[StefanM]

Example:
I add 10 links (1...10) from LinkGrabber list to Downloads list.
These links have Default Priority.
In Downloads list context menu I click on 'Forced Download Start' for those 10 files.
In column 'Connection' now I see the Highest Priority icon. (3 arrows pointing up)
But in column 'Priority' I still see the Default Priority icon (no arrows)

Question:
What does this mean?

Let's assume that I set the priority for 5 other files (11...15) to Highest Priority (also shown in column 'Priority': arrows pointing up). But without clicking on 'Forced Download Start'

Do files 11...15 now have the same priority as files 1...10 I clicked on 'Forced Download Start'?

And can you please tell me the download order for those 15 files.

[Jiaz]

@StefanM: "Force Download" means *try to download that fast as soon as possible* and ignore any priorities/position/other factors.

Originally Posted by StefanM

But in column 'Priority' I still see the Default Priority icon (no arrows)

Right now there is no icon to show this *forced priority*


There are two different "Forced Download" modes:
When there are already downloads running, then you can tell JDownloader to *force* downloads and try to download them as soon as possible. Forced downloads have highest (higher as highest) priority.
When there are no downloads running (start/play buton available) then "force download" will start the selected downloads and try to download them, BUT only those that are forced. No other/non forced links will be started. You can leave this mode either by full stop button -> start button cycle or you click once more on the start/play button (that will indiciate the forced only mode with special icon in corner) in order leave this special mode.

The idea behind "Forced Download" is that you don't have to mess with changing priorites/order of the links in order to download a specific file next/sooner.

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Do files 11...15 now have the same priority as files 1...10 I clicked on 'Forced Download Start'?

"Forced Downloads" have highest priority, higher than "highest priority" and thus JDownloader will try to download them prior to other links

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by Jiaz

@StefanM: "Force Download" means *try to download that fast as soon as possible* and ignore any priorities/position/other factors.

Right now there is no icon to show this *forced priority*


There are two different "Forced Download" modes:...

Tried to conduct some tests.
Not sure whether my findings apply to all scenarios. So, I better ask

Scenario 1
I have just one download running (max. simultaneous downloads = 1).
There are more links in Downloads List and I apply 'Force download start' to 10 files. Another 5 (max. setting in Advanced Settings) downloads will start.
I increase 'max. simultaneous downloads' to 5. This has no effect as long as the total number of downloads running at any one time is higher than that. So, in this scenario also 'Forced Downloads' count.
Once all 'Forced Downloads' have been finished, there will be only 'normal' downloads. The order will be according to their individual priorities.

Summary: To keep things going without user interaction, you have to start at least one single download before you start 'Forced Downloads'. After 'Forced Download' has been applied to the files you want, you can change the number of max. simultaneous downloads to the desired number.


Scenario 2
Same setup as Scenario 1. But this time I apply 'Force Download' to a package. And it looks as if this is automatically applied to all files in that package - contrary to applying one of those 7 priorities (lowest...highest) to a package.

Summary: You can use 'Force Download' to prioritize a package, so that all files in that package will have higher priority than 'highest'


Scenario 3
According to what you wrote, if I only apply 'Force Download' to a number of files and/or packages in Downloads List, downloading will stop after all 'forced downloads' have been downloaded.


Question 1:
Are my scenarios described correctly?


Question 2:
In case, I started with 'Forced Downloads', is there any way to 'enable' continuing with other pending downloads, once all forced downloads have been finished (or fallen below the set number of max. simultaneous downloads? I mean 'enabling' this right after I started with those forced downloads.

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Scenario 1
I have just one download running (max. simultaneous downloads = 1).
There are more links in Downloads List and I apply 'Force download start' to 10 files. Another 5 (max. setting in Advanced Settings) downloads will start.

