BakaBT Wiki - User contributions [en]

How to make an offer

2011-08-21T08:55:48Z

Ramnator: /* How do I attach extra files? */

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<div style="font-size:162%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">How to Make a BakaBT Offer</div>
<div style="font-size:90%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#c06c8d;">'''All your questions on making a good upload offer, answered here!''' </div>
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= Reading the FAQ =
Before you make an offer, you should have read the [[FAQ]] at least once. If not, read it now before scrolling down. Here, a passing familiarity with the FAQ is presumed, so some common/obvious rules may be omitted or not discussed in detail. It is your responsibility to ensure that these rules are adhered to even if they are not mentioned here.

If you have been referred here from the FAQ, then read on...

Before you make a torrent offer, check:
=== Is your offer Blacklisted? ===
[[Blacklist|Blacklisted]] anime/manga may not be uploaded. If you are unclear on whether a series belongs under the blacklist you may request clarification on the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploader's Forum].

=== Do we allow the files you wish to offer, to be uploaded? ===
Rules concerning content we allow/do not allow are covered in the [[Rules#Torrent Content Upload Guidelines|Torrent Content Upload Guidelines]]. Our preferred content packaging is also covered in detail in [[Format Preferences]]. If you feel your files are really special and you would like to argue your case, make a new thread in the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploaders' Forum] and we'll give it some thought.

=== Is your offer already on BakaBT? ===
Do a [http://bakabt.me/browse.php search] first; if the series is well-known, not [[Blacklist|blacklisted]] and stopped airing a while ago, chances are it's on BakaBT already. Some series may be known by more than one name, or may have an English name and a ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanise romanised]) Japanese name; search all possible names before making an offer.

We allow more than one version of an offer on BakaBT, under certain conditions. See [[Format Preferences]] for more details.

=== Is your offer the highest-quality offer around? ===
Just because a torrent meets the above requirements, it does not necessarily mean it will be accepted on BakaBT. If you're not confident that it is the best version, check on [http://anidb.net AniDB]. Do not look only at overall ratings, also read the comments and check the distribution of ratings as well.

If a better sub group is working on the same anime series but isn't quite done yet we'll usually opt to wait for it (unless the group has announced that they are dropping the project). Exceptions to this rule are outlined in our [[Format Preferences]].

=== Still not sure? ===
If you are unsure whether your offer might be accepted, do not worry. Sometimes this happens when a series is only available in speedsub quality, or if it is rare and valuable but only marginally anime/manga-related. In such cases you can clarify or push for your case in the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploaders' Forum] first before committing to the offer.

Keep in mind that staff decisions are final, so if you have been repeatedly told by staff that an offer is not allowed, do not stubbornly try to offer it anyway. Of course, things are changing quite quickly in the fansubbing scene, so what is not allowed now may be allowed in future.

= Making the offer =
Once you've verified that the offer meets the above requirements, you can proceed to make the offer. There are a lot of things to check and include, but this goes a long way in ensuring that BakaBT hosts only the best torrents.

=== Can you make the Offer? ===
As simple as this part sounds, many people don't read the FAQ carefully enough to realise that they have to be a Power User to make a torrent offer. If you want to make an offer but are not a Power User, then [[FAQ#How do I become a Power User? |become one first]].

=== Making the torrent file ===
First of all, you will need to [[How to create torrent files|create a .torrent file]]. The link has detailed instructions on how to create a .torrent file in different clients. Technical details aside, you'll need to ensure that the .torrent file has the private tag set, and does not contain SFV, NFO, TXT or other small files; those can be added to the torrent under the "Attachments" tab. For certain clients, make sure you use the option to preserve file order. The tracker URL to use is '''<nowiki>http://tracker.bakabt.me:2710/announce.php</nowiki>'''.

==== What should I put in my torrents? ====
What we look for in torrents are:

[[How to make an offer#Writing a Description|A good description]] 
Material not banned under our [[Rules#Torrent Content Upload Guidelines|Torrent Content Upload Guidelines]] 
File quality:
* Free of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crc32 hash errors]
* Best version available
File consistency:
* Single-group releases as far as possible (all files from a single fansub group)
File structure:
* Do not pack files under different folders unnecessarily (e.g. episodes 1-12 in one folder, 13-24 in another folder in the same torrent)
** OST scans may be placed in a subfolder labelled "Scans"
No unnecessary files: do not include text files, images, codecs or programs.
* External translation notes and credits pages (for manga) are allowed. Translation PDFs/images/text files from fansubbed anime are allowed.
Filenames
* Where released by a fansub group, original filenames should be kept.
** Filenames may be changed, ''only to correct typos or mis-labelled tags''. Filename format should remain consistent.
** The exception to this rule is when a scanlation group is inconsistent in their release names or when they are not properly tagged. In this case, filenames may be corrected or changed to something sensible (see below for help on filename formats).
*** This rule does not apply for multiple groups, as release names would likely be different. Do not change filenames in this case. In fact, this exception should not apply to most offers; it is advised that you upload the torrent with the original filenames first and staff/other members will tell you if they should be changed. If you are unsure, create a thread in the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploaders' Forum].
* Where self-released, or if there is no official source for the filename, the following formats should be used:
** For zipped manga: '''[Title] [Volume # if applicable] [Chapter #]''', with '''[Scanlator]''' or other group's names permitted at the start or end.
** For unzipped manga: '''[Group] [Title] [Page #]'''
** For anime: '''[Title] [Episode number] [CRC]''', '''[Group]''' permitted at the start or end of the filename. '''[Source]''' (TV, DVD or Bluray) may be added, but is optional.
** For soundtracks: '''[Track number] [Title]'''. '''[Artist/composer]''' may be added at the end of the filename, but is optional.

