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MetaProducts Download Express Concise Manual

MetaProducts Download Express is a Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista program that allows you to download individual files from Web, FTP and HTTPS sites at the maximum available speed. Multiple downloading channels technology significantly decreases the time necessary to download files. You can easily test MetaProducts Download Express integration.

Browser clicks monitoring hot keys:

• You can add a new link to MetaProducts Download Express by holding down the Alt+Control keys and then clicking on the link.
• If you want MetaProducts Download Express to ignore a link then hold down the Shift key when you click on a link.

You can use the Internet Explorer right-click context menu. Please right-click on the link you want to download and select the "Download using Download Express".

Please read about the Mozilla FireFox integration in the bottom of this page.

Main window

The DE Speed control allows you to limit the current transfer rate using the preset values of High, Medium, Low and Background. These speed settings can be tuned as necessary using the MetaProducts Download Express Options dialog, Connection tab.

All the information necessary for downloading a file can be found in the Info tab.

The Map tab displays detailed information about the file downloading process.

The Progress panel displays the state of each downloading channel.

Click on the Do you know... tab to see tips, hints about MetaProducts Download Express and useful information about our other products.

The Pause/Resume button allows you to pause the download process temporarily.

The Close button closes the program.

The Open file button opens the downloaded file when the download is complete.

The Advanced button shows the MetaProducts Download Express Options dialog.

MetaProducts Download Express Options dialog:

Language
This drop-down list allows you to select the program interface language.

When download completes parameter
This parameter allows you to select one of three actions for MetaProducts Download Express to perform upon download completion - "Play sound," "Show message" or "Do nothing."

Show Projects list box allows you to open the Projects list window when MetaProducts Download Express starts.

Use the Advanced Features buttons to read more about these features, to install them.

Check downloaded files for viruses
MetaProducts Download Express can test downloaded files with an antivirus program. Please specify full path and name of your antivirus program in the "Antivirus check command line" field. MetaProducts Download Express will append name of the downloaded file to the end of this command line. To specify name of the downloaded file among command line parameters of the antivirus program, please use %1 macro. It means filename of the downloaded file.

Please take look at the following example:
C:\Program Files\Antivirus program\Program.exe %1 /param1 /param2
(Please note that it is important to surround %1 macro with space symbols).

Sev AV check.. button allows you to choose an antivirus program to check downloaded files. It asks you about optional command line parameters for the selected antivirus program.

Minimal thread size.
This parameter defines the minimum size for each downloading channel. If the file size is less than the minimum size multiplied by the number of channels, then a lesser number of channels will be used. For small files, you should decrease the time necessary for connect and transfer request information to a server.
It is recommended to set a value of 10 or more kilobytes for channels with speeds over 28.8 kilobits per second.

Connection time-out
This value will help you fine-tune your downloads.

If the connection to a server-or if MetaProducts Download Express is waiting for any data from the Internet-is longer than the Timeout seconds, then the connection will be broken.

Pause between reconnect
This parameter defines the delay before MetaProducts Download Express will make the next attempt to connect to a server.

Limit number of retries
During file downloads, there could be many failures: server not found, connection was not established, the connection was broken, timeout, and so on. To recover from these failures, you can specify how many times you want MetaProducts Download Express to try to attempt to re-establish a connection.

If the Number of retries is unchecked, MetaProducts Download Express will retry forever until it succeeds or the process is manually terminated.

Use Microsoft Internet Explorer cookies
Check this setting if you want to use MS IE cookies while downloading files from Web sites.

This is useful for loading from some protected sites which store the user information in cookie files. In such a case, it is recommended to logon to the site using MS Internet Explorer first and then load the desired file using MetaProducts Download Express.

Speed control options
You may specify the exact number of bytes per second and threads per file for each speed mode.

Proxy server settings
If your computer is behind a firewall, or is located inside of an Intranet, you will probably have a proxy server to access Internet servers. Currently, MetaProducts Download Express supports HTTP, SOCKS 4 and User@Site type proxies.

If you are not sure which kind of proxy server you have, you may start your favorite Web browser and look at its settings. To set up proxy settings you should know the address of your proxy server and port on which it is listening for requests.

