16 December 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.2.3 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.3 is available now for all Opus 10 users.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.3 x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.3 x64 (64 bit)

Directory Opus 10.0.2.3 Deutsch x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.3 Deutsch x64 (64 bit)

This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10.

New features and minor changes:

  • The Preferences filter is now cleared if you click your mouse/keyboard's Back button to go back to a page which is currently hidden by your filter. (Previously, the page would be shown while the tree was left with some other page selected.)
  • After the first time you apply a Preferences filter, you no longer have to click Back twice to go back to the previous page if applying the filter did not cause the page to be changed.
  • Archive extensions handled by plugins are automatically removed from the list of Zip extensions, both at startup and when applying Prefs. (Avoids problems if people mistakenly add .RAR to the list of Zip extensions, or confusion over which handler is being used for .ZipX.)
  • During shutdown, the config file listing your active toolbars is only saved if it's different to what's already on disk.

Bug fixes:

  • Fixed problems with dummy folders appearing in the tree underneath Libraries.
  • The help window is no longer obscured by the Preferences or Customize windows if they are set to "on top of Opus" mode.
  • Fixed problem with the Location field showing internal library paths for library items added to collections.
  • Internal library paths are now resolved to their real filesystem paths before being passed to rename scripts.
  • Pressing F1 to display file/EXIF information in the viewer now works for plugin-supplied images like RAW.
  • Fixed problem where expanding a folder tree branch in a library could trigger a password prompt if the folder contained any password-protected archives.
  • Fixed newly/recently created items being auto-selected after creating a new folder, if "Automatically select newly copied files" was on.
  • After cropping or restoring an image in the viewer, the image dimensions displayed in the status bar is now updated.
  • Previously, if you did a crop, rotate, undo and reset-rotation then the image would end up rotated from what it was originally.
  • If the viewer was set to fit-to-page or grow-to-page and you cropped an image and then zoomed in or out, the new zoom size was miscalculated (although only for that first jump).

9 December 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.2.2 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.2 is available now for all Opus 10 users.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.2 x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.2 x64 (64 bit)

Directory Opus 10.0.2.2 Deutsch x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.2 Deutsch x64 (64 bit)

This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10.

New features and minor changes:

  • Preferences and Customize filters now filter as you type, without the need to push return. The Prefs filter no longer loses focus after running a search, allowing you to more easily refine your search.
  • The Set command can now move the slider between dual file displays. Use Set DUALSIZE=50 to make both displays 50% wide/tall, Set DUALSIZE=25 to make the left/top display 25% while the other is 75%, etc. You can also make buttons which toggle between two sizes, e.g. Set DUALSIZE=75,50 will make the first display use 75% of space when clicked once, then restore both displays to using 50% when clicked again.

Bug fixes:

  • Sub-menus set to open "above the menu button" would open on top of the button instead of above it, making it easy to accidentally click the bottom item.
  • Workaround for Send To -> Mail Recipient not working with Outlook 2003, due to Outlook 2003 loading its DLLs in an non-secure way which Opus 10 blocked by default.
  • Workaround for issue dragging attachments from Outlook to Opus, where Outlook would interpret the drop action as a Move rather than a Copy.
  • The @ifset directive can now be used to test which side of a dual display Lister is source (e.g. @ifset:source=left, @ifset:dest=left, @ifset:focus=right, etc)
  • Folder colors now work more reliably in libraries - a colored folder will show in both the library path as well as the real disk path, and library roots and individual member folders in the tree (if shown) can be colored
  • InfoTips now appear for files in Search Results collections if enabled for local drives only
  • Fixed problem with top-level checkbox behaviour in Sync results.
  • Toolbar buttons which run Set DUAL=vert and Set DUAL=horiz now have their visual state updated as soon as the dual-display orientation changes.
  • Invoking a user command and passing selected filenames to it with the {file} etc codes now works correctly.
  • Fixed problem where dummy/duplicate folders could appear in the tree underneath Libraries
  • Configuration restore from a library path now works
  • Display of duration, etc, now supported for .WTV files (the .wtv suffix must be added to the settings for the Movie plugin if it isn't already)
  • Fixed problem where a newly created zip file could be cached and incorrectly displayed as empty even after folder added to it (triggered by Copy ZIP=Single,KeepFolder command)
  • When the list was grouped, running the Select HIDEUNSEL command and then revealing hidden files would not correctly regroup the displayed files
  • Dragging a file with the right button from a library to a physical folder now displays the correct drop menu
  • The {leftpath} and {rightpath} control codes are now resolved correctly for library paths
  • The Customize / Keys list no longer considers disabled hotkeys as duplicates (drawn in red).
  • Drops on the tree and toolbar buttons no longer leave the drag image visible while processing the drop.
  • Double-click on list in Customize/Keys was unreliable

8 December 2011

Warning about CNet / Download.com bundled installers

Until very recently, if you downloaded Directory Opus from CNet / Download.com you may have received a bundled installer, filename starting with "cnet_", with unwanted extras such as advertising, browser toolbars, browser home-page modifications or other junk. (The exact modifications varied.)

In some cases these modified installers triggered anti-virus warnings, and quite rightly so.

Due to the way the CNet / Download.com installers were packaged and presented, they may have given the impression that the unwanted extras were endorsed by, or even part of, Directory Opus. This was not the case. The modified installers hosted on Download.com were created entirely without GPSoftware's knowledge or permission.

After battling with their support team, CNet have finally agreed to remove their modifications and return to hosting proper, untainted versions of Directory Opus on their site. We still make this announcement so that anyone affected by CNet's actions knows the story and to help spread the word to other developers whose software may still be on Download.com in a modified state.

The official installers for Directory Opus have always been available from GPSoftware directly and have never contained anything but the product itself. If you ever need to verify that a Directory Opus installer is unmodified, check its digital signature. If the digital signature is missing, invalid, or created by someone other than GPSoftware, you should delete the file and download a replacement from GPSoftware or an official distributor:


CNet's modifications have been done to many other software products listed on Download.com. For background reading, and to give credit to those who brought this issue to wider attention, please see here:


With news of this spreading, CNet sent an email to developers explaining that the scheme is in its early stages and that next year we'll all be able to share in the profits. We have told them that they can either host our installers unmodified or not host them at all. We have no interest in profiting by pushing unwanted junk on unsuspecting users.

We know that bundling browser toolbars and other garbage would be a way to make a quick buck but we also know it would devalue our product and disrespect our users. We hate seeing that rubbish when we install other products, especially ones we paid good money for, and we're not about to push it on anyone else. We make Directory Opus good enough that people choose to install it; we don't build Directory Opus as a lure to trick people into installing other junk on behalf of third parties whose products are not good enough to sell themselves. It may be unfashionable but we believe in selling our product, not selling our users.

Like many others, we are extremely disappointed that CNet have been adding this nonsense to our work and in such a dubious way, making an extra profit at the expense of our users and our reputation. It is ridiculous that these modifications were done without notification, let alone authorisation. CNet had no right to use our intellectual property or trademarks in this way. The scheme should never have been "opt-out" in the first place and it is absurd that it took us several emails, bordering on legal threats, to actually opt out. It is still a problem that so much other software hosted on CNet / Download.com will continue to be modified in this way until its authors find out and assert their rights.


