Directory blank (as FreeNAS says this selection is usually empty). I use the web interface, and the Transmission Remote GUI (http://code.google.com/p/transmission-remote-gui), to see download progress.

If I download a .torrent file, I just place it in the "/TorrentFiles" directory, Transmission automatically picks it up and starts downloading. If I have to reboot the FreeNAS box before the download is complete, I can easily re-start the download by opening the .torrent.added file from the "/TorrentFiles" directory. Transmission does a quick verification of the files already downloaded, then continues where it left off.

With a torrent launched from a magnet link, I cannot figure out how to do the same thing. I save the magnet link that I originally launched the torrent from, and the partial files are still in the "/IncompleteFiles" directory, but if I try to re-start the download from the same magnet link, it seems to always re-start from 0%. There is no sign of any entries in the Watch Directory ("/TorrentFiles") for anything downloaded from a magnet link.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this just the way it is? If this is, in fact, the way it is, as an alternative is there any way to "generate" a .torrent file from the metadata that is downloaded from a magnet link? That way, I can go back to manually re-starting the torrent the way I did before? Thanks.

[rb07]

Yes and no, that's the way it is... with the old version you are using, newer (I don't remember exactly when it changed) do a verify (current files) step automatically.

Unless you changed the location of those files, which doesn't seem to be the case from your description.

[gunzip]

just for info, there is an open ticket regarding this issue:

https://trac.transmissionbt.com/ticket/4089

[darrenbest]

Thanks for the replies.

@gunzip, the bugtracker seems to indicate that this is still an open problem, even with the latest 2.50 release. The comments in the linked bug are precisely what I am experiencing.

@rb07, you're sure this has been fixed? This is my only issue with Transmission, and I'd rather not mess with my NAS if upgrading the client isn't going to resolve the issue (especially when I've got a big, slow download which is currently 20-30 days in, and barely half complete: I'd really rather not have to start it over from scratch if I stop Transmission to upgrade it, and it still won't pick up the downloaded portion).

Thanks,
Darren

[rb07]

you're sure this has been fixed?

I never said it was fixed, since I didn't know it was broken, and by the looks of the ticket it won't be fixed (the ticket is closed).

[darrenbest]

Sorry for the additional reply....

In my original post, I had asked if the metadata from a magnet link could be used to generate a .torrent file, which I could then use to re-start a download in Transmission. I found this link (http://www.ghacks.net/2012/01/14/how-to ... rent-file/) which suggests that uTorrent *will* do this. Can Transmission also accomplish this task?

(If not, I suppose I could install uTorrent and use it solely to generate .torrent files for me, but obviously that's not the most elegant solution )

Thanks again,
Darren

[gunzip]

I never said it was fixed, since I didn't know it was broken, and by the looks of the ticket it won't be fixed (the ticket is closed).

i just checked again and the ticket is still open (Status - New Bug), though it looks rather dormant.

https://trac.transmissionbt.com/ticket/4089

[gunzip]

Am I doing something wrong, or is this just the way it is? If this is, in fact, the way it is, as an alternative is there any way to "generate" a .torrent file from the metadata that is downloaded from a magnet link? That way, I can go back to manually re-starting the torrent the way I did before?

i haven't done this myself, but maybe try this as a workaround:

1) add the magnet link and wait several minutes until you're sure the meta-data has been acquired

2) pause the torrent

3) do a force verify, hoping transmission will pick up the existing data now that it has the meta-data info

4) resume the torrent

[darrenbest]

Alright, I've managed to get this almost completely automated now. It's a bit convoluted, but here's the process:

• Torrents need to be initiated using a bittorrent client that "generates" a .torrent file from the metadata of a magnet link. I tried this using uTorrent, works great, will use uTorrent 3.1.2 in the following example.
• Set the "Store .torrents in:" location (found in the "Directories" tab of the Preferences of uTorrent) to be the same as Transmission's "Watch" directory.
• Wait for the torrent to start in Transmission (the magnet link's metadata has finished downloading, uTorrent has created the .torrent file, and Transmission has picked it up). When that occurs, go back to uTorrent and remove/delete the download (you don't need to be downloading it twice).
• Shut down uTorrent until your next download.

A friend of mine asked me why not just use uTorrent? Well, I don't want to leave a Windows box running 24/7, in addition to my FreeNAS machine that's running Transmission and is always on anyways.

Now, I can reboot my FreeNAS box without having to restart a torrent (from a magnet link) from scratch. Hopefully, the ability to build a .torrent file from a magnet link will be built into a future version of Transmission.

[cfpp2p]

Transmission ALREADY does build torrent file from magnet link.
For your FreeNAS try looking in

~\.config\transmission-daemon\torrents\

for your torrents.

[darrenbest]

Transmission ALREADY does build torrent file from magnet link.
For your FreeNAS try looking in

~\.config\transmission-daemon\torrents\

for your torrents.

Oh, good lord! I wish someone had told me that earlier. But, better late then never.

So, just tested changing the "Watch" directory from the previous location to "/home/transmission/.config/transmission-daemon/torrents". Restarted the service, and bang everything is working wonderfully. Thanks, cfpp2p.

Darren