Download Method

[wolfspyryt]

Can the Download Button be a direct link to the download without the redirect? It would be a great help to the speed of the download process if the redirect were removed and the actual file location were used. Can this be done? Are there any reasons I should not?

[wolfspyryt]

Here are the 2 links...
the first URL is what is offered by the "Download Button"
the second URL is the actual file location.

http://www.watchawear.com/watches/watch-faces/send/2-watch-faces/7357-nixie.html

http://www.watchawear.com/jdownloads/watch_faces/nixie-for-rickrupert.watch

The first one, which uses the download button, takes over 10 seconds to begin downloading.
The second one begins immediately and is finished almost instantly.
I have inquired regarding this before. I hope you can help Colin or Arno, I have already had iWeb (my host) investigate and the conclusion to slow downloads is the jDownload's downloading method/redirect. So, I need to have the download button offer the second of the 2 URLs listed above.

[ColinM]

Wolfspyrt,
Excuse delay in response but the next release developed some issues due to Joomla! modifications.

Part of the problem is checking all the permissions, view access and whether there are point, licence, limits and the like.  Arno knows the details of the download much better than I do but I expect if such a facility were introduced then it would have to be with a heavy disclaimer that selecting it avoids all the checks such as those above and several other checks I have not listed. 

And of course with hindsight all software can usually be improved. May need to 'instrument' in order to find what part/routine of the process is taking the time.

I believe PHP 7 gives much faster processing so that might be a useful interim.

Colin

[Arno]

Hi wolfspyryt,
i have no idea why you have this problem. Nobody has before reported a problem like yours.

But you can try the settings on the pic. But please note the descriptions.

[gelöscht durch Administrator]

[wolfspyryt]

Arno,
I have tried changing those settings as you suggest and the situation remains the same. I have no idea why the downloads take so much time to initialize either. However, it is a problem I must find the solution to as it is and has caused a significant drop in the site's popularity and traffic. This is way beyond my abilities to resolve.
Colin,
If I could find the problem and resolve it, I would prefer it absolutely as opposed to changing the way jDownloads works. Doing what I ask would make every update in the future a nightmare.
But I need to find something to resolve this, and changing the download protocol is just an idea that would ultimately do that. Again, my preference is to find what is wrong and correct it.
Additionally, I do have PHP 7 running on the server.
Hope you can and will help me figure this out.
Thanks,
Terry

[Arno]

@wolfspyryt:
- what is your php version?
- what is your Joomla version?
- what is your jD version?
- since when do you have this problem?
- use you any Download restrictions (User groups etc.)?

[wolfspyryt]

Arno,
This has been going on for the last 6 or 7 months.
PHP 7.0.11
Joomla 3.62
jDownloads 3.2.42

It has been this way for several updates. I have discussed with both of you in the past and was told it was my server settings. I have verified that it is not the server.

[Arno]

Why use you an older jD version?

I have verified that it is not the server.

I'm still not so sure.

Facts:
- you have not hundreds or thousands of categories
- you seems not to use very complicated download permissions
- nobody else seems to have your problem

So we will see what is really the reason. So i wait still on login data.

[wolfspyryt]

I tested the login and password and send it to you in a private message again My server host is IWeb.  They found no settings or performance issues with the server.  They said that it was software issue. They had 2 different engineers investigate the slow downloads. They charged quite a lot for it too lol!  😁 They don't provide software support for dedicated server customers,  but assured me the issue was in the site.  They certainly did not say,  nor am I saying,  that it is your software that is to blame.  For all I know,  I did something wrong somewhere!  Let me know if login works.

[wolfspyryt]

I sent both Arno and Collin a message awhile back. I reaally need to address this if you are still willing to help please. :-)

[ColinM]

Terry
Have looked at site. Nothing strikes me as an obvious problem in the setup.

There is a delay from clicking on the Download button to opening the browser, as you said.  This looks to me to be a site to site problem and suggests that your hosting service is a long way physically from me in the UK.  When I use my own test site which has a UK based hosting site the response is almost instant - and I had ensured browse cache was cleared before downloading.

If I download twice, using different watches each time, in close succession from your site without clearing the cache then the second download is usually quicker indicating that the 'internet path' is still setup.

I did notice you are using a time server based in Chicago.

Colin

[wolfspyryt]

Colin...
The server is based in Canada. It is in Central Time Zone, same as I. The delay I experience is still significant even being close and using 50mb internet. I made an android app that downloads directly from the folder the downloads are in. It is instantaneous that the download starts and ends. there must be a way to make the download start as soon as the download button is pushed.

[ColinM]

Terry
I will have another look. I thought you were in Europe!!  Also I did not try on my mobile phone.
From the web server I use, which is uk based like me, there is no perceptible delay in downloading.  What I will do later as I am out the rest of today, is to get a copy of your config settings in jD and compare to those on my test site.  I did tests mainly with Firefox but also with Chrome.

Just a wild thought - does your server have a hardware cache?  That is very good for code but can be 'interesting' for large one off transfers.

Colin

[ColinM]

Terry
I have been "popping in" to your site to try things out.  Some observations are below.

One item I have noticed is component ExtraWatch which is a real time monitor.  However it seems to have a problem so I would suggest you remove it whilst we try to see what is causing delay.

I would also suggest you update to latest version of jD.  Is there any reason not to update? It does have a useful admin level statistics on number of downloads etc.

I also noticed a module called WatchAwear SSL whose objective is to provide secure 256 bit encryption.  Is it possible that the associated code is encrypting the downloadable file before it is downloaded?  Might be worth testing without using the encryption.

You also have a system plugin JotCache but the component is not present.

Colin

[wolfspyryt]

Colin,
Extra watch is disabled. But I can remove.
WatchAwear SSL is only displaying a graphic showing we are capable off secure connections it doesn't mean we are using SSL.
Jotcache is just a plug in..  Not a component.
I had a diagnostic run by the server host company and sent you a message with the results. I think the results will be useful in fixing my problem.
Thanks for all your help and patience with me and getting to the bottom of the problem. I am sure we can solve this.