Deskrule v2.0 beta featuring offline search catalog

[umeca74]

Hi, I've added a catalog search feature in Deskrule, the desktop search engine. This is meant for people with lots of movies or any documents kept in removable external storage media (USB hard disks, DVDs, thumbdrives etc).

After inserting your external devices to the catalog, you can do fast searches by name and advanced attributes (author, tags etc) to discover where are your archived documents, while the actual external device is offline (not connected). Deskrule will then guide you to attach the appropriate medium to open the file found.

Please see here for more information including a beta version to download

I am looking for testers to try out the new feature. If you contribute significant feedback you will get a free license for the full version.

Thanks for testing!
nikos

[KodeZwerg]

Hello there, I do not find information about changes "Trial Version vs Full Version"

What is difference, can you tell please?

[tomos]

There is a [free] "Lite" version, for comparison:
https://www.zabkat.com/deskrule/lite.htm

[umeca74]

there is no difference between full and trial version. The trial version will stop working after a few days but while it does it is full power. However here I'm not trying to sell a program, just to get beta testers!

Here is the beta direct download link: https://www.zabkat.com/test/deskrule_setup_beta.exe

[KodeZwerg]

There is a free "Lite" version, for comparison:
https://www.zabkat.com/deskrule/lite.htm

My eyes show me "Lite version Cost per user: $19.95"

there is no difference between full and trial version. The trial version will stop working after a few days but while it does it is full power. However here I'm not trying to sell a program, just to get beta testers!

Here is the beta direct download link: https://www.zabkat.com/test/deskrule_setup_beta.exe

Thankyou for clarify.

[tomos]

There is a free "Lite" version, for comparison:
https://www.zabkat.com/deskrule/lite.htm

My eyes show me "Lite version Cost per user: $19.95"

sorry bout that!

However here I'm not trying to sell a program, just to get beta testers!

Here is the beta direct download link: https://www.zabkat.com/test/deskrule_setup_beta.exe

[tomos]

This appears to require windows indexing to be enabled (?)
even if I add an external drive as a catalog, it cannot find anything on it (indexing not enabled here). EDIT// may well be user error -- I'm figuring it out as I go along... //EDIT

(If it doesnt require windows indexing, I will have a bunch of related queries.)

[umeca74]

deskrule works better with windows index but doesn't need it. And regarding the new offline catalog, that is an index on its own so the windows index isn't required. For more information using the catalog please watch the demo video in the blog page above or see the documentation (press F1 key in the program and search for CATALOG)

[tomos]

okay:

-------------------------- desktop rulez --------------------------- Added 311430 files in the offline catalog Now you can search for them even when the device isn't connected Do you want to add another folder? --------------------------- Yes  No  ---------------------------

If now search offline:
I add text used in multiple filenames to the [Name] field, the first field gets filled with [dr::catalog] and I get the voice message:
"Computer says no"

Am I doing something wrong?

EDIT// it's working now:
the voice is gone, even when I search for the same term as used above -- I havent changed anything beyond doing some other stuff for a while. Oh, and restarting DeskRule.
Could be that first run after booting doesnt work properly -- I always shut down this computer so will check again next time I reboot it (in the next couple of days).

[tomos]

Not related to offline capability:
you appear to have three different names for the app -- I had trouble finding my notes from my last usage of the software :p

1. Deskrule
2. Desktop (search) rules
3. desktop rulez

[umeca74]

"computer says no" means that nothing can be found matching your search parameters

dr::catalog is the special "path" that tells deskrule to do a catalog search (as opposed to C:\windows or other regular search path). You either type it or use the catalog button next to the addressbar

[tomos]

"computer says no" means that nothing can be found matching your search parameters

it is an odd way of phrasing it (I realise that's Microsoft's responsibility).
Why did it first work with voice and later just with an error message in the statusbar? I don't recall any error message in the statusbar when I got the voice message.

[umeca74]

if you don't like deskrule's talking error messages, use OPTIONS toolbar button to turn it off

[tomos]

if you don't like deskrule's talking error messages, use OPTIONS toolbar button to turn it off

thanks, no, I dont like it, but what bothered me most was that it was there -- and then it wasnt there -- this may well have been something to do with my system rather than deskrule. I cannot now reproduce that problem, and have disabled the voice.

[tomos]

OK, there is a problem here, but I'm having trouble pinning it down:
very often when I search for stuff that I know is there - nothing is found. Eventually I can get it to work -- but when (1) I deleted the ini files and restart, the problem reoccurred. (2) I see the ini file has not been replaced (setting has been changed to Registry) and I notice that (3) there is no indication that deskrule is still running (nothing in the tray).

