What Is A .NZB File?

A file of type ".nzb" describes one or more Usenet messages possibly with file attachments. The nzb file contains all of the information needed to download the set of files including the names of the newsgroup(s) where the messages are located and the identifiers for each message. A single nzb file can potentially describe tens of thousands of individual messages. Often nzb files are used to describe a related set of messages.

Where Can I Find NZB Files?

Often nzb files are posted to Usenet newsgroups along with the set of messages and files that they describe. By using the nzb file, you can download the full set of files without having to deal with individual messages. Sometimes nzb files are cross-posted to more newsgroups than the original set of messages are posted to. This is efficient because the nzb files are much smaller than the full set of actual message files.

Since a nzb file contains all of the information needed to download a set of messages, the nzb file could be sent to someone via e-mail. When the nzb file is processed by a nzb-capable newsreader like News Rover, it will download all of the referenced messages and files.

There are some websites where nzb files are posted to describe messages and files previously posted to Usenet newsgroups. You can download these nzb files and then use them to download the Usenet messages.

How Do I Use A NZB File To Download Messages?

News Rover fully supports nzb files. The method used to download files described by a nzb file depends on whether the nzb file was downloaded from a Usenet newsgroup or acquired some other way such as via e-mail or web page download.

1. If the nzb file was downloaded from a Usenet newsgroup using News Rover, there will be an entry for its associated message in the message list for the newsgroup. You can also download nzb files using the File Attachment Locator feature of News Rover. You can click the red paper-clip icon shown at the left end of the message to open the nzb file.

News Rover will then display a summary screen giving information about the files described by the nzb file. You can click the appropriate button to start downloading the files.

2. If the nzb file is attached to an e-mail message or is located in some folder on your disk, just open it using Windows Explorer or some other method. A program called RoverNZB will be launched by Windows to process the nzb file. RoverNZB will display a summary of the contents of the nzb file. You can click the appropriate button to queue the files for download by News Rover. Note, News Rover must be running at the time that you attempt to queue the download.

How Do I Create A NZB File?

News Rover fully supports the creation of nzb files. To create a nzb file follow these steps:

1. Use the File Attachment Locator feature of News Rover to search for the set of files you want to describe by the nzb file:

2. Select the files you want to describe by the nzb file and click the button labeled "Create .nzb file" at the bottom of the screen. News Rover will then collect information about the selected files and display a summary screen like this:

3. On this screen you have the option of posting the created nzb file to Usenet newsgroups and/or writing it to a disk file. If you wish to send a nzb file to someone via e-mail, you should write it to a disk file and then send the file as an attachment to your e-mail message.

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