New Download Folder Functionality, Limit Number of Search Results, Static Linux builds

Submitted by Nir on Tue, 10/08/2013 - 19:06

Changing the way downloading folders via search results works in SoulseekQt has a been a source of frequent (if not overwhelmingly frequent) complaints. Used to be in the good ol' days, you'd run a search that only returns a particular file in a particular folder, and feeling especially lucky you'd use the download folder option to queue everything in the folder for download, whatever that may be. You'd get a warning if too many files were involved, but otherwise you'd be getting everything. Building SoulseekQt, this struck me as an irresponsible way to do things, and so I opted to treat 'download folder' as meaning: download all files in the folder that are seen in the results. Many of you being so used to the original function either complained or flat out reported it as a bug. Sure, you could browse for that particular folder in the user's share, but retrieving an entire user's share takes time, and is somewhat prone to failure. It eventually occurred to me that, if I have a problem with the user downloading anything that's not visible to them, why not just show the user exactly what they would be downloading and then ask them for confirmation? The new download folder dialog goes a bit further, giving you the option of individually selecting which of the files you wish to queue (with the default being all of them.)

The other big change to the client is a setting to limit the number of search results processed and displayed for a particular search. Especially huge searches are often a big problem for people with hardware that's not very powerful. By default, searches are limited to 10,000 results, which I think is still a lot, but you might find to be too little for your own purposes. Either way you are free to change the number of maximum results or even disable limiting completely from the Options->File Sharing tab. And if a consensus is formed that the default needs to be changed, I'll change it.

Finally this build marks the first time in many months that I'm providing Linux versions. Since Qt 4 is becoming less and less standard on new Linux distributions (and yet Qt 4 is still the ideal version of Qt for SoulseekQt on Linux), I'm trying out static builds of SoulseekQt which include the proper version of Qt in them. Hopefully this should work out swell.

Links are on the download page!

Thanks, Nir

Comments

Submitted by twinkler on Wed, 10/09/2013 - 20:16.

Oh wow, Nir, thank you, thank you, thank you! That change in the way folders downloaded was an enormous pain that made no sense to me and made using Soulseek much less efficient and pleasurable. I'm really grateful to you for implementing a middle way.

BTW, I just realized I've been using Soulseek for 11 years (and donating for nearly that long). Thanks for being in it for the long haul and for continuing to make improvements!

Submitted by Nir on Thu, 10/10/2013 - 10:46.

Yeah, I'm very happy that we've managed to find a workable compromise on the download folders feature :) Thank you for the kind word twinkler, and thank you for sticking around and supporting us all this time! We're truly grateful.

Zelmo Swift's picture

Submitted by Zelmo Swift on Thu, 10/10/2013 - 06:05.

Thanks for your dedication!

Submitted by Nir on Thu, 10/10/2013 - 10:46.

My pleasure!

psynaturecybine's picture

Submitted by psynaturecybine on Fri, 10/11/2013 - 03:24.

well thought. its more than okay to see folders full content without manually browsing users share! thank You for making every single build significantly better

Submitted by Nir on Fri, 10/11/2013 - 09:20.

Thanks psy!

psynaturecybine's picture

Submitted by psynaturecybine on Sun, 10/13/2013 - 04:37.

its just an idea - when new box pop ups, why not add an option to rename destination folder name? for instance, someone have what im interested in, but shared folder is named "[label]artist_album", and i want these files to be in "artist - album [label]" when its on my disk. in general this would allow to keep folders better organized and saves time later, when doing segregation

Submitted by Nir on Mon, 10/14/2013 - 12:22.

That's actually a great idea. There's a feature request submission for changing the name of the downloaded folder, which I thought would be useful but wasn't sure where in the UI to place the feature. The new download folder dialog is ideal for it! Try this build:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9nmhz5m7ifcfns/SoulseekQt-2013-10-14.exe

And please let me know if you run into any problems with the new feature so I can fix them!

Thanks, Nir

psynaturecybine's picture

Submitted by psynaturecybine on Fri, 10/18/2013 - 05:31.

excellent! work as intended, and i don't see any bugs coming with it. hope it will be included in next build. thanks

edit:
still working fine, no bus found.

Submitted by purep on Sat, 10/19/2013 - 00:32.

Thanks for your work Nir. I have to say though that for me the new download window is pretty much redundant. It's another click I don't need. Please consider a disable option for the next build. Thanks.

Submitted by Nir on Sun, 10/20/2013 - 14:12.

If you mean disable the download window to mean that it would work the way it did before the feature was implemented I can certainly do that. If you mean it should automatically download everything a-la the old client, understandably I don't want to go back to a situation where the user is downloading files they don't know of. Another added benefit to having the dialog is that it still lets you download the files shown in the search results if retrieving the list of files in the folder fails. An extra click is a small price to pay for the added safety and functionality that the download folder dialog gives you.

Thanks, Nir

Submitted by purep on Mon, 10/21/2013 - 04:12.

Appreciate your explaining. Indeed I mean 'that it would work the way it did before the feature was implemented'.

psynaturecybine's picture

Submitted by psynaturecybine on Mon, 10/21/2013 - 05:13.

yes, i also think there should be checkbox in options, but default after install comes with the "pop up window" - cause i'm sure most of people will appreciate it. also it excludes situation when search results miss one file because of wrong tags, and nobody wants incomplete "folders"

Submitted by Nir on Tue, 10/22/2013 - 20:10.