Every running download counts torwards the *max. simultaneous downloads* BUT for forced downloads an additional limit exists, see Settings->Advanced Settings->GeneralSettings.maxforceddownloads That allows up to x max forced downloads additionally to your global limit. That way you don't have to mess with *max. simultaneous downloads* and yet can force downloads.

Originally Posted by StefanM

Summary: To keep things going without user interaction, you have to start at least one single download before you start 'Forced Downloads'. After 'Forced Download' has been applied to the files you want, you can change the number of max. simultaneous downloads to the desired number.

Wrong: explained here

Originally Posted by Jiaz

When there are already downloads running, then you can tell JDownloader to *force* downloads and try to download them as soon as possible. Forced downloads have highest (higher as highest) priority.
When there are no downloads running (start/play buton available) then "force download" will start the selected downloads and try to download them, BUT only those that are forced. No other/non forced links will be started. You can leave this mode either by full stop button -> start button cycle or you click once more on the start/play button (that will indiciate the forced only mode with special icon in corner) in order leave this special mode.

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Scenario 2
Same setup as Scenario 1. But this time I apply 'Force Download' to a package. And it looks as if this is automatically applied to all files in that package

This does not change priority! "Force Download" to a package just sets the *forced flag* to all its links. And this flag tells JDownloader to download them as soon as possible (higher than highest priority)

Originally Posted by StefanM

contrary to applying one of those 7 priorities (lowest...highest) to a package.

I already explained that you can modify the priority actions to not just change the default priority of the packge but also enforce/change the priority to all its links

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Scenario 3
According to what you wrote, if I only apply 'Force Download' to a number of files and/or packages in Downloads List, downloading will stop after all 'forced downloads' have been downloaded

Depends if the download mode is *forced downloads only* or normal mode where JDownloader also downloads non forced ones. In "forced downloads only" mode, JDownloader will stop and not download
not forced ones. In latter mode, JDownloader will continue downloads.

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Question 2:
In case, I started with 'Forced Downloads', is there any way to 'enable' continuing with other pending downloads, once all forced downloads have been finished (or fallen below the set number of max. simultaneous downloads? I mean 'enabling' this right after I started with those forced downloads.

I'm sorry but either JDownloader download *forced downloads* only or just prioritize the *forced downloads* and download normally. There is no support to continue normally after all *forced downloads* are downloaded.

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by Jiaz

I'm sorry but either JDownloader download *forced downloads* only or just prioritize the *forced downloads* and download normally. There is no support to continue normally after all *forced downloads* are downloaded.

Exactly that was my question!

But according to my observations, JD continues if there was at least one 'normal' download running before I selected files or packages for 'forced download'. That's what I also understand from your explanations.

So, the logic is that JD 'falls back' to the state it was in, before I started forced downloads, right?

I will try to think about a 'workaround'...

Let's say, I usually have 6 simultaneous downloads. I would have to reduce them to 1 download, which I have to start. Then I could apply 'forced download' to all files I want to have priority 0.
(Priority 0 is 1 step higher than priority 1, which is 'highest')

[pspzockerscene]

Originally Posted by StefanM

But according to my observations, JD continues if there was at least one 'normal' download running before I selected files or packages for 'forced download'. That's what I also understand from your explanations.

Your observations are coherent with Jiaz' reply and it's all working like it was designed to work.

Originally Posted by StefanM

So, the logic is that JD 'falls back' to the state it was in, before I started forced downloads, right?

Yes:
- If "normal" downloads were running before ("play" button pressed before forcing dls) those will continue while/once forced downloads are done
- If "normal" downloads were not running before (you forced downloads without pressing the "play" button), JD will stop once all forced dls are over

Originally Posted by StefanM

Let's say, I usually have 6 simultaneous downloads. I would have to reduce them to 1 download, which I have to start. Then I could apply 'forced download' to all files I want to have priority 0.
(Priority 0 is 1 step higher than priority 1, which is 'highest')

Yes.
So you basically always want JD to go into "normal" download mode once all forced downloads are completed?
Yes though this might also be possible using an EventScripter script (always go into "normal" download mode after forcing downloads).

