Managing files

[Slyneth]

Many people (including myself) are using peerflix-server on their VPS, but right now downloading and watching big torrents are problematic. Not that they don't work, but space is a problem.

I have 30GB space on my VPS, I simply can't download a 20GB torrent. I can select one file to download from the GUI, but I have no option to delete that file after watching. I have to ssh into my VPS.

So, would it be possible to add basic file management? Even only deleting files from the torrent would be more than enough to solve this problem.

[Porco-Rosso]

Isn't that why there is the delete command through the rest API?
https://github.com/asapach/peerflix-server/blob/master/REST.md

However I agree a simple UI for this would be great.

[Slyneth]

That deletes the torrent, what I am talking about deleting downloaded episodes 1,2 and 3 from torrent season 2.

[asapach]

Once you delete a file, you can no longer seed and consequently download, because you break the protocol and the peers will reject you. This means you might as well start from scratch by restarting the torrent. You may keep the remaining files, re-verify the contents and continue downloading, but that's going to take a while for a 30GB torrent.

This can be done, if there's real need for it.

I've always tried to keep the UI (and the REST API) as simple as possible. This kind of functionality is not trivial and I'm kind of struggling to envision what UI will be best for it. Any suggestions?

[Slyneth]

I understand now that you can't do this without a recheck. So maybe just a button to delete the files and restart the torrent would work?

I am restarting the torrents manually now, deleting the torrent, and re-adding. I am downloading and watching in 6-7GB parts.

[asapach]

So maybe just a button to delete the files and restart the torrent would work?

And where would the button go? How will it look? What kind of behavior do you expect when you click it?

[asapach]

I'm thinking that I should add it to the torrent removal confirmation dialog. Currently when you click the "cross" at the top right of the torrent panel there's no prompt, which is probably bad UX, since users might click it by accident. The idea is that there should be a dialog that says:

Are you sure that you want to remove the torrent?
{Yes} {Remove individual files} {Cancel}

The second option would show the list of files with checkboxes next to them and the "Remove" button at the bottom. When you click it the files will be removed and the torrent will restart.

Sounds good?

[Slyneth]

That sounds awesome!

This would also fix any various problems that might arise. Not peerflix problems, but sometimes we need recheck and restart torrents with Transmission and tixati and the like too. Just click remove, and don't remove anything. Recheck and restart =)

And I think there is really a need for this. Not for people who uses peerflix-server locally of course, but I know many people who are using your awesome application in the dorms of my university. Usually with DO, sometimes with a lowendbox. Peerflix-server is the best way to watch movies and tv shows behind firewalls without paying 30-40$ for a seedbox. It seeds well too.