If you're unsure about anything, please say so in the torrent comments, or ask in the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploader's Forum].

==== How do I find out whose releases I have? ====
If you do not know who released the files you have, there are a few ways to go about investigating.

For anime, the quickest and easiest solution is to download and run [http://wiki.anidb.net/w/AniDB_Clients AniDB O'Matic]. This program will scan the areas of your hard disk, hash check your files, and automatically match it up to an entry in their database (should there be one). For more information, see the [http://wiki.anidb.net/w/AniDB_Clients AniDB wiki].

Alternatively, you can [http://rapidcrc.sourceforge.net/ look up the CRC hash] of your file in the [http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=animelist&do.filter=1 AniDB page] for that anime. Under the various file listings near the bottom of the page, expand the entry for appropriate episode number and see if any of the listed CRCs match your file.

For manga, the simplest way is to check through the pages to see if credits have been included anywhere. If they haven't, then the next step would be to visit [http://www.mangaupdates.com MangaUpdates], search for the title in question, check which groups have scanlated the title, then visit each group's website and compare their release to yours.

For OSTs, the first step should be to check the file tags. Often, rippers will put their group name and/or website in the comments field. If your files have been retagged, then you're out of luck.

=== Filling in the Upload Page ===
While description-writing may be a little intimidating the first time, it is relatively straightforward. To make an offer, move your mouse over the [http://bakabt.me/offer.php Offers] link on the [http://bakabt.me/ main page] navigation bar, then click on [http://bakabt.me/upload.php Upload]. This will bring you to the [http://bakabt.me/upload.php upload page].

The fields are relatively straightforward to understand.

# Torrent file Select the .torrent file to be uploaded.
# Torrent name Suggested format: "{(Romanised) Japanese name} | {English name} [{fansub group}]" <-- Replace italicised text in {round brackets} with the appropriate names. Words like "OVA" or "Movie" are not always necessary because of the category system (however, if the title of the show includes "OVA" or "Movie", you should add it). In case you're uploading only a particular season of a longer series, it is useful to include the season and/or the episodes (for example: My Series - Season 1 [01-25]).
# Link to AniDB Find the anime description on AniDB and paste the link here.
# Keywords You can add this later.
# Description [[How to make an offer#Writing a Description|See below]].
# Tags Check the ''applicable'' boxes. E.g. 'Lossless' for FLAC offers, and 'HD' for Bluray/HDTV rips.
# Type Select the appropriate category for your torrent.

== Writing a Description ==
You are strongly advised to prepare your torrent description in the [http://bakabt.me/sandbox.php Sandbox] or an external text editor first. Once it is ready, copy the code into the description box in the upload page. Do keep your own copy of the description code in case your work gets wiped out for any reason.

We also suggest putting "DESCRIPTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION" at the top of the description while you are still tweaking your description. Remove it once you are done.

'''Reminder:''' Don't forget to click 'Save as' in the sandbox preview when you're happy with your description!

===Using a Template===
If you don't have time to make a description from scratch, or know some rudimentary HTML but don't have time to mess with it too much, you can use one of the [http://bakabt.me/template.php ready-made templates] (link also available from the [http://bakabt.me/upload.php upload page]).

We also have a [http://bakabt.me/sandbox.php Sandbox] for users to try out and preview descriptions before making an offer (link also available from the [http://bakabt.me/upload.php upload page]). There is no bias towards descriptions made from templates, as long as information and images are neatly laid out and easy to read. If one is making a description for the first time and has no prior experience with HTML it would be preferred to use a template first.

Alternatively, [[BBCode]] may be used instead of [[BBCode#HTML Mode|HTML]]. Any text not between HTML markup tags (<html><body> ... </body></html>) will be treated as BBCode formatting or plain text.

===Torrent Title===
A good description starts with a good title. The title must have the original romanised Japanese title and the English title (if any) as well. The standard title format for anime is '''Japanese Title | English Title [fansub group abbreviation/name]'''. Words like "OVA" or "Movie" are not necessary because of the category system, unless "OVA" or "Movie" is part of the show's official title.

In case you're uploading only a particular season of a longer series, it is useful to include the season and/or the episodes (for example: My Series - Season 1 [01-25]).

