Multiple Part Downloads?

[JN999]

I just purchased my first few TF courses in the Easter sale and have begun downloading. However, I have a question that I am sure has been asked and answered here before I can't find it so I'm asking again

Most of the courses are multiple part downloads. I kind of expected that this was for ease/management of downloading but upon unzipping I end up with what looks essentially like multiple versions of the same course with same folder structures, etc. I expected that these would simply be multiple files that would end up unzipped into one course folder file/structure but that's not the case. So my question is, should it be and if so, how do I combine the multiple download parts into one whole course?

edit: upon further inspection I have found that the contents of the data and tunings folders in the two parts of The Rhythm Architect (9168m, 9168a) are EXACTLY the same. This makes no sense, why are the same files included in different parts of the download??? No wonder TF can't keep up with the traffic; they've got us re-downloading the same files over and over.

[gadlaw]

I just purchased my first few TF courses in the Easter sale and have begun downloading. However, I have a question that I am sure has been asked and answered here before I can't find it so I'm asking again

Most of the courses are multiple part downloads. I kind of expected that this was for ease/management of downloading but upon unzipping I end up with what looks essentially like multiple versions of the same course with same folder structures, etc. I expected that these would simply be multiple files that would end up unzipped into one course folder file/structure but that's not the case. So my question is, should it be and if so, how do I combine the multiple download parts into one whole course?

edit: upon further inspection I have found that the contents of the data and tunings folders in the two parts of The Rhythm Architect (9168m, 9168a) are EXACTLY the same. This makes no sense, why are the same files included in different parts of the download??? No wonder TF can't keep up with the traffic; they've got us re-downloading the same files over and over.

Well, I have a Folder off of the C Drive that I have labeled 'TrueFire Courses. When I have a two part course I create a new folder in that folder which I label with the name of the instructor and the course name. You can label them in whatever way makes sense to you. Also you can relable the names of the folders. You would keep them separate so that the player for part one calls forth the files from that master folder. Now as for your problem with two of the folders being the same I'll send that issue to Ren. I have three folders in my Robbie Calvo - Rhythm Architect folder, two of them unzipped over a gig in size and the third being 800mb plus.

[JN999]

Hmm, okay well this is still confusing and frustrating. When I unzipped the first two and they have the same structure, so therefore cannot be unzipped into the same root folder, say Robbie Calvo - The Rhythm Architect because of the duplicate structure of the folders below that. In fact, it's multiple layers of redundancy/duplicity. When unzipping, I get the following in the "root" folder:
- _MACOSX folder
- The_Rhythm_Architect Folder (this basically contains the course and is numbered 1, 2, and I suspect 3)
then in the The_Rhythm_Architect folders, I have these folders:
- data
- Guitar Pro Files
- Mac Video Player
- Power Tab
- TabView

Since the exe to launch the course is in the numbered Rhythm_Architect folder, it can only "see" the parts of the course contained in that folder's structure; there is no sense of this being a single course. In order to get to the other parts of the course, I have to launch it from each numbered folder separately and then have access in that instance of the player of only that part of the course i.e. 1, 2, or 3.

This is frustrating and is also pretty poor; there should be a quick and easy way to have these courses downloaded into a single, seemless structure. Right now, I don't see or know of an quick or easy way to combine them so as to be a single course without digging around and copying files over to create a single course. It's like having 3 separate courses the way it downloads. Oh yes, and all the duplicate downloading of redundant files as I mentioned.

[gadlaw]

I would disagree, I think it is designed just fine. Part one opens to those files and videos, part two to the second part etc. I hadn't heard this as a criticism until just now. I'm thinking that if you had everyone unzipping into the same folder and made those bigger courses into one mega file folder of info and videos and such it could get confusing in short order. Additionally, they've been structuring their courses this way through at least three iterations of their constantly improving players when before that there were interactive PDF file courses that were pretty clunky.

