py3createtorrent ================ *Create torrents via command line!* py3createtorrent is a comprehensive shell/commandline utility for creating torrents (Linux & Windows). Features -------- Some of the features: * create torrents with **multiple trackers** or **trackerless torrents** * **automatically choose the most reliable trackers** from `ngosang/trackerslist `_ * fast torrent creation thanks to **multithreading** * add **webseeds** to torrents * create **private torrents** (disabled DHT, ...) * **exclude specific files/folders** * exclude files/folders based on **regular expressions** * specify **custom piece sizes** * specify custom creation dates Requirements ------------ py3createtorrent requires at least Python 3.5 and the `bencode.py `_ module. .. note:: It may be possible to use the script with older Python versions. For Python 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 you need to install the backport of Python's ``typing`` module: https://pypi.org/project/typing/. For Python 3.1 you need to additionally install the backport of Python's ``argparse`` module: https://pypi.org/project/argparse/. This has not been tested, though. Feedback is welcome. Installation ------------ Recommended: Installation using pip ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ pip is the easiest and recommended way of installing py3createtorrent. Just execute:: pip3 install py3createtorrent After that, you can use py3createtorrent on your commandline. Alternative: Manual installation ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Alternatively, you can download py3createtorrent manually. Download the desired version from here: https://github.com/rsnitsch/py3createtorrent/releases And then install the dependencies:: pip install bencode.py Then you can execute py3createtorrent.py (it is in the ``src`` folder). Alternatively, use pipenv:: pipenv install Then you can execute py3createtorrent.py with pipenv as follows:: pipenv run src/py3createtorrent.py Basic usage ----------- Creating a torrent is as simple as:: py3createtorrent -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce file_or_folder The shortcut ``bestN`` can be used for conveniently adding the best N trackers from `ngosang/trackerslist `_. Example:: py3createtorrent -t best3 file_or_folder Multiple trackers can also be specified manually by using `-t` multiple times, for example:: py3createtorrent -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce -t udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce file_or_folder Full usage guide ---------------- Syntax: .. code-block:: none usage: py3createtorrent.py [-t tracker_url] [options ...] py3createtorrent is a comprehensive command line utility for creating torrents. positional arguments: target File or folder for which to create a torrent optional arguments: -h, --help show this help message and exit -t TRACKER_URL, --tracker TRACKER_URL Add one or multiple tracker (announce) URLs to the torrent file. --node HOST,PORT Add one or multiple DHT bootstrap nodes. -p PIECE_LENGTH, --piece-length PIECE_LENGTH Set piece size in KiB. [default: 0 = automatic selection] -P, --private Set the private flag to disable DHT and PEX. -c COMMENT, --comment COMMENT Add a comment. -s SOURCE, --source SOURCE Add a source tag. -f, --force Overwrite existing .torrent files without asking and disable the piece size, tracker and node validations. -v, --verbose Enable output of diagnostic information. -q, --quiet Suppress output, e.g. don't print summary -o PATH, --output PATH Set the filename and/or output directory of the created file. [default: .torrent] -e PATH, --exclude PATH Exclude a specific path (can be repeated to exclude multiple paths). --exclude-pattern REGEXP Exclude paths matching a regular expression (can be repeated to use multiple patterns). --exclude-pattern-ci REGEXP Same as --exclude-pattern but case-insensitive. -d TIMESTAMP, --date TIMESTAMP Overwrite creation date. This option expects a unix timestamp. Specify -2 to disable the inclusion of a creation date completely. [default: -1 = current date and time] -n NAME, --name NAME Set the name of the torrent. This changes the filename for single file torrents or the root directory name for multi-file torrents. [default: ] --threads THREADS Set the maximum number of threads to use for hashing pieces. py3createtorrent will never use more threads than there are CPU cores. [default: 4] --md5 Include MD5 hashes in torrent file. --config CONFIG Specify location of config file. [default: /.py3createtorrent.cfg] --webseed WEBSEED_URL Add one or multiple HTTP/FTP urls as seeds (GetRight-style). --version Show version number of py3createtorrent Specifying trackers (``-t``, ``--tracker``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ One or multiple tracker URLs can be specified using the ``-t`` or ``--tracker`` switch. Single tracker example:: py3createtorrent -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce my_data_folder/ This is