I downloaded BitTorrent-3.3, it tells me to add the line below to /etc/mailcap; my system does not have an existing /etc/mailcap file. I use slack 9.1, has this file been moved to another directory?

application/x-bittorrent; /usr/bin/btdownloadgui.py %s; test=test -n "$DISPLAY"

slocate mailcap

noah@linux:~$ slocate mailcap
/usr/doc/python-2.3.1/html/Python-Docs-2.3.1/lib/module-mailcap.html
/usr/doc/pine4.58/mailcap.unx
/usr/doc/links-2.1pre11/mailcap.pl
/usr/doc/metamail-2.7/mailcap
/usr/doc/mutt/samples/sample.mailcap
/usr/doc/tin-1.6.1/mailcap.sample
/usr/lib/python2.3/mailcap.pyc
/usr/lib/python2.3/mailcap.pyo
/usr/lib/python2.3/mailcap.py
/usr/lib/lynx/lynx_doc/samples/mailcap
/usr/man/man5/mailcap.5.gz
/usr/share/emacs/21.3/lisp/gnus/mailcap.elc
/usr/share/emacs/21.3/lisp/gnus/mailcap.el
/usr/share/vim/vim62/syntax/mailcap.vim

None of these looks like the one I want, could I create a new file at /etc/mailcap and add the line? What is the purpose of the file mailcap?

this article is from mandrakeclub web site, maybe it will help you


Next to this article some people seem to have trouble with BitTorrent.
Maxim Heijndijk has written a document to help out with some common problems while trying to setup BitTorrent for downloading with Mandrake Linux.
He explains how to configure your browser to handle torrents and how to setup bandwidth rates with trickle and CBQ.
He also gives a link to a very detailed FAQ on BitTorrent : http://www.dessent.net/btfaq/

Thank you Maxim for your work!


BASIC USAGE

The bittorrent download client is called btdownloadgui.py. It is used to download files from a webserver. You must first go to a website that contains files with a ".torrent" extension. These ".torrent" files are links to the actual files that will be downloaded.

When you click on a ".torrent" link from your browser, the bittorrent downloadclient should start and download the target of the torrent-link automatically. But most browsers by default are not configured to handle ".torrent" links.

To configure Mozilla, go to "Edit > Preferences > Navigator > Helper Applications". Click on "New Type" and specify a new MIME Type "application/x-bittorrent", with Extension ".torrent". Click on "Open it with" and enter "btdownloadgui.py" in the box. Click OK and close the preferences window.

To configure Opera, go to "File > Preferences > File Types" and click on "New". Specify a MIME Type "application/x-bittorrent", with File extension ".torrent". Click on "Open with other application" and enter "btdownloadgui.py" in the box. Click "OK > Apply > OK" to close the preferences window.

For most browsers the procedure is similar as with Mozilla/Opera.

If you install mailcap-2.0.4-9mdk or higher, the above steps won't be necessary for most browsers. Download it at:
http://www.mandrakeclub.com/download...mdk.noarch.rpm

ADVANCED USAGE

Often, the ".torrent" links can be downloaded to the harddisk, for later use, by right clicking on it. From most browsers you can then pick an option like "Save as" to save the link to the harddisk. If you have a saved ".torrent" link, like for instance "/home/oneeyedtrousersnake/torrents/MandrakeIso9.2.torrent", you can start the download from an xterm by typing

$ btdownloadgui.py /home/oneeyedtrousersnake/torrents/MandrakeIso9.2.torrent

Downloads can be cancelled at any time, by hitting the "Cancel" button of the downloadclient. You can resume the download at the point where it was cancelled if you specify the same directory that you used the first time you downloaded the file.

The downloadclient can be started with a number of options to tweak the download/upload behaviour. The most important option is:

--max_upload_rate [number]

If you have a maximum upload rate of, say, 16 Kilobytes (same as 128 Kilobits), you have to specify a --max_upload_rate that is less than 16KB. Usually 13 KB will be the best value. If you don't do this, there's a chance that the upload rate will 'choke' your download rate to a very low level. Your other network clients could also suffer, browsing can become very slow.

CONFIGURING BANDWIDTH RATES WITH TRICKLE

Currently, bittorent has no option to limit the overall upload rate for several clients at once. However, it is possible to accomplish this with "trickle". Install the trickle RPM from Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com/modules...._page&RID=1497
and edit the maximum upload rate in /etc/sysconfig/trickle.
Start the daemon with: 'service trickle start'.
You can now start your download clients with 'trickle btdownloadgui.py [file.torrent]', or put 'trickle btdownloadgui' in the MIME-setting of your browser, as detailed above. The overall bandwidth of all clients will be limited by the trickled daemon.

