How to use the command 'transmission-remote' (with examples)

Transmission-remote is a remote control utility for transmission-daemon and transmission. It allows users to control the Transmission BitTorrent client and manage torrents through the command line interface. The command provides various options to add, manage, and control torrents.

Use case 1: Add a torrent file or magnet link to Transmission and download to a specified directory

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -a torrent|url -w /path/to/download_directory

Motivation: This use case allows users to add a torrent file or magnet link to Transmission and specify a directory where the downloaded files should be saved. This is useful when users want to organize their downloads and keep different torrents in separate directories.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -a torrent|url: Specifies the torrent file or magnet link to be added to Transmission.
• -w /path/to/download_directory: Specifies the directory where the downloaded files should be saved.

Example output:

Use case 2: Change the default download directory

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -w /path/to/download_directory

Motivation: Sometimes, users may want to change the default download directory for Transmission to a different location. This use case allows users to specify a new directory where all the downloads should be saved.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -w /path/to/download_directory: Specifies the new directory where the downloaded files should be saved.

Example output:

Use case 3: List all torrents

Code:

transmission-remote hostname --list

Motivation: This use case allows users to view a list of all torrents currently active in Transmission. It provides an overview of the torrents being downloaded, their progress, and other relevant information.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• --list: Displays a list of all torrents.

Example output:

Use case 4: Start torrent 1 and 2, stop torrent 3

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -t "1,2" --start -t 3 --stop

Motivation: If users have multiple torrents in Transmission and want to start or stop specific ones, this use case allows them to selectively control the torrents. They can start one or more torrents while stopping others at the same time.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -t "1,2": Specifies the torrent(s) to start. In this case, torrent 1 and 2 will be started.
• --start: Starts the specified torrent(s).
• -t 3: Specifies the torrent to stop. In this case, torrent 3 will be stopped.
• --stop: Stops the specified torrent(s).

Example output:

Use case 5: Remove torrent 1 and 2, and also delete local data for torrent 2

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -t 1 --remove -t 2 --remove-and-delete

Motivation: When users no longer need certain torrents in Transmission, they may want to remove them. This use case allows users to remove one or more torrents from Transmission. Additionally, it provides the option to delete the local data associated with a particular torrent, freeing up disk space.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -t 1: Specifies the torrent to remove. In this case, torrent 1 will be removed.
• --remove: Removes the specified torrent(s) from Transmission.
• -t 2: Specifies the torrent to remove. In this case, torrent 2 will be removed.
• --remove-and-delete: Removes the specified torrent(s) from Transmission and deletes their local data.

Example output:

Use case 6: Stop all torrents

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -t all --stop

Motivation: If users want to quickly stop all torrents in Transmission, this use case provides a convenient way to do so. It saves time and effort compared to manually stopping each torrent individually.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -t all: Specifies all torrents.
• --stop: Stops the specified torrent(s).

Example output:

Use case 7: Move torrents 1-10 and 15-20 to a new directory

Code:

transmission-remote hostname -t "1-10,15-20" --move /path/to/new_directory

Motivation: This use case allows users to move specific torrents to a new directory. They can select a range of torrents, or individual torrents, and specify a destination directory. This is useful when users want to reorganize their downloaded files or move torrents to a different location.

Explanation:

• hostname: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Transmission.
• -t "1-10,15-20": Specifies the torrents to be moved. In this case, torrents 1-10 and 15-20 will be moved.
• --move /path/to/new_directory: Specifies the new directory where the selected torrents should be moved.

Example output:

Conclusion:

The transmission-remote command is a powerful tool for managing and controlling torrents in Transmission. It allows users to add, remove, start, stop, and move torrents, providing a flexible and efficient way to manage torrent downloads. By utilizing the various options and arguments provided by the command, users can have fine-grained control over their torrent client and organize their downloads effectively.