equivalent to the short form using the :ref:`tracker abbreviation ` for opentrackr.org:: py3createtorrent -t opentrackr my_data_folder/ For multiple trackers, just use ``-t`` repeatedly. Multiple tracker example:: py3createtorrent -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce -t udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce my_data_folder/ This is equivalent to the short form using the tracker abbreviations:: py3createtorrent -t opentrackr -t cyberia my_data_folder/ .. automatically_add_best_trackers: .. _bestN_shortcut: bestN: Automatically add the best trackers """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" You can use ``bestN`` to add the best N trackers from https://github.com/ngosang/trackerslist. This requires internet access, obviously. For example:: py3createtorrent -t best5 my_data_folder/ Trackerless torrents """""""""""""""""""" You can create a trackerless torrent by not specifying any tracker URLs at all (i.e. don't use the ``-t`` switch at all). Specifying DHT bootstrap nodes (``--node``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ One or multiple DHT bootstrap nodes can be specified using the ``--node`` switch. Each bootstrap node must be specified in the form ``host,port``. Just like ``-t``, the ``--node`` switch can be used repeatedly in order to specify multiple DHT bootstrap nodes. Example:: py3createtorrent --node router.bittorrent.com,8991 --node second.node.com,1337 my_data_folder/ It is recommended to specify some DHT bootstrap nodes for trackerless torrents. Piece size (``-p``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This switch allows you to specify a custom piece size. The piece size should be chosen with care, because it affects the following properties: * size of the .torrent file * network overhead * cost of fixing corrupted pieces * time it takes until peers start sharing data .. note:: Unless you know what you're doing, please let py3createtorrent automatically determine the best piece size for you. Background """""""""" In general, the files for which a .torrent is created are sliced up in **pieces**. For each piece, a 20-byte checksum (based on SHA-1, the Secure Hash Algorithm 1) is calculated and stored inside the .torrent file - this, by the way, is the time-consuming part of torrent creation. Therefore, the piece size strongly correlates with the size of the created .torrent file: The larger the pieces, the smaller the number of pieces for which a checksum must be stored (and vice versa). The piece size also affects the **network overhead** involved in the peer-2-peer communication for a torrent. The peers regularly exchange information records that specify the pieces that each peer has finished downloading so that they know where they can get certain pieces from. The greater the number of pieces, the larger these information records need to be and thus the greater the overhead will tend to be. Moreover, corrupted pieces need to be redownloaded. Of course, large pieces are more expensive to redownload (both in terms of time and traffic). Finally, the piece size also affects the time it takes until peers start to share data with each other (only pieces that have been downloaded completely can be shared with other peers). Therefore, if the piece size is large, it will take longer for any peer to finish downloading a piece and to be able to share this piece with other peers. Private torrents (``-P``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Private torrents force the BitTorrent clients to only use the specified trackers for discovering other peers. Advanced peer discovery methods like DHT or peer list exchange are effectively disabled. Comment (``-c``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The comment is a short text stored in the .torrent file and displayed by most BitTorrent clients in the torrent info. By default py3createtorrent uses "created by py3createtorrent " as comment (to change this behavior, consult the :ref:`configuration` section). Source (``-s``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The source field is a non-standard metainfo field used by private trackers to reduce issues (such as misreported stats) caused by cross-seeding. For private trackers that forbid their torrent files from being uploaded elsewhere, it ensures that torrent files uploaded to the tracker from a different source are unique to the private tracker. *New in 0.9.7.