===Images===
Images and/or screenshots, as well as links to sites like [http://anidb.net AniDB] and [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com ANN] are required. '''You must host your own images. Do not hotlink images.''' Do take a look at some of the approved uploads to get an idea of what is needed before a torrent can be approved.
*'''Note:''' Screenshots should be taken in PNG format, at the correct resolution. If the video is anamorphic, make sure screenshots are taken at display aspect ratio and resolution.
*'''Note 2:''' When taking screenshots it is generally preferred that at least 1 shot contains the subtitle with the style defined in the release. [[Screenshots | Click here]] for more detailed info.

A list of image hosting services with automatic thumbnail generation (needed for screenshots) are given below:
* [http://imageshack.us/ ImageShack] - does not require an account (although you'll have to upload your images under an account if you want to remove them later)
* [http://photobucket.com/ PhotoBucket] - Not recommended for screenshots since they will manipulate high-quality JPGs (92% JPG quality cap).
* [http://tinypic.com/ TinyPic] - does not require an account
* <strike>[http://xs.to/ xs.to] - does not require an account</strike>

===Description===
We look for succinct, accurate descriptions of the contents of your torrent in the description. Information that is required but unknown should be indicated as such. It is preferable for files on BakaBT to be of known origin, but if it is the best version available then it can't be helped. Include a short description of what you're uploading, if it's not obvious.

It is common courtesy to credit sources of information, so please do that. While file information can easily be found through utilities such as [http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en MediaInfo], anime summaries and synopses that are copied from anime databases (such as [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ ANN], [http://anidb.net/ AniDB] or [http://www.anime-planet.com Anime-Planet]) should be credited with a simple "taken from [Website name]" or "Source:[Website name]".

====Description Content====
The following table outlines information that '''must''' be in the torrent description: 

<div align="center"><table border="2">
<tr style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<td>Information</td>
<td>Anime Movie/OVA/Series</td>
<td>Manga/Artbooks/Novels</td>
<td>OST/Albums/Music Videos</td>
<td style=" max-width: 12em;">Comments</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold;">Summary</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Yes</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Yes</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Optional</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-style: italic; max-width: 12em;">May be taken from [http://anidb.net AniDB]/[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com ANN] Should not contain spoilers</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold;">Categories</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Yes</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Yes</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">If applicable</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-style: italic; max-width: 12em;">Possible keywords 720p/1080p Categories Director/Author Producer/Publisher Fansub group Other relevant keywords</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold;">File Info</td>
<td><table border="1"><tr style=" text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<td>Video Codec Resolution</td>
<td>Audio Codec Channels</td>
<td>Subtitles Language(s) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_SubStation_Alpha ASS]/[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SubRip SRT]</td>
</tr></table></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Optional</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Codec Bitrate (for lossy audio) Tracklist</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-style: italic; max-width: 12em;">Most information can be found on AniDB - check file info</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold;">Group Info</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Fansub group/encoder Subtitle source</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Translator/Scanlator</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Ripper</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-style: italic; max-width: 12em;">Use abbreviations (e.g. SHS, AnY) unless group is not well-known. If source is unknown, say that it's 'Unknown'</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold;">Images</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">[[Screenshots|Sample screenshots]] (source resolution, PNG format) * highly preferred, not strictly necessary unless a moderator requests them.</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Preferable (Cover/Sample pages)</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Optional (CD covers, booklet scans)</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-style: italic; max-width: 12em;">Images to be hosted on an image-host and not hot-linked. For content with subtitles, at least one screenshot '''must''' include subtitles.</td>
</tr>
</table></div> 

Please learn the difference between containers and codecs before filling out your description.

====Description Presentation====

The following rules '''must''' be followed when making your description:

'''1) No more than 2 mouse-clicks/mouse-overs to view information'''
:Torrent descriptions in general do not contain that much info. Just some information about the series, the files, and a summary. Logically, no more than 2 clicks should be necessary to view that information. Putting sparse information into many many tabs makes things troublesome for page visitors and doesn't make sense.

:Exceptions to this rule apply if you're making an OST offer with lots of albums, or in other special circumstances.

'''2) No background images >150KB'''
:It's really easy to insert background images, and they really make your description look pretty, don't they? But also keep in mind that there are people with bandwidth caps, people with slower access plans, and your image host most likely has a bandwidth limit imposed on you. It doesn't make sense to use an 800KB PNG file for the background image, right? So save it as a JPG, and you'll easily bring the filesize down to 1/3rd or 1/4th the PNG filesize with sensible settings. Don't abuse file formats just because you can.

If you have a really huge image that you just can't fit into the 150KB footprint, then it's time to rethink it. Do you really need that >150KB image? Are you willing to accept a drop in image quality just to fit it in? Or is there any other way you can shrink the description and hence use a smaller background image? If you can use a smaller colour palette, it helps reduce image size as well.