Fair enough, this build:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2lom963orq2h66h/SoulseekQt-2013-10-21.exe

has a new option under Options->File Sharing that lets you disable the new behavior and revert to the old download folder functionality.

Thanks, Nir

Submitted by purep on Wed, 10/23/2013 - 10:06.

Mucho appreciato Nir ;)

Submitted by Nir on Wed, 10/23/2013 - 16:50.

Sure thing!

emperor_muabo's picture

Submitted by emperor_muabo on Thu, 10/24/2013 - 14:25.

Nir, I don't know if I'm an idiot, I probably am, but I can't get the newest Linux 32 SoulseekQt (October 5 2013) to either open or upgrade from the May 18, 2013 version. I'm using Ubuntu 12.04 and 2013.5.18 works great. What am I missing? What more info can I provide?

Submitted by soulseek-chatter on Wed, 01/22/2014 - 15:08.

I'm on arch linux, and while i've gotten newer versions to work. The most recent one that looks fine in my PC is 2013.05.18

Submitted by alecdtatum on Sat, 11/09/2013 - 13:46.

Thanks for the Linux build, guys. It works great.

Submitted by ryanmq on Mon, 11/11/2013 - 09:13.

Auto Clear Finished downloads isn't an option any more? Cannot change the Download folder?
I have everything on a different drive, so having it go to my C drive is troublesome as that drive is strictly for my operating system.

EDIT: Okay, I see the clear complete button at the top. And I found now how to change the download folder, didn't notice the top buttons changing based on the active tab. I must say I like it now that I have come to understand it.

dserodio's picture

Submitted by dserodio on Mon, 11/11/2013 - 07:49.

Thanks for the new "Download folder" behaviour, I like it better. Keep up the good work!

Submitted by ryanmq on Tue, 11/12/2013 - 07:24.

FYI, if you search for Sun & Moon, you will get responses, however the & is treated as that it would be in a coding language, it becomes an _
If you look at the tab of your search it will say Sun _Moon
so if you try to put Sun && Moon so that the tab shows sun & Moon, you get no results. Just a minor code fix to display all & as the & instead of having it operate as a code parameter.

Submitted by Michelsup on Tue, 11/12/2013 - 12:30.

Hello. I've submitted a week ago a feature request regarding a bad behavior and it hasn't appeared yet. Strange.
So I ask here even if it's not the correct place.
If the Download Folder command is really great, I end up with dozens of incomplete albums in my Complete folder as soon you are banned, the peer do not connect anymore, your own change of mind and cancel the download, ect.
I believe incomplete folders should remain in the Downloading folder until the whole folder is complete. It will be easier to sort your Complete collection with such a feature.
BTW, congrats and thanks for your work.

dserodio's picture

Submitted by dserodio on Thu, 12/12/2013 - 07:53.

Double-clicking on a folder name inside the Search results should also show the "Download folder" dialog. In build 2013.11.6 I have to right-click and choose "Download Folder(s)" to see this dialog. Thanks.

Submitted by Jonfromwisconsin on Thu, 12/12/2013 - 19:56.

I downloaded Soulseek and I can't open it??? Help!!!

Submitted by Silvia Giffoni on Tue, 01/07/2014 - 13:34.

HIii!!!! I´m very very happy

Maranàtha's picture

Submitted by Maranàtha on Mon, 01/27/2014 - 14:36.

Hi! Can't wait to find new sounds!

Maranàtha's picture

Submitted by Maranàtha on Mon, 01/27/2014 - 14:38.

Yahoo!

Maranàtha's picture

Submitted by Maranàtha on Mon, 01/27/2014 - 14:49.

Can't login. Why???

Submitted by Forwardthinking on Tue, 03/18/2014 - 04:41.

Soulseek will neva die!

Submitted by saintbump on Mon, 04/07/2014 - 21:44.

Edited: Had to read the forums to notice that changing the server port, will allow me to access, as Server port 80 came up empty.

Submitted by saintbump on Mon, 04/07/2014 - 21:45.

Edited: Just figured the server port issue out.

Submitted by Nir on Mon, 04/07/2014 - 21:50.

Gah, I really need to change the default port. I'll do that very soon.

Submitted by limandre on Thu, 04/24/2014 - 15:02.

i cant login :(

Submitted by tapper on Sun, 04/27/2014 - 13:04.

Hi Nir wen will you be ading support for screenreaders to slsk QT? As it standes there is no way at all for a blind person to use slsk with jaws or NVDA. If you remember you did say you wood look in to this for me a long time ago. If needs be mate i will send some munny but there is no point in sending you some munny for something i will never be able to use. lol thanks for all your work so far. I loved the old solseek and it worked grate with a screenreader.

Submitted by tapper on Tue, 05/20/2014 - 13:26.

Hi just spotted this! Some grate news https://blog.qt.digia.com/blog/2014/05/14/accessibility-in-qt-5-3/ This will make even easier for you to ad accessibility to Soulseek

QT thanks.