Screenshots:

(a) after ini file deleted


(b) after I clicked on advanced search and pressed return again (but unfortunately I unsure where the focus was)


edit// FWIW: screenshot (a) has two tabs -- advanced and detective; shot (b) has only detective. This confusing (I know I should RTM more and it may be explained). I cannot (intuitively) figure out how to get the advanced back. Again I know I should read up help looking in help I cannot find why advanced disappeared and just detective tab is there.

edit#2// re (1) above: when I delete the ini file again, it works as expected i.e. that's not reproducible...

[tomos]

UI related:
until I found the 'Auto arrange' option for toolbars, I was having trouble when resizing the window -- the most important field i.e. the [Name] search field disappears on the right-hand side. In my opinion 'Auto arrange' should be enabled by default.

(Although I notice if enabled once, when I restart deskrule window, it displays correctly and can cope with resizing correctly.)

[umeca74]

the mystery not finding files is probably explained because in screenshot #1 you are searching for infoQube in file contents (text inside file), and then you are searching for filenames. Be careful which box you use for your search conditions. Also, right click on a search toolbar and pick Autoarrange from the menu to tidy up the search boxes

regarding the "advanced search" tab, that's not showing when the advanced search panel is extended and fixed (docked). These tabs are there only for implementing the autohide mode. Perhaps this demo video will clear things up (it is from xplorer2 but it works the same)
https://www.zabkat.com/blog/wink/autohide.htm

[tomos]

the mystery not finding files is probably explained because in screenshot #1 you are searching for infoQube in file contents (text inside file)

sry, user error in that case

Be careful which box you use for your search conditions. Also, right click on a search toolbar and pick Autoarrange from the menu to tidy up the search boxes

which reinforces my point that the layout should work better out of the box. If I resize the window I see this

Again, as said above, I now see the autoarrange, but the idea I needed to find something like that didnt occur to me.
I realise that UI may not have been your focus when looking for beta testers, but if we (new users) have trouble getting past the first post...

(I promise not to mention this point again.)

[tomos]

Now, more important stuff:
I can confirm that my first external drive added does not work -- i.e. I can find nothing from that first import -- I am finding files from other imports so I'm presuming it's the import that didnt work.
Now I could try importing again which might solve the problem, but thought it might be of interest to try and figure out why it isn't working -- what do you recommend?

okay:

-------------------------- desktop rulez --------------------------- Added 311430 files in the offline catalog Now you can search for them even when the device isn't connected Do you want to add another folder? --------------------------- Yes  No  ---------------------------

If now search offline:
I add text used in multiple filenames to the [Name] field, the first field gets filled with [dr::catalog] and I get the voice message:
"Computer says no"

(I did reimport a couple of folders from that drive, due to changed content -- these were the files that were found on further testing.)

[umeca74]

I will fix the problem with resizing, if any rule boxes get squashed I will do an automatic rearranging.

it's hard to say why a particular import doesn't work whereas your others do!? What kind of searches are you trying? Did you add only basic information in the catalog or full properties + preview?

here's a tip: as a search path use "dr::catalog\XX" where XX is the number of the problematic import (as seen in MANAGE MEDIA dialog). Then do a basic search like having a ? in the filename box (will match any name). This will show you all files imported from this external storage. Is there anything found?

[tomos]

Did you add only basic information in the catalog or full properties + preview?

basic info only added

as a search path use "dr::catalog\XX" where XX is the number of the problematic import (as seen in MANAGE MEDIA dialog). Then do a basic search like having a ? in the filename box (will match any name). This will show you all files imported from this external storage. Is there anything found?

this method did not work for any of the drives added !!
I tried with and without quotes -- I get the message: "Please supply a valid root folder for the search"
See copied text & shots below:

mid serialNo label comment 4 3136187267 BackUp Backup drive V

EDIT//
if I search offline for '?' (not adding any number to dr::catalog) it lists files from the other drives. But none from the first import. I guess I will delete it and add it again. But not today.

[umeca74]

sorry, I should have clarified that XX is the plain number of the media, not the serial number. So in your case try 4 for your first medium

btw, I have released deskrule v2 so please get that one to continue your tests:
https://www.zabkat.com/deskrule/index-test.htm

you have also earned a free unlock key, please email me for more details

[tomos]

thanks nikos
I haven't been a great beta-tester: I still want to search my tagged photos, and see if I can find associated text in png's (via mouser's Screenshot Captor), but I just havent had *any* time lately. I will get back to it but not sure when (later in the week hopefully -- will post again then).

[tomos]

Having another go here (version 2.0.0.0) :
I can find 1960_Mary.jpg (full filename) but searching *Mary* finds nothing?

Help says that

searching for TEST by name will find files called TESTME.TXT and FIRST TEST.TXT, but will not find A1TEST.DOC. To find the last file you must use explicit wildcards like *TEST*.

[umeca74]

it works for me... but I don't see any obvious reason why it shouldn't be working for you!?
after the failed search, if you extend the ADVANCED search panel, how does it look like?