* Force (``-f``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The force option makes py3createtorrent - overwrite existing .torrent files without asking for your permission - disable checking for uncommon and possibly unsupported piece sizes - disable checking for possibly invalid tracker specifications - disable checking for possibly invalid node specifications Verbose (``-v``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Verbose mode makes py3createtorrent report about the individual steps it is undertaking while creating the .torrent file. This is particularly useful for debugging purposes. Quiet (``-q``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ py3createtorrent will try to stay completely silent on the commandline. Output path (``-o``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The output path is either the directory in which the .torrent file should be saved or the complete path to the destination .torrent file. In the former case, the name of the .torrent file is deduced from the input's name (i.e. the input directory's or file's name), unless this name is explicitly overwritten (using the ``-n`` switch). (In the latter case, the name of the .torrent file is itself specified by the output path.) By default, py3createtorrent uses the current working directory as the output directory. Exclude path (``-e``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This allows for the exclusion of specific files or directories. The switch may be used repeatedly to exclude multiple files/directories. On Windows, this is case-insensitive. Exclude pattern (``--exclude-pattern``, ``--exclude-pattern-ci``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This allows for the exclusion of files or directories that match a certain pattern (regular expression). The switches may be used repeatedly to specify multiple exclusion patterns. *New in version 0.9.5:* The ``--exclude-pattern-ci`` variant (case-insensitive). On Windows, the ``--exclude-pattern`` has been made case-sensitive (previously it was case-insensitive on Windows and case-sensitive on UNIX etc.). Creation date (``-d``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This switch allows you to overwrite the creation date saved in the .torrent file. You can fake any creation date you like. The creation date is specified as `UNIX timestamp `_. You can disable storing a creation date altogether by providing a timestamp of -2. Name (``-n``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This setting overwrites the file or directory name stored inside the .torrent file. **Thus it affects the file or directory name that will be presented to downloaders as the real name of the data.** You can use it to avoid renaming your input data. Unless a destination .torrent file is explicitly specified (using the ``-o`` switch), this name will also be used to deduce the name of the resulting .torrent file. .. note:: The name switch is an advanced feature that most users probably don't need. Therefore, please refrain from using this feature, unless you really know what you're doing. For most intents and purposes, the ``-o`` switch is probably more suitable. Threads (``--threads``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This controls the *maximum* number of parallel threads that will be used during torrent creation. Namely, for hashing the pieces. py3createtorrent will never use more threads than there are CPU cores on your system. By default py3createtorrent will try to use up to 4 threads for hashing the pieces of the torrent. MD5 hashes (``--md5``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ As of py3createtorrent 0.9.5 the calculation of MD5 hashes must be explicitly requested, because it significantly slows down the torrent creation process (and makes the torrent file a little larger, although this is probably negligible). *New in 0.9.5.* Path to config (``--config``) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ By default, py3createtorrent tries to load the config file ``.py3createtorrent.cfg`` from the user's home directory. To use another config file, specify the path with ``--config``. Use ``--verbose`` for troubleshooting this, if it does not work as expected. *New in 1.0.0.* Examples -------- Assume there is a folder "example" with the following contents:: example/ subfolder/ 10_more_minutes_please.JPG image.rar anotherimage.jpg image.zip Assume, we're currently inside the parent directory. Example 1 - from directory, no options, default behaviour ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ **Command**:: py3createtorrent example -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce Alternative, equivalent command using a tracker abbreviation for convenience:: py3createtorrent example -t opentrackr **Effect**: Creates example.torrent inside the current directory. In µTorrent it will look like this: .. image:: _static/example1.png .. note:: Please note: If you do not specify a comment yourself using the ``-c`` / ``--comment`` option, py3createtorrent will advertise itself through the comment field, as you can see in the screenshot (Torrent Contents -> Comment: *created with py3createtorrent v0.8*). To change this behavior, consult the :ref:`configuration` section. Example 2 - from directory, excluding subfolders ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ **Command**:: py3createtorrent -e example\subfolder example -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce **Effect**: Creates ``example.torrent`` inside the current