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Rewrote parts of the README and updated it with information on the new stuff

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Richard Nyberg 18 years ago
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1 Introduction 1 Introduction
1.a What is btpd? 1.a What is btpd?
1.b The programs 1.b The programs
1.c The btcli commands
2. Using btpd 2. Using btpd
2.a Typical usage pattern
2.a Introduction
2.b Starting btpd 2.b Starting btpd
2.c Sharing torrents
2.d Information on active torrents
2.e Murder
2.c Examples
2.d Troubleshooting
3 Building 3 Building
3.a Requirements 3.a Requirements
3.b Standard build 3.b Standard build
4 Upgrade notes
4.a btpd 0.12


1. Introduction 1. Introduction


1.a What is btpd? 1.a What is btpd?


btpd is a BitTorrent client consisting of a daemon and client commands,
btpd is a bittorrent client consisting of a daemon and client commands,
which can be used to read and/or manipulate the daemon state. The daemon which can be used to read and/or manipulate the daemon state. The daemon
is capable of running several torrents simultaneously and only uses one is capable of running several torrents simultaneously and only uses one
tcp port. It's fairly low on resource usage and should be perfect for a
torrent distribution site. Efficient downloads and ease of use makes this
tcp port. It's fairly low on resource usage and should be perfect for
file distribution sites. Efficient downloads and ease of use makes this
client a good choice for the casual user as well. client a good choice for the casual user as well.


1.b The programs 1.b The programs


btpd consists of the following programs: btpd consists of the following programs:
* btpd - The BitTorrent client.
* btpd - The bittorrent client.
* btcli - Command line interface to btpd. * btcli - Command line interface to btpd.
* btinfo - Shows information from a torrent file. * btinfo - Shows information from a torrent file.


All programs accept the helpful "--help" option.
All programs accept the "--help" option.


2. Using btpd
1.c The btcli commands

The btcli utility has several different modes of operation. One of the
following commands must be specified when running btcli:
* add - Add torrents to btpd.
* del - Remove torrents from btpd.
* kill - Shut down btpd.
* list - List torrents.
* start - Activate torrents.
* stat - Display stats for active torrents.
* stop - Deactivate torrents.


2.a Typical usage pattern
2. Using btpd


When you use this client you will mostly use the btcli tool. With btcli
you can tell btpd which torrents to run, list the active torrents and
display stats for them. You can even tell btpd to exit if you're so in-
clined. Before you can use this tool however, btpd must be started. The
typical usage pattern goes something like this:
1. start btpd.
2. add one or more torrents to btpd.
3. any of many different actions: display stats, add more or remove
torrents, go drink coffe, etc...
666. tell btpd to exit.
2.a Introduction

To start sharing a torrent with btpd, the torrent needs to be added to
btpd. This is done with 'btcli add'. When you add a torrent btpd auto-
matically (if you didn't specify otherwise) starts to share the torrent
and download any missing data. The content directory you specify when
adding a torrent doesn't need to exist; it will be created by btpd.

You can see which torrents have been added to btpd with 'btcli list'.
The list command also displays a number for each added torrent. This number
can be used to specify the target torrent for the btcli commands, so you
don't have to keep the torrent file once you've added it.

The up- and download progress can be followed by using the 'btcli stat'
command. Both the list and stat commands use the following indicators to
display the state of a torrent:
+ the torrent is starting. This Can take time if btpd needs to test
the content of this torrent or one started before it.
- the torrent is being stopped. Can take time if the tracker is
unresponsive.
I the torrent is inactive.
S btpd is seeding the torrent.
L btpd is leeching the torrent.

You can stop an active torrent with 'btcli stop' and, of course,
start an inactive torrent by using 'btcli start'.

The 'btcli del' command should only be used when you're totally finished
with sharing a torrent. The command will remove the torrent and its
associated data from btpd. It's an escpecially bad idea to remove a not
fully downloaded torrent and then adding it again, since btpd has lost
information on the not fully downloaded pieces and will need to download
the data again.

To shut down btpd use 'btcli kill'. Don't forget to read the help for each
of btcli's commands.


2.b Starting btpd 2.b Starting btpd


NOTE: As described in the section above, you should only need one instance
of btpd regardless of how many torrents you want to share.
NOTE: You should only need one instance of btpd regardless of how many
torrents you want to share.