You may also need a user name and password to access some HTTP proxy servers.

The User@Site type proxy is implemented in WinGate.

If you are not sure about the proxy server parameters, you should consult with your network administrator.

Use NTLM authentication
This box allows you to use proxy servers with this type of authentication. NOTE: You can also use this option when MetaProducts Download Express doesn't work with any other proxy settings. Please select the "HTTP proxy" proxy type and check this box. Click the OK button and test your downloads.

Auto detect button
This button allows you to get your proxy settings from your Internet Explorer browser.

FTP passive mode
PASV mode is used for FTP downloads when behind a firewall.

Monitor clicks with Ctrl+Alt keys only
Check this setting to monitor Ctrl+Alt browser clicks only. MetaProducts Download Express will receive all such links without checking file extensions.

Ask when adding or removing extensions
Check this box if you want MetaProducts Download Express to monitor a new file type. When you hold down the Ctrl+Alt keys and click on a link with a file extension that is not included in the "Accept file types" list, you will be asked if you want to add this file extension to MetaProducts Download Express. If you click on the DE Download File "Cancel" button, you will be asked if you want to remove the extension from the "Accept file types" list.

Accept file types
This list allows you to specify which files will be downloaded by MetaProducts Download Express automatically. Other file types will be ignored and opened by your browser.

For example, if you want MetaProducts Download Express to accept only archive and executable files, place comma separated extensions to the list.

E.g.: "EXE, ZIP, ARJ, RAR" and others.

Default types button
This button allows you to revert to the original Accept file types settings

Use alternative integration method (available for Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher.)

Please check this box if you have any problem with the default Download Express integration method. Using this method, Internet Explorer connects to the server to see if a file exists and then forwards it to Download Express. The default integration method sends the file link to Download Express without connecting to the server first.

Projects list window

This window contains Projects that are handled by MetaProducts Download Express.

You can manage your downloads using Project list toolbar buttons - Start/Resume a download, Stop it, Add new Project and Delete existing one.

Also you can set the Paused priority to any Project, so it will never be started by the Project list automatically (but you will still be able to start it manually.)

Using the Start active downloads button you can start N Projects, where N is specified by the Active downloads field (on the right side of the toolbar.)

The Clipboard monitoring button turns on or off the checking of Windows clipboard for downloadable links. When MetaProducts Download Express finds a link, it offers to add the new Project to the list.

The Open file button allows you to open the completed file.

The Active downloads field specifies the number of downloads that the Project list can start automatically.

You can right-click the list of Projects to access the popup menu. This menu provides fast access to the Projects list's functions.

You can drag and drop a link into the Projects list to add it. This gives you the ability to add a new Project from browsers that support drag and drop operations.

How to test MetaProducts Download Express integration:

MetaProducts Download Express checks the filename extension when you click the link and opens the download dialog for monitoring of file types only (please see MetaProducts Download Express Options | Integration | Accept file types.)

To ensure that MetaProducts Download Express integrated with your Internet Explorer, please do the following:

1. Check your settings at the MetaProducts Download Express Options dialog, Integration tab. You need to have the "Monitor Ctrl+Alt clicks only" box unchecked and all desired file extensions entered into the "Accept file types" edit box. Click the OK button.
2. Open the new browser window and go to any page with downloadable file links. Click any link with the monitored file type (extension,) for example http://www.metaproducts.com/download/mdsetup.exe (if the EXE file extension is included in the "Accept file types" list.)
   MetaProducts Download Express' Download file dialog (with a locomotive picture) must appear.
3. Please hold Ctrl+Alt keys and click any link.
   MetaProducts Download Express' Download file dialog (with a locomotive picture) must appear.
4. Please right-click any link and select the "Download using Download Express" popup menu item.
   MetaProducts Download Express' Download file dialog (with a locomotive picture) must appear.

How to integrate Download Express into Mozilla FireFox:

Click here to download MetaProducts Integration plug-in for Mozilla FireFox browser.

To install the plug-in, please drag and drop the file to FireFox browser window using Windows Explorer. Then please restart FireFox. Now you can use the link right-click menu item "Download Express: download this file." Also, FireFox will offer you to use Download Express to download files.