While I'm here...

If you search Download.com for Directory Opus, the third hit you get (after the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Opus) is a program called iSysCleaner Pro. It is included in the results because it claims to clean up "Third party applications junk files (Acrobat Reader, AVG Anti-virus, Directory Opus, Microsoft Terminal Server Client, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera)."

Intrigued by this, and not finding any further details on its website, I downloaded the tool to find out what it does. Its configuration file reveals that it simply looks for and deletes the Directory Opus thumbnail cache:

[Directory Opus]
version=1.1
selected=1
display=Directory Opus Thumbnail Cache
items=1
0.folder_include={localappdata}\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\Thumbnail Cache
0.extension_include=*.db
0.subfolder=0

The thumbnail cache is not what I would call "junk" data, but if you do wish to clear it or disable it entirely, you don't need a third party tool. Just go to Settings -> Preferences / File Display Modes / Thumbnails, click Adjust cache settings and then Empty. After doing that you can also clear the Cache thumbnails checkbox to disable caching.

23 November 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.2.1 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.1 is available now for all Opus 10 users.

Directory Opus 10.0.2.1 x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.1 x64 (64 bit)

Directory Opus 10.0.2.1 Deutsch x86 (32 bit)
Directory Opus 10.0.2.1 Deutsch x64 (64 bit)

This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10.



New features and minor changes:

  • Added LOADPREV argument to Find command to control loading of previous find parameters when find panel opens
  • Added REF argument to Help command to open the help file showing certain reference pages
  • Added relsoftlink option for Copy MAKELINK and Clipboard PASTELINK commands to allow creation of relative soft links.
  • The Description column now shows relative link targets as well as absolute targets
  • In thumbnails mode, the next (not yet visible) row of thumbnails is now cached in advance to make browsing through images faster
  • Added /acmd argument to the DOpusRT program– this is similar to /cmd but sends the command to last active window instead of source window.

Bug fixes:

  • Fixed a layout/painting issue when resizing tree view
  • Using the command sequence {file$|noext} with Copy ADDTOARCHIVE CREATEFOLDER now works correctly
  • Dropping files on Go PATH toolbar buttons now respects the copy/move/link restrictions imposed by the drop target and also allows RMB drag to display a menu
  • Drags from archives handled by the Opus7Zip plugin now exclude Move operations for read-only archives (instead of leaving them available and showing an error message if they are attempted)
  • On Windows XP, the Find tool (and other things which trigger a progress bar or marquee behind the Location field) could cause excessive CPU usage and an unresponsive UI while taking longer than they should to complete.
  • Fixed problem with shortcuts to control panels on XP which didn’t work in Opus when double-clicked.
  • Context menu 'Search' command did not work on Drives folder tree under Windows XP.
  • Setting a description on a directory now works correctly when using NTFS descriptions (no longer complains that the descript.ion system is disabled).
  • In the Select Folder dialog (e.g. {dlgfolder} in a command), fixed the ability to type a new folder path and click OK to create that folder.
  • Fixed problem with Toolbar location fields not repainting in response to colour changes.
  • The Advanced Rename preview list was not updated correctly when selecting a preset that turns on or off the "Rename in sub-folders" option
  • Documents are now added to the system recent list when double-clicked
  • The Image drop-down in the Filter editor did not display a scrollbar
  • Changes to icon overlays (e.g. from TortoiseSVN) are now reflected in the folder tree correctly
  • In Windows 7, control panel shortcuts created by searching in the start menu didn’t always work in Opus.
  • Fixed problem with the Metapane being unable to edit certain image files (saving changes would fail, and leave a temporary file in the source directory)
  • In fullscreen/slideshow mode the viewer now properly hides the mouse cursor (previously it would flick on and off when the next image was loaded)
  • Find filters for certain Image fields (e.g. aspect ratio) did not work correctly
  • The Zip Comment command did not appear in the background context menu for zips in libraries
  • Applying a label to a folder via the tree (context menu) could result in the label being applied to the wrong folder; and in some cases, the originally selected folder in the tree would stop working until the tree was rebuilt
  • Flickr config data was left behind after deleting a Flickr account from Prefs.
  • The ActiveX plugin now assigns SVG files to Internet Explorer by default. (IE9 or above is required to display SVG files.)
  • The ActiveX plugin sets Windows Media Player to 100% volume, instead of its default 50%.
  • A button that starts with an @ifset: directive will now use the parameters for that directive as the basis for context sensitivity (e.g. as if it was a straight Set command) rather than the command that follows it.
  • Archives were not sorted correctly in the folder tree when listed below a library
  • File displays did not correctly respect the system drag-distance metric.
  • Saving the folder format "for all folders" now disables all the default format types
  • Grouping the file display by a metadata column that took a while to populate could cause rendering issues once all the metadata had been read
  • The {fd} command sequence did not correctly resolve the path of files in libraries
  • Adding folders to zip files with the Copy ZIP command did not work correctly in libraries
  • Tagging files in the viewer did not work for files in libraries.
  • The ContextMenu internal command did not work properly for files in libraries.
  • When alt-clicking to edit a toolbar button that was in a sub-menu of a chevron menu (e.g. had been pushed off-screen because the toolbar was too small) changes to the toolbar button would not be saved
  • When viewing a library in FlatView Grouped mode, make changes to folders could cause a dummy folder to be displayed in the library
  • Changing system locale settings now causes date and time columns to update immediately instead of on the next directory refresh.
  • Date/Time columns (e.g. "Modified") now align and truncate better. If the column isn't wide enough, the time part will be truncated first while keeping the date part lined up.
  • The internal sound player didn’t work on files in libraries
  • The FileType NEWNAME argument didn’t work correctly in libraries.
  • When ‘Preserve descriptions of copied files’ option is on, folder descriptions are now preserved as well as file descriptions
  • The Clipboard COPYNAMES=path command now copies the correct path when used within a Quick Find Results collection
  • In Libraries, the {infotip} sequence did not work in tooltips
  • The command “Rename FROM {filepath$|..|noterm} TO {file$|noext}” now works correctly.
  • Fixed problem where folders could incorrectly appear in Flat View (No Folders) mode if they were renamed.
  • The Copy AS argument now works correctly when creating a zip file
  • The Preferences tree control didn’t indicate when a branch had focus when not themed.
  • Fixed crash when right-clicking one item followed immediately by another item in the Styles menu
  • Reduced lag when smooth scrolling is enabled and repainting is slow. (e.g. Huge window in thumbnails mode with a background image.)
  • Fixed the look of status bar graphs with g=3 or g=4 on a glass background.
  • Fixed black square instead of context menu icon for Notepad++ on Windows XP.
  • Fixed support for drag and drop from Eudora
  • Fixed some cases where drag & drop on to a folder (or toolbar button which navigates to a folder) would not restrict the copy/move/link restrictions imposed by the drop source.
  • Fixed problem with jumplist icons and roaming profiles. (Jumplist icons are now cached into a roaming-profile folder, since the jumplist that refers to them is inherently stored in the roaming profile as well.)
  • Blacklisted problematic shell extension: Qualcomm Atheros Commnucations Bluetooth Suite (BtvAppExt.dll, {B8952421-0E55-400B-94A6-FA858FC0A39F}).
  • Fixed some painting issues with the Folder Options - Columns list when unthemed.
  • Fixed first item being given the focus after folder change if "automatically select first item" was turned on but another command quickly changed the selection/focus after the folder change.
  • With item-themes disabled, lasso-selection did not re-paint the left edge of the Name column until the mouse button was released.
  • The ActiveX plugin now sets Windows Media Player and Quicktime (and possibly others) to only play the selected file once, instead of in a loop.
  • The Find-As-You-Type field's "DOS Command" mode incorrectly used the colours configured for its "Command" mode, when triggered via the '?' keypress.
  • Fixed some painting issues with the Preferences page list when sections near the bottom were expanded and collapsed.
  • Fixed problem with the SSL library initialisation failing in some situations.
  • FTP Fixed issues with strange router/server reports of “unable to assign requested address”.
  • FTP Fixed issue with SFTP failing with “server key mismatch” for some servers.