: '''Feature update:''' [[Screenshots#Adding_Screenshots|Screenshot auto-insertion tags]] ([http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?topic=15075.0 Announcement])
: '''Feature update:''' [http://bakabt.me/template.php Offer Templates] ([http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?topic=12391.0 Announcement])
: '''Feature update:''' [[BBCode#Recalculating the size of the iframe|Iframe Resize javascript]] ([http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?topic=17170.msg391155#msg391155 Announcement])

Once you are ready to make the offer, click on the "Make offer" button at the bottom of the upload page. Your torrent has now been submitted and will appear in the [http://bakabt.me/offer.php Offers] section of the site. But it is not quite ready yet; two sections still need to be worked on.

=== Keywords ===
==== What are good keywords for my torrent? ====
You have to see the keywords as a second way to categorise torrents. Choose keywords that truthfully reflect the content of the files you're uploading and that allows it to be found in different ways than just searching for a title.

Good keywords are: genres*, 720p/1080p, fansub group, author, director, that kind of stuff. Someone might be interested in all of "Miyazaki's" or Studio 4C works, searching for Miyazaki resp. Studio 4C will match the keywords and you have what you're looking for.

Bad keywords are: anything that appears in the title of the torrent or is already expressed otherwise (OST, OVA, HD, Movie, etc.). Alternate titles, codecs, and your own personal comments do not belong in keywords. Either add them to your title, or to your description. Fansub groups are permissible as keywords, even if they are already included in your torrent title.

* When listing genres, use AniDB's categories, not AnimeNFO or ANN, for consistency.

You don't need to turn everything about the series into a keyword; adding the entire production staff as keywords would be pointless. Choose the most important keywords you can use to describe the torrent. For intance, the 'Action' keyword is not necessary if the torrent has many other keywords. You also don't need to tag mangaka/artists/directors who aren't too well-established yet.

===='''Guidelines:'''====
* First of all, ask yourself the question: "If I were looking for an anime 'like' this one, what keywords would I be looking for?" and "which keywords are not needed?"
* Secondly, drop near duplicate keywords like 'Contemporary Fantasy' and 'Fantasy', as they are not both needed; just keep whichever applies more to your torrent.
* Add only useful keywords. No one will search for keywords such as 'mp3' or 'DVD'.
* Do '''not''' add duplicate keywords, for instance "Yuki Kajiura" and "Kajiura Yuki" or "Science-Fiction" and "Sci-Fi". Add only the one that currently exists in our [http://bakabt.me/keywords.php keyword list].
* This also holds for fansub names: add either (for instance) Abacus Subs or AbSubs, but not both; the latter is preferred because it is shorter.
* Persons' names should be given in Eastern name order (family name first), with the family name in all caps. For instance, use "KANNO Yoko", not "Kanno Yoko" or "Yoko Kanno".
*Do '''not''' add alternative titles or alternative spellings. See title guidelines.
* Check the [http://bakabt.me/keywords.php list of keywords] for existing keywords and/or common spellings. Keep in mind that the keyword listing is '''''case-sensitive''''' so match case, and '''matching other keywords is better than making a new one'''.
* Check the [[Keywords|Keywords article]] for descriptions for most of the common keywords.

==== Keyword syntax ====
We've just discussed the semantics of keywords, but what about the syntax? First of all, not all characters are allowed. Only alphanumeric characters, dashes (-) and spaces are allowed. Furthermore, a keyword is allowed to have two spaces, no more. If you're making a keyword of a composed word (for instance: MAMORU Oshii) keep it one keyword, don't add a comma in between. Genres like "Magical girl" and "Law and Order" should also be written without commas.

==== Adding keywords to your torrent ====
The field for entering keywords is above the description entry box. Typing in a word (or part of a word) will call up suggestions in a box. These suggestions are comprised of keywords that already exist on BakaBT. You should pick from the suggestions given to you to ensure consistency.

Once you have clicked on the desired key word suggested, click 'Add' to associate it with your torrent. Repeat this process for as many keywords as you need (currently, there is a character limit on the keywords, so if you find that your last key word is getting cut off, remove it).

Be sure to click 'Edit' below the description box when you're done, or none of your changes will be saved.

If you need to add a key word that isn't suggested, type it into the key word field and click on Add. This key word will be sent for moderation. If the key word is approved, it will be added to our official key word list and will appear on your torrent immediately. If rejected, it will be blacklisted, and will not show up again.

=== Attaching Extra Files ===
==== Why does it say "This torrent contains improper files, please swap the torrent file" on the torrent page? ====
We only accept certain file formats, as described in our [[Format Preferences]]. Other file formats may be accepted on a case-by-case basis (ask in the [http://forums.bakabt.me/index.php?board=4.0 Uploaders' Forum]). Small files (such as .txt, .nfo, .sfv, .md5 and other filetypes) that are useful to the torrent may be attached as extra files (see below).

