Interface Suggestions and Experience Remarks

1, 4. Thank you for these solutions.

5. F2 allows to edit only link name (as displayed in FRD), not download link. Vice versa would be better.

8. Escape should not cancel downloads.
Not only many FHSs do not allow to resume (means you lose whatever amount you downloaded already), there is no confirmation dialogue (I pressed ESC to close some right-click menu or similar).

I also suggest to add an option to make FRD keep partially downloaded files when downloads were cancelled.

Goofy Wrote:
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> 8. Escape should not cancel downloads.
> Not only many FHSs do not allow to resume (means
> you lose whatever amount you downloaded already),
> there is no confirmation dialogue (I pressed ESC
> to close some right-click menu or similar).
>
There is a confirmation dialog, you probably disabled this dialog in user preferences.
You can disable ESC for cancel in startup.properties file.
Insert this line into it:
-DcancelOnEscape=false

> I also suggest to add an option to make FRD keep
> partially downloaded files when downloads were
> cancelled.

Cancel is not Pause...

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8. There is a confirmation dialog, you probably disabled this dialog in user preferences.

No, I didn't. And there is no such option under Confirmation section (and probably anywhere else in the GUI).

Insert this line into it:
-DcancelOnEscape=false

Thank you. Added right away.

Update: DcancelOnEscape has no default state and keeps last value. FRD as distributed on site has it set on true. I suggest to reverse it in the next version.

8.1. Cancel is not Pause...

But in many circumstances FRD gives me no other option to stop download. I wish Pause was available always (even if host doesn't support resume at the moment).

8.2. I would love to see Concurrent Downloads Limit as a button with drop-down menu.

8.3. History
Again, among the first things that look at you from the right-click menu is Delete File(s)... :\
I wish Delete File(s) at least did not carry function of Remove Link(s) to eliminate any association between them and facilitate user adaptation to the interface.

Right-clicking on URL still evokes Browser window.

One cannot add links from History.

I suggest to add Location column.


1.1. When you encounter an error like 'File already exists', other concurrent downloads do not start until the prompt is answered.

1.2. 'Retry all with error' triggered no reaction from FRD when error was 'Error starting download'.

1.3. FRD pre-allocates files in a strange 2-step manner: first it creates 0 byte file, then makes it a desired size.

I suggest to pre-allocate during WAITING (countdown) instead of at GETTING. This may improve efficiency in cases when pre-allocation takes time.

If you Pause download hanging on GETTING, on Resume new .part file is created and the old one remains.



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2013 06:12PM by Goofy.

There were some fixes in 0.9u2 and it is great!

A few comments:

3.1. One can set target location for a download by just editing address string in Download Information. If directory does not exit, there will be prompt. But this does not work for multiple downloads - you will have to create directory in the GUI.

6. Average Speed upon download finish is shown now, but only in History. Still need it in the main window.

8.4. Cancel should not be available for finished downloads - it deletes them :\ (yes, with prompt, but what Cancel has to do with Delete? Looks like Download Deleter can be proposed for name contest now)

9. I suggest to add Location column not only to History, but to main window too.


Other ideas (OP and the post above) are still valid.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2013 06:58PM by Goofy.

Goofy Wrote:
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> 5. Now I just see some general name which isn't
> very helpful too. Since there is service icon, you
> may leave displayed just core link difference like
> 3216935832/book3.rar instead of https:/
> /rapidshare.com/files/3216935832/book3.rar. I also
> suggest a link to be editable in Download
> properties (saves time when correcting a link).

Only small fraction of users will be benefited by this feature, and not for general usage (in term of file hosting services). It's dangerous, you'll have broken download URL, possible corrupted file, etc if you make mistake on the input. Unless you're power user (again only small fraction of users) who know what you're doing. Then again, if you're power user why don't you make your custom built of FRD (I do, and yes the download URL is editable in my custom built), it's only two lines of code modification IIRC, to make download URL editable.

Let's not forget that FRD is open source, you are free and have full power to customize, exploit, enslave it to satisfy your needs and desires

Thank you for your interest.

Ability to edit download link in download manager is a de facto industry standard. It's no more dangerous than Resume, it's about how it is handled.
While I do not consider it to be a must, I'm glad you acknowledged its small benefit. I may have not noted it, were it not for already existing Download Information window and meaningless edit function.

Unless you're power user...
No-no, I don't want to hear about how rewarding it is to dumb down programs. I've been hearing it from Microsoft for decades.

if you're power user why don't you make your custom built of FRD
You confuse advanced user with a programmer.

Let's not forget that FRD is open source...
This is one of the reasons I turned to it (and even promoted it) and registered at the forum.

... you are free and have full power to customize, exploit, enslave it to satisfy your needs and desires
Everything has its limitations and some were described above. I found my use in reporting errors and suggesting things that are more or less objective - can affect/benefit all or many people. Like Vity, who stated his dissatisfaction with non-intuitive interface of existing products as one of the reasons to start his own, I was struck by some interfacial and behavioral elements of FRD from the first time I used it. But the program served ts purpose, so I thought: I may help it become better instead of just coping with any bugs and hardships. That's how it started. And bullet point #5 originally derived from the way FRD compared downloads (by link name) and resulting skip problem.

9.1. Adjusting Global Speed Limit with Navigation Keys isn't working and doesn't follow Step. Setting it with mouse is rather tricky too. I suggest to fix / implement Global Speed Limit control by Navigation Keys with jumps equal to set Step.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2013 09:03AM by Goofy.

Quote

Ability to edit download link in download manager is a de facto industry standard. It's no more dangerous than Resume, it's about how it is handled.

In non FHS download manager (Free Download Manager, wget, and such) maybe it is. But IMO, as I stated before, it's not in FHS downloader like, FRD.
It's more dangerous than resume.
- there is possibility to corrupt downloaded file, when the files are different (wrong mirror URLs).
- there is possibility to lost your original URL, when you forget to write it down/save it somewhere and the new URL doesn't work.
- there is possibility to lost resuming capability when the new URL doesn't support resume, it means redownload from 0.
- etc.
I'm not trying to scare you or something like that. I know this because I already implemented this in mine, although I rarely use it. And I admit the benefit of it. If it's safely handled, sure why not, as fellow user I also want this to be widely adopted.

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No-no, I don't want to hear about how rewarding it is to dumb down programs. I've been hearing it from Microsoft for decades.

How is protecting common users from possible undesireable outcome equals to "rewarding it is to dumb down programs" ? You can modify it if you want it. And let's not dragging MS into this discussion.

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You confuse advanced user with a programmer.

IMO modifying couples of lines of code doesn't constitute one being a programmer. Power users generally curious about how things work and if have to, let their hands a bit dirty to tune, fix things. And in this case it is more about logic than programming.

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Everything has its limitations and some were described above. I found my use in reporting errors and suggesting things that are more or less objective - can affect/benefit all or many people. Like Vity, who stated his dissatisfaction with non-intuitive interface of existing products as one of the reasons to start his own, I was struck by some interfacial and behavioral elements of FRD from the first time I used it. But the program served ts purpose, so I thought: I may help it become better instead of just coping with any bugs and hardships. That's how it started. And bullet point #5 originally derived from the way FRD compared downloads (by link name) and resulting skip problem.

Yes, I know, and I really appreciate you for reporting bugs, requesting features in program and plugins. I was talking about general message, in case you forget that FRD is open source, you can modify it if this feature is not adopted. Again, much appreciate it.