8 November 2011

Heads up: Right-click crashes triggered by Qualcomm Atheros Bluetooth Suite

We've had several crash reports recently which turned out to be triggered by Qualcomm Atheros Bluetooth Suite and the shell extension it installs.

If you have that software installed (and it may come pre-installed with some computers), and you are also getting crashes when right-clicking files, then it is probably the trigger.

The shell extension in question will be blacklisted in the next Opus update (after 10.0.2.0), but if you are affected by it now you can manually tell Opus to ignore it:

  • Go to Settings -> Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced.

  • Double-click ignore_context_menus.

  • Paste this into the list:

    {B8952421-0E55-400B-94A6-FA858FC0A39F}

  • Click OK twice.



(The shell extension appears to create its own background threads and windows when files are right-clicked, then falls over if the extension is unloaded while those threads/windows still exist. The COM object's name (shown in the debug output) is the generic-looking AppShellPage Class, and the associated DLL is C:\Program Files\Bluetooth Suite\BtvAppExt.dll.)


For more information on tracking down problematic shell extensions, see our FAQ: Crash, exit or high CPU when right-clicking certain files. The steps in that FAQ were used to track down this problem and work out what needed to be added to the ignore list.

How to create a Styles tab-bar (like Opus 9)

Directory Opus 10's default toolbars have the Styles list in a menu:



Directory Opus 9's default toolbars had a row of tabs, instead. You can still have that in Opus 10 if you want:



If you upgraded from Opus 9 to Opus 10, you may still have the old "Tabbar" toolbar, in which case you just need to turn it on:


  • Go to Settings -> Customize Toolbars.
  • Select the Toolbars tab.
  • If Tabbar is in the list, simply turn it on and click OK.


If you don't have the old toolbar, don't worry; it is very easy to create from scratch.


You can add the tabs to an existing toolbar but you'll probably want to give them a whole row, so let's create a new toolbar for them to live on:


  • Go to Settings -> Customize Toolbars and select the Toolbars tab, as before.
  • Click the New Toolbar icon above the list of toolbars.
  • Call the new toolbar "Tabbar" (or whatever you want).

You should now see a new, blank toolbar below your old ones. Now:


  • In the Customize window, select the Commands tab.
  • Type styles into the filter at the bottom of the window.
  • One of the matching items should be called Lister Styles - Tabs.
  • Drag the item out of the Customize window and drop it on your toolbar.


While in Customize mode, you won't see the actual tabs; instead you'll see a placeholder that designates where the tabs will appear. (Click OK in the Customize window to save your changes and make the tabs appear.)


While in Customize mode, you can right-click the placeholder to change how the tabs will look. You'll probably want to turn on the Use Visual Styles option:



Also, if you choose Edit... in the same menu, you can change or remove the "Styles:" label that appears to the left of the tabs:


2 October 2011

The update cycle and lifetime licences

(See also: List of FAQs organised by topic)

  • Major Updates vs Minor Updates

    (Not to be confused with Stable vs Beta updates, which is covered separately.)

    Put simply, 'major updates' are when the first part of the version number changes and 'minor updates' are all the others in-between.

    All of the 9.x.x.x updates are considered to be part of the same 'major version', i.e. 'Directory Opus 9'.

    Similarly, all of the 10.x.x.x updates are part of a different 'major version', i.e. 'Directory Opus 10'.

    These terms and conventions are not absolute and aren't used by all programs. For example, Chrome and Firefox don't assign much meaning to their major version numbers and will bump them for fairly minor updates. Similarly, while one 'minor' Opus update may only contain a handful of changes, another may contain so many that it would qualify as a 'major' update for many other products.

  • Lifetime Licences vs Lifetime Update Licences

    When you buy Directory Opus you get a lifetime licence to use the current major version (e.g. 'Directory Opus 10'). All updates released for the same major version are yours for free and you can keep using them forever.

    There are typically three or four years between each major version change. (See below for a detailed look at that.)

    When a new major version is released you are given the option of buying it for an upgrade fee. (You may also qualify for a free upgrade. The time window varies but, as an example, people were given free upgrades if they bought Opus 9 within four months of Opus 10's release.)

    If you choose to buy the upgrade then you can use the new major version, and any updates released for it, forever.

    If you decide not to buy the upgrade then you can ignore it and continue using your existing version forever. (You can also change your mind and buy the upgrade later, of course.)

    So, buying Opus gives you a lifetime licence and (typically) a lot of free updates over a long period of time, but it does not entitle you to free updates forever.

    (Obviously, the 'lifetime licence' is subject to the conditions of the licence agreement. Your licence may become void if you share your registration details with half the Internet or anything silly like that.)

  • Update Size and Frequency

    If you look at the history of Directory Opus, people were only asked to pay for major updates every three to four years. (Most recently: 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2011. As an aside, the price of Opus has remained fixed over that decade, although the foreign-exchange rate has fluctuated.)

    In the years between major updates, many minor updates were given away for free. Although they are called 'minor' updates, those free updates weren't just occasional bug-fixes; some of them added significant features & improvements.

    Many companies charge money (often once a year, like clockwork) for 'major' updates with fewer improvements than you get with the free 'minor' Opus updates. Those companies would not even think of producing an update as big as a 'major' Opus update.

    A lot of work goes into the free updates while effort towards the next major version ramps up slowly in the background. Major updates are not released according to the calendar; they are worked on until it is felt they are worth asking money for. Of course, if a major update is released and you don't think it's worth the asking price then you can skip it and continue using the version you already have.

    As a guide, the list below shows the complete update cycle from Opus 9 to Opus 10, plus the Opus 10 updates to the time of writing. Each version links to a change-log so you can see how big or small it was.

    Directory Opus 9 consisted of fifty updates over four years. Free updates added hundreds of improvements and features, including a native 64-bit version (Opus 9.1 in Dec 2007) and Windows 7 support (Opus 9.5 in Oct 2009).

