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[ Table of Contents ]

How to Create a Torrent

1. Compressed File Format Note

   If you are planning on torrenting something that is currently compressed (such as a ZIP or RAR archive), it is always best to unZIP or unRAR those files and to create a torrent for the uncompressed files. Most BitTorrent users have a broadband connection to the Internet, and a few MBs isn't going to make a difference. After downloading a compressed archive, people usually extract the contents, and delete the original archive. If you were to create a torrent that contained ZIP or RAR files, that individual would no longer be able to seed (or reseed) your torrent. Also, because of BitTorrent's built-in hash checking, it isn't necessary to to split large files into a set of RARs such as is common when transferring files via IRC.

2. Tracker Use Permission

   Please be sure that you have permission to use someone else's tracker, before you create a torrent using his/her tracker's Announce URL.

3. Make a Torrent For a Single File

   There are a handful of applications avaiable for creating torrent files. Some BitTorrent clients have torrent creation built-in, however, the most feature-rich torrent creator is MakeTorrent.

   [ Download MakeTorrent Now ]

   If you wish to create a torrent for a single file, the following steps may be taken: [ Open Screenshot ]

   1. Open MakeTorrent

   If configured properly, MakeTorrent will automatically download an updated listing of popular trackers. You will most likely have to manually specify your tracker.

   2. Switch to Classic Mode. (It's the simplest to use.)
   3. Click the button.
   4. Find and select a single file that you wish to torrent.
   5. Enter the tracker's Announce URL or select on from the list.

   Your tracker's Announce URL is your tracker's URL (including the port number) plus /announce.

   PLEASE NOTE: There should not be a trailing slash after /announce; announce is not a directory. For more information, please see the Announce URL topic in this documentation.

   6. Add a detailed file comment to the Comment field. BNBT displays this text when users view the stats page for a torrent.
   7. The Piece Size should be left on Auto. I have known corrupted torrents to be created when users have modified this value incorrectly.
   8. Click the button.

   A Save As dialog will appear and prompt you for a filename and save location. If left unchanged, the torrent filename will be taken from the name of the file being torrented and will be saved in the same folder.

   9. Click

   The file will then be hashed. The time it takes to hash a file depends completely on the size of the file being torrented.

   10. Click when the file is completely hashed.
   11. Upload and Seed your torrent file.
4. Make a Torrent For More Than One File

   There are a handful of applications avaiable for creating torrent files. Some BitTorrent clients have torrent creation built-in, however, the most feature-rich torrent creator is MakeTorrent.

   [ Download MakeTorrent Now ]

   If you wish to create a torrent for a set of files, the following steps may be taken: [ Open Screenshot ]

   1. Organize the files and folders you wish to torrent so that they all reside in or under a single folder. This folder should have a fairly descriptive name.
   2. Open MakeTorrent

   If configured properly, MakeTorrent will automatically download an updated listing of popular trackers. You will most likely have to manually specify your tracker.

   3. Switch to Classic Mode. (It's the simplest to use.)
   4. Click the button.
   5. Find and select the folder that contains the files and folders that you wish to torrent.
   6. 1 torrent from entire folder should be selected by default and should be left as is.
   7. Enter the tracker's Announce URL or select on from the list.

   Your tracker's Announce URL is your tracker's URL (including the port number) plus /announce.

   PLEASE NOTE: There should not be a trailing slash after /announce; announce is not a directory. For more information, please see the Announce URL topic in this documentation.

   8. Add a detailed file comment to the Comment field. BNBT displays this text when users view the stats page for a torrent.
   9. The Piece Size should be left on Auto. I have known corrupted torrents to be created when users have modified this value incorrectly.
   10. Click the button.

   A Save As dialog will appear and prompt you for a filename and save location. If left unchanged, the torrent filename will be taken from the name of the folder being torrented and will be saved in the folder that contains the folder being torrented.

   11. Click

   Each and every file will then be hashed. The time it takes to hash a set of files depends completely on the size of the files being torrented.

   12. Click when the files are completely hashed.
   13. Upload and Seed your torrent file.