==== What are "extra files" and what should I add? ====
"Extra files" allow you to add (small) files to your torrent, files which you want to include but don't really belong in the torrent; essentially, files that are extraneous to the torrent and do not complete it in any way. Think of .sfv/.md5 files for file verification (or hash tables in general), or .nfo files for credits and info. You are not allowed to add images. Linking to the files will not work, the link is dynamic and becomes invalid after 24 hours.

Any and all files released by the original source should be included as "extra files" (granted they do not violate the "extra files" rules, such as credits pages from manga. Leave those INSIDE your torrent).
All video torrents (series/movies/ova) should have, but do not require, at least an .sfv or .md5 file with (official) hashes. You can get the CRCs from the fansubber's website or AniDB.net (the latter also lists md5 hashes amongst other hashes) if the CRC values are not in the file names.

DO NOT include these extra files in the contents of your torrent. Your offer will '''not''' be accepted if this is the case.
If you get the message 'This torrent contains improper files, please swap the torrent file.' at the top of your offer page, that's your clue that there is something wrong with your file structure.

See [[Format Preferences#Extra Files|Format Preferences:Extra Files]] for more information.

==== How do I attach extra files? ====
Simply edit your torrent (after it's been offered or uploaded), and there will be a box for you to enter the path of files you wish to upload below the description box. Simply select it and click upload, and it will be attached right away.

=== Responding to Comments ===
Once you have uploaded your torrent, you will see it in the [http://bakabt.me/offer.php Offers page]. Here, other users may make relevant comments about the torrent, or point out issues. If you find any irrelevant comments on a pending torrent (such as "Pls seed" comments, or comments about the show that do not concern the torrent, do report them by using the "Report" link beside the comment). Site staff will also use the comments page to inform you about things that need fixing.

If the torrent flouts one or more major rules (i.e. [[Blacklist|blacklisted]], or a superior/identical torrent already exists on BakaBT), it will be rejected, and remain in the Offers pool until it is removed by the uploader or pruned by site staff.

Each offer made by a Power User requires approval from a few staff members before it is added to the [http://bakabt.me/browse.php Browse] list. If approval from only one staff member has been given, the torrent's status is changed to "Semi-granted". (See: [[FAQ#What does 'Semi-approved' mean?|What does 'Semi-approved' mean?]])

Note that site staff and other members are not obliged to PM users to fix their offer; it is the uploader's responsibility to check the uploaded torrent regularly and resolve any issues.

Once the torrent is fully approved, you will have to re-download the .torrent file (which will now have your user keypass in the tracker URL) for seeding. Alternatively, you can also add your keypass to the tracker URL manually; it should look like '''<nowiki>http://tracker.bakabt.me:2710/[keypass]/announce.php</nowiki>'''.

Rude, insulting, spoiler-ish or useless comments [[FAQ#Reporting Comments|may be reported]] using the 'Report' button in each comment box.

=== Swapping the torrent ===
If, for any reason, something is wrong with your torrent (such as containing improper files or lacking a version 2 of an episode), you may request to swap the .torrent file. This will negate the need to delete the torrent and upload it again. You may apply to swap your own torrent files when they are either in the Offer stage or they are registered with the tracker.

To do so, edit your torrent. Click on the "Swap Torrent" tab, select the .torrent to swap with, and enter a valid reason for swapping. Upon sending the request, you will need to wait for a moderator or admin to grant the swap request. The request may be rejected if no proper reason is given. Send the request only once!

=== Parent torrents ===
==== What are they? ====
Parent torrents are torrents under which other torrents with identical content have been grouped. For instance, lossless and lossy versions of the same soundtrack collection may be grouped as a parent-child set, while the HD, SD and Xvid versions of an anime series may be grouped as another parent-child set.

Note that parent-child groups are ''not'' for grouping related (but unidentical) torrents. For instance, the OVA and Movie versions of an anime should not be grouped as a parent-child set (example: Gunbuster, Strait Jacket).

==== Which torrent should be the parent? ====
Generally, complete torrents take precedence over incomplete torrents (i.e. torrents with more content become 'parents' of torrents with less content, or torrents with the 'incomplete' flag tagged). 'Higher-quality' torrents take precedence over 'lower quality' torrents. For more details, see our [[Site Rules#Format Preferences|Format Preferences]].

==== So what should I do about parent-child sets? ====
As you are making your offer, do a search for other identical offers. Then, based on the [[Site Rules#Format Preferences|Format Preferences]], see which torrent should be the parent.

===== While in Pending stage =====

*'''If your torrent should be the parent:'''
:Include links to the 'child torrents' that would go under your torrent in your torrent comments. Site staff will group the torrents appropriately if the offer is granted.
:(pending torrents should not be set as parent torrents)

*'''If your torrent should be the child of another torrent:'''
:You may add the other related torrents yourself, although if uncertain of how to use this feature you may leave a comment including links to other 'child torrents' and the 'parent torrent'. In that case site staff will group the torrents appropriately if the offer is granted.

*'''If there are no other identical torrents:'''
:You don't have to do anything about parent-child groupings.