    In the list below, all of the updates were free except for the two major updates in bold.



  • Why not Lifetime Updates?

    You get a lot of free updates with Opus, and you get to use whatever you buy forever without having to pay again, but you don't get free updates forever. Why not?

    The short answer is that a lot of full-time work gets put into Opus and the people who do that work need to earn a living so they can keep doing it.

    Of course, some programs do give you free updates forever. How can this be? If you look at those programs they almost all fall into these groups:

    1. Programs which never get significant updates.

      It's very easy to promise to give you nothing forever for free. :) If you look at the update history of many programs in this camp, you'll get more improvements and better support from a single Opus update cycle than you will get from the other program in a lifetime. In this case, what are you really gaining from the lifetime updates deal? It often just makes it official that there will never be an update worth paying for.

      That isn't to say the programs in this group are bad. Some tools focus on one particular task and do it well without much scope for improvement or need to adapt to changes in Windows or other things they may interact with. We all use (and some of us have written) tools like that, but Opus does not really fit into this group. (If you disagree, you are free to buy the current version of Opus and use it forever!)

    2. Programs where the lifetime updates option costs several times the normal upgrade fee.

      For programs that do have significant ongoing effort put into them, there is usually a hefty premium on the "lifetime updates" option.

      Effectively, you have to pay for several major updates in advance to get the rest for free. You're being asked to pay for future versions before you know what is in them and when -- or even if -- they will actually come out. You will only save money over a very long period, and only if the developers keep making the program and you keep choosing to use it. If development stalls or something better comes along, you could effectively lose money instead of saving it. Even if everything goes well, the amount you'll potentially save is negligible given the length of time and risk involved. Put simply, there are better ways to invest your money.

      A similar option could be offered for Opus but, quite frankly, it does not seem worthwhile. It seems to give questionable value to the user while diminishing the developer's incentive to create updates that are worth buying.

    3. Lifetime update licences that don't actually last a lifetime.

      There are cases where lifetime update licences were sold for products which were then discontinued, only to be replaced by very similar products with different names. People's lifetime update entitlements became worthless because they didn't qualify for the new product and no further updates were released for the old one. Some cases might be "bait and switch" scams while others may just be the result of well-meaning people trying to offer lifetime updates, because it's a nice thing to do, but then ending up without enough income to fund future development. One is worse than the other but neither is good.

      There are also cases where companies used to offer free lifetime updates early in a product's life but circumstances changed such that it no longer made sense to offer the same deal to new customers. (Perhaps the initial deal was to help promote a new product, or the project started as a spare-time hobby but became successful enough to grow into a full-time job.) Those cases are fair enough, provided the existing agreements are honoured, but also irrelevant to Opus since Opus is a well established product with several people working on it full-time.

    4. Completely free software.

      Of course, it would be wrong not to mention free (as in beer) software, which obviously gives you free lifetime updates.

      A lot of free software falls into the first group, with updates restricted to modest changes made by people in their spare time. There are some Windows file managers in this camp but if you think they are good enough then you wouldn't even be considering Directory Opus.

      At least when it comes to polished Windows software, the free software that receives significant, full-time support and development usually has corporate sponsorship behind it, paying for the work to be done one way or another. Unfortunately, nobody has shown interest in acting as a sugar daddy for the development of Windows file managers, so this group is not relevant to Opus.

    There are always exceptions and the groups above don't cover absolutely everything, of course. (e.g. Services funded by advertising where you are the product, not the customer.) But let's be clear: Unless someone wins the lottery, it is a fantasy to expect the amount of time & effort that goes into Opus to be done indefinitely for free. In what other profession would it even be reasonable to ask for that? If you don't appreciate that time & effort, and the multiple years of free updates & support you get with each major version of Opus, then you can choose to use another file manager or to buy Opus but never upgrade it. Presumably you do appreciate the effort or else you would not be here. :)

21 September 2011

"SSL Library" errors, preliminary fix

If you're getting "SSL Library" errors in Opus 10.0.2.0, there's a preliminary fix you can try here:


This has worked for everyone who has tried it & reported back so far, but it is also hot off the compiler so it has not yet been fully tested.

9 September 2011

Directory Opus 10.0.2.0 now available

Directory Opus 10.0.2.0 is now available as a free update for all Directory Opus 10 users.

You can download the update via the GPSoftware website, or use the Check For Program Updates command in the program's Help menu.


This 10.0.2.0 update includes everything from the 10.0.1.x beta versions:This update also includes the following new changes:
  • The new Opus 10 help file (manual) is now complete and included. (Use the Help menu or F1 key to view the built-in copy. You can also view the online version, or download the PDF version for printing.)
  • Google Desktop Search support was broken.
  • With the copy queue enabled, Copy AS / Move AS now asks for new filenames (or rename pattern) when the operation is queued rather than when the job starts running.
  • Automated Find commands (those that use both NAME and IN arguments to automate the Find function) no longer inherit the previous settings of the Find dialog.
  • SetAttr META * no longer modifies the file timestamps if this is disabled in Preferences.
  • The Folder Options Save For All Folders + Layouts & Folder Tabs command did not correctly update folder tab groups.
  • Prefs PAGE=imageshack now opens the correct page.
  • Fixed problem where only the first file would be extracted from a zip file when the contents of the archive were dropped on the desktop.
  • Fixed problem where metadata added to PDF files generated by GhostScript would not be recognised in other programs.

2 September 2011

Opus 10 manual in PDF format

The Opus 10 manual is now also available in PDF format, for those who wish to print it out.

Make sure you have plenty of paper as it's 720 pages!

31 August 2011

Opus 10 manual re-write complete and online

The new manual for Directory Opus 10 is now finished.

The old documentation has been completely re-written for clarity and completeness. Screenshots are used extensively and, particularly in the sections about internal commands, many more examples are provided. This should be a great benefit to old and new users alike.

If you're wondering why the help-file and installer have grown in size recently, it's all the screenshots included in the documentation!

The new manual is in a format which makes it very easy for the team to make changes. So, if you find anything missing or unclear, or even just a typo, let us know and we'll fix it.

  • You can read a web version of the manual now.

    Note: If you have read the web version before, you may need to clear your browser's cache. I found that the table of contents (left panel) would not refresh until I did so.

  • You can now download a PDF version, for printing. See the next post.

  • The forthcoming Opus 10.0.2.0 update will have the new manual built-in and available via the Help menu (or F1 hotkey).

  • (The 10.0.1.6 beta update released a couple of days ago included an almost-complete version of the new manual.)

29 August 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.6 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.6 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


Changes:
  • Fixed some problems Tiles Mode had with background colours and blending.
  • Improvements to List mode column widths:
    • If auto-size columns option is on, columns will auto-size due to file renames / copies (as for Details mode).
    • If auto-size columns option is off and a specific width is set, columns will be fixed to that width.
  • BitLockered removable drives now display a password prompt when trying to access them in Opus (same as in Explorer).
  • PDF documents no longer display 01/01/1601 for Document Created and Last Saved columns when the dates are unset.
  • Now supports 2-bpp grayscale PNG images.

