Blobfiles vs. Downloaded files

[vitormilagres1992]

Hi, I have recently joined LBRY on my Linux Mint desktop. During the initial setup I chose to use my external HDD for the downloaded files directory. However, after a couple weeks I noticed that my home directory was running out of space, and I looked through the directories and realized it was the blobfiles directory. I do not publish any content on my own, everything I do is download a video I like and seed it to others.

So I have a couple questions: 1 - What is the difference between those two directories (blobfiles and downloaded files)? 2 - When I seed a video to other people, where do they get the video from? Blobfiles or downloaded files? 3 - What happens if I delete blobfiles and keep downloaded files? 4 - What happens if I delete downloaded files and keep blobfiles?

Thanks

[tzarebczan]

Hey, thanks for using LBRY and the question! Check out https://lbry.com/faq/host-content for more information on how this works. You can configure which are saved in the Settings section of the app.

Majority of things work off the blob files - deleting them will cause them to be redownloaded if you watch the video again.

Moving them to another drive is covered under: https://github.com/lbryio/lbry-desktop/issues/1966

[klesun]

@tzarebczan thanks for the partial answer, but what is the point in Downloaded directory then? The article you posted only speaks about /blobfiles/, but it does not mention anything about data being duplicated to two directories and why it's done so.

Can I conclude from your answer that Download directory does not interact with the app whatsoever, and only serves as a junk heap where all watched videos are copied? Can it be disabled somehow then?

[klesun]

Upd.: oh, it was in Advanced settings

I assume "hosted data" checkbox is for /blobfiles/.

I also assume the point of duplicating data to Download directory is to ensure paid content does not get lost when you close the tab...