XDCC Catcher Basic 2.

2
Quick start (English)
© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team

Version: 2.2.0.0
 2 XDCC Catcher Basic

1 Quick start
This tutorial covers all basic aspects of XDCC Catcher Basic. After you've read this tutorial, you're able
to use XDCC Catcher Basic.

If you're unfamiliar with IRC and/or XDCC, please read Brief introduction to IRC and XDCC first.

1.1 Networks, servers and channels

Each IRC network consists of one or more servers and of one or more channels. Three ways are
available to add networks, servers and channels to XDCC Catcher.

1.1.1 Manually add networks, servers and channels

This method is very intensive, but you have full control of networks, servers and channels.

To manually add networks, right click the Network list and choose Add -> Network or choose Add ->
Network in the toolbar just above the Network list. Then enter the name of the network. The name
doesn't have to exactly match the real name of the network.

You'll now be asked if you would like to add some servers. Choose Yes and add some servers and
channels.

1.1.2 Use SERVed Lite to build a network list

SERVed Lite is a very nice program created by Douglas Quaid and makes it possible to create a huge
network list within some minutes. SERVed Lite parses all networks, servers and channels from the
Directory of the popular XDCC search engines Packetnews or IRCSpy and add them to your Network
list.

To start SERVed Lite, choose Tools (menu bar) -> SERVed Lite. SERVed Lite opens. If you would
like to parse all networks, servers and channels from the Directory of Packetnews, choose
Packetnews.com in the combobox. In the case of IRCSpy, select IRCSpy.com. Then click Get all
channels. SERVed Lite downloads and parses all information. When SERVed shows '0 networks
left!', SERVed is ready. If you want to add all networks, servers and channels to XDCC Catcher, just
click Add all links to XDCC Catcher. The last step may last some time, because of Windows limits.
Now return to the XDCC Catcher main window (don't close SERVed!) and examine the Networks and
Channels count, just below the Network list. The numbers slightly increase. When neither of the
counts increase anymore, close SERVed. Your network list is now ready.

Please note that the network lists created by SERVed Lite are very huge and consist of more than 200
servers and more than 2000 channels. If you've a slow connection, your connection may not be able to
handle so many connections. On the other hand, with so many servers and channels you're able to get
thousands of packs in your Packet list. But be careful with huge network lists!

1.1.3 Use results of XDCC search engines

Go to Packetnews or IRCSpy with Internet Explorer and start a search query.

If your search query has any results, you see a page like this:

© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team

 Quick start 3

When you click on the underlined '#1', the network (after-all), server (irc.after-all.org; not visible in
screenshot) and channel (#ct-xdcc) are automatically added to the Network list. The image above is a
screenshot of Packetnews, but the things to do are the same when you're using IRCSpy or another
XDCC search engine.

Also, the pack (#1 of ct-s200) is added to your local queue and to the Packet list. Read more about
using so-called 'ready-to-use commands' here. If you only would like to add the network, server and
channel, click on '#ct-xdcc'. When you click on 'AFTER-ALL', only the network and server are added to
the Network list.

You can only use 'ready-to-use commands' when you add packs from Internet Explorer. Packs can't
be added from Firefox or other browsers. Please use Internet Explorer or internal web browser (Pro
only) to add packs from results of XDCC search engines.

1.2 Connect networks

You now have a network list, but you're not connected to any network, so you have no packs in your
Packet list. In this subchapter, you'll learn how to connect to networks.

1.2.1 Manually connect

Right click in the Network list on a network you would like to connect to. Then choose Connect.
When you're successfully connected to the network, the color of the circle left of the network changes
from red to yellow. You can now join all channels channel by channel (click on the + left of the network,
right click on the channel you would like to join and choose Join) or you can right click on a network
and choose Join all channels to join all channels of that network. If you're joined to all channels of the
network, the color of the circle changes to green.

All packs posted in the joined channels are added to the Packet list, the list of all packs. You'll read
about adding packs to your local queue further on.

You can disconnect connected networks and part joined channels in the same way as described above
(but change Join to Part, Connect to Disconnect, etc.).

1.2.2 Autoconnects / Autojoins

You don't have to connect all networks manually. If the global Autoconnects option is checked (File
(menu bar) -> Autoconnects), all networks whose Autoconnect option is set (right click network ->
enable/disable Autoconnect; on default, Autoconnect option is set) are connected. Be careful,
because autoconnecting more than 200 networks in your network list can cause a huge
system/network load.