The re-written manual has also been updated, as with previous Opus updates, and is now almost complete. The few remaining pages will be finished before the next non-beta release (10.0.2.0).

27 August 2011

Universal Graphics Viewer Plugin

A new Directory Opus viewer and thumbnail plugin has been released by ZwickySoft, adding support for additional image formats.

The plugin is based on the GFL SDK, a component for decoding various images which was written by Pierre E. Gougelet, the creator of the XnView image-viewer.

The plugin adds support for the 'HDR' format, which I know a several people have requested over the years. For a list of the (many) other formats, and further discussion of the plugin, see this thread at the Opus forums:

9 August 2011

Viewing SVG files in the Opus preview pane

If you have Internet Explorer 9 or above, you can view SVG files in the Opus viewer pane.

SVG file displayed in the Directory Opus viewer pane via Internet Explorer 9

To do this, open the Opus ActiveX plugin configuration, select the "Internet Explorer" line near the bottom, then add .SVG to the list on the right.

(If you're on 64-bit Windows, you have the choice of using 32-bit or 64-bit IE. With current versions of IE, the 32-bit version is the best one to choose.)

Configuring the Opus ActiveX plugin to display SVG files via IE9

Note that this only affects the viewer, not thumbnails. There may be thumbnailers for SVG out there, though.

5 August 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.5 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.5 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


Changes:
  • CLI DOSPROMPT color= argument did not parse the supplied color string properly.
  • Page Up/Down in power/details mode would jump up one line before paging down if visual styles were disabled (or on XP).
  • Fixed issue with archives that could cause a progress bar to open and never close when copying files to the clipboard.
  • 'Open in New Tab' from the context menu on an items in the Favorites menu now works correctly.
  • If the status bar used an MP3 time field ({tmp3} etc) the times are now properly calculated in the icon modes.
  • Fixed crash when trying to load a 2-bpp PNG image.
  • 32-bpp BMP thumbnails were invisible when part of Opus-generated folder thumbnails.
  • Raw camera thumbnails were not properly rotated in Opus-generated folder thumbnails.
  • Updated to latest libpng (security fixes).
  • Context menu items flagged with "LegacyDisable" are now hidden. This in turn means disabling items using NirSoft's ShellMenuView now works with Opus, and Opus no longer shows duplicate Foobar2000 context menus on folders.

1 August 2011

FAQ: Help file does not display correctly

A few users have found that the Opus help file does not display correctly, instead showing the underlying raw HTML/XML code, or a blank window, or similar.

This is caused by something breaking part of the .htm filetype in your system's registry. Microsoft's HTML Help components will go wrong if a particular registry value is set incorrectly.

You can fix this automatically via a .reg file we provide or, if you'd rather do it by hand, via a simple registry edit.

See the FAQ entry for more information. (I'm just linking to it here so that if any updates are required we can do them in one place.)

29 July 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.4 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.4 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


New features and minor changes:
  • The USB export function now has a "Use as dongle" option which lets you export Opus to anywhere, using the nominated flash drive as a dongle only. This means, for example, that you can export to a TrueCrypt partition on the USB drive. When Opus is exported in this mode, the nominated USB drive must be present in the system for the exported licence to work, but Opus itself does not have to be run from that drive.
Bug fixes:
  • Fixed potential crash in My Computer display when a particular USB device is inserted.
  • The ZIP "Save full file paths" option is now respected when adding files from a collection to a zip file.
  • Renaming an item into a sub-folder did not work in libraries.
  • Improved prevention of multiple UAC prompts. e.g. If you do Get Sizes on C:\Windows and decline the UAC prompt, you no longer get multiple prompts appearing.
  • Fixed crash when saving a folder format from the Folder Options dialog if the Folder Formats Prefs dialog was also open and showing a path format's editor.
  • Fixed problem reading FTP folders with # characters at the ends of names.
  • Fixed crash in FTP SFTP code caused by garbage chars in login status responses from the server.
  • Fixed FTP SFTP not re-prompting for password in some cases when the originally given password was incorrect.
  • The Go ROOT command now behaves normally in a "locked-allow-changes" tab (the previous behaviour, of returning to the locked directory, is now provided by Go TABLOCKDIR).
  • The "hotkey disabled" flag wasn't being saved for toolbar buttons.

18 July 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.3 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.3 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


Changes:
  • The Show command now has a FULLSCREEN argument to cause the viewer to open as full-screen automatically.
  • The Go command now has a TABLOCKDIR argument. This lets you revert a locked tab to its original "locked" folder (for example, you could bind the Go TABLOCKDIR command to a hotkey to let you press a key to get the same effect as clicking on the tab). When used with a non-locked tab, this argument simply returns the currently displayed folder (the same as Go CURRENT).
  • It is now possible to lock/unlock more than one folder tab at once:
    • From the tab context menu, hold Shift to lock all, Ctrl to lock all to right, and Ctrl+Shift to lock all to left
    • From the Go TABLOCK command, append "all", "left" or "right" parameters
  • The Tab Group list in Preferences now shows tabs with a defined label in italics, to distinguish them from tabs without a specified label
  • When the Go OPENCONTAINER command is used on an item in a library it will now open the real folder containing the item.

8 July 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.2 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.2 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10.

Changes:
  • Added 'Automatically shrink panel' option to the Find panel. The Find function now also displays a busy indicator in the status bar, which makes it easier to abort the search if the panel is shrunk.
  • Wildcard file filters and the Find function now properly identify ü and Ãœ as the same letter (and the same for other accented letters -- similar to the fix for the FAYT field in the previous version).
  • Clicking on lib:// path components in the file display border, if library member folders were set to be shown individually, could sometimes fail to read the directory clicked on.
  • If the Lister was below a certain size vertically, shrinking and then expanding the utility panel could cause it to appear underneath (in z-order terms) the file displays.
  • The 'Automatically select next file after deleting' option now applies in the folder tree as well as in the file display (so if you delete a folder from the tree and this option is on, the folder's sibling will be selected rather than its parent).
  • Double-clicking on Office shortcuts now works (again).
  • Fixed crash in Raw Digital Camera plugin if image loading was started and then immediately cancelled (e.g. when moving through images using the cursor keys while the viewer pane was open).
  • EXIF metadata strings encoded as UTF-8 were sometimes not recognised as such.
  • The USB Launcher stub now checks for a minimum of XP SP3 before attempting to launch Opus.

6 July 2011

Built-in updater not installing in some cases

A problem has been found where the built-in updater sometimes downloads a new version but then doesn't do anything when told to install it. You are more likely to run into this if you wait more than a few minutes between downloading and choosing to install.

Please download updates via the web if the built-in updater isn't working for you.

Opus 10.0.2.0 and above include a fix for this problem, so after you have downloaded and installed the latest version via the website you can go back to using the built-in updater. However, please note that the issue may still affect you if you are still using an older version of Opus.

Apologies for any confusion or wasted time that this issue has caused.

3 July 2011

Installer says XP SP3 is required on a later OS version

(This is a new FAQ. See the Resource Centre for a categorised list of all FAQs.)

