D.S.T. documentation

Databases Searching Tool documentation

Operational documentation for the current desktop scheduler release: installation, Search Profiles, controlled SQL Server search, Search Memory, scheduled searches, Windows tray runtime, Start with Windows, scheduled shutdown and scoped Agent API access.

This page gives the public web version. The complete offline manual is also available as a standalone HTML file with embedded screenshots and no external dependencies.

Version 1.3.0-desktop-scheduler English documentation Offline HTML available
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Quick start

Install, open, create a profile, search.

The app runs locally on Windows and opens a local browser UI. Keep the default localhost setup unless you have a deliberate and protected remote-access plan.

1. Start locally

Extract the ZIP, run Databases Searching Tool.exe and open http://127.0.0.1:8765.

2. Define a profile

Create a Search Profile with a read-only SQL account, credential source and approved databases, tables and columns.

3. Run preflight

Use Preflight to estimate the scan scope before running a search across operational data.

4. Review memory

Search results, scheduler runs and agent-accessible history are stored in Search Memory according to profile settings.

D.S.T. light-mode search screen with profile-backed connection mode, workspace and scope fields D.S.T. dark-mode search screen with profile-backed connection mode, workspace and scope fields
The main Search screen for profile-backed lookup, preflight, search, cancellation and exports.

Search Profiles

Profiles are the control boundary.

A Search Profile defines where the tool may search and how results may be retained, exported or exposed to an agent. Scheduled searches and Agent API searches must use profiles.

Approved scope

Allowed databases, tables and columns are explicit allowlists. Blank request scope means all items allowed by the profile, not the entire SQL Server.

Credential references

Profiles use environment-variable credential references, Windows Credential Manager or local vault references. API responses do not expose credential values.

Limits

Profiles define preview rows, export rows, page size, timeout and maximum databases/tables/columns per search.

History and visibility

History modes include metadata_only, summary_only, preview_rows and reserved full-row visibility.

{ "profile_id": "main_lookup_readonly", "auth_mode": "environment_credential", "credential_ref": "DST_SQL_LOOKUP_SECRET", "allowed_databases": ["PrimaryDB"], "allowed_tables": ["dbo.Contacts"], "allowed_columns": ["Email", "ReferenceNo"], "history_enabled": true, "history_detail_mode": "summary_only", "max_concurrent_searches": 2 }

Search Memory

History, workspaces and saved searches are first-class features.

Search Memory is stored locally in SQLite and records human, agent and scheduler runs. Access is filtered by profile and token permissions.

D.S.T. light-mode Search Memory screen with history filters, workspace and saved searches D.S.T. dark-mode Search Memory screen with history filters, workspace and saved searches
Search Memory gives operators a structured place to review previous searches, rerun work and inspect scheduler results.

Scheduler

Recurring searches update Search Memory.

The scheduler runs profile-backed searches on manual, once-at, interval, daily or weekly recurrence. It does not accept direct connection fields or raw SQL.

D.S.T. light-mode Scheduler screen with recurring search and startup controls D.S.T. dark-mode Scheduler screen with recurring search and startup controls
Scheduler screen with recurring search setup, run history, Start with Windows and shutdown controls.

Allowed recurrence

manual_only, once_at, interval, daily_at and weekly_at.

Overlap policy

Policies include skip, queue and cancel_old, with global and profile concurrency limits.

Agent visibility

Agents can read scheduled searches and runs only when token and profile history permissions allow it.

Desktop runtime

Tray mode, Start with Windows and controlled shutdown.

The final EXE is built as a Windows GUI application, so the tray runtime can run without a console window.

Databases Searching Tool.exe --default --tray --minimized --no-open-browser

Runtime status

GET /runtime/status reports server status, tray status, host, port, URL and scheduler status.

Start with Windows

Autostart uses the current user's HKCU Run entry and launches the packaged EXE minimized to tray.

Scheduled shutdown

Shutdown schedules support once-at, daily, weekly and after-runtime modes with graceful cancellation of active searches.

Agent API

Agents get scoped search, not database credentials.

Agent API is disabled by default. When enabled, bearer tokens define profiles, permissions, rate limits, page size and result visibility.

D.S.T. light-mode Agent Access screen with scoped tokens and audit controls D.S.T. dark-mode Agent Access screen with scoped tokens and audit controls
Agent Access screen for scoped tokens, audit review and emergency Agent API disable.
GET /api/v1/agent/capabilities POST /api/v1/agent/search GET /api/v1/agent/history POST /api/v1/agent/search-plan GET /api/v1/agent/scheduled-searches

Forbidden fields: Agent request bodies are rejected if they contain server, user, password, connection_string or sql anywhere in the JSON body.

Troubleshooting

Where to look when something does not work.

UI does not openOpen http://127.0.0.1:8765 manually, check /health or change the port.
Credential missingCheck the environment variable, Windows Credential Manager entry or local vault reference.
Search too broadRun Preflight, narrow databases/tables/columns or reduce profile allowlists.
Scheduler skippedCheck recurrence, next_run_at, profile history settings and concurrency limits.
Agent 401/403Check Agent API enabled state, bearer token, token expiry/revocation, profile assignment and permissions.
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