---===IRC Tutorial & More===---

NOTE: Channels are separate from DivxStation, not related to DS at all.

Since the new IRC XDCC Project on Weaklinks the channel has suddenly boomed with a whole lot of users many of whom are relatively new to downoading from XDCC servers so here is a little tutorial (written with what I know about it).

Installation of mIRC and Invision

* Firstly download the latest version of mIRC (6.03) from http://www.mirc.com
* Install this in a directory with NO SPACES, i.e. not in C:\Program Files\ .
* Download the latest version of Invision (2b 2418) from http://invision.lebyte.com
* Install this. It will install in the same directory as mIRC.
* Now just start-up Invision (not mIRC) and in the menu bar under File; Options under the Connect tab, fill in a name, email (fake), nickname and alternative nick.

Joining & registering + identifying on Weaklinks

* Now to join an IRC server simply type:

/server irc.weaklinks.net (US)
/server irc.eu.weaklinks.net (EU)

* If you haven't registered your nick yet do that first as follows:

/nickserv register [password] [email]

* Once that has been done you have to identify yourself to the network everytime you logon on as follows:

/nickserv identify [password]

* To auto-identify every time you logon to a server you can do the following: In the Menu bar select File; Options; Connect and choose Perform. In the box enter the following:

/nick [yournick]
/nickserv identify [your password]

And check the box: Enable perform on connect

* To join a channel you can simply type: /join #channel in the main IRC windows or you can type the channel name in the Channels folder (3rd button from the left under the Menu bar).

The normal chat channel of DS is #divxstation
The new XDCC channel (free from DS) is #ds-xdcc


Setting up a File Server (Fserve)

To set up a normal File server in which you select certain folders you wish to share on the network (on the #ds-xdcc chan only in this case) do the following:

* Right-click in the main channel window and select Server Controls; Filer Server; File Server Settings.
* Most of the settings can be left as they are although you can mess around with them to see what they do.
* Under the Setup tab under Advertising Channels UNCHECK All Channels and click on Add and add the following channel only: ds-xdcc
* Now to set up the triggers ('commands' which give you access to certain directories specified by the owner of the server you are connecting to) go to the Triggers tab and give the Trigger a name under Trigger 1. Select a Root Directory (containing the files you want to share) and check Enable #1. You can also set up other triggers and define a welcome file as you wish.
* Back in the set-up tab to give your File server a description under MOTD type what the server more or less contains.
* Finally to start your server right-click in the main channel window again; select Server controls; File Server; and Start now. It is recommended in the settings to display the 'ad' every 15 minutes (minimum) to avoid flooding the channel with your ads.

How to download off an Fserve

To download its very simple. Make sure though you have check the Use Fserve Explorer in Invision's Main Settigns (see Tips & Tricks).

Now to enter the server simply type the trigger which is displayed in the ad.

Setting up an XDCC Server

This is quite similar to setting up an Fserve but instead of sharing certain directories you only select a number of files to share (packs). To set it up do as follows:

* Right click in the main channel window; select Server Controls; select XDCC; choose XDCC Server settings.
* Under the general tab you can define how many users you want connected to your server at any one time, the allowed queue size, etc. etc.
* You can set a description under the MOTD box.
* Under Advertising channels again uncheck the All Channels box and Add: ds-xdcc.
* Now you can select which packs (files you want to share) - 1 file per pack. You specify these files under the 1 --> 15 tabs.
* Once you have set this up to start your server (again minimum time for displaying your ad is recommended at 15 minutes), right-click in the main channel window; select Server Controls; select XDCC and choose Start Now.

How to download off an XDCC Server

To have a listing of what is displayed on a certain XDCC server simply type the following in the main channel window (of #ds-xdcc):

/msg [server] xdcc list

or

/ctcp [server] xdcc list

(depends on how the server is set up). The lists will also appear in the ads displayed if they are active every 15 minutes or so.

Now to download a certain pack simply type:

/msg [server] xdcc send #[pack number]

or

/ctcp [server] xdcc send #[pack number]


Tips & Tricks

* To change your nick at any time type: /nick [new nick]
* To maintain your nick after a netsplit in the Menu bar go to Invision; Main Settings; and in top right check the Maintain Nick box.
* To enable easy Fserve browsing rather than having to type out each of the commands in a server yourself in the Menu bar select Invision; Main Settings ; and under the Miscellaneous tab in the third column check Enable Fserve Explorer.


File Sharing Tip - Use TAR Archives

* If files are to be shared then it would be recommended if at all possible that the original 15 MB .rar's are convert to a 1 file (700 mb) .tar archive. To do this its just like creating a .rar archive with WinRAR but use UltimateZip instead:
http://download.com.com/3000-2250-7083418.html?tag=lst-0-3

The .tar archives can be extracted with WinRAR though.


Why encourage the usage of TAR archives

* Easily transportable file format (esp. on IRC networks) and is widely used on XDCC channels
* If during the transfer of a 700 mb .avi file a corruption occurs somewhere in the middle it is not easy to fix that file. With a .tar arhive (1 file too) containing the original 50x15 mb files for example if a corruption occurs only a few .rar's need to be re-sent.
* When you unpack the .tar archive and extract the movie you still have the original .rar's and the original untouched .avi
* Linux compatibility, since lots of xdcc bots are rooted linux machines.

Note: TAR is only a form of storage, not compression. Would be useless trying to compress the .rar's or an .avi in the first place.

Thank You for this clear explanation Sash.

Adding it to the General Overview

John ;-))

excellent tut Sash

have read it and digested :)

greetz
smudger

Kewl :)
Will visit it soon...

great overview sash! 2 thumbs up!!! :P

you still deserv alot of credit for that lol

nice!

may give it a try these few days ;)

nice tutorial Sash X !
I needed some help with the XDCC servers!
thx
greetz

Some reading to do Sash and I don't know if I'm exactly grateful for that ... Anyway I'll start reading now,


Zappa (;p

HeYz PeePz,

Nice Guide SaSH X!

pretty long but good,  i also wrote an guide how 2 burd SVCD but i guess every1 knows that already.
I wrote it when i was at skool, had nothing to do!

Nice Job

hmm, right now im searching for the key for #divxstation and its missing in this tut too
maybe sometime sash will add it ;D

thats just an idea =)

MM