Question about TopDog

[Advisor]

Hey all!

Upon Dougie's recommendation, I downloaded the trial version of TopDog yesterday. Since I'm too lazy to actually read their help files, I was wondering if someone could tell me whether or not you can schedule the software to run reports like you can with WPG? If not, it's really of no use to me. I couldn't find any scheduling thing when I looked through the options and preferences.

Thanks!

Jill

[ihelpyou]

When TD releases version 6, I understand a schedular will be in it.

I have been using ATnotes to do scheduling. I also know that you can use the windows task schedular to do this. I think TD has the instructions for this on their site..... you may just shoot them an email for the instructions for windows task schedular.

[ihelpyou]

I went ahead and shot off an email to get instructions for windows task schedular. Will post here when receive them.

[ihelpyou]

Well Jill, David just became a member here so he may answer your question himself.

In the meantime, the current version has the instructions in the help file under /auto

The next version out will have a full fledge schedular built into it.

[TopDog]

Yes, ihelpyou has it right. See the help index for the "/auto" option to schedule projects.

[Advisor]

Thanks, Doug! And thanks TopDog. I will check it out. And TopDog, while you're here, is the only difference between the trial version and the full version that you can only check positions at those 4 engines? Are there any other functions that I'm missing using the trial version?

It's quite different than WPG, and since I've been using that one for years, I'm quite hesitant to change. If I can get a real good grasp on what makes TopDog that much better, I'm certainly willing to look at it. I have about 30 or so different reports I run in a given month (I schedule one a day) plus a few extras now and then for new clients. I'm fairly satisfied with WPG, but there is that Google problem. Plus, I am getting some new International clients and I like that Top Dog checks positions with many of those engines. But I couldn't decide if I liked your report format, and stuff, although I'm sure I could get used to it. You know, nobody likes change, and I'm no different than anyone else in that respect!

Jill

[ihelpyou]

I do know there is a big difference in the way both programs quirie the engines. Maybe Topdog can explain this difference. It is one reason that Google cannot detect TD.

[TopDog]

Hi Jill,

The trial mode of the application is nearly identical to the licensed version, which includes the following additional functions:

1. Support for all 273 (as of this date) search engines.
2. Search engines can be selected individually, br group, country, language or category.
3. Reports can be customized with your own HTML headers and footers.
4. The scheduling feature is turned on.

-- David Cecil
http://www.topdog.com

[Advisor]

Yeah, I figured that from our conversation the other day. Just wondering what else it might have to offer. I just hate reading through help files... :(

Plus you know something that was weird? And maybe you can tell me if this happens to you too. While running Topdog yesterday, some of my other programs would disappear from my tool bar! So like if I opened up a Netscape window after TopDog was either open or running (can't remember if it had to be running), that window could not be found in my toolbar and I couldn't get back to it if I minimized it. That was really strange and of course made it hard to work! Now, I can't work much when WPG is on either, but I was hoping TD would be different. It also seemed to take a REAL long time to run the report, but it may have been one of my longer ones. I didn't really check. I've noticed that WPG is way faster than they used to be lately.

Just a few thoughts.

Jill

[TopDog]

There's a standard way to launch a web browser from within a Windows application. It works great with MS IE, but certain versions of Netscape handle it somewhat differently, which does sometimes cause problems. I've not seen the particular problem you describe, though.

TopDog should be very fast, provided you have enough RAM.

[Advisor]

It made an email also "disappear" when minimized. I had started an email, but then minimized it for some reason, and then it too was apparently gone. Not in the toolbar below to click back to. It was still somewhere as it showed up later in my draft folder. Strange things...never saw them happen before either. So it wasn't just some Netscape thing.

I do have 128 Megs of Ram so I think that's kind of a lot, and probably didn't have anything to do with it.

Jill

[MazY]

What processor are you running there? I only ask because I know that a few processor intensive applications can have a very similar effect.

[Advisor]

You know, I don't think this is a processor problem. It's happening when the Top Dog program is just open and not running. In fact, the help file for Top Dog just disappeared!

Maybe I got a bad copy or something? :confused:

Jill

PS. Processor is PII 350 Not the newest out there, but it works for me!