I have emailed Ren and the tech guys to get on the issue of the files being wrong and he should be on it shortly. I know they are filming for that Robbin Ford guy now and it's busy times there but Ren is pretty good about getting to these things.

[JN999]

Ok, well we agree to disagree then I don't follow your logic though. I don't see how having the course content in LESS folders makes it MORE confusing. Oh wait, you're a lawyer right... Sorry, couldn't resist.

But riddle me this Batman. Why should a downloaded course be presented any differently than the online TF TV version of a course? I bought a single course, that's what I want plain and simple, a single course. Why do I have to have it in three separate parts that all require their own instance of the player to be launched? I just want to launch the course and go, and have all of it up and ready in the player just like it is on TF TV.

And there is still that nagging issue of all those redundant files being downloaded multiple times with each part of the course (and probably across courses too). As far as I can tell in quickly glancing through the folders and files, it's all the same except for the actual course material in the chart, jam, and video folders within in the data folder, which does account for the majority of the download but still it seems foolish to use up bandwidth downloading the same thing over and over again. And I bet a lot of this is further redundant across courses as well. The better approach would be to download a player and the necessary support and common files just once, then simply download the course content for each course purchased.

[Leedelta]

I noticed that Blues Bass folder 2 contained Folder 1 as well (including video files), so there was duplication.

First time I ever spotted this.

[rjbasque]

The splitting of the files the way they are is because this is how they are split on the data DVDs. Mostly for size reasons (I think). This also keeps TrueFire from having to maintain 2 data sets. One for the down load and one for the DVDs.

You can put everything is one folder IF:
1) The course is a newer one based around the Flash or mp4 videos and not the shockwave videos.
2) You are willing to do a little manual "programming". Which is to concatenate the .xml script files for the multiple folders. XML is pretty english-like and shouldn't be too difficult for anyone.

Either way I'm pretty sure Gadlaw as forwarded your comments to Ren and Brad.

If you try to do the combining of files and run into trouble, post back and I can try and help you.

[gadlaw]

Ok, well we agree to disagree then I don't follow your logic though. I don't see how having the course content in LESS folders makes it MORE confusing. Oh wait, you're a lawyer right... Sorry, couldn't resist.

But riddle me this Batman. Why should a downloaded course be presented any differently than the online TF TV version of a course? I bought a single course, that's what I want plain and simple, a single course. Why do I have to have it in three separate parts that all require their own instance of the player to be launched? I just want to launch the course and go, and have all of it up and ready in the player just like it is on TF TV.

And there is still that nagging issue of all those redundant files being downloaded multiple times with each part of the course (and probably across courses too). As far as I can tell in quickly glancing through the folders and files, it's all the same except for the actual course material in the chart, jam, and video folders within in the data folder, which does account for the majority of the download but still it seems foolish to use up bandwidth downloading the same thing over and over again. And I bet a lot of this is further redundant across courses as well. The better approach would be to download a player and the necessary support and common files just once, then simply download the course content for each course purchased.

I do not know the logistics of that but I do know that there at least three, maybe four different players versions out there. As I mentioned, when the flash software updates it updates often with new features which TrueFire incorporates to keep the player up to date and as modern as any out there. What that does I believe is make incompatible the files from version to version. You pick up one of the early courses with the flash players and the video is a smaller video, different aspect ratios and all of that. Sure there is duplication for many of the same files, the tab viewer and player is the same on in any course you download that was recently released. You are downloading the same one multiple times to be sure. But what if it's your first course you are downloading? Or the first one in a few years, those players have been updated etc. ? You'd be looking over a bunch of menus like you do when you try to download a update for your graphics card - what os? What windows version? do you have the the X player downloaded? I can see it getting way confusing with all of that. Sounds like a nightmare. Of course, you know, you can delete the duplicate copies that are downloaded with your course, already have the power tab viewer? delete the new copy. I see it's about 6 mb in total, if you've already got one installed then download the one that just came with your new course.

