Extra folders created when renaming folders inside a torrent #2980

New issue

Closed

opened 2026-02-21 16:31:01 -05:00 by deekerman · 4 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 16:31:01 -05:00

Owner

Originally created by @Elvambor on GitHub (Aug 23, 2015).

If a torrent contains several layers of folders, for example

* Some stuff [folder]
* * Pictures [folder]
* * * Picture.jpg
* * * Picture2.jpg
* * Movies [folder]
* * * Movie.mpg
* * * Movie2.mpg

If you then rename the "Some stuff" folder before starting the download and pick the priority "don't download" for the "Movies" folder, then there will still be a "Some stuff\Movies" folder created (although empty). If the "Movies" folder is later downloaded it's created in the right place, but the empty folders remain in a subfolder that should never have been created.

Originally created by @Elvambor on GitHub (Aug 23, 2015). If a torrent contains several layers of folders, for example ``` * Some stuff [folder] * * Pictures [folder] * * * Picture.jpg * * * Picture2.jpg * * Movies [folder] * * * Movie.mpg * * * Movie2.mpg ``` If you then rename the "Some stuff" folder before starting the download and pick the priority "don't download" for the "Movies" folder, then there will still be a "Some stuff\Movies" folder created (although empty). If the "Movies" folder is later downloaded it's created in the right place, but the empty folders remain in a subfolder that should never have been created.

deekerman closed this issue

2026-02-21 16:31:03 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 16:31:06 -05:00

Author

Owner

@chrishirst commented on GitHub (Aug 24, 2015):

There will be cross-file pieces in the "do not download" folders or files that are part of the folders or files that ARE required.

Been discussed many many times before

@chrishirst commented on GitHub (Aug 24, 2015): There will be cross-file pieces in the "do not download" folders or files that are part of the folders or files that **ARE required**. Been discussed many many times before

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 16:31:07 -05:00

Author

Owner

@Inverness commented on GitHub (Aug 26, 2015):

@chrishirst It seems like it would be much better to mimic the behavior of uTorrent and download partially unwanted cross-file pieces into a single data file at the destination location.

Quite often I'll download a torrent and deselect a several GB file that I don't want only have to have qBittorrent allocate the space on my HD anyways just because of a cross-file piece. It's a huge waste of space.

Edit: After looking at some other issues I'm now aware that qBittorrent makes use of the sparse files feature. In that case it seems there is nothing to worry about when it comes to disk space usage.

@Inverness commented on GitHub (Aug 26, 2015): @chrishirst It seems like it would be much better to mimic the behavior of uTorrent and download partially unwanted cross-file pieces into a single data file at the destination location. Quite often I'll download a torrent and deselect a several GB file that I don't want only have to have qBittorrent allocate the space on my HD _anyways_ just because of a cross-file piece. It's a huge waste of space. Edit: After looking at some other issues I'm now aware that qBittorrent makes use of the sparse files feature. In that case it seems there is nothing to worry about when it comes to disk space usage.

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 16:31:07 -05:00

Author

Owner

@Elvambor commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2015):

@chrishirst That's understandable, but my major gripe is that the whole folder structure for the "do not download" files is created under the original top level folder name despite the fact that I renamed it before starting any downloads. Especially bad that they remain there if I later decide to download those files too.

I would much prefer that the structure is created under the new top level folder name. It seems broken that the client uses the original name when I changed it before starting.

@Elvambor commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2015): @chrishirst That's understandable, but my major gripe is that the whole folder structure for the "do not download" files is created under the original top level folder name despite the fact that I renamed it before starting any downloads. Especially bad that they remain there if I later decide to download those files too. I would much prefer that the structure is created under the new top level folder name. It seems broken that the client uses the original name when I changed it before starting.

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 16:31:07 -05:00

Author

Owner

@thalieht commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2018):

Closing as duplicate of #2659.
Since version 4.0.0 (using libtorrent 1.1.x) unslected files are put in a .<torrent_hash>.parts file in the download directory.

@thalieht commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2018): Closing as duplicate of #2659. Since version 4.0.0 (using libtorrent 1.1.x) unslected files are put in a .<torrent_hash>.parts file in the download directory.