Magnet link to preview content and choose what to download

[sdugoten]

1. Operating system : Windows 11
2. Transmission Deamon
3. Transmission Remote GUI

It seems that dragging .torrent file into the GUI would allow you to choose what file to download before start, but using magnet link would not. Is this a overlook or this is a feature request?

[lighterowl]

You have no idea what's hiding behind a magnet link when you add it. The metadata (i.e. the list of all the files in a given download) is only fetched by the daemon after starting a magnetized download. What you're describing is possible with standalone .torrent files precisely because they hold the entire metadata.

[sdugoten]

You have no idea what's hiding behind a magnet link when you add it. The metadata (i.e. the list of all the files in a given download) is only fetched by the daemon after starting a magnetized download. What you're describing is possible with standalone .torrent files precisely because they hold the entire metadata.

Basically the Transmission will need to fetch the meta data of the magnet link and then show the pop up dialog with all the files inside the magnet link. The dialog popup box will have a cancel button in case the fetching is not successful so that user can cancel it. Most other BT client like qbittorrent, FDM5 and deluge will do that and allow you to choose which file you want to download. Some even have "select all", "select none", "select MKV" , "select mp4", "select txt", "select pictures" checkbox depends on what files are in the listing so that you can quickly do a combination of the selection in the pop up dialog. For example, thunderX BT client will even remember your setting on magnet link. Let say you checked "select video files only" checkbox in the last magnet link, the ThunderX BT client will automatically select video only files and all other unselected on the file list in the pop up dialog box on your next magnet link meta data fetch, you can just click on the download button without even doing any selection if your download is the same selection type as your last magnet link.

[sdugoten]

So, most other popular BT clients have this feature. Some even have highly customizable filtering on the popup dialog box on magnet link and .torrent file , it will display file extension type on the top based on the file listing fetch from metadata so that you can quickly choose what file type(s) you want to select without clicking every single checkbox in the file listing. It will even display if the whole directory was checked by showing "tick" mark before the folder icon, or a "-" mark represent only part of the files will be downloaded in that directory due to the filtering selection on top.

[Mrnofish]

Agreed, this would be a very useful feature and, as it has been aptly pointed out, it's been available in major Torrent clients for quite some time.

On the other hand, I do wonder whether previewing magnet links is truly a task that's inside the purview of a humble front-end ?

As far as I can tell, the remote does not speak any part of the BitTorrent protocol, whereas it goes without saying Transmission, as a BT client, already does.

Transmission has a new, highly active, team, BTW, so if they haven't already tackled this issue, they might be receptive to suggestions.

[ghost]

You have no idea what's hiding behind a magnet link when you add it. The metadata (i.e. the list of all the files in a given download) is only fetched by the daemon after starting a magnetized download. What you're describing is possible with standalone .torrent files precisely because they hold the entire metadata.

and you have never used another client, apparently

[lighterowl]

and you have never used another client, apparently

Thanks, a very insightful and valuable comment indeed.

[sdugoten]

wonder if this feature request will be considered in future version?