===== Already approved ungrouped torrents =====

*'''If your torrent should be the parent:'''
:Report that torrent, and provide a link to the 'child torrents' that would go under your torrent in the report.

*'''If your torrent should be the child of another torrent:'''
:Report that torrent, and provide a link to the parent torrent in the report as well as the other 'child torrents' if they are ungrouped.

==== What if I find parent-child sets that have not been put together, or grouped wrongly? ====
[[FAQ#Reporting Torrents|Report the torrents]]. In the report, describe why the torrents should/should not be grouped, and include links to the relevant torrent pages.

Troubleshooting

2009-06-16T20:12:07Z

Ramnator:

=Before You Start=
1) Be sure to read the [[FAQ]] and this troubleshooting page for answers.

2) Search the forums for similar problems.

3) Perform a simple [[http://www.google.com Google search] to see if your problem is already known and answered.

4) If all of the above fails, post your problem on our forums. Be sure to include as much detail as possible. Refer to step 1, you must have read the '''entire''' FAQ before posting your problem.

(This page is for technical questions relating to the Bittorent and connectivity protocols and clients that use it. For BakaBT site-related questions, see the [[FAQ]].)
=Connectivity Issues=
==Why can't I connect? Is the site blocking me?==
Your failure to connect may be due to several reasons.

==== Server downtime ====
Sometimes the server goes down a little while due to the heavy load that maintenance tasks put on the server. This should resolve itself within half an hour, so wait a while and see fi the server goes back up again.

==== Maybe your address is blacklisted ====
The site blocks addresses of banned users. This works at Apache/PHP level, it's just a script that blocks logins from those addresses. It should not stop you from reaching the site. In particular it does not block lower level protocols, you should be able to ping/traceroute the server even if your address is blacklisted. If you cannot then the reason for the problem lies elsewhere.

==== Your ISP blocks the site's address ====
(In first place, it's unlikely your ISP is doing so. DNS name resolution and/or network problems are the usual culprits.)
There's nothing we can do. You should contact your ISP (or get a new one). Note that you can still visit the site via a proxy, follow the instructions in the relevant section. In this case it doesn't matter if the proxy is anonymous or not, or which port it listens to.

Notice that you will always be listed as an "unconnectable" client because the tracker will be unable to check that you're capable of accepting incoming connections.

==I can't log in==
===I try to log in but get brought to another login page===
This could be due to one of a few possible reasons:

====You're on a dynamic IP====
The login script doesn't like dynamic IPs. Nothing you can do about this except try to get a static IP or find a VPN service that will give you a static IP.

====Cookie Problems====
Clear your cookies and try again. Make sure cookies are enabled in your browser-of-choice.

====Browser Problems====
Maybe your browser is a freshly released one that is still in alpha or early beta. Report this issue to them and hope they fix it in a future release.

===I try to log in but it says my account is suspended===
See: [[Account Restrictions]]

===The page takes forever to load after I log in===
The server might be momentarily unresponsive, try again in half-an-hour.

=Torrent Errors=
== What's this IOError - Errno13 Permission denied error? ==
IOError means Input-Output Error, and that is a file system error, not a tracker one. It shows up when your client is for some reason unable to open the partially downloaded torrent files. The most common cause is two instances of the client to be running simultaneously: the last time the client was closed it somehow didn't really close but kept running in the background, and is therefore still locking the files, making it impossible for the new instance to open them.

A more uncommon occurrence is a corrupted FAT. A crash may result in corruption that makes the partially downloaded files unreadable, and the error ensues. Running scandisk should solve the problem. (Note that this may happen only if you're running Windows 9x - which only supports FAT - or NT/2000/XP with FAT formatted hard drives. NTFS is much more robust and should never permit this problem.)

= Speed Issues=
== I can't seem to seed at all, or my upload speed is really slow. ==
First, check that you actually have someone to upload any data to. If you are on a torrent that has something like 10 seeders and 2 leechers, the chances of you uploading a great deal are slim to none. If there are no leechers... what are you expecting?

== How can I improve my download speed? ==
The download speed mostly depends on the seeder-to-leecher ratio (SLR). Poor download speed is mainly a problem with new and very popular torrents where the seeder-to-leecher ratio is low.
[http://torrentfreak.com/ TorrentFreak] have created a great guide on how to improve your download speed. You'll find it [http://torrentfreak.com/speed-up-your-torrents/ here].
''(side note: If you did not enjoy the slow download speed, remember to seed well so that others will not have to endure the same.)''

There are a couple of things that you can try on your end to improve your speed:
==== Do not immediately jump on new torrents ====
In particular, do not do it if you have a slow connection. The best speeds will be found around the half-life of a torrent, when the SLR will be at its highest. (The downside is that you will not be able to seed so much. It's up to you to balance the pros and cons of this.)

==== Check your connection settings ====
See" "[[Troubleshooting#Connectivity Issues|Connectivity Issues]]".

