·What do the different icons mean on DC++?
·What are all the / commands for DC++?
·What does search spy do?
·How are automatic searches matched?
·How do I protect myself from search spam in DC++?
·What is the anti-fragmentation feature?
·How does auto-grant slots feature work?
·What is TTH (Tiger Tree Hashing) ?
·What are Magnet Links?

•: Unknown user
•: Unknown OP
•: Active mode DC++ type user
•: Active mode DC++ type OP
•: Unknown passive mode user
•: Unknown passive mode OP
•: Passive mode DC++ type user
•: Passive mode DC++ type OP

•Bricks: Passive mode user (note, this does not mean people without bricks are active, just that the one with bricks is passive for sure. This is detected when that user searches or tries to connect to you)

•Blue: DC++ user (again, not blue does not mean not DC++, this is detected when the user tries to connect to you or when you try to connect to him)

DC++ Changelog Related Entries:
0.4032: Caseless icon optimization (thanks garg), New icon with alpha channels for XP
0.400: New icons in window menu (thanks garg)
0.307: Fixed an issue with icon transparencies (thanks garg)
0.302: Added a small menu to the tray icon (thanks orkblutt)
0.300: Own icon always set to blue (DC++) (thanks atomicjo)
0.233: Fixed a small bug with disappearing tray icon (thanks vladimir marko)
0.232: Added an icon for the finished downloads to the toolbar (thanks todd pederzani), The main icon now contains a 48x48 icon as well (thanks todd pederzani)
0.21: The search window now uses non-colored icons
0.177: Fixed the wrong transfer icon bug, Fixed a tray icon bug (thanks andreas kronquist), Tray icon is now redisplayed if explorer crashes, Added a few icons to the search list, Added an icon for the download queue (thanks zc)
0.173: Fixed win95 missing explorer icons bug
0.12: New icons and colors for the user interface (Thanx mongomaster...)
0.11: DC++ will now detect other DC++ users as soon as a connection attempt is made...look out for blue icons...=)
0.10: Added basic icons that distinguish op's from normal users

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 13:45:14

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 13:47:49

The search spy shows the most popular things that people search for and some other statistics. The first column is the word / TTH hash they've searched for. The second column is number of times this word has been searched for against your DC++ client. The third is the last user who searched for the word / TTH hash. The fourth is the time.

The statistics are reset every time you close the spy window. The status bar at the bottom also shows the total number of searches while the spy was open and the average number of searches per second.

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.670: Added option to filter TTH results in search spy (thanks, joakim tosteberg); small spy frame fix (thanks, garg). 
0.666: [bug 87] TTH's are now correctly searched for in search spy (thanks, trem); added spy frame column saving (thanks, garg)
0.4034:  Added last search time to search spy (thanks, ullner)
0.177:  Added a search hit counter to the search spy
0.173:  Added some stuff to the search spy -- useless features are the best =)
0.163:  Added search spy window with counter

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 13:52:53

For this feature to work, you'll need to have it enabled. File -> Settings -> Advanced -> Automatically search for alternative download locations.

Basically, the same algorithm as "search for alternates" is used. All non-alphanumeric characters from the filename are removed (.-_ and so on), and the search is sent. Then, any result returned that has exactly the same size is added as a source. All in all, it's not an exact filename match, but the filename still plays a central role (otherwise, for instance, rar sets would be added to the wrong rars).

Since DC++ 0.402, if a file has a TTH root, autosearching will use the root hash instead of the file name for its search.

