BlackWidow for Windows

Used BlackWidow for Windows?

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Editors’ Review

Download.com staffFebruary 29, 2024

This Web spider utility detects and displays detailed information for a user-selected Web page, and it offers other Web page tools.

BlackWidow's clean, logically tabbed interface is simple enough for intermediate users to follow but offers just enough under the hood to satisfy advanced users. Simply enter your URL of choice and press Go. BlackWidow uses multithreading to quickly download all files and test the links. The operation takes only a few minutes for small Web sites.

Webmasters will love the comprehensive list of broken links and error codes. Finding file locations is simple, since the utility displays the full Web site directory structure. A handy feature searches a Web site to find all properly formatted e-mail addresses, although a tool to find broken addresses would have been a nice addition. It's easy to track the spider's process in the Threads tab, and you'll find a powerful net sniffer in the Net Spy tab that can watch all traffic that moves through your network card. Advanced users will enjoy tools to create plug-ins and apply filters to the spidering process.

The program loads with tips and information and includes a demo. The information is helpful, but the demo is incomplete, leaving some users with only a partial idea of the program's flexibility. Advanced users will appreciate BlackWidow's numerous features and flexibility.

BlackWidow for Windows

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: November 8, 2011

Latest update: February 29, 2024

Version: 6.30

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 10
Windows 7

Additional Requirements: None

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 497,891

Downloads Last Week: 1

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Program available in other languages

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.9/5

39 User Votes

Really Poor and Clumsy. PAY program... for what?
KlodfoneJuly 12, 2015
Pros
What it promised was good but what I got was the directory list but no content from the website. The flash files and images were not collected in the folder as promised and it failed with flying colors upon test.
Cons
They don't get much worse than this. I am going to have to look for something better to pull content from websites.
Summary
Save your time. Save yourselves. Look elsewhere unless you are a sadist and like beating yourself over the head to make this work.
I'm impressed -- up and running in 10 minutes.
karynlJanuary 31, 2013
Pros
This couldn't be much easier. Its fast, efficient, and I haven't found any glitches so far. When I had a weird javascript message show up in the browser address line, their support got back to me within an hour and explained the issue.
Cons
When you use the browser, don't click the enticing green arrow. It might work for you, but I got a javascript message in the URL field and of course it couldn't scan that. When I followed support's instructions, and just put the address, didn't click anything, and then said "Scan" everything worked perfectly.
Summary
I haven't finished evaluating the program yet, but so far it seems very fast, flexible and full featured. Of all the things it says it does, I can vouch for all the ones that fall under the "Basic" tab. I will leave it to someone else to evaluate the Advanced features. If you have a use for this, it's going to save you some SERIOUS time and frustration!
v6 is really fast and easy compare to v5
friesenjMarch 27, 2010
Pros
I especially like the scripting capabilities to control my scan. Now I can extract obscured emails, generate links not listed on the site, and much more.
Cons
Did not find any cons.
Summary
The language uses is SBL but it is really a combination of Pascal, Basic, javascript, php like, and it can be mixed! cool, and very simple. There is a Basic setting, and an Expert setting which is absolutely fantastic. v6 is way more easy to use while the scripting capabilities lets you control the scan at 100%. The folks at SoftByte Labs are really helpful and so as there Q&A board. Just ask and they will answer quickly. I strongly recommend this software to anyone. use it from adult sites to webmaster tools.
No easy Search for the web
ttooley7May 16, 2008
Pros
Cons
comberson and unable to understand how to perform a basic search of the web, Only wantted to do searches on my computer.
Summary
Overly complex. No option to uninstall Black widow
eliteusDecember 1, 2007
Pros
Absolutely nothing
Cons
I regret waisting time on this peace of crap. No support for uninstall. Very hard to configure (I'm IT professional). Very few and poorly writtten help files.
Summary
Not much help...
AGrimwadeNovember 29, 2007
Pros
Large number of capabilities. It doesn't crash or do anything unexpected.
Cons
No help system or easy way to find out how to use this software. Each dialog presents large numbers of choices, but their meaning and use are not explained anywhere obvious.
Summary
Overly complex
Timothy1388September 21, 2007
Pros
Nice looking interface
Cons
Slooow install. Something about creating filters or such - much programming needed apparently. No one button solution offered. Couldn't figure out how to use it so I didn't
Summary
evaul not sufficient
ccccarterApril 13, 2007
Pros
Cons
Evaluation version would not save the html pages so it's kinda hard to judge it for my needs. It only saves the pages in its proprietary format.
Summary
Exceptionally
simthrunJune 6, 2006
Pros
It really increses the download speed and maintains constant speed.This program makes me love it for it's features and speed - even though it can be obtrusive and angry when you attempt to unistall it.
Cons
Summary
excellent if you're undemanding
npeirceNovember 6, 2005
Pros
good viewing of what you have or will download. <p> <p>tabs and directory tree structure make a nice interface once you get the hang of it. <p> <p>i'm looking for something that can roll numbers in pathnames and filenames and this can roll numbers, sort of (see cons). <p> <p>once the painful process of guessing what features do is behind you, this program is pretty good.
Cons
it can roll numbers, but only in the filname, not in the pathname. Example: <p> <p>wherever.com/folder002/pic07.jpg <p> <p>It can roll pic07.jpg to pic08.jpg and so on, but YOU have to input folder002 and folder003 and so on. it lets you input a links page, so that's not quite so painful if you know how to use find-replace features in whatever text editor you use to quickly create a links page. <p> <p>By the way, it can pad pic99 to pic099 and it can roll pic099 to pic100 but can't roll pic99 to pic100 which is what you need more often than not when rolling numbers in filenames. <p> <p>it took me a while to figure out using a local links page. <p> <p>unhelpful error comes up when executing after loading a local links page unless you have a url, ANY url, in the main url box, even though there are plenty of urls in your links page. that one was hard to figure out, because i thought something must be wrong with my local links page. <p> <p>scan/download is manual usually, but automatic when you merely select a local links page. <p> <p>things like that are just asking for repeated user error. <p> <p>the links file can be a text file, but must be full of html links, with A HREF and such, not just a list of urls. that's just silly. <p> <p>the scan filters are great, but i see no way to apply them other than to delete the current scan and start over with the filters in place. <p> <p>help files mention url filter and file filter tabs for dealing with filters but help doesn't bother to mention WHERE to find those tabs. most of those features mentioned seem to be in the scan filters section, so i think the help files weren't updated since a previous version. <p> <p>i gave it three stars instead of four because the price implies the intended scope/scale. for 40 bucks i want the features that it includes to be fleshed out, thought out, flexible, not stubborn and skeletal.
Summary

Developer’s Description

By SoftByte Labs

Preview the site directory and file structure and download only what you're looking for.