That's a very good start! I want to expand and elaborate why there is still room for improvements.

1. Many downloads are multi-part. Each part has its own link. Sometimes users want to replace 10 links by more or less links. As far as I understand this is now only possible through the text replacement, just like this:

can be matched and replaced by TM (text replacement!) in all posts by


OR even


This would be necessary for all bigger downloads since editing the single links manually is very much work. Did I get it right?

2. The text import for links replacements demands me delivering


What if the file counts don't match in cases where the packaging was altered? Also, this format is not very user friendly as most upload software and the hosting sites provide the links top down, as a list separated with a line break, just like:


3. What I really miss is a solution for feeding backup links that are replaced automatically by TM. That means I need a way for TM to look if I provided any backup links that are the replacement for the dead links and fill them in if it finds the links dead.

4. No complaining without providing a possible solution! Heres what I would like to think you over:

For any group of links define a text file which contains the links on a specific hoster. Maybe this can already be done with "extract links".

Examples:


Format and procedure:

Just groups of links, each link in a group separated by a line break, each group separated by a configurable character. If link count does not match, reduce or raise the number of links according to what is found in the file.

Example:


When first group ist dead, it's replaced by the second, if second is dead by the third, then by the fourth. If there are no backup links left (or just one group, should be configurable), TM gives out a warning so that you can provide new backup links in time.

This file format has the big advantage that you can write to it with almost all tools and software every system has on board say hello to batch automation. You just append a line break and a char, then your backup links and all is done. It gives freedom for automation. Even with copy-paste it would be a snap to have backup links in place anytime as most people just can copy / paste their links into the text-file and are done.

I can be even more elaborate about this, but let's save that for a later point. That means, if you are interested in the idea.

Thanks for listening

Wurstmu

Split to new topic. Would prefer to keep not done things separated from already done things (easier for me to see by topic status).

Will review a bit later.

I just went through the post quickly at the moment.

1. It's possible to add more or less links with extract links feature. You should not use "replace text" for replacing links.

If you want to add more or less links I would suggest using "Extract links" feature (as described in FAQ: http://manager.freddy.lt/faq.php?expand=faq304).

In all other cases you can replace dead links from "STATUS" -> "Links" table.

2. The format might not be too much user friendly, but it is as was suggested. Might support different formats in future.

3 / 4. Will need to think more.

Also then loading links from .txt there are few other options as well:


If URL has filename I would suggest using that option.

Chronological order might be useful sometimes as well.

I really hadn't realized that extract links would be used to replace links; it is a great tool which does good service every day. Thanks for pointing that out!

I am still keen for a solution to feed backup links; you have built your interface so well that my solution would be easy:

You have links to be replaced left, you have links to replace them right. Well, there could be a third column for backup links. TM could handle dead links in a configurable way, for example: "If link found dead, do x rechecks, first after a, second after b ... xth after y minutes, then replace with the given backup links". Replaced links should be kept in the database for a manual rollback when dead string doesn't work any more due to hoster changes.

That would be a real killer feature.

Wurstmu

Might add something for backup links.

I just saw that you obviously already implemented a configurable "dead link" separator when browsing through TMs config pages ("links" section) - I don't know when you added this but thanks for doing so!

Wurstmu

It was there from the start.

It's still horizontal (instead of "|" you can just set different character(s), you will need to write exactly the same format ), what you wrote seems different.

Oh, does that mean line breaks wouldn't work? I thought I could just set the separator to /n now and be a happy kitten.

Guess I was just too enthusiastic about TM when I wrote the last post - you most likely will forgive me

Wurstmu

No, new lines won't work with that setting, it's an old setting which was never intended for that.

I still might make something what you described in first post for future update.