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.670: Autosearch and automatch queue is now done by tth only (!) (thanks, garg). Automatch search done by tth only, should make things slightly faster. Search for alternates automatically uses tth if available (thanks, garg).
0.4033: Removed autosearch string -- it's not used any more; fixed a bug with autosearch repeating the same search needlessly (this should result in fewer autosearches, good for the hubs)
0.4032: Fixed issue with autosearch not getting filelists; fixed an issue with autosearch by tth not being done
0.402: Automatic search matching is now done exclusively by TTH for those items that have a TTH root and by exact filename for those that don't; matching by name removed for queue items with a TTH root (for autosearches); autosearch is done by TTH for queue items that have a root; fixed a rare deadlock when autosearching
0.307: Added option to match autosearch filenames exactly to further avoid the wrong file being downloaded (default on)
0.306: Changed autosearch so that it only searches if less than 5 sources are online -- this should stop galloping filelist downloads as well
0.305: Added option to automatically download filelist and match it on autosearch match -- this will dramatically speed up autosearching, lessening the strain on the hubs as less searches have to be done.
0.304: Fixed a bug in autosearch when using auto search strings (thanks, ilkka sepp�l�)
0.302: Updates to the autosearch feature
0.26: Search for alternates now sets file type as well (and should work correctly with sizes...)
0.24: Doubled interval between autosearches (2 minutes now, and 60 between each research of the same file) -- should ease the bandwidth load on busy hubs
0.23: Automatic search now searches with type if possible (to ease the load on clients)
0.18: More changes to the autosearch -- it should now be more random and therefore yield better results; removed sources are no longed automatically re-added by the autosearch feature
0.177: Made autosearch more effective (much less hub bandwidth usage...)
0.173: Improved the autosearch algorithm a little bit; fixed search for alternates bug

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 13:59:30

By doing nothing!

DC++ automatically does basic search spam protection for you. Keep in mind that sometimes when DC++ detects a search spam, it might be because the hub is overloaded and sends searches in big lumps, making the flood trigger react as too many searches arrive at once. If more than 5 searches are received from the same user within 7 seconds, DC++ will send out this warning. Also, if a thread in DC++ hangs and consumes full CPU usage (like opening a really large filelist), it might also trigger the search spam notice.

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.670: Improved search timer to avoid spamming hub (thanks, naga)
0.666: Fixed MyINFO spam when hashing 
0.174:  Search spammers are now ignored for 2 full minutes before they're given responses again

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last modified: 2007-02-12 14:01:33

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 14:09:04

There are 3 extra slots (apart from those you specified in settings) that will be used for uploading files under 64KiB and for uploading your filelist, no matter the size. Operators in the hub can download mini-files and filelists even if those 3 extra slots are full. In DC++ versions later than 0.671, the mini-slot size is configurable for anything larger than 64 KiB.

This is the reason that you can download some people's filelists, but when you try to download a different (larger) file, you could get the "No slots available" message. All recent DC++ clients should allow the filelist to be downloaded. If you receive "No slots available" or "connection closed" right away, it's very likely the user is slot blocking. Report them to a hub operator.

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.68: [NMDC] Mini-slots are no longer given to old DC++ clients (<0.304)
0.671: Added possibility to set mini-slot size (thanks, ullner)
0.402: Op's that use a client that supports mini-slots always get a mini-slot (for small files / xml file lists), regardless of how many mini-slots are already taken
0.304: Added "Supports Mini-slots" for other clients to profit from DC++'s free small files and filelist free slots (thanks, sed)

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 14:12:25

•TTH Information
•Tips to Speedup Hashing
•Troubleshooting

Tiger Tree Hashing (TTH) is used to verify the integrity of large chunks of data. The data is split into small pieces which are individually hashed, then hashed together until one root hash is formed. A TTH looks something like:4NIABZVGR4HOTNRPOMH2IRIJQSJYKFHEEIQUJWY.  Detailed information can be found here.  DC++ 0.400 introduced mandatory TTH. Once DC++ hashes all of your share (yes, this will take a while), it will only hash new files. The hashing thread in DC++ is set to low priority, so it shouldn't interfere too badly. 

There are several benefits of file hashing:

•No longer does one need to pay attention to the name of the file when looking for alternative sources.  If the files are the same, they will have the same hash and can thus be chosen as an alternative source.  Just because two files are the exact same size does not mean they are the same bitwise!
 
•Magnet Links.  Implemented in DC++ 0.4032.  More information in this FAQ.
 
•Segmented (aka multisource) downloading.  While it is not currently officially implemented, there is now a safe way to implement downloading files from multiple sources.  All clients at this point have been implementing segmented downloading in cowboy fashion.  They do not verify that the files are the same (except for the size and partial name), which can result in corrupt files.  A file hash ensures the files are identical.