  • Minimum supported versions of Windows

    Directory Opus 10 requires a minimum of Windows XP SP3 (or SP2 for the x64 edition). At the time of writing, those are the oldest versions of Windows which Microsoft themselves still support.

    If the installer detects Windows XP with an old, unsupported service pack then it will display a message like this:

    This program requires Service Pack 3 or later on Windows XP.

    Setup will now exit.


    If the installer detects an even older version of Windows (e.g. Windows 2000) it will say this:

    Checking Operating System Version

    The operating system is not adequate for running Directory Opus.


    If you see either message but you are really running a later version of Windows (e.g. Windows 7 or Windows Vista) then the installer, or the program you have launched it from, must be configured to run in Compatibility Mode. See below for information on turning off Compatibility Mode.

  • What is Compatibility Mode?

    Compatibility Mode is a Windows feature. It lets you tell Windows to pretend to be an earlier version when running particular programs. To those programs, it will appear that they are running on the Windows version you specify, not the real version you are using. In some cases, this can resolve problems with programs not designed for the newer version of Windows. In other cases, it can cause problems. You should not use Compatibility Mode unless you have a good reason to; most software does not need it.

    Compatibility Mode is turned on or off for a given .exe file, such as the Opus installer (e.g. DOpusInstall.exe) or Opus itself (e.g. dopus.exe).

    If Compatibility Mode is turned on for an exe, it stays on even if you replace the exe with a newer version. It stays on even if you delete the exe, wait a month, then download a new copy to the same place. Windows remembers to use Compatibility Mode for anything with the same name, in the same place, until you tell it not to.


  • Compatibility Mode and Directory Opus

    We recommend that you do not use Compatibility Mode with Directory Opus. In particular, the way Explorer Replacement is implemented typically varies with each version of Windows. Also, parts of Opus take advantage of newer Windows features (e.g. UAC, Aero Glass, Libraries) and may stop working if Opus thinks it is running on an earlier version.

    If you try to install an old version of Opus on a new version of Windows and the installer refuses and tells you to get a newer version of Opus, that is happening for a reason. The installer will only block an install if there is a known problem. In other cases, the installer may show a warning, informing you that your Windows version is not officially supported (e.g. because that Windows version did not even exist when the Opus version you're installing was made), but still allow you to continue if you choose.

    Do not use Compatibility Mode to trick the installer into letting you install Opus; instead, get an updated version of Opus that supports your version of Windows. This is not just an attempt to get money out of you every time a new version of Windows is released; the update you need may be free, as was the case with Directory Opus 9 and Windows 7.


  • How do I turn Compatibility Mode off?

    To turn off Compatibility Mode for an exe, right-click the exe and choose Properties, then click on the Compatibility tab. Everything in the tab should be off, like in the screenshot below. If anything is turned on, turn it off and click OK.

    If any of the checkboxes are on, but ghosted out, you need to click Change settings for all users first (which may trigger a UAC prompt).



    Make sure Compatibility Mode is off for the Opus installer.

    Also, and equally important, make sure Compatibility Mode is off and for all of the Opus program files. The program files are usually under C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus (type /home into Opus if you have trouble locating them). You should check every .exe file within the Opus directory, including the ones in the Viewers sub-directory. If you are using 64-bit then you should also also check within x86 and x86\Viewers.


  • Why was Compatibility Mode enabled when I have never touched those settings before?

    Sometimes, after you have run an installer (or something that looks like an installer to Windows), you will see a Program Compatibility Assistant message like this:

    Program Compatibility Assistant

    If you choose "reinstall using recommended settings", Compatibility Mode will be turned on for the installer and it will be re-run. Anything you install in that second run may also have Compatibility Mode turned on.

    Unfortunately, the heuristics Windows uses to decide when to show the Program Compatibility Assistant are terrible (see below*) and it ends up causing more problems than it solves. If you see that message appear you should almost always choose "this program installed correctly" rather than the "recommended" option above it. Only do otherwise if there is an actual problem with the installer and only after checking for an updated version of the product you are trying to install.

    Newer versions of the Directory Opus installer know what to do to prevent the Program Compatibility Assistant from appearing; older versions did not and would sometimes trigger it. Recall that the Compatibility Mode settings are remembered for an exe-path even if you delete or replace a particular version of the exe. This means if they were turned on in the past -- e.g. because the Program Compatibility Assistant triggered for an old installer -- then they will have stayed on until you manually turned them off.

    (*The heuristics detect what a program doesn't do, not what it does. For example, if you rename a random program to installer.exe, then run it and exit it, you will probably get the Program Compatibility Assistant popping up and asking if you want to mess with the program's compatibility settings, even though nothing actually went wrong. Windows is guessing and guessing badly. This is why you still sometimes see it happen with recently-made installers for products designed with Windows Vista and Windows 7 in mind.)

1 July 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.1.1 (Beta)

This is a beta version. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable release.

Directory Opus 10.0.1.1 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10.

New features and minor changes:
  • Configuration saving now works around issues caused by people or programs unintentionally setting the read-only, hidden or system attributes on everything in the user profile.
  • The desktop.ini file in the CD staging area is now hidden from the display of writeable CDs
  • If a Lister opens showing the find/sync/dupe panel, the panel is given focus rather than the file display
  • UAC Elevation is now used for reading (as well as writing) when copying files, and in other functions (like GetSizes, etc). So folders that are permissioned to deny access to normal users can now be copied after an elevation prompt.
  • In Find (etc.) filters, changed spacing of the attribute checkboxes so it's clearer which checkbox is for which attribute.
  • Implemented an Icon Set caching system:
    • Icon Sets .DIS files are now cached in a way which can greatly reduce startup time, especially if you either have a lot of sets installed or sets made of lots of individual images (rather than image maps).
    • If you were suffering from slow startup times due to icon sets then the first launch of Opus after this update will take slightly longer, as the cache is generated, but subsequent startups will be much, much faster. (e.g. 10 seconds down to 1 second, in the worst-case situation).
    • It is still worth deleting any icon sets you do not use, as they still add slightly to startup time and they also use up memory.

