IDEA: log downloads' filename, address and date

[ack-hh]

Hi @ll

I'd like to make a suggestion for a program which I'm dreaming of for years.
It would be very nice to have a download log file which tells me when and
where from I have downloaded files. This would help me to check for updates.

Would such a thing be possible?

[mouser]

this is great idea -

i'm fairly certain that it would be easy to write a mozilla firefox extension to do this, if it doesn't already exist (does anyone know if it does?)

i think a good solution would be to use a download manager like getright, mass downloader, etc.  there are some freeware ones too.  such a tool should be able to keep a permanent list of all downloads and their urls and date of download.

anyone with experience using download managers have any more insight?

[ack-hh]

All download managers I have tried so far either
- stored the information in the registry
or
- stored only pending or incomplete downloads
or
- stored the information in a (unreadable) proprietary format
or
- did not store filename AND web address AND date

[Scott]

Use GetRight.  If you're using the "basic" configuration interface, the last configuration option you'll see is one that lets you combine all downloads into one log.  If you're using the "advanced" configuration interface, then in GetRight's options dialog, go to Advanced | Log Files, and provide a path for the "Single Combined Log File for All Downloads" option.  Make sure you also give it plenty of room, with the "Maximum combined log file size" setting.

Here is a sample of what GetRight stores in that log file, which is a non-proprietary, plain ASCII file:

[Select]

2005/06/02-00:18:09:  File: C:\Downloads\filename.zip.GetRight = http://the.download.url/filename.zip

If you use the "advanced" configuration interface, you can opt to include more details, such as when the download was added, start/stop/resume details, and so on.

** By the way, the ".GetRight" extension you see on the file name above is there because I have the option enabled that adds the .GetRight extension on files as the download is added.  GetRight automatically removes that extension when the download is complete.  You can opt not to use it at all.

[alien]

i'm fairly certain that it would be easy to write a mozilla firefox extension to do this, if it doesn't already exist (does anyone know if it does?)

-mouser (June 01, 2005, 10:44 AM)

Firefox's own download manager  saves this data. Go to Tools-Downloads or Ctrl+J or chrome://mozapps/content/downloads/downloads.xul, select a downloadede file, right-click and choose Properties

[alien]

In windoze this data is stored in XML:   \Documents and Settings\[user_profile]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[firefox_user_profile]\downloads.rdf
Maybe a standalone GUI reader will make sense