Tips to Speed up Hashing:

•Use an 80 pin IDE cable.  
Make sure your hard drive (HDD) has an 80 pin cable so it can use Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) 66/100 speeds. A 40 pin IDE cable will restrict the HDD to a max speed of UDMA33.  Any computer purchased in the last 4 years should have an 80 pin cable.  If your HDD uses a Serial ATA connection, you don't have to worry about the cable. Below is what an 80 pin IDE cable looks like.



This is a comparison of an 80 pin cable vs a 40 pin cable.


 
•Enable UDMA 66/100 in Windows. 

Windows 95/98/ME:  From the Control Panel, open "System," then click the "Device Manager" tab. Open the icon for "Disk drives," and then highlight the drive you are interested in. Click "Properties," and then the "Settings" tab. Among the other settings you should find a "DMA" check box, which should be checked. If it is not, try checking it to enable DMA support. If you then reboot and the check box does not stay checked, this probably means your system does not support Ultra DMA and most likely is in PIO mode.


Windows 2000/XP/2003:  Go to the Control Panels -> System -> Hardware Tab -> Device Manager.  Get properties on each IDE channel and change the transfer mode to DMA if available.  You will need to restart for the change to take effect.


After the computer has restarted, go back and check what the Current Transfer Mode is.  Below is a table of theoretical speeds that correspond with the different drive speed settings.  Windows will automatically set the mode to the highest possible.

Ultra DMA Mode	Maximum Transfer Rate (MB/s)	Defining Standard		PIO Mode	Maximum Transfer Rate (MB/s)	Defining Standard
Multiword 1	13.3	ATA-2		Mode 0	3.3	ATA
Multiword 2	16.7	ATA-2		Mode 1	5.2	ATA
Mode 0	16.7	ATA1 / ATAPI-1		Mode 2	8.3	ATA
Mode 1	25	ATA2 / ATAPI-2		Mode 3	11.1	ATA-2
Mode 2	33.3	ATA3 / ATAPI-3		Mode 4	16.7	ATA-2
Mode 3	44.4	ATA4 / ATAPI-4
Mode 4	66.7	ATA5 / ATAPI-5
Mode 5	100	ATA6 / ATAPI-6
Mode 6	133	ATA7 / ATAPI-7

If your HDD is in a PIO mode, then the act of simply reading the HDD is CPU intensive and will severely hinder your hashing speeds in DC++!

By now, most users should have their HDD(s) in an UDMA mode.  If yours refuses to do so, then one must check the HDD controller in the BIOS of the motherboard; consult the manual on how to check that UDMA is enabled.  Rarely, another location a user might need to check is the internal HDD settings.  This can only be accessed by a special program obtained from the manufacturer of your HDD; consult their documentation on how to check this.

One can use a free program like HD Tach to benchmark the HDD(s) and compare it against dozens of others.  If you have high CPU usage or a low average speed in your test result, you will experience slow hashing in DC++. 

 


•Upgrade Drivers

Another source of speed problems is old IDE / chipset drivers.  Go to the website of your motherboard's manufacturer and download the latest chipset and/or IDE drivers.  If you have an OEM computer (Dell, Compaq, HP, Sony, Gateway, etc), then go to their website to look for the appropriate driver update.  If you own a custom computer with a mainstream motherboard (Asus, Abit, MSI, Gigabyte, etc), then check their website for the appropriate driver update.  If you own a custom computer, then you might be able to use the drivers directly from the manufacturer of the motherboard's chipset.  The main chipset makers are: Intel, Via, nVidia, SiS and Ali.  To find out what chipset and motherboard is inside your computer, you can use a free tool such as CPU-Z.