directory. ``example\subfolder`` has been excluded. .. tip:: Of course you can exclude multiple subfolders, e.g.:: py3createtorrent -e exclusion1 -e exclusion2 yourfolder -t tracker-url In µTorrent it will look like this: .. image:: _static/example2.png Example 3 - from directory, excluding files ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ **Command**:: py3createtorrent -e example\anotherimage.jpg -e example\subfolder\10_more_minutes_please.JPG example -t udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce Alternative, equivalent command using **regular expressions** instead of specifying each jpg seperately (also using a tracker abbreviation to make it even shorter):: py3createtorrent --exclude-pattern "(jpg|JPG)$" example -t opentrackr With ``--exclude-pattern-ci`` the pattern-matching will be case-insensitive, so we can use a simplified regular expression:: py3createtorrent --exclude-pattern-ci "jpg$" example -t opentrackr **Effect**: Creates ``example.torrent`` inside the current directory. ``example\anotherimage.jpg`` and ``example\subfolder\10_more_minutes_please.JPG`` have been excluded. In µTorrent it will look like this: .. image:: _static/example3.png Creating torrents of single files ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It's almost the same as for creating directories, except, of course, you can't use the exclude-option anymore. .. _configuration: Configuration ------------- If present, the configuration file ``.py3createtorrent.cfg`` will be loaded from the user's home directory. The configuration file uses JSON format. Use ``--config`` to load the config from another location. Use ``--verbose`` for troubleshooting this, if it does not work as expected. .. warning:: Before version 1.0, the configuration had to be changed by manually editing the py3createtorrent.py script file. If you're still using version 0.x, please upgrade or switch to the old documentation of the 0.x branch. Default ^^^^^^^ If the configuration file is not present, the following default values will be used: .. code-block:: json { "best_trackers_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ngosang/trackerslist/master/trackers_best.txt", "tracker_abbreviations": { "opentrackr": "udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce", "cyberia": "udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce" }, "advertise": true } For details on the individual configuration parameters, please refer to the following sub-sections. Best trackers URL ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You can change the URL from which the best tracker URLs are loaded when using the :ref:`bestN shortcut `. The default URL is:: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ngosang/trackerslist/master/trackers_best.txt To change it, you can use a config file like this: .. code-block:: json { "best_trackers_url": "https://ngosang.github.io/trackerslist/trackers_best_ip.txt" } .. _tracker_abbreviations: Tracker abbreviations ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Tracker abbrevations allow you to specify one or more tracker URLs with a single word, like 'opentrackr' in the default configuration. They add a lot of convenience, e.g. look at this neat & clear command:: C:\Users\Robert\Desktop\Python\createtorrent>py3createtorrent example -t opentrackr -t cyberia Successfully created torrent: Name: example (...) Primary tracker: udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce Backup trackers: udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce In this case, py3createtorrent recognizes the tracker abbreviations 'opentrackr' and 'cyberia' and automatically inserts the according tracker announce URLs. .. note:: Single abbreviations may be replaced by multiple tracker announce URLs. This way you can also create sort of "tracker groups" for different kinds of torrents. Example configuration: .. code-block:: json { "tracker_abbreviations": { "mytrackergroup": [ "udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce", "udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce" ], "opentrackr": "udp://tracker.opentrackr.org:1337/announce", "cyberia": "udp://tracker.cyberia.is:6969/announce" } } Just specify lists of announce URLs instead of a single announce URL to define such groups. Advertise setting ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The ``advertise`` setting defines whether py3createtorrent is allowed to advertise itself through the comment field, if the user hasn't specified a comment. Possible values are ``true`` (the default) or ``false`` - without any quotes. To disable advertising, you can use the following in your config file: .. code-block:: json { "advertise": false } If you want to disable advertising for a single torrent only, you can use the ``--comment`` option to specify an empty comment:: py3createtorrent --comment "" ... or:: py3createtorrent -c "" ... py3createtorrent will not advertise itself in this case, because you explicitly specified the empty comment.