CONFIGURING BANDWIDTH RATES WITH CBQ

There is also a possibility to configure your bandwidth at kernel level in much more detail with Fair Queueing with 'CBQ'. You can download an init script at http://sourceforge.net/projects/cbqinit.
Put the initscript in /etc/rc.d/init.d/ and put the below example configuration in the file /etc/sysconfig/cbq/cbq-104.bittorrent-client0 :

DEVICE=eth0,10Mbit,1Mbit
RATE=104Kbit
WEIGHT=10Kbit
PRIO=5
RULE=,:6881
RULE=,:6882
RULE=,:6883
RULE=,:6884
RULE=,:6885
RULE=,:6886
RULE=,:6887
RULE=,:6888
RULE=,:6889
RULE=:6881,
RULE=:6882,
RULE=:6883,
RULE=:6884,
RULE=:6885,
RULE=:6886,
RULE=:6887,
RULE=:6888,
RULE=:6889,

Read the information in the initscript to configure cbq for your system.

The main drawback of using CBQ is that it's so much more difficult to configure than trickle. The advantage is that, if you know how to configure it, it is much more flexible.

That's all...

Maxim Heijndijk (c) 2003

wow very informative post brew1brew.

one question: i did everything you said with trickle, but it seems to have no effect. the service is started, i tried giving it numbers in the /etc/sysconfig/trickle and via the -u and -d parameters. i run
trickle -u 5 -d 5 btdownloadcurses.py /path/to/file.torrent

and it downloads fine, but the limits dont seem to affect it. any suggestions?

oh yeah and i also tried using the --max_upload_rate [number] parameter for btdownloadgui.py, btdownloadheadless.py, and btdownloadcurses.py and none of them would work, i get something like this

[me@localhost download]$ btdownloadcurses.py --max_upload_rate 5 torrentfile.torrent
These errors occurred during execution:
[20:03:12] error: Too many args - 0 max.
run with no args for parameter explanations

I would strongly recommend trying Earthstation 5. IMHO it is the best p2p out there. No spy-ware or ads. Its free. Their help files and forumns are EXTREMELY newbie friendly and tell you all about how to use their program to set up proxies and PGP to keep you anonymous and secure while you share. This is the only way to share. No other software out there is like Earthstation 5, check it out you wont be disappointed.

Oh yeah Earthstation 5 also lets you make your own web page.

Heres some propaganda from their website muhahahah:

The Benefits of Earthstation 5
'Resistance is futile, only the Anonymous will Survive'

1) ES5 Hides your IP address while you upload and download files. ES5 P2P program and network prevents the RIAA / MPAA from tracking you and/or your ISP down by using 3rd party proxy servers.

2) If you are a university student behind a school firewall preventing you from using p2p programs, then you will be excited to use ES5 because ES5 penetrates university firewalls and nobody will know you are file sharing!

3) ES5 is the first and only peer 2 peer network in the world to have an open dialogue with the users. Users talk directly with the creators of the program to make suggestions, contribute ideas, and be an integral part of the peer 2 peer revolution. While other peer 2 peer networks, like Kazaa or Imesh, continue to deny building their programs for illegal file sharing, at ES5 we not only admit why we built ES5, we actually promote P2P, endorse file sharing, and join our users in swapping files!

4) ES5 is the first and only p2p network streaming for FREE online movies like Matrix Reloaded, Bruce Almighty, Gladiator, Top Gun and hundreds of more top rate movies. No Sign Ups, No Registration, No Emails or Credit Cards.

5) ES5 Peer 2 Peer Software contains absolutely NO POPUPS, NO ADWARE, AND/OR NO SPYWARE. Beware of other P2P Networks like Kazaa who are in fact spying on you, or even worst, allowing their advertisers to spy on you.

6) ES5 is the first and only P2P Network in the world to have a live radio station allowing users to DJ online. ES5'rs broadcast music live from their onw homes.

7) ES5 is the first and only Peer 2 Peer Network in the world to provide direct verified downloads. The speeds are amazingly fast, and are similar to receiving a Windows Update download.

8) ES5 has the largest online Peer 2 Peer Forum Community allowing P2Pr's from around the world to voice their opinions, share their thoughts, and contribute to the P2P revolution.

9) ES5 is the first and only Peer 2 Peer Network running several free FTP servers allowing users to upload and download verified movies, music, programs, serials, and other content for free at stealth speed.


http://www.earthstation5.com

first of all isn't that very illegal?
and second can you link me to the linux version?

just use gtk-gnutela, works great

yes yes ok but what i REALLY want to be able to do is limit my upload/download rates with bittorrent. so far neither trickle nore the built in parameters work... am i doing something wrong?