To start btpd with default settings you only need to run it. There are
however, many useful options you may want to use. To see a full list run
'btpd --help'.
To start btpd with default settings you only need to run it. However,
there are many useful options you may want to use. To see a full list
run 'btpd --help'. If you didn't specify otherwise, btpd starts with
the same set of active torrents as it had the last time it was shut down.


btdp will store information and write its log in $HOME/.btpd. Therefore btdp will store information and write its log in $HOME/.btpd. Therefore
it needs to be able to write there during its execution. You can specify it needs to be able to write there during its execution. You can specify
another directory via the '-d' option or the $BTPD_HOME variable. another directory via the '-d' option or the $BTPD_HOME variable.


I recommend specifiying the maximum number of uploads. BitTorrent employs a
I recommend specifiying the maximum number of uploads. bittorrent employs a
tit for tat algorithm, so uploading at good rates allows for downloading. tit for tat algorithm, so uploading at good rates allows for downloading.
Try to find a balance between uploads/outgoing bandwidth and the number of Try to find a balance between uploads/outgoing bandwidth and the number of
active torrents. active torrents.


2.c Sharing torrents
2.c Examples

Start btpd with all options set to their default values.
# btpd

Start btpd and make it listen on port 12345, limit outgoing bandwidth to
200kB/s, limit the number of peers to 40 and not start any torrents that
were active the last time btpd was shut down.
# btpd -p 12345 --bw-out 200 --max-peers 40 --empty-start

Display a list btpd's torrents and their number, size, status, etc.
# btcli list


To make btpd start leeching or seeding a torrent you use the 'btcli add'
command. In similar vein the 'btcli del' command will make btpd stop shar-
ing the torrent.
Same as above, but only for torrent 12 and my.little.torrent.
# btcli list 12 my.little.torrent
Same as above but only for active torrents.
# btcli list -a


The first time you add a torrent you must specify where btpd should put
its content. This is not needed on subsequent add's of the same torrent
since btpd stores that information. Of course, if you move the content
directory between runs you need to specify it again.
Add foo.torrent, with content dir foo.torrent.d, and start it.
# btcli add -d foo.torrent.d foo.torrent


Examples:
Add foo.torrent and download its content to the foo.content directory.
# btcli add -d foo.content foo.torrent
Same as above without starting it.
# btcli add --no-start -d foo.torrent.d foo.torrent


Stop sharing foo.torrent.
# btcli del foo.torrent
Start bar.torrent and torrent number 7.
# btcli start bar.torrent 7


Start it again. Notice the absence of '-d foo.content'.
# btcli add foo.torrent
Stop torrent number 7.
# btcli stop 7


Add bar.torrent and place the content like the mainline client.
# btcli add --topdir -d . bar.torrent
Stop all active torrents.
# btcli stop -a


2.d Information on active torrents
Remove bar.torrent and it's associated information from btpd.
# btcli del bar.torrent


In case you're not happy only guessing about your torrents progress, or
can't remember which torrents are active, you may want to take a look at
the 'btcli stat' and 'btcli list' commands. 'btcli list' will, not totally
surprisingly, display a list of active torrents. 'btcli stat' will display
information such as rates and MBs uploaded and downloaded. See
'btcli --help stat' to make sense of it.
Display a summary of up/download stats for the active torrents.
# btcli stat


Each line 'btcli list' shows is prefixed by either '+', '-', 'S' or 'L'.
+ means the torrent hasn't been started yet, because btpd is checking
the content of either this or another torrent with '+'.
- means the torrent is being stopped.
S means btpd is seeding the torrent.
L means btpd is leeching the torrent.
Display the summary once every five seconds.
# btcli stat -w 5


2.e Murder
Same as above, but also display individual stats for each active torrent.
# btcli stat -w 5 -i


Too slay the innocent btpd process issue the command 'btcli kill'.
Horrible user!
Shut down btpd.
# btcli kill

2.d Troubleshooting

If btpd has shut down for some unknown reason, check the logfile for
possible clues.


3. Building 3. Building


@@ -134,5 +182,11 @@ Contents
# make # make
# make install # make install


See './configure --help' for options if the above fails or you're overcome
by curiousity.
See './configure --help' for available build options if the above fails.

4. Upgrade notes

4.a btpd 0.12

The layout of the torrents directory in the btpd directory has changed
since previous versions. Please remove it before running the new version.

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