Search and Filtering

Search Modes

Colpan supports three practical search modes:

Mode	Requirement	Speed	Typical Use
Indexed Search	Hash index exists	Very fast	Daily workflow
Disk Scan Fallback	No index	Slower	First-time search
Instant Search	Drag-and-drop files/folders	Fast for ad-hoc sets	One-off investigation

Instant Search (No Index Required)

Instant mode lets you search a temporary file set without creating a profile index.

1. Switch to Instant tab.
2. Drag and drop UDF files/folders.
3. Run query directly.
4. Clear the temporary set when done.

Use this mode when:

• you need quick checks on a temporary folder
• you do not want to change profile indexes
• you are validating imported files

External Index Databases (+ DB Add)

You can attach a hash index created on another machine.

1. Click + DB Add.
2. Select external index header.txt.
3. Give it a display name.
4. Activate/deactivate it like a normal source.

Expected external index structure:

ExternalIndex/
|- header.txt
|- content.bin
`- content.idx

Notes:

• files are not copied into Colpan
• this is search-only integration
• in current app behavior, DB Add is disabled on Profile 1

Filter Types

• file name filter
• path filter
• date range filter
• result limit

Practical Pattern

1. Start with a broad keyword.
2. Add CQL operators.
3. Apply date/path filters.
4. Reduce result limit for quick iteration.

Example

(contract|agreement);termination!template

Then narrow with:

• path filter (specific court/year folders)
• date range filter
• lower result limit

Related Docs

• CQL Basics
• Directory Management
• Results List