#Mangaproject leech guide (or how to get manga without looking like a total newbie)

The first thing you should do then entering any channel is reading its topic. If you are using mirc the topic is at the top of either the channel window or the mirc window (depending on if you maximized the channel window or not). It often includes important information.

Let's take a look at #mangaprojects topic (this was the topic at the time this guide was written, it might have changed since then)
To check the topic you can do one of three things.
1. It's at the top of the channel / mirc window (but it's often so long that you won't see the whole thing.
2. You can type /topic #mangaproject in any window, this should show the topic in either the status or channel window, you might have to be in the channel for this to work.
3. Double click in the channel window (anythere there it's no text). This will pop out a window with several things. Most of them are only interesting for the people running the channel but it also includes the topic.

Now here is the topic:
[!list & !rules] [ MangaProject.cjb.net and Cathcath.cjb.net and GiveZlleHMoneyForBooze.cjb.net ] [ ZlleH needs Japanese/Chinese translators] [ Do NOT ask about LH vol 13 here.]

It starts out with !list and !rules. Words starting with a ! are often used as something called triggers. If you type them in the channel window they will trigger some sort of event. !rules is self explanatory, type it in the channel and you will get the rules sent to you. I suggest you do this now.

!list is another trigger. If you type this you will get a list of the manga servers in this channel (some channels use other ways to get this info and you might get kick (and banned) if you type !list in them, be sure to read the topic and any rules before you type anything).

Ok now to the file downloading (or leeching). Start by typing !list in the channel window.
When you do this the servers in the channel will send you their info. You will be sent info about three different kinds of servers. File Servers (or fserves), FTP servers and TDCC servers. Most of the time the type will be one of the first words in the ad.
Here is an example.
-Mcgreag- [Fserve Online] Triggers:[/ctcp Mcgreag !New Releases & /ctcp Mcgreag manga] Snagged:[ 189.7 Gb in 1036 files]  Record:[ 326.5 Kb/s by Miki] Min CPS:[ 1Kb/s] Sends:[ 2/3] Queues:[ 21/25] Accessed:[ 5801 times] On server:[ VGAi etc] Note:[No camping, New today: VGAi 134]

This is a basic fserve ad. They might look a little different but they basically include the same things. Let's look a little closer at it.

First, it says it's an fserve. Secondly, it lists two triggers. These are used to start the server. In this case, it's /ctcp Mcgreag !New Releases and /ctcp Mcgreag manga. Sometimes there is only one trigger, sometimes two or more. If there are more then one, they will point to different directories on the server. That means that they will have different material but share the same queues etc (more about queues later). To start the fserve you type the trigger. There are two types of triggers, one that starts with /ctcp and one that starts with !. The difference is that ! triggers (like !list) are shown in the channel so all see them while /ctcp triggers send the text directly to the fserve (ctcp = client to client protocol). Here in #mangaproject we use /ctcp triggers.
After the triggers comes info about the server like how much data it has served (just shows how long it's been going). Its record speed (this can be useful, if it's around 5-6kb/s the servers is most likely using a modem).
"Min CPS", not all fservs has this, if you downloadspeed drops below this value the server will cut the transfer. This is to stop extemly slow downloads from clogging up the queue. If you use a 56.6 modem and the min CPS is 10k/s then this is not a server for you.
"Sends 2/3", this shows how many cocurrent sends the server has and how many of these are used. A higher number of send means it will move thru the queue faster.
"Queues 21/25", this shows the number of used and avaliable queue spots. On this server there are 4 more queue spots avaliable.
"Accessed" just shows how long it's been running.
"On server" and "Note", info on what's on the server, what's new etc. Some times there are other avaliable info like average queue time.
Not all of the above stuff is avaliable in all fserve ads, but what is almost always avaliable is Triggers, sends, queues, notes. They include the most important info.

How to use an fserve.

Now type the trigger for one of the fserves in the list you got earlier by typing !list. Now depending on your settings either the fserve will open up directly or a a window will popup saying that the user running the server wants to dcc chat with you, if it does choose yes.
If you ever used DOS/unix then using an fserve shouldn't be hard, it uses the same dir/cd commands, to get info about the rest of the avaliable commands type help. If you never used dos then it might be a little harder. To get a list of files and folders you type dir this will give you a list that might look like this:

<Mcgreag> BATTLE ANGEL ALITA
<Mcgreag> DNA²
<Mcgreag> GHOST IN THE SHELL
<Mcgreag> I''S
<Mcgreag> MAISON IKKOKU
<Mcgreag> NAUSICAä
<Mcgreag> SPIRIT OF WONDER
<Mcgreag> VIDEO GIRL AI
<Mcgreag> index.txt 26kb
<Mcgreag> End of list.

Everything in uppercase are folders and everything in lowercase are files. In this case there is only one file.
To enter a folder type: cd <foldername> without the <>, for example to enter the BATTLE ANGEL ALITA folder type:
cd BATTLE ANGEL ALITA
now then you have entered the folder you have to type dir again to view its content. If you want to move back in the folder tree type cd ..

<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 1.zip 68.8 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 2 - tears of an angel (iron maiden).zip 52.0 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 3 - killing angel (killing angel).zip 51.3 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 4 - angel of victory (ars magna).zip 58.3 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 5 - angel of redemption (lost sheep).zip 56.3 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 6 - angel of death (rainmaker).zip 56.4 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 7 - angel of chaos (panzer bride).zip 56.7 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 8 - fallen angel (war chronicle).zip 55.9 mb
<Mcgreag> ba alita - volume 9 - angels' ascension (conquest).zip 64.6 mb
<Mcgreag> End of list.

