StopKa - desktop search tool

[vitali_y]

StopKa desktop search tool

App Name	StopKa
App URL	http://www.stopka.us
App Version Reviewed	1.5_100520
Supported OSes	Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
Support Methods	[email protected]
Trial Version Available?	1.5_100520 as shareware
Download page	http://www.stopka.us/en/download.html

Intro:
The program intended for search files on the local hard drive of the computer. It search files quickly. StopKa support indexing drive content and direct files search. It has similar files search feature, also it possible to find duplicates for files. StopKa has flexible configuration and multi language interface. It support auto classification (very intresting feature). You can handle with several millions of files in one pane and get possibility to sort files at any its attribute.

<img src="http://www.stopka.us/download/StopKa.jpg" alt="" border="0" />

Who is this app designed for:
For everyday computer user.

The Good
It helps you search files/documents quickly. Very quickly. App scan/index content of the folders, sort and find files using any file attributes.

Why I think you should use this product
Forgot file name - use StopKa to find it. If you have big documents collection - index it content and use StopKa to find document. If you use your documents collection rarely - do not index it - just use direct search.

How does it compare to similar apps
StopKa has more features. It flexible configurable. It's search speed will amaze concurrents.

Conclusions
Disadvantage: complex GUI.

[kartal]

Hi

thanks for the software. I have just started testing it.

[Darwin]

Thanks for letting us know about it, vitali_y - it does look interesting. I assume that you are the developer? If so, you should say so! We're always glad to welcome developers here.

[vitali_y]

hi. thank you for interest! i'm developer. if you have to suggest some feature or find a bug - please write about it.

[Darwin]

hi. thank you for interest! i'm developer. if you have to suggest some feature or find a bug - please write about it.

-vitali_y (December 08, 2008, 07:30 AM)

Welcome, Vitali! As I noted, we're always thrilled to have developers participating here - check back in every so often.

I'm downloading StopKa now... 

[Darwin]

So, just to clarify - you'd like to switch to a shareware model for this, correct? Version 1.2 is freeware but 1.3 and beyond will require the purchase of a licence? Enquiring minds want to know!

[Darwin]

Hi again - just to note that "out of the box" StopKa is configured to save to a default location (D:\StopKa), which is an optical drive for most computer users. It also ships with a default .drj file that causes it to look for a non-existent backup folder on D drive...

[vitali_y]

>>> "So, just to clarify - you'd like to switch to a shareware model for this, correct?"
yes, I'd like to switch it to shareware - will it be a 1.3 - i do not sure... firstly i am trying to get some feedback.

>>> "StopKa is configured to save to a default location (D:\StopKa)"
this is just first impression, you can unzip it to any folder.
consider all config paths as just as examples, i agree "d:" isn't a good startup example - all users try to use program without addition configurations... I'll think about setup script or about installation program.

[Darwin]

Yeah - no worries. I had no trouble configuring the program, it's just that a lot of computer users aren't savvy enough to figure these things out on their own, which will lead to a negative first impression of the software.

[Crush]

StopKa is running. When selecting Index->start the program crashes - even if started in Administrator & Compatibility mode. Is it incompatible with Windows Vista?

[Darwin]

StopKa is running. When selecting Index->start the program crashes - even if started in Administrator & Compatibility mode. Is it incompatible with Windows Vista?

-Crush (December 08, 2008, 12:52 PM)

I don't think so - it consistently crashes under XP Pro Sp-3 as well 

[vitali_y]

sorry,  - we had discuss it above. It seems your index config point to D:\StopKa\CORPUS\ - you have no such folder so you get crash - surely - this should not happen... of course this is bug - thank you for point to this - in my sandbox - no one point to this.
To avoid this crash: Menu -> Index -> New Index Parameters -
and select the folder which you want to index.

[Darwin]

Ah, you're right Vitali! However, I *did* make that change when I first set up StopKa but it crashed after a while and my settings weren't saved. I'm trying it again - will report back!

[vitali_y]

i should admit some config settings:
Project Settings - here it is possible to config
a) indexes - to index search;
b) folders - to direct search;
c) classes - to classificate results (as example - automatic language definition)

Standard toolbar - search substring in indexes & folders
Document panel - search similar document in indexes & folders
File filter panel - direct file search without indexes - just specify folder "c:" as example in the Search project toolbar - press Enter - or use search settings dialog - specify file mask(s): "*.avi;*.mpg" or "*"

press find

[vitali_y]

please be patient for such small bugs - i'll fix this ASAP
 

[Darwin]

OK - I'll try those settings. I ran StopKa for about 30 minutes before it crashed with this error:

---------------------------
Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library
---------------------------
Runtime Error!

Program: E:\My Documents\Software\Software\StopKa\StopKa.exe



This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.


---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

[Darwin]

After the above crash, I created a prj file with custom settings and this time got a system error telling me that StopKa had stopped working. I'm going to create a blank index file in my chosen Index folder via notepad and write to that to see if it solves the problem.

[vitali_y]

i update version - at least - try to get rid of such stupid startup bugs...

>> "30 minutes before it crashed" - as i see i should improve debug info...
could you please give me more information:
1) do you start index or direct search?
2) folder to index or search
3) is volume ntfs or fat
4) which doc type are where? htm? txt? doc? djvu? some other?
5) any other info which you see be substantial

>> "I'm going to create a blank index file in my chosen Index folder via notepad"
you should not create any file by the hands - this is one more suggestion from you - thanks!

[Darwin]

"I'm going to create a blank index file in my chosen Index folder via notepad"
you should not create any file by the hands - this is one more suggestion from you - thanks!

-vitali_y (December 08, 2008, 08:49 PM)

So I discovered 

To answer your questions:

1. I've only ever started indexing runs
2. As above - folder to index
3. Volume is NTFS
4. Docs are doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, ppt, pptx, txt, and others
5. I'm running Windows Firewall and Webroots Internet Security Essentials
6. XP Pro Sp-3

[vitali_y]

I publish new version. It is much more stable. Please evaluate it.

[vitali_y]

have you a question? i'm ready to explaine any thing!
just ask!

[Darwin]

Hi vitali - I've downloaded it but haven't had a chance to set it up and test it. Will do so in the next day or three (Christmas day will probably be a wash...).

[vitali_y]

greate! ask questions - i'll be ready answer - it is not easy to understand all my ideas firstly - i discuss it with 10 people average - all of them have a questions firstly - but after my explanations they have less arguments and questions
i suspect they like the program i'll try create demo in a nearest time!
now as i think it is really stable - i try to clear all significant bugs - which was cause i really want to hear some oppinion for a lot of time/efforts for development!
just remember - StopKa is combination of index and direct search - like locate and google dektop.

[vitali_y]

this is post just superstitious post! 

[vitali_y]

and this one also! i like all numbers form 15 and others certainly!