Bug fixes:
  • The Go LAYOUT command now respects the layout's mouse-relative checkbox.
  • The MD5 column no longer displays the "<file too large>" message if the file is locked by another process
  • Send To menu shortcuts that refer to a file (rather than a folder) on a network share are now supported
  • Fixed crash reading metadata from some mal/strangely-formed exif tags
  • Using ' to escape wildcard characters did not work unless the pattern also contained a (non-escaped) wildcard. e.g. Select "Moo '(Cow')" wouldn't work.
  • The FAYT field now properly identifies ü and Ãœ as the same letter (and the same for other accented letters presumably)
  • Fixed problem with Lister coming to front on file change, triggered by previously performing a drag & drop when the Lister was not active
  • Fixed crash when browsing to (empty?) Homegroup folder
  • Selecting certain jumplist actions in other programs could cause Opus to be started unnecessarily (if not already running)
  • The Metapane now recognises when Admin mode is active and won't display a redundant UAC prompt
  • Deleting a library member folder from the tree now works properly
  • If a folder was created in a library which had been expanded in the tree, but the member folder HADN'T been expanded previously, subsequently expanding it would cause the newly created folder to be doubled (or sometimes tripled?) up
  • Fixed the Folder Tree re-rooting itself when it shouldn't in some cases
  • Sorting by the Label column was not always reliable
  • MP3 tags stored as ASCII (Latin1) are now converted using the default system codepage instead of always using ANSI
  • Fixed some problems with the replace dialog not showing jumbo icons when it could, and enlarging tiny thumbnails when it shouldn't
  • The Duplicate finder didn't update its saved path-list when closed if no dupe-check was actually performed after changing the paths.
  • The Duplicate finder, when the path-lock was on, merged its saved path-list with the current path when opening instead of replacing the path-list with the current path.
  • The Hours/minutes were swapped around for the Time field in the Simple Find dialog
  • The "Kaspersky Safe Folder" application is now supported better in the native My Computer view
  • Hot paths in the file display border were not underlined in the lower file display of a dual-horizontal Lister, if folder tabs were on top.
  • Opus no longer asks the Windows shell to extract document metadata (e.g. Author) from TIFF files larger than 64MB, by default. (The limit can be changed via Prefs / Misc. / Advanced / tiff_max_doc_metadata) This avoids problems with excessive memory usage when obtaining attributes and metadata for large TIFF files which were saved by Photoshop (which can write hundreds of meg of proprietary data into the TIFF headers).
  • The Viewer now saves its placement when closed even if set to autosize when opened. This fixes a problem where the viewer's maximized (or not) state was never updated if it was set to auto-size, leaving you stuck in (or out of) maximized mode unless you thought to turn off autosize, open, move and close the viewer, then set autosize back how you wanted it.
    When the viewer opens, the autosize mode still overrides the placement, as before. So, effectively, the maximized flag is just remembered now, instead of being stuck however it was.
  • Fix for double-clicks not working on filetypes where the class name contains two path components. e.g. "PCOMW\WS"
  • Advanced Rename dialog script checkbox didn't always become checked/unchecked when toggled, until the mouse moved away.
  • Advanced Rename dialog changed size slightly each time it was opened (if the preview or script panels were visible).
  • When tagging an image in the full-screen viewer, the tick that appeared had white bars above and below it.
  • The Advanced button editor size reduced slightly each time it was opened.

24 June 2011

Problems caused by 32-bit to 64-bit migration tools

  • There is no migration path from 32-bit to 64-bit Windows

    Microsoft do not provide a migration tool to take your installed software with you when you move from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version. When you make that move you are expected to re-install all your programs from scratch. This is unlike, say, an upgrade from Windows Vista 32-bit to Windows 7 32-bit where you have the option of doing an in-place upgrade.

    This isn't a case of Microsoft being mean or lazy; there are very good reasons for it. A lot of software will install different (or additional) components, in different places, with different registry settings when on 64-bit Windows. Any tool which naively attempts to move software components and registry settings from a 32-bit machine to a 64-bit machine is not going to know about those differences, especially not for every piece of software you may have installed. Even if it did somehow know, it would not be able to obtain the extra components required on 64-bit versions of Windows.


  • Third-party 32/64-bit migration tools

    Some third-party software vendors have attempted to make tools to migrate your programs from 32-bit to 64-bit Windows. We strongly advise against using these migration tools because they are likely to cause more problems than they solve. There are very good reasons (outlined above) that Microsoft don't provide such a tool themselves.

    As well as leaving your software in a state where parts of it may not work, such 32/64-bit migration tools may also break installers and uninstallers, leaving you unable to update, repair or remove some of your software. This is because the software's components and registry settings will be in "impossible" combinations and places which the installers themselves would never have created on a 64-bit machine.


  • Fixing Directory Opus if you have used such a tool

    GPSoftware have created a special uninstall program designed to clean up the mess created by 32/64-bit migration tools. If you have run such a tool you should run this special uninstaller and then install the 64-bit version of Directory Opus.

    http://www.gpsoft.com.au/files/UninstallDOpus32on64bit.exe

    This will only fix Directory Opus, not all your other software. You should still consider reinstalling Windows to avoid problems with your other software. If you don't, you won't know if any problems you experience down the line are due to incorrectly migrated software or something else. Reinstalling now, getting it over and done with, may save you time in the long run, but it's your computer and your choice.

17 June 2011

Directory Opus 10.0.1.0 now available

Directory Opus 10.0.1.0 is now available as a free update for all Directory Opus 10 users.

You can download the update via the GPSoftware website, or use the Check For Program Updates command in the Help menu from within the program.

This update includes everything from the 10.0.0.x beta versions:

It also includes the following new changes:
  • Clicking files in Go FOLDERCONTENT menus now has the same effect as double-clicking them in the file display. (Previously it was usually the same but not always.)
  • BOM now displayed in description field for .txt files irrespective of their Content Type.
  • Text in replace dialog when copying folders out of ZIP files now wraps correctly.
  • Fix for FTP connection timeouts on some servers that don't support OPTS MLST commands.
  • Resetting the Preferences/Thumbnails page moved all the controls up each time.
  • Improved 'Windows Search not installed' warning on XP machines that don't have WS installed.

9 June 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.0.6 (Beta)

This is an Opus Beta release only. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable/public release.