As for them being able to put all the files together in your disk version and not your download version I hadn't really thought about it, it's not been an issue for me since I'm not viewing all of the files at the same time and if I want to have them all open I can open three players and pick one or the other to enlarge and watch. You know, I see a solution in search of a problem. I did get an email from the boss man and he's cracked the whip and we should get an answer about this soon. And then there was Leedelta's issue which I also sent up the chain.

[JN999]

The splitting of the files the way they are is because this is how they are split on the data DVDs. Mostly for size reasons (I think). This also keeps TrueFire from having to maintain 2 data sets. One for the down load and one for the DVDs.

You can put everything is one folder IF:
1) The course is a newer one based around the Flash or mp4 videos and not the shockwave videos.
2) You are willing to do a little manual "programming". Which is to concatenate the .xml script files for the multiple folders. XML is pretty english-like and shouldn't be too difficult for anyone.

Either way I'm pretty sure Gadlaw as forwarded your comments to Ren and Brad.

If you try to do the combining of files and run into trouble, post back and I can try and help you.

rj - thanks, I missed the .xml file. I tried to copy the different files into one folder for the chart, jam, and video folders since that looked like the course content. I guess the xml files are the next step and I assume after poking around that the one I need to edit is the file called cdrom-main.xml? That appears to have the reference/pointers to the content as well as the text that's displayed beneath the video in the player. Should be simple enough so I will give it a try.

[JN999]

I do not know the logistics of that but I do know that there at least three, maybe four different players versions out there. As I mentioned, when the flash software updates it updates often with new features which TrueFire incorporates to keep the player up to date and as modern as any out there. What that does I believe is make incompatible the files from version to version. You pick up one of the early courses with the flash players and the video is a smaller video, different aspect ratios and all of that. Sure there is duplication for many of the same files, the tab viewer and player is the same on in any course you download that was recently released. You are downloading the same one multiple times to be sure. But what if it's your first course you are downloading? Or the first one in a few years, those players have been updated etc. ? You'd be looking over a bunch of menus like you do when you try to download a update for your graphics card - what os? What windows version? do you have the the X player downloaded? I can see it getting way confusing with all of that. Sounds like a nightmare. Of course, you know, you can delete the duplicate copies that are downloaded with your course, already have the power tab viewer? delete the new copy. I see it's about 6 mb in total, if you've already got one installed then download the one that just came with your new course.

As for them being able to put all the files together in your disk version and not your download version I hadn't really thought about it, it's not been an issue for me since I'm not viewing all of the files at the same time and if I want to have them all open I can open three players and pick one or the other to enlarge and watch. You know, I see a solution in search of a problem. I did get an email from the boss man and he's cracked the whip and we should get an answer about this soon. And then there was Leedelta's issue which I also sent up the chain.

G - What are the different icons shown in the player on the right? Is that the disc version you are showing vs. the downloaded on the left? I just can't make out what those icons or what the text says but sense I don't see that in the downloaded version I'm curious as to what they are (and why it's different).

[Ren]

Hello JN999,

Please give me a call or send me an email with your number and the best time to call you ren@truefire.com and I will call you. Yes there are some redundant files but they are very very small files that are not eating up a lot of space. I believe that a 5 minute phone call will clear any and all questions you may have.


Ren
800-222-3366 or 727-898-8866

[JN999]

Hello JN999,

Please give me a call or send me an email with your number and the best time to call you ren@truefire.com and I will call you. Yes there are some redundant files but they are very very small files that are not eating up a lot of space. I believe that a 5 minute phone call will clear any and all questions you may have.


Ren
800-222-3366 or 727-898-8866

Ren - been a crazy day and I just literally finally got a chance to poke my head up from the spreadsheets I've been buried in all day and call. Of course, it's 3PM west coast and I guess you guys are east coast and the offices are closed. So I will try again tomorrow. Think I have things sorted, just a couple questions for ya maybe. And if only I could get my course downloads to finish - everything is aborting today; haven't been able to successfully download anything...

[Ren]

JN999,

We burn the midnight oil over here, pop me a email with your number ill call you tonight

Ren