If the global Autojoins option is checked (File (menu bar) -> Autojoins), all channels whose Autojoin
option is set (right click channel -> enable/disable Autojoin; on default, Autojoin option is set) are
joined. Be careful, because autojoining more than 2000 channels in your network list can cause a huge
system/network load.

On default, (global) Autoconnects and Autojoins (File (menu bar) -> Autoconnects / Autojoins) are
disabled on startup. You can change these defaults on the Networks tab of Settings (click Settings
(on the right of Search dialog) in the main toolbar).

1.2.3 Connect all non-idle / Disconnect idle

When you do a Connect all non-idle (File (menu bar) -> Connect all non-idle) all networks and
channels of packs in your local queue are connected or joined, so all packs in your queue are
requested. If you want to immediately start downloading packs in your local queue and don't want to
search for packs, you should do a Connect all non-idle.

© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team

 4 XDCC Catcher Basic

When you do Disconnect idle (File (menu bar) -> Disconnect idle) all networks and channels are
disconnected or parted, except those of packs in your queue. You should do this, if you've first
searched for a pack, found it and don't want to search for other packs. Disconnect idle decreases the
network/system load.

1.3 Add packs to your local queue

You've now a network list, you're connected to some networks, joined some channels and you've
packs in your Packet list. What should you do now?

1.3.1 Add packs from Packet list

When you found a pack you would like to download, double click on it. The pack is automatically added
to your local queue (to see your local queue, activate the Queue tab by clicking on it (on the lower part
of your screen)). If the network of the pack is connected and the channel of the bot is joined, the pack
is requested within two seconds. The status of the request changes to Requesting. When free slots are
available, XDCC Catcher connects to the parent bot of the pack and the status changes to Connecting
and Receiving. When only free queue slots are available, the status changes to Queued.

If you would like to remove a request from your local queue, right click on the request and choose
Remove request (sometimes you've to do some "clean-up work" first. For example, when you're
queued, you've to do first a Remove from queue before you're able to remove the request).

1.3.2 Add packs from web browser

Please take a look here first.

As said, if you click on '#1', the pack #1 of bot ct-s200 on network after-all is added to your local queue.
Also, if the network doesn't exist, the network is added to the Network list, so the server and channel.
Mostly, the network isn't connected. You can manually connect the network and channel, but I suggest
you to use Connect all non-idle. Just wait a minute after doing Connect all non-idle and your pack is
automatically requested. (If you enabled Autoconnects and/or Autojoins, the network and/or channel
of this pack is automatically connected or joined, without a Connect all non-idle.)

The method described above to add packs to your local queue is a very popular one. It doesn't cause
much network/system load, because you're using XDCC search engines to find the packs you would
like to download. With just one click you're able to add a pack to your queue! If you fully understand
this method, you're able to download the last stuff within some minutes. Just search for the pack you
want to download, start XDCC Catcher and click on the link in the web browser. XDCC has never been
so easy!

You can only use 'ready-to-use commands' when you add packs from Internet Explorer. Packs can't
be added from Firefox or other browsers. Please use Internet Explorer or internal web browser (Pro
only) to add packs from results of XDCC search engines.

1.3.3 Manually add packs to local queue

Of course, it's possible to manually add requests as well. You can click on Manually add (main
toolbar; on the right of Settings) or right click on the Queue list and choose Manually add. You're
now able to enter the network, channel, bot and pack by yourself. If the network is connected and the
channel is joined, the pack is requested.

© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team

 Quick start 5

1.4 Search
If you've thousands of packs in your Packet list, it's very hard to find the pack you want. Don't worry,
the search will help you.

1.4.1 Using Search dialog

Open the Search dialog by clicking on the button Search dialog in the main toolbar, by choosing File
(menu bar) -> Search or by pressing the F3 key on your keyboard.

First, select what you want to search on. Then select the search type. I recommend the Normal type,
because Regular Expressions are extremely powerful, but not easy to learn. Take a look at
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/helpsheets/regex.html for more information about Regular Expressions.

