Extra number on file name
 

Almost everytime I download an audio file, an extra string on numbers and letters replaces the last 6 or so characters of my file name (except it still has .mp3 on the end)

I thought this would be a preference, but I can't find it any where.... any ideas?

This is a bug in LimeWire. Your incompletely downloaded file will have this weird name until it if finished, at which point it is renamed. This is an essential component of LimeWire's Smart Resume feature. It is perfectly safe to rename your files as long as they were completed. Otherwise, you won't be able to resume it, and you'll have only a fragment of a file.

For more info on this feature, see question 6-9 of the FAQ.

Still there
 

Actually, those numbers are on ALL my files - even the completed ones. And yes, I change the names, but it's a big pain in the butt. There is no way for me to fix this?

Not that I know of. Sorry! :-(

same
 

I have a similar problem , the files are normal in the LW library view but random numbers appear in the file names when viewed in the finder. LW seems to be interpeting the file names differently. Also, none of the mp3s I have D/L seem to have ID3 tags is this a problem W/ Java?

Many people using LW don't bother creating mp3 tags anymore. Although there are some people that still do, many mp3s will not have this meta info. This is not a problem with Java.
:-)

ok so let's forget about the ID3 tags, so what about the problem w/ the file names being ok in the LW view but not in the Finder? Is this something LW is working on or is this a problem w/ my settings, pref.s or something else? I have seen more than one post on this. Some people probably don't care but w/ alot of files this can be a headache. I am willing to help find a solution but really don't know where to start it really seems like LW is not translating the characters properly.

This sounds like a different problem altogether that still needs fixing in LW. Hey, at least you don't have LimeWire docs! ;-)

It sounds like you've already identified the problem: LW is not translating the characters properly.

Does this happen with all files? Or just files you download? Are there any files that appear the same in the Finder and the LW library view? If so, what type are they? What types do not translate properly?

If we can't figure this out, we can always contact the developers at LimeWire.

P.S. Just to clarify (I was imprecise in my previous posting), LW does not read mp3 tags, so this will not affect file names.

:-)

It is consistent as far as I have been able to tell. I have only d/l mp3 and mpeg file types. Ex:
Coal Chamber - The Ro#4D6C9.mp3
Should be:
Coal Chamber - The Roof is on fire.mp3

What is odd to me is that a random number of the characters at the begining are always correct. Do you think that one of the characters acts as a trigger? For some reason this reminds of the difference between the Hexidecimal and Ocatal systems; I do not however claim to be psychic;-))

I have never seen this behavior. It is definitely not the naming scheme used to resume incomplete file downloads (look in your incomplete directory for examples).

At first, I though the number looked like a hex value, but it's only 5 characters long.

Other limitations are file name length. If your file name is over 32 characters long (on Mac), then the file name will be shortened or the file will not work properly. Obviously, this cannot be the case here.
:-)

When I started trying to figure out what is going on with these file names, I searched and read other posts and have found the same problem described in other threads. The current thread was started by someone else. I use both techtool pro and norton system works and neither program finds any software or hardware problems. I am pretty sure that this is not a problem unique to my machine. I will say that I own alot of software and would not be suprised if there was a preferences Issue. But I don't want to trash all my preferences; It would take weeks to restore them. So I guess that I don't mind helping but I would need to have some idea of where to start.

When I started trying to figure out what is going on with these file names, I searched and read other posts and have found the same problem described in other threads. The current thread was started by someone else. I use both techtool pro and norton system works and neither program finds any software or hardware problems. I am pretty sure that this is not a problem unique to my machine. I will say that I own alot of software and would not be suprised if there was a preferences Issue. But I don't want to trash all my preferences; It would take weeks to restore them. So I guess that I don't mind helping but I would need to have some idea of where to start.

You get these extra numbers if the file name is longer than 31 characters.

Mac OS 9 provides support for longer file names (if an application is written to use it), but the Finder doesn't display the longer name so it makes up a unique short name.

That makes sense. I knew about the 32 character limitation, but I didn't know what actually happened if a file name was too long. In Windows (I know, I know, don't flame me), the file name will be whatever length you call it, and Windows Explorer (aka My computer) will still be able to see the file name correctly. But usually, applications cannot open them.

Thank you, everyone, for your help is solving this 'mystery'. If anyone still has problems that aren't explained here, be sure to post!

Happy Halloween! (or happy harvest, for some of you)
:-)

Just a thanks to all for helping me with this problem. I have been able to verify this by editing the file name and tags in MP3 Rage. Rage is able to see all the characters correctly and allows convenient editing of both tags and file names on the same screen.

Much appreciation.:p