[ihelpyou]

It really sounds like a bad install. I have not heard of any of those problems and run TD with other windows open all the time and also send emails.

Try uninstalling and then reinstall. Make sure all windows programs are closed first.

[MazY]

[i]PS. Processor is PII 350 Not the newest out there, but it works for me! [/B]

If it's any consolation, my processor only exceeds yours by a piddly 50. Like you - I'm happy with it.

As you rightly say though, if it isn't even doing anything at the time then it sure isn't the processor. The next thing I would be looking at is DLL versions.

[ihelpyou]

All I have is a P11 450 with 128 of ram.

[TopDog]

We've not had any reports of problems like that. Do you have any additional (or virtual) desktop software installed, or run dual monitors?

Keep in mind that the TopDog project files are compressed. They will typically consume twice the size of the project files when loaded into RAM. If you're running a lot of search terms on all the search engines, that might be the cause of the apparent slowdown.

Also, if you're using a high-speed internet conneciton, TopDog might be overestimating the available bandwidth and start too many threads. Try turning off the checkbox for "Optimize Threads" in Tools | Options | Performance dialog, and enter a small number (such as 10) in the "threads" field.

-- David Cecil
http://www.topdog.com

[ihelpyou]

hey David, go to your "user cp" and set up your signature. That way it will show in every post.

[Blue]

Do you have any additional (or virtual) desktop software installed, or run dual monitors?

I run dual monitors on my PIII 750Mhz 384MB RAM WIN ME (I know, I know....why ME?) system. Does running dualies cause problems with TD?

And what do you mean by additional desktop software? Are you referring to programs that run in the system tray? And what issues does TD have with this software (if any) ~ (was all that just in reference to WebWhiz's problem?)

Please forgive all these questions but since you're here, and I'm considering purchasing TD soon, I thought I'd ask. :)

Oh, and I'm glad to have someone with your level of expertise in these forums (not that everyone else is chopped liver lol)!!! OK, I'll shut-up now...

[ihelpyou]

Well, I have ATnotes, ZoneAlarm, AdSubtract, and Norton Anti-Virus all running in the system tray so I do not think that would be the problem.

[Advisor]

TopDog, you're not hearing me. The TopDog program isn't even running when this is happening. It's just open.

I'll try like Doug said and reinstall it. I know I did have all windows programs closed the first time, but I'll do it again.

What's happening is when TD is open, anything else I open after does not get a spot in my windows toolbar below for some reason. So if I minimize that other application or whatever, it can't be found anywhere! And, no, I'm not running anything weird, and no, it doesn't happen when anything else is open except TopDog. Never ever happened before until yesterday when I installed TD. Once I close TD, all is back to normal.

Will let you know if the reinstall helps.

Jill

[ihelpyou]

That is extremely strange. Maybe you need to just :hit:

OR, maybe you and Heather could simply kiss your puter to make it better? :ladysman:

hey, that rhymed.

[Advisor]

Yes, I'm sure my 'puter would like that. But how'd Heather get mixed up into this???

J

[ihelpyou]

hmmm, don't know. I guess I just have always associated you and her.

But I would go ahead and completely uninstall the program, then download it again from the TD site, then install again. What you are describing is very bizarre behavior.

[Advisor]

Well, unfortunately, Heather lives on the other coast, so there will be no kissing of my computer by her for awhile. You'll just have to dream about it!

I just uninstalled and then reinstalled, but it did the same thing. Takes over my toolbar and won't let any other programs on it! I didn't download the program again, used the same one I had received yesterday. I guess that will be my next try. But I'm kinda fed up with it right now!

Jill

[TopDog]

I have dual monitors on my Windows2000 system and the video drivers are somewhat buggy. Windows seems to have a hard time figuring out what to do with things, particularly with Outlook email messages -- sometimes they're maximized across the correct monitor, sometimes they show up on the other monitor, sometimes they're maximized across both. I'm constantly having to fiddle with moving windows around, which is very annoying as you no doubt know. This isn't related to TopDog, though, which has no interaction with anything like that or the system tray icons, either.

[Blue]

Thanks TopDog!