BOTNS collected podcast errors

[Jen]

Hello,

I have noticed a few errors on the collected podcasts section of http://booksonthenightstand.com/podcasts. For example, the link for Episodes 251 through 260 actually links to the file for episodes 231-240. The file is only accessible if the URL is changed manually (e.g. from http://www.booksonthenightstand.com/p... to http://www.booksonthenightstand.com/p... )

Additionally, though I have downloaded the zip files for
241-250
261-270
271-280
281-290
My computer tells me that they are invalid and cannot be opened (by Windows, if it matters), so I cannot get them working at all.

Finally, episode 4 did not work as part of the collection and had to be downloaded individually from the show notes section.

Is anyone else having the same or similar issues? If so, any workarounds?

P.S. As of this posting, only episodes through 290 have been collected and linked as zip files.

[Kara]

I had a few that were automatically categorized as podcasts and some as music. So in iTunes I changed Media Type under Options to Music for all of them went to my recently added playlist to find them all & over to the Podcasts tab to do so). That could be the issue with episode 4, I'm not sure. But I've only downloaded up to ep 100 so far! Hopefully Ann & Michael can get the issue fixed!

[Jessica]

Jen, I'm also interested in downloading episodes 241 - 330 (episodes 331 on are on iTunes). Would love zipped files of those to avoid having to download them individually. Hope that Michael will load them when he has a moment.

[Jen]

I'm not using iTunes, so I don't know how to change the type...

[Lola]

Jen wrote: "Hello,

I have noticed a few errors on the collected podcasts section of http://booksonthenightstand.com/podcasts. For example, the link for Episodes 251 through 260 actually links to the file for ..."

When I first discovered the podcast about a year and a half ago, I went back and listened to all of the back episodes by downloading each episode directly from the website on my phone. A little cumbersome, but I couldn't figure out the whole zip file thing and it worked just fine.

[Jen]

I think I figured out why I'm getting the errors for zip files:
241-250
261-270
271-280
281-290
According to my computer, the file folders are empty - they were possibly zipped and uploaded without any files in them.
Can anyone else confirm the error with those particular folders so I know it's not just my machine? Again, I'm using the download links directly from the BOTNS website.

[Jessica]

Correct - they are empty folders. Hope they can get fixed so I don't have to download one by one.

[Linda]

I let Michael know. Stay tuned.

[Michael]

Thanks for the heads up Linda!

I'll go see if I can figure this out. If it's a huge problem to be fixed, it may have to wait until next week.

[Michael]

I corrected the link for 251-260.

I'm currently re-uploading the zipped folders for:
241-250
261-270
271-280
281-290

and I added the zipped folders for:
291-300
301-310
311-320

let me know if those all work now!

[Jessica]

Thanks for doing this, Michael! The only things still missing in this batch are the zipped folders for:

241-250
261-270
271-280
281-290

These are still empty, but not sure if they should be there yet because you said you were currently re-uploading them - maybe still to come. Thanks again.

[Jen]

Can confirm, for files 241-250, 261-270, 271-280, and 281-290 I am still getting the same error: "Windows cannot open the folder. The compressed folder [nameofthefolder] is invalid." However, it does look like it takes up slightly more space now than the totally empty folders did...
Perhaps the individual files need to be packaged and zipped again and reuploaded that way?

Oops, just checked and the new files 301-310, 311-320, 321-330 are all also giving me that error.

The file containing 291-300 DID work, however. :-D Go figure!

Thanks Michael and Linda for your help in this matter. Hope the other ones will get working soon!

[Jen]

Found another error: in the 291-300 batch of zip files, the episode that *should* be 296 has incorrect properties with a title for #249 (with the 249 booktopia talk title and number). However, the audio is indeed for episode "#296: One book we can't stop talking about". I edited the details/properties and renamed it in my own folder so it appears correctly in my music player but others may not know to do that.

[Michael]

Okay, I see that the original problem files are still giving me problems, but I am able to successfully download and unzip 301-310, 311-320, and 321-330. Is anyone else getting the same error with those like Jen is?

Remember, that if any of you don't want to wait for the rest of the zipped bundles, or for the broken ones to be fixed, you can always download the episodes individually. Just go to the Podcasts page, scroll down past the zipped bundles, and you'll see links to each individual podcast. Click on the link of the first one you want. Once you get to the page, there's a download link just beneath the podcast player. Once you've clicked that, you can navigate to the next (or previous) podcast using the links at the very top, just above the episode title.

[Michael]

241-250 seems to be working after uploading a new zip file for a third time.

Before I continue with others, can someone verify that 241-250 is working for them too?

[Michael]

and I added a few new bundles at the end. let me know if there are any problems with those.

[Jen]

Tried again today after giving it a full day for the upload to sit on the server before attempting download one last time and here is the current status of collected podcast downloads:

241-250: Working
261-270: NOT WORKING
271-280: NOT WORKING
281-290: NOT WORKING
301-310: Working
311-320: Working
321-330: Working
331-340: Working
341-350: Working
351-360: Working
361-370: Working
371-380: Working
381-390: Working

Thanks for your help Michael! Hope the last few can be fixed soon. :-

P.S. Fun fact, the current zipped podcasts that are available to download provide over 7 days straight of listening time - the remaining 30 podcasts will add a chunk too, I am sure. Lots of hard work from Michael and Ann!

[Jessica]

Hi, there, Michael, thanks - looks like 241-250 worked - hooray! Please let us know when the rest are loaded (261-290) - much appreciated - I'm in podcast heaven (as a new-ish listener).

[Michael]

Thanks for the reports back. I will try to get to the last few bundles posted next week. Lots of travel for work the rest of this week.

[Lola]

Michael wrote: "Okay, I see that the original problem files are still giving me problems, but I am able to successfully download and unzip 301-310, 311-320, and 321-330. Is anyone else getting the same error with ..."

That's exactly how I listened to each and every episode back when I first found the podcast and wanted to go back and listen from the beginning. I love the Jenny/867-5309 bit you did in the early episodes for the voicemail line :)

[Michael]

Everything should be working now. Please check

261-270
271-280
281-290

and let me know if they download okay for everyone.

[Linda]

Thank you, Michael.

[Jessica]

Looks like this worked - thanks for fixing this, Michael.

[Michael]

Phew... Hooray!

[Gerald]

Genius at work.

[Jen]

Success! The new download links work. Complete collection of BOTNS podcasts is now uploaded to my Google Music library, huzzah! Have already restarted listening (am on episode 14 so far). Apparently it is 185:08:03 hours worth of podcast (nearly 8 days). :-D

Thanks Michael!