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

So, the logic is that JD 'falls back' to the state it was in, before I started forced downloads, right?

Correct. If required I can add an action setting so you can tell JDownloader to switch *back* to *forced only* downloads mode. JDownloader would then continue the current running downloads but only continue/start forced downloads only and then stop.

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

Let's say, I usually have 6 simultaneous downloads. I would have to reduce them to 1 download, which I have to start. Then I could apply 'forced download' to all files I want to have priority 0.
(Priority 0 is 1 step higher than priority 1, which is 'highest')

Why that complicated? Stop downloads, so Play/Start button is available. Now select all files you want to download with highest priority and "force download" them. Now JDownloader will just download those selected files. and then hit the start/play button once more to disable special mode and JDownloader will also download normal files and
still try to download the forced ones earlier. You don't have to change any other settings then.

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by Jiaz

Why that complicated? Stop downloads, so Play/Start button is available. Now select all files you want to download with highest priority and "force download" them. Now JDownloader will just download those selected files. and then hit the start/play button once more to disable special mode and JDownloader will also download normal files and
still try to download the forced ones earlier. You don't have to change any other settings then.

Yeah, tried that already:
Starting with 'forced downloads', e.g. 30 files. Using default setting in Advanced settings would download 5 of them simultaneously.

I see that the Play/Start button has a 'footnote' and I can remove that footnote by once again clicking on it (if I remember correctly).

So this would be it! If JD completes those 30 files still first, with priority 0, as I call it. (higher than highest) And then continue with normal pending downloads.

And I can even prioritize all files in a package applying 'force downloads' on one ore more packages.

So, this would be the answer to my question, if it works that way in all possible scenarios!?

[pspzockerscene]

Originally Posted by StefanM

I see that the Play/Start button has a 'footnote' and I can remove that footnote by once again clicking on it (if I remember correctly).

So this would be it! If JD completes those 30 files still first, with priority 0, as I call it. (higher than highest) And then continue with normal pending downloads.

Yes.

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by pspzockerscene

Yes.

Excellent! Exactly the way I want it to...

But if I remember correctly, you or Jiaz told me earlier, that there is no way to cancel those forced downloads (which are still pending, but tagged as 'forced'), unless I close and restart JD, right?

[pspzockerscene]

Originally Posted by StefanM

there is no way to cancel those forced downloads (which are still pending, but tagged as 'forced'), unless I close and restart JD, right?

Sure there are multiple ways:

1. Stop all downloads and start again -> But I guess this is not what you want
2. Disable all forced downloads (Rightclick on each/all -> Disable)

I guess setting them to low priority will not work (?). Haven't tested it...

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by StefanM

But if I remember correctly, you or Jiaz told me earlier, that there is no way to cancel those forced downloads (which are still pending, but tagged as 'forced'), unless I close and restart JD, right?

Stop the download cycle (hit stop button) that will clear this internal information.
Once I've added an icon to see/indicate those forced links, I can also add an extra *remove force flag* action

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by Jiaz

Stop the download cycle (hit stop button) that will clear this internal information.
Once I've added an icon to see/indicate those forced links, I can also add an extra *remove force flag* action

@Jiaz, @pspzocerscene:
From your answers I can see, that at the moment there is no way without any unwanted side effects.

Because my question was actually about 'removing that forced flag' without stopping anything, just setting things back to the status they were before.

Background is:
If I accidentally tag too many or the wrong files as 'forced downloads', there is not way to revert this without side effects.

So, I'd really appreciate that extra 'remove force flag'.

[Jiaz]

@StefanM: At the moment there is no way to remove that flag without stop/start cycle or disabling the link. I will add "un-force" action by next week

[StefanM]

Originally Posted by Jiaz

@StefanM: I will add "un-force" action by next week

Great!