Day to day · Chapter 14

Downloads, problems and the recycle folder.

The “Downloads” page shows what is downloading, what is done and where nexcrate needs you. This chapter explains how to read a problem card, what to do about the common ones, where blocked releases and deleted files end up and how to rename existing files to a new pattern.

The queue

The page refreshes every five seconds and has five tabs: “Active”, “Problems”, “Waiting”, “History” and “Blocklist”. Under “Active” you see what is downloading, with progress and time left. Once a download is finished, nexcrate picks it up and files it into the folder of its title. Its state moves from “Downloading” through “Downloaded” and possibly “Unpacking” to “Filing away” and “Filed away”.

Downloads

Reading and solving problems

The tab “Problems” has two groups. “Needs you” are downloads where nexcrate cannot go on without you. “Hints” are things nexcrate takes care of itself or that are already dealt with. Each card says what is going on, gives the reason and offers the next step.

• The download is done, but nexcrate cannot find the files. See the next section.
• No video file or no music in the download. If the files come later, from a seedbox for example, nexcrate looks again every few minutes for two days. Otherwise “Remove” and take another release.
• Not enough free space. Make room, then “Try again”.
• Files not safely assigned to an episode or a track. “Assign by hand” or “Leave the rest”.
• Several videos of a similar size. “Choose file” and pick the video to file.
• The title does not fit the movie. If the release is right after all, “File anyway”. Otherwise “Remove and block”.
• A dangerous file, an archive with a password or a movie in parts. nexcrate has blocked the release already. “Remove” tidies up.
• Something went wrong while storing it. The reason is on the card, for example missing write permission or a folder the container cannot see. Then “Try again”.
• The download failed, three replacements were tried today already, and the automatic is off. Search another release yourself, or take the card away with “Done”.

“Remove” asks whether the job in the download client should go too, with the downloaded files, and whether the release should be blocked. What nexcrate has already stored always stays.

When nexcrate cannot find the download

This is the common case at first setup. The download client reports a path such as /downloads/film, and nexcrate sees the same folder under a different one, say /media/downloads/film. The card shows the reported path and takes you further:

• With a suggestion. nexcrate found the folder in one place below its own folders. “Take the mapping” saves it for this download client and files the download right away. It then applies to every further download without asking.
• In several places. All the finds are listed. A click on “This one” takes the right one.
• Search cut short. If there were too many folders or they went too deep, the card offers “Choose the folder”. You open the download's folder and nexcrate works out the mapping from it.
• Found nowhere. Then the download folder is most likely not mounted in the nexcrate container. Add it as a volume in the compose file, restart the container and try again. The card names the folders nexcrate does see.

Jobs nexcrate did not order

If there is a job in the category nexcrate of your download client that nexcrate did not order, it appears under “Problems” as “Not ordered by nexcrate”. nexcrate never files such jobs by itself. “Assign and import” files it as if nexcrate had ordered it, into the folder of the version and with its naming. If the version already has a file, the old one goes into the recycle folder. “Remove” deletes the job with its files in the download client and cannot be undone.

Waiting and the blocklist

Under “Waiting” are releases that nexcrate would download but holds back because the waiting time of the version gives a better release some time. Once the time is up, the best release known by then loads by itself. “Load now” skips the waiting, “Discard” drops the release. Out of the box no version waits, see Versions.

The “Blocklist” collects releases that nexcrate does not take any more. A failed download blocks its release by itself, so the search does not fetch the same broken file again. What you throw away with “Remove and block” ends up here as well. With “Lift block” the release counts like any other again. Otherwise nexcrate downloads a blocked release for that title only after you confirm.

The history

The “History” shows downloads that were stored, failed or removed, newest first. Each says where the file went and how: “Shares the file with the torrent, no extra space” for a hardlink, otherwise “Copied”, “Moved” or “Unpacked”. For a failure it gives the reason the download client named and what happened afterwards, for example “Replaced by …”.

The recycle folder

nexcrate does not delete a replaced or deleted file at once. It lies in the folder .nexcrate-recycle next to the movie and series folders, seven days out of the box. You set how long under “Settings › Folders and naming › Recycle folder”, from 1 to 365 days.

• “Take back” puts the file where it was. If the title has left the library in the meantime, taking it back adds it again, unwatched. If that is not possible, the row says why.
• “Delete for good” and “Empty the recycle bin” delete at once and cannot be undone.
• “Remove” on a title with the box “Move the files into the recycle bin” sends everything in the movie or series folder there, posters, .nfo files and extras included, and then the folder goes. A torrent that is still seeding leaves the download client with its files in the download folder. That applies only to your own versions, not to ones that a connection to Radarr, Sonarr or Lidarr feeds. If something of another title lies in the folder, it stays.

Renaming existing files

A new naming pattern only applies to what comes next. What is there already you rename under “Settings › Folders and naming › Rename”. Choose the kind and proceed like this:

1. Compute the preview

   “Compute preview” only reads and changes nothing. The result shows how many titles differ. With “before, after” you see the old and new names of each title.

2. Choose

   Pick titles one by one or with “Choose all”. Those left out are listed apart with a reason, for example “Target taken” or “Downloading or being filed right now”.

3. Rename

   “Rename the chosen ones” asks once more. After that files are only renamed and moved within their root folder, never copied and never overwritten.

4. Go back if needed

   Under “Last run” “Undo” takes the run back as long as nothing was filed or changed for these titles since.

You rename a single title with “Rename” on its page. Subtitles and other files in the folder come along.