How to download files from file hosting services like Rapidshare.com, DepositFiles.com

Question

I'm looking to build a downloader application that downloads files from file-hosting services. What are the steps necessary to satisfy this requirement? E.g. user adds the shared file URL and download manager should transfer the file to a local folder. Can there be any generic approach for all common file sharing websites or each site has a different download procedure?

Answer 1

It really depends on server, some allow You download directly some have some special steps (waiting 20 seconds, CAPTCHA ...), some need more information ... There exist specialized tools to download. They contain source code and they should have decent documentation with algorithm described. So, if You dont mind searching some codebase of specialized downloaders:

Look at either source of Freerapid downloader or source of JDownloader.

• written in Java
• considered (just google it) a very good at it
• should have some somewhat-free-to-create-derivatives licences
• can download as premium, but You have to have account obviously :)

Both have plugins to do it. You should learn their language and all You need should be in them. :)

I recommend Windows program Tortoise SVN to download it.