How to use the command mktorrent (with examples)
The mktorrent command is used to create BitTorrent metainfo files. It allows users to create torrents of files or directories, specifying details such as tracker announce URLs, piece size, comments, multiple trackers, and web seed URLs. This article will illustrate each of these use cases of the mktorrent command.
Use case 1: Create a torrent with 2^21 KB as the piece size
Code:
mktorrent -a tracker_announce_url -l 21 -o path/to/example.torrent path/to/file_or_directory
Motivation: By setting the piece size to 2^21 KB, users can control the granularity of the pieces in the torrent. In some cases, a larger piece size may be preferred to reduce the size of the torrent file and improve transfer speeds.
Explanation:
-a tracker_announce_url: This argument specifies the announce URL of the tracker to be used for the torrent.-l 21: This argument specifies the logarithm to base 2 of the piece size in KB. In this case, 2^21 KB will be used.-o path/to/example.torrent: This argument specifies the output file path, where the generated torrent file will be saved.path/to/file_or_directory: This argument specifies the location of the file or directory to be included in the torrent.
Example output: The command will create a torrent file named example.torrent in the specified output path. The torrent will use a piece size of 2^21 KB.
Use case 2: Create a private torrent with a 2^21 KB piece size
Code:
mktorrent -p -a tracker_announce_url -l 21 -o path/to/example.torrent path/to/file_or_directory
Motivation: By creating a private torrent, users can limit access to specific peers who have the appropriate torrent file and announce URL. This can be useful for sharing files within a private network or with a specific group of individuals.
Explanation:
-p: This argument indicates that the generated torrent should be marked as private.-a tracker_announce_url: This argument specifies the announce URL of the tracker to be used for the torrent.-l 21: This argument specifies the logarithm to base 2 of the piece size in KB. In this case, 2^21 KB will be used.-o path/to/example.torrent: This argument specifies the output file path, where the generated torrent file will be saved.path/to/file_or_directory: This argument specifies the location of the file or directory to be included in the torrent.
Example output: The command will create a private torrent file named example.torrent in the specified output path. The torrent will use a piece size of 2^21 KB.
Use case 3: Create a torrent with a comment
Code:
mktorrent -c "comment" -a tracker_announce_url -l 21 -o path/to/example.torrent path/to/file_or_directory
Motivation: Adding a comment to a torrent can provide additional information or instructions to users who download the torrent. This can be particularly useful when sharing files with a large number of users or distributing files for specific purposes.
Explanation:
-c "comment": This argument specifies the comment to be included in the torrent.-a tracker_announce_url: This argument specifies the announce URL of the tracker to be used for the torrent.-l 21: This argument specifies the logarithm to base 2 of the piece size in KB. In this case, 2^21 KB will be used.-o path/to/example.torrent: This argument specifies the output file path, where the generated torrent file will be saved.path/to/file_or_directory: This argument specifies the location of the file or directory to be included in the torrent.
Example output: The command will create a torrent file named example.torrent in the specified output path. The torrent will include the specified comment.
Use case 4: Create a torrent with multiple trackers
Code:
mktorrent -a tracker_announce_url,tracker_announce_url_2 -l 21 -o path/to/example.torrent path/to/file_or_directory
Motivation: Using multiple trackers in a torrent can help improve availability and redundancy. If one tracker fails or is unavailable, the torrent can still function properly by using another available tracker.
Explanation:
-a tracker_announce_url,tracker_announce_url_2: This argument specifies multiple announce URLs of the trackers to be used for the torrent. They are comma-separated.-l 21: This argument specifies the logarithm to base 2 of the piece size in KB. In this case, 2^21 KB will be used.-o path/to/example.torrent: This argument specifies the output file path, where the generated torrent file will be saved.path/to/file_or_directory: This argument specifies the location of the file or directory to be included in the torrent.
Example output: The command will create a torrent file named example.torrent in the specified output path. The torrent will include multiple trackers as specified.
Use case 5: Create a torrent with web seed URLs
Code:
mktorrent -a tracker_announce_url -w web_seed_url -l 21 -o path/to/example.torrent path/to/file_or_directory
Motivation: Including web seed URLs in a torrent can speed up the initial distribution of the files by allowing users to download from a web server rather than relying solely on other peers. This can be useful when distributing large files or when the availability of seeders is limited.
Explanation:
-a tracker_announce_url: This argument specifies the announce URL of the tracker to be used for the torrent.-w web_seed_url: This argument specifies the URL of the web seed to be included in the torrent.-l 21: This argument specifies the logarithm to base 2 of the piece size in KB. In this case, 2^21 KB will be used.-o path/to/example.torrent: This argument specifies the output file path, where the generated torrent file will be saved.path/to/file_or_directory: This argument specifies the location of the file or directory to be included in the torrent.
Example output: The command will create a torrent file named example.torrent in the specified output path. The torrent will include the specified web seed URL.
Conclusion:
The mktorrent command provides a flexible way to create BitTorrent metainfo files with various configurations. By utilizing different arguments and options, users can customize their torrents to meet specific needs such as piece size, privacy, comments, multiple trackers, and web seed URLs. These examples demonstrate the diverse use cases of the mktorrent command and how it can be leveraged to create well-optimized and feature-rich torrents.