Afterwards, enter the search string. If you use " " in your search string, only phrases which exactly
match the string between " " are used as results. For example, if you search for "Peter Pan", Peter Pan
CD1 is a result, but Pan Peter CD1 isn't. If you don't use " ", the word order doesn't matter, only a string
in which all search words are represented is a result. For example, if you search for Peter Pan, both
Peter Pan CD1 and Pan Peter CD1 are results to your search query.

If you click Search, XDCC Catcher starts to search. If your search query has any results, the Search
results open.

1.5 Final words

You successfully completed the quick start/tutorial. You're now able to work with XDCC Catcher Basic.
If you still have questions, please buy XDCC Catcher Pro: you'll get an advanced user guide and you
can contact our Technial Support for free. Also, XDCC Catcher Pro has a lot of features which aren't
available in XDCC Catcher Basic.

© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team

 6 XDCC Catcher Basic

2 Appendices
2.1 Brief introduction to IRC and XDCC
If you're unfamiliar with IRC and XDCC, it's recommended to read this brief introduction.

2.1.1 IRC
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. The main purpose of IRC is talking with other people.

First, you should connect to a network. A network consists of one or more servers. These servers
represent the full network, so it doesn't matter what server you connect to. Big networks have a lot of
servers, because one server can't handle so many users.

If you're connected to a network, you should join one or more channels. Each channel has a particular
subject, for example dogs or Microsoft Windows. If you've joined a channel, you're able to read all the
messages posted in this channel. If you would like to have a private conversation, you should send an
user a private message (PM). Private messages can only be read by the user who you sent the PM to.

A very popular IRC client is called mIRC. Read more about IRC at http://www.irc.org/.

2.1.2 XDCC
With IRC, you're able to send files, besides sending messages. Files are transferred by using a Direct
Client to Client (DCC) connection. Everyone can receive and send DCC transfers.

XDCC automates DCC: So-called XDCC bots send you files (by DCC) when you send a specific
command to the bot, mostly 'xdcc send #packnumber'. Almost all XDCC bots offer one or more packs:
specific files you can download. Each pack is identified by a number: the pack number.
For example, a XDCC bot called 'TestBot' offers 2 packs:

#1 WinAmp 2
#2 KaZaA

If you would like to receive WinAmp 2, you should send 'xdcc send #1' to bot 'TestBot' (by private
message). In mIRC you've to do it this way: /msg TestBot xdcc send #1

After you've sent the personal message, the bot automatically sends the file to you.

XDCC Catcher is an application which makes it easier to work with XDCC. You don't have to send
commands by yourself, XDCC Catcher does.

But how do you know what packs a XDCC bot offers? Two ways are available:

· Almost all bots post their pack information, so-called public XDCC Lists, in some particular channels.
For example, a bot called 'TestBot' posts a XDCC List in channel #test (network 'testircnetwork'):

** 2 packs ** 10 of 10 slots open, Record: 738.3KB/s

** Bandwidth Usage ** Current: 0.0KB/s, Cap: 9000.0KB/s, Record: 1006.6KB/s
** To request a file, type "/msg TestBot xdcc send #x" **
#1 110x [2M] WinAmp2
#2 44x [3M] KaZaA
** Brought to you by TestName **
Total Offered: 5 MB Total Transferred: 500 MB

XDCC Catcher automatically parses this information and adds the packs of this bot to the packet list
(list of all packets).

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· Send a private message 'xdcc list' to the XDCC bot. Not all XDCC bots support this method.
Sometimes you will receive a 'denied' message. This method is only supported in XDCC Catcher Pro
(XDCC Catcher Pro calls this method 'sending XDCC List requests'). You'll get the same response
as listed above.

If no (download) slots are available, you are added to the queue of the bot. For example, 'TestBot' has
2 (download) slots and 10 queue slots. If the 2 download slots and 4 of the 10 queue slots are
occupied, you're added to the queue of bot 'TestBot' in position 5. As soon as a download slot
becomes available, the first one in the queue gets the free download slot. If you would like to be
removed from a queue, you've to send the message 'xdcc remove' to the bot (of course, you don't
have to use this command with XDCC Catcher).

If you or the bot cancels the DCC transfer (because of connectivity issues, for example), you're able to
resume the download later ('resuming'). The method of requesting a pack doesn't change; XDCC
Catcher automatically detects you already have tried to download the file and XDCC Catcher sends a
resume request, so you don't have to download the same bytes again.

You're now able to go back to the Quick start.

© 2005 XDCC Catcher Team