 
•Defragment

As advanced as hard drives have become, one item they are not very good at is housekeeping, or maybe that should be drive keeping. When files are created, deleted or modified, they will almost certainly become fragmented. Fragmented simply means the file is not stored in one place in its entirety, or what computer folks like to call a contiguous location. Different parts of the file are scattered across the hard disk in noncontiguous pieces. The more fragmented files there are on a drive, the more performance and reliability suffer as the drive heads have to search for all the pieces in different locations. The Disk Defragmenter Utility is designed to reorganize noncontiguous files into contiguous files and optimize their placement on the hard drive for increased reliability and performance.¹

All versions of Windows came with some sort of disk defragmenter and can be accessed by going to:  Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Defragmenter.   The defragmenter under Windows 95/98/ME is quite picky and often restarts itself if another program uses the system. For this reason, it's recommended that you use a third party tool.  The defragmenter for Windows 2000/XP/2003 is not affected by this problem.  Some popular third party tools are: Diskeeper, PerfectDisk, O&O Defrag and Speed Disk.

 
•Disable CPU Intensive Programs

There are many programs that can eat up spare CPU time.   This can result in DC++ taking longer to hash files in your share.  If you use a screen saver, disable it; it takes a lot of CPU time away from DC++.  If you use a distributed computing program (SETI, Protein folding, Key cracking, etc), disable it while DC++ is initially hashing your share.  With DC++ closed, take a look at how much CPU time is being used (Win9x/ME users use Process Explorer, Win2K/XP use Task Manager [Ctr+Alt+Del | Task Manager]).  If the CPU usage is above 10%, find out which offending program(s) need to be closed.

Troubleshooting:

Q: DC++ hangs when hashing
A: This is most likely caused by a corrupt file system. Windows 9x/ME users need to run Checkdisk (Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Checkdisk).  Windows 2000/XP need to run chkdsk (Start |  Run | cmd /k chkdsk c: /f).  You'll need to do this on each drive letter.

Q: Why is DC++ using 100% of my CPU?
A: DC++ is most likely hashing your files. Look in the bottom left corner of the DC++ window.  You should see the files' names change as it finishes hashing each one.  If it says File list refresh finished for an extended period of time and DC++ is still using 100% of the CPU, then it's likely that DC++ is crashing.  Kill the application and restart it.

Q: Why is DC++ hashing my files?
A: Reread the top of this FAQ.

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.68: Removed support for old hash index files (pre-0.670); Improved hashing error reporting; Fixed hash database rebuild
0.670:  Redid some of the hash storage code -- should be slightly more efficient;  Hash index format change;  Improved efficiency for small files (<=64KiB) in the hash storage
0.666:  Slight memory save for hash database;  Fixed MyINFO spam when hashing
0.4034:  Fixed a few issues with files not being hashed correctly (thanks, garg)
0.4033:  Fixed a TTH hash speed bug (hashing should be much faster now);  Added hash progress dialog -- hashing is run at a higher priority when dialog is shown
0.4032:  DC++ will only share files that HAVE BEEN HASHED
0.402:  Hash speed tweaks -- check if it's any better
0.400:  Hashing is now mandatory
0.307:  Added file hashing -- turn it off in advanced settings (experimental)

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 14:44:21

A magnet link is an open URI-scheme and supporting practices/code for enabling seamless integration between websites and locally-running utilities, such as file management tools or peer-to-peer clients. 

Magnet links have been implemented in DC++ 0.4032.  With this version of DC++, it will register, by default, to handle any magnet: links you click on in web pages. If you click on one of these links, DC++ will pop up and ask you if you want to search the DC network (or hubs you're connected to, at least) for this hash.

You can create your own magnets in the search frame, file list window and download queue by a new contextual menu choice -- just right click on the file you want a magnet for, and select Copy magnet link to clipboard.  Since magnet links are an open standard for all (peer-to-peer) applications, there are hash types in some magnets that DC++ cannot handle. It can only handle magnets that contain a tiger tree hash.

An example link looks like:magnet:?xt=urn:tree:tiger:UXNWMYERN37HJNXB7V6KDJKZXMFBIQAGMDMYDBY&dn=DCPlusPlus-0.4032.exe.

Submitted by GargoyleMT

DC++ Change Log Related Entries:
0.671: Magnet registration fix (thanks, ullner and farcry)
0.667:  Fixed magnet registration issue (thanks, garg)
0.4032:  Added bitzi.com lookup and magnet link copy (thanks, garg);  Added (limited support for) magnet link handling (thanks, garg);  Magnet handler included in installer (thanks, garg and magnethandler author)
 

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-12 14:51:37