==== Limit your upload speed ====
The upload speed affects the download speed in essentially two ways:

# Bittorrent peers tend to favour those other peers that upload to them. This means that if A and B are leeching the same torrent and A is sending data to B at high speed then B will try to reciprocate. So due to this effect high upload speeds lead to high download speeds.
# Due to the way TCP works, when A is downloading something from B it has to keep telling B that it received the data sent to him. (These are called acknowledgements - ACKs -, a sort of "got it!" messages). If A fails to do this then B will stop sending data and wait. If A is uploading at full speed there may be no bandwidth left for the ACKs and they will be delayed. So due to this effect excessively high upload speeds lead to low download speeds.

The full effect is a combination of the two. The upload should be kept as high as possible while allowing the ACKs to get through without delay. A good thumb rule is keeping the upload at about 80% of the theoretical upload speed. You will have to fine tune yours to find out what works best for you. (Remember that keeping the upload high has the additional benefit of helping with your ratio.)

If you are running more than one instance of a client it is the overall upload speed that you must take into account. Some clients (e.g. Azureus) limit global upload speed, others (e.g. Shad0w's) do it on a per torrent basis. Know your client. The same applies if you are using your connection for anything else (e.g. browsing or ftp), always think of the overall upload speed.

==== Limit the number of simultaneous connections ====
Some operating systems (like Windows 9x) do not deal well with a large number of connections, and may even crash. Also some home routers (particularly when running NAT and/or firewall with stateful inspection services) tend to become slow or crash when having to deal with too many connections. There are no fixed values for this, you may try 60 or 100 and experiment with the value. Note that these numbers are additive, if you have two instances of a client running the numbers add up.

==== Limit the number of simultaneous uploads ====
Isn't this the same as above? No. Connections limit the number of peers your client is talking to and/or downloading from. Uploads limit the number of peers your client is actually uploading to. The ideal number is typically much lower than the number of connections, and highly dependent on your (physical) connection.

==== Just give it some time ====
As explained above peers favour other peers that upload to them. When you start leeching a new torrent you have nothing to offer to other peers and they will tend to ignore you. This makes the starts slow, in particular if, by change, the peers you are connected to include few or no seeders. The download speed should increase as soon as you have some pieces to share.

== Why is my browsing so slow while leeching? ==
Your download speed is always finite. If you are a peer in a fast torrent it will almost certainly saturate your download bandwidth, and your browsing will suffer. A client like Azureus allows the user to limit uploads & downloads. You will have to use a third-party solution, such as [http://www.netlimiter.com/ NetLimiter].

Browsing was used just as an example. The same would apply to gaming, IMing, etc., ...

== Why is my port number reported as "---"? (And why should I care?) ==
The tracker has determined that you are firewalled or NATed and cannot accept incoming connections.

This means that other peers in the swarm will be unable to connect to you, only you to them. Even worse, if two peers are both in this state they will not be able to connect at all. This has obviously a detrimental effect on the overall speed.

The way to solve the problem involves opening the ports used for incoming connections (the same range you defined in your client) on the firewall and/or configuring your NAT server to use a basic form of NAT for that range instead of NAPT (the actual process differs widely between different router models. Check your router documentation and/or support forum. You will also find lots of information on the subject at [http://www.portforward.com PortForward]).

== My ISP uses a transparent proxy. What should I do? ==
''Caveat: This is a large and complex topic. It is not possible to cover all variations here.''

Short reply: change to an ISP that does not force a proxy upon you. If you cannot or do not want to then read on.

==== What is a proxy? ====
Basically a middleman. When you are browsing a site through a proxy your requests are sent to the proxy and the proxy forwards them to the site instead of you connecting directly to the site. There are several classifications (the terminology is far from standard):

{|border="1"
|-
! '''Type''' !! '''Description'''
|-
! Transparent ||align="left"| A transparent proxy is one that needs no configuration on the clients. It works by automatically redirecting all port 80 traffic to the proxy. (Sometimes used as synonymous for non-anonymous.)
|-
! Explicit/Voluntary ||align="left"|Clients must configure their browsers to use them.
|-
! Anonymous ||align="left"|The proxy sends no client identification to the server. (HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR header is not sent; the server does not see your IP.)
|-
! Highly Anonymous ||align="left"| The proxy sends no client or proxy identification to the server. (HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR, HTTP_VIA and HTTP_PROXY_CONNECTION headers are not sent; the server doesn't see your IP and doesn't even know you're using a proxy.)
|-
! Public ||align="left"| (Self explanatory) 
|-
|}

A transparent proxy may or may not be anonymous, and there are several levels of anonymity.

==== How do I find out if I'm behind a (transparent/anonymous) proxy? ====
Try [http://www.proxyjudge.org ProxyJudge]. It lists the HTTP headers that the server where it is running received from you. The relevant ones are HTTP_CLIENT_IP, HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR and REMOTE_ADDR.