This is the list for the Battle angel alita folder. Now we want to download a file from here. We do this by typing: get <filename> without the <> To get volume 7 type:
get ba alita - volume 7 - angel of chaos (panzer bride).zip
Now it's important that you type the complete file name and that you type it correctly. The easiest way to do this is to copy and paste. Use the mouse to mark the text (move the mouse to the first letter, press and hold down the left mouse button, drag the mouse over the text, then the correct text is marked release the mouse button).
To paste either use the press ctrl+ins or ctrl+v. If you typed it correctly you should see a message that looks something like this: The file ba alita - volume 7 - angel of chaos (panzer bride).zip has been queued in queuespot 5
Other possiable answers are, Incorrect file, You have used up your queuespots, The queue is full. The exact wording may change from server to server but the meaning stays the same.

This is a good time to talk about queues. When you tell the server you want a file it won't send it to you right a way (it might if there are no other queues at the moment but this happens very rarely) intead it will place your file in its queue. It will send the files in the queue one by one and when it's time for your file, it will be sent to you. Most servers allows you to queue 2 or more files at the same time. So after you have queued the first file you can type get then you have reached the limit of the server it will tell you so.

All servers also has a limited total number of queuespots. When those are filled no one can queue a file until one are made avaliabe by a send completing. If you try to queue a file when the global queue is full, the server will let you know.
After you have queued the files you want (are allowed to) close the server by typing bye or quit or by closing the server window.

After queuing the files and closing the server window, the only thing you have to do is wait. Remember to stay in #mangaproject while waiting or you will not get your files. Also do not change you nick. Most fserves use the nick to queue files so if you change it you won't get your files. You might have to wait a long time 2 hours (or more) and then the files are sent to you you will only have about 1-2 min to say yes to the transfer so I recommend you turn on auto get. This is how you do that: Choose the File menu and from that choose Options. In the options go down to the DCC submenu and there choose On send request: Auto get file.
You should also choose If autoget and file exist: Resume
One more thing to do is to go to the Folders submenu in DCC and choose Dcc Ignore: Disabled

Now to a VERY VERY IMPORTANT thing called dccallow. Recently dalnet has added a serverside file block. So to get your files you have to type this: /dccallow +nick of the server. For example: /dccallow +Mcgreag
It's important that there are now space between the + and the nick. To get more info about dccallow type: /dccallow help
You have to do this BEFORE the files are sent to you.

Now some unwritten fserve rules:
1. Do not connect to the server every 5 min to check your queues. It´s ok to connect after you have been disconnected to check if you are still queued or check in once an hour to see how the queue is going but if you connect to often you might get banned.
2. Do not stay in the server for any other reason then to browse the files. Do not stay inside wating for a queue spot to because avaliable. Do not ever use an anti idle program. Doing any of these thing are called camping and will get you banned.
3. Do not use clones of your self to queue extra files. This will get you banned from the channel.
4. If your queues disappear or files are not sent or sends are broken do not bug the server owner about it. Most likely he has nothing to do with it and can't do anything about it. And most fserve owners don't like to be bugged about stuff that like that. If you have any problems ask in channel instead.



Ok then comes the ftp ad. They come in two formats. One the looks a bit like this:
-Mcgreag- [FTP Online ] IP:[127.0.01 ] Port:[21 ] Login:[manga ] Pass:[anime ] Speed:[25kb/s per user ] Rules:[7 users, 5+ min retry or 1 hour ban] Note:[ 9.5gb manga, serving most of mangaprojects releases, VGAi, AMS, etc. upload/guest for upload account]

And another way is like this:
-Mcgreag- (FTP online) ftp://manga:anime@127.0.0.1:21 - 7 users, 5 min retry, 9.5gb manga, upload/guest for uploads.

The first one is self explanatory. You got IP adress (or sometime hostname), port number, username, password, and some misc info and rules. Make sure you read the rules especially the part about the retry time. If you break this rule you might get a permanent ban. One other thing to note is the upload/guest, this means that the username is upload and the password is guest. This way of writing username and password is often used for extra accounts.

The second ad might look a little strange at first but is easy to read. The format is this: ftp://username:password@ipadress:port so if you check it includes the same info as the first ad.

I am not going to explain how to use an ftp. I recommend you to download a real ftp client (cuteftp, smartftp, etc are good clients) and read its helpfiles. The most importent thing to think about then using an ftp is not to hammer it. Hammer mean rapidly connecting to it. How often rapidly is are different from server to server. On the above server more then once every 5 min is considered hammering.

Last we have the TDCC ad (there are also a XDCC type of server but as there are no such server in #mangaproject so I am not going to explain them here).
Here is an example of a TDCC ad:
-Mcgreag- [TDCC Online ] Description:[FTP index file. An index of all available manga on my ftp] Size:[ 26Kb] Trigger:[ /ctcp Mcgreag index] Updated:[ 01-10-16] Sends:[ 1/2] Queues:[ 0/5]

TDCC stands for Trigger DCC and what makes the special is that they only serve one file. You queue this files by typing its trigger. And when it's your turn, it's sent to you. It never opens up a server window like an fserve. The info about auto-get and dccallow for fserves also apply here.