4.1 The Preferences Dialog

The Preferences Dialog is accessible via the "Preferences…" item of the edit menu. It should look something like this:

The first two items, will be of use to you if you wish to use a proxy. More about those in section 4.2.

If "Retry Downloads automatically" is on, then if a download fails because the connection was closed, then Speed Download will automatically retry. This os on be default, and in less you have a particular reason to turn it off, you might as well leave it on.

The last item allows you to define a default download folder. More about that in section 4.3.

After you have made your changes, click "Save" to save them or cancel leave previous settings unaltered.

Turn on proxy support for protocols you require by clicking on the appropriate check box. The actual proxy settings are similar to any other application. You enter the address of the proxy server in the elongated text box, and the port number in the smaller one. If you are not sure whether you need to turn on proxy support or what settings to use, try checking what your web browser is set up to do or contact your network administrator or Internet Service Provider.
Not all Service Providers have proxies, some might only have an http proxy.

An important setting for http proxy support is the "Tunnel HTTP Requests". This toggles between 2 different methods of accessing a file via the proxy (For those interested, turning tunnelling on makes Speed Download use the CONNECT method instead of the GET method). Not all proxies will allow HTTP requests to be tunnelled, some may only allow tunnelling to certain servers or ports or may ban certain servers or ports. On the other hand, all proxy servers will work when tunnelling is off. It's a case of what works best for you.

Proxy settings are not saved with a download. When a download is started or resumed, the current proxy settings are used. Changing proxy settings will not affect downloads that are ongoing, only downloads that will be started or resumed afterwards.

Note that if you are using an ftp proxy then passive ftp is automatically used, independently of your settings.
 

With default settings, every time you start a download you will be asked where to save the file and under what name. This can be tiresome, so you can define a default folder. I strongly recommend that you define a default folder as choosing a save location every time is tiresome and wastes time. Additionally, for Applescript and contextual menu support to work optimally you should define a default folder. To do so, bring up the preferences dialog, and turn on the "Use Download Folder", then drag a file or folder (from the desktop, from a sherlock window etc…) onto the preferences dialog. The path to the newly chosen download folder will be displayed. If you dragged a file then the file's parent folder will be used as the download folder, if you dragged a folder then it will be used as the download folder.

Once you have chosen a download folder, all new downloads will go to that folder. If you download an item and there is already an item with the same name, then a number is appended to the new file so that its name is different. If you wish to save a file in a different location without changing the general preferences, hold down the "option" (or "alt") key when you click "Get It", you will be asked where to save the file.