==== Why is my port listed as "---" even though I'm not NAT/Firewalled? ====
The BakaBT tracker is quite smart at finding your real IP, but it does need the proxy to send the HTTP header HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR. If your ISP's proxy does not then what happens is that the tracker will interpret the proxy's IP address as the client's IP address. So when you login and the tracker tries to connect to your client to see if you are NAT/firewalled it will actually try to connect to the proxy on the port your client reports to be using for incoming connections. Naturally the proxy will not be listening on that port, the connection will fail and the tracker will think you are NAT/firewalled.

== I am on a dynamic IP/I just changed my static IP recently, and it seems to have affected my bittorent connection settings. ==
BakaBT uses a keypass-based system (See: [[FAQ#How is my traffic tracked?|How is my traffic tracked?]]). Changes in your IP will not affect your connection to the tracker, as long as you downloaded the torrent file when logged in.

== There are peers in the swarm but I can't connect to any of them. ==
Your ISP may be shaping traffic. Enable encryption in your torrent client, and set it to the highest level possible.

'''Note:''' This does not hide your IP from other peers!

BT Terminology

2009-06-16T20:10:17Z

Ramnator:

A list of commonly used terms in relation to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_(protocol) BitTorrent protocol].

==Terms==

;Announce: The process in which a client requests a tracker to add it to a swarm.

;Choked: Describes a peer to whom the client refuses to send file pieces.

;Client: A program that manages torrent downloads and uploads using the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_(protocol) BitTorrent protocol].

;Distributed Hash Tables (DHT): A trackerless system used by many BitTorrent clients to gather more peers than are available on a single tracker. The DHT network may not be used in the BakaBT community.

;Hash: A string of alphanumeric characters in the .torrent file that the client uses to verify the data that is being transferred.

;Index: A list of .torrent files managed by a website and available for searches.

;Interested: Term used in the protocol specification. It refers to the state of a downloader with respect to a connection. A downloader is marked as interested if the other end of the link has any pieces that the client wants, otherwise the connection is marked as not interested.

;Leech: A peer that is currently downloading a file from other peers. Leech can also have a negative connotation referencing a peer that does not seed after downloading has completed.

;Leeching (Downloading): Receiving data FROM another computer.

;Optimistic unchoking: Periodically, the client shakes up the list of uploaders and tries sending on different connections that were previously choked, and choking the connections it was just using.

;Peer-to-Peer (P2P): The technology used for file sharing among computer users over the internet.

;Peer: An instance of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BitTorrent_clients BitTorrent client] running on a computer on the Internet to which other clients connect and transfer data; a participant in a swarm. Generally a peer does not have the complete file, otherwise it would be called a seed. Some people also refer to peers as leeches, to distinguish them from those generous folks who have completed their download and continue to leave the client running and act as a seed.

;Peer Exchange (PEX): A trackerless system used by many [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BitTorrent_clients BitTorrent clients] to gather more peers than are available on a single tracker. Peer Exchange may not be used in the BakaBT community.

;Piece: This refers to the torrented files being divided up into equal specific sized pieces. The pieces are distributed in a random fashion among peers in order to optimize trading efficiency. Pieces can also be downloaded sequentially, but this is not recommended as it may slow the download process.

;Reseed: When there are zero seeds for a given torrent (and not enough peers to have a distributed copy), then eventually all the peers will get stuck with an incomplete file, since no one in the swarm has the missing pieces. When this happens, someone with a complete file (a seed) must connect to the swarm so that those missing pieces can be transferred. Usually a request for a reseed comes with an implicit promise that the requester will leave his or her client open for some time period after finishing.

;Scrape: A request from a client to a tracker in order to gather information about a certain torrent (number of peers, peer share ratios, etc.)

;Seed: A peer that has finished downloading a file and is currently uploading pieces to other peers.

;Seeding (Uploading): Sending data TO another computer.

;Share Ratio: A number determined by dividing the total uploaded data by the total downloaded data in a torrent. BakaBT encourages users to have a share ratio of greater than one.

;Snubbed: If the client has not received anything after a certain period (default: 60 seconds), it marks a connection as snubbed, in that the peer on the other end has chosen not to send. See the definition of choked for reasons why an uploader might mark a connection as choked.

;Super Seeding (Initial Seeding in uTorrent): A method in which a client reduces the amount of data that needs to be sent when seeding a new torrent or re-seeding a torrent. This method supposedly improves the distribution of data. This method is useful for people who pay their ISPs depending on how much data he/she transfers.

;Swarm: Together, all peers (including seeders) sharing a torrent are called a swarm.

;Torrent: The torrent file contains metadata about all the files it makes downloadable (Metadata means that the file contains information about the data you want to download, not the data itself), including their names and sizes and checksums of all pieces in the torrent. It also contains the address of a tracker that coordinates communication between the peers in the swarm.

;Tracker: A server that keeps track of which seeds and peers are in the swarm. Clients report information to the tracker periodically and in exchange receive information about other clients to which they can connect. The tracker is not directly involved in the data transfer and does not have a copy of the file.