Directory Opus 10.0.0.6 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10:
  • Note: The 'don't sort new files' option has been moved from the Advanced options page back to File Operations / Options
  • Adding or modifying a wildcard label assignment in File and Folder Colors now properly refreshes the folder tree
  • Fixed a case where if you deleted your current folder and were moved back to the parent, the parent folder would remain in the history list (so clicking Back then took you nowhere)
  • Made some changes to NavLock where it will try to get itself back in sync automatically in some cases
  • Rename Script output no longer appears in the FTP 'All Activity' log
  • Added Locate in Google Earth as a default command on the Images filetype group context menu.
    Also made it so Image LOCATE buttons are hidden if GE is not installed.
  • Fixed crash in Customize when clearing the hotkey from a floating toolbar button via the Keys page
  • "Toolbar POS=mouse" was broken.
  • If Windows Search is not installed on Windows XP, Opus now reports this when trying to perform a search
  • If New -> xxx (folder etc) is used and filters are in force that would normally hide the new item, it is now shown so the inline rename can proceed. If the item doesn't match the filter after the inline rename is finished, it will be hidden.
  • Fixed problem where the 'Undo All Changes' toolbar context menu could leave orphaned/cloned location/search fields on toolbar
  • Viewer Panel now remembers when Zoom Size was set to Grow to Page last time it was used
  • Fixed redraw problem when collapsing tree item containing current selection (forum thread)
  • Lister layouts now restore their windows in a fixed order, ensuring consistent window order on the taskbar each time the same layout is opened.
  • When the destination is a writeable CD, {destpath} will usually map to the CD-burning temp folder. You can now add @nolocalizefiles to the command to prevent this and have {destpath} map to the CD itself, for the rare situations where you need that (e.g. when opening a new window for the current folders).
  • Fixed scrolling the utility pane along one axis resetting the scroll position of the other axis.
  • Fixed potential crash in File Collections when fields like Description were enabled
  • Using Copy To / Move To in the standalone Viewer no longer causes focus to be lost (breaking keyboard input)
  • Fixed problem where tree item would lose its expand/collapse box when it only has temporary items below it
  • Fixed problem where refresh when in archive would boot you to the parent folder if archives not normally shown in tree
  • Tree now respects label colors for drive-letter roots.
  • Zip SFX was checking for wrong size maximum zip file
  • Zip folder format was not applied for archives within libraries.
  • Search results collections (from Windows Search) are now shown properly in the tree if the tree doesn't start from the Desktop
  • Now respects the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\link value to disable the "- Shortcut" suffix on new shortcuts
  • The option for "User Profile folder" in the tree now works under Vista as well as Win7
  • Fixed potential crash when accessing NFS shares via drive buttons
  • "Go TABGROUPLIST=icons" was generating buttons with the wrong icon names, resulting in smiley-face placeholder icons instead of tab icons (unless you still had an old icon-set installed).
  • Fixed (Win)RAR progress dialog showing bogus byte-counts that were really percentages ("50 bytes / 100 bytes")
  • Fixed crash from image metadata when GPS tags stored in XMP format
  • Fixed problems creating 7z(etc.) archives due to an error introduced in 10.0.0.5.
  • Thumbnail size would go to minimum if you used a command like "Show THUMBNAILSIZE +32" to adjust the size relative to its current value in a lister where the size had not been adjusted before.
  • Viewer now updates its window position properly if you move it, then switch it to full-screen and then close it.
    - Before it would not update its saved position at all if closed while full-screen.
    - Now it remembers the position it would have used had it been toggled out of full-screen mode.
    - This way, if you move the viewer to another monitor and full-screen it, it will open on that monitor the next time; you don't have to exit full-screen first to save the change.
    - Note: This does not mean the viewer will be full-screen next time you open it; that's still a separate option in Prefs. Just means your non-full-screen size/placement changes are not ignored if you happen to close it when it's full-screen.
  • Fixed checkbox positioning in Power/Details modes when icons were turned off.
  • Fixed checkbox positioning in List and Small Icon modes, especially with themed items.
  • Fixed List-mode checkboxes not painting properly (e.g. when toggled) when themed items were disabled.

6 June 2011

Delphi Source-Code preview handler

Peter Panino, over at the Resource Centre forums, discovered this preview handler that enables Delphi programmers to view their source-code with syntax highlighting:

http://www.delphifeeds.com/go/s/80512

Although it is written for Explorer it reportedly works great in Opus as well.

(If you use other programming languages instead of or as well as Delphi, there is a similar preview handler for many other languages.)

XP-style icons for Directory Opus 10

Cris van Minnen, who made Opus 10's default Vista/Win7-style toolbar icons, has released an alternative version of his icons in the Windows XP style.

This is a drop-in replacement for all 500 standard icons; 250 icons in large (32x32) and small (22x22). Your toolbars will automatically use the icons after installing them.

(Opus 10 also shipped with an updated version of the XP-style icons Trevor Morris originally made for Opus 9, so people who want XP-style icons are now spoiled for choice.)

You can see some of the small (22x22) icons below. For a preview of all the images, and to download the set, see Cris's post at the Resource Centre.

To install the set, download the zip file and extract the .dis file from inside it, then go to Preferences / Toolbars / Icons in Opus, click the Import button (shown below) and choose the .dis file. Then move it to the top of the list, so it takes priority over the other icon-sets you have installed.



Note that each additional icon-set will slightly increase start time and memory usage. If you decide not to use a set after installing it then you can delete it via the Preferences window shown above. (The default set is built into the program and cannot be deleted.)

3 June 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.0.5 (Beta)

This is an Opus Beta release only. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable/public release.

Directory Opus 10.0.0.5 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10:
  • Folders with an ampersand in their name are now displayed correctly in the Breadcrumbs bar's dropdown menus
  • Alt+Click on a folder tree in a dual Lister always opened the new tab in the left-hand file display, even if the click was on the right-hand tree
  • The metadata pane now supports PDF metadata stored as XMP
  • Fixed problem with keyboard range selection (shift+cursor up/down) in any of the "icon" modes immediately after entering a new folder
  • A command that combines Set FLATVIEW=On followed by the Select command will now wait for the flatview read to finish before performing the selection
  • Improved performance of the filter bar when filtering large directories
  • Added support for the "Other" device category in the native My Computer display (things like GMail Drive will show up here)
  • Fix for PATH environment variable losing 'user' path components if something made temporary (not saved between reboots) additions to the path variable.
  • Fixed display error with XMP metadata that could result in multiple repetitions of a string in some metadata fields
  • When deleting a folder that's permissioned to deny access (e.g. WindowsImageBackup), Opus now attempts to modify the permissions to allow the delete to proceed (same behaviour as Explorer)
  • The "date only" fields now sort only by date rather than date/time when there is a subsequent sort column specified
  • Improvements to attempt to reduce excessive memory usage when loading large TIFF images
  • Turning off Opus ZIP did not update the archive context menu page until Prefs was exited and re-entered
  • Now supports .PSB (photoshop large) images properly
  • The "Prevent loading of certain types of folders" setting was not respected for a new Lister with multiple tabs
  • The SELECT SOURCETODEST command now causes the destination file list to be rebuilt (meaning a subsequent command in the same function that uses {filepathdest} will pick up the newly selected files
  • Drag & drop from latest Thunderbird versions was broken
  • The Set Metadata dialog now works properly in libraries
  • Files added to collections with the Copy command that specified the filename on the command line, would add them with invalid timestamps
  • Status bar would show incorrect disk space values for DFS redirected share
  • Changed the way file displays get their icons and overlays, so that on Vista/Win7 if an icon overlay handler is installed that provides overlays for junctions/softlinks it will show the correct overlay in Opus
  • Find will now make the output collection name unique if another Find operation is currently open and has already output to that collection. This can be disabled with Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced / find_unique_collections option
  • Added audio/mp3 as a supported MIME type for MP3 files in the metapane.
  • The Copy/Delete filter state is now saved in Lister layouts
  • Fixed layout issue with vertical toolbar between tree and file display in dual-horizontal layout
  • Wildcard path formats now treat / and \ as equivalent, so the one pattern can match both real paths and URL-style paths like libraries
  • The Wildcard Folder Format dialog now lets you enter a lib:// style path

30 May 2011

FAQ: Problems installing Opus

A new FAQ on installation problems has been posted to the Opus Resource Centre forums.

Since it's fairly technical and may be updated from time-to-time, I'll just link to the forum post rather than reproduce its contents here:

28 May 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.0.4 (Beta)

This is an Opus Beta release only. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable/public release.

Directory Opus 10.0.0.4 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10:
  • The Save dropdown in the Folder Options dialog now has additional options to update the format for that folder (or all folders) in any saved Layouts / Styles / Tab Groups
  • Added a new Miscellaneous / Advanced option called "gloss_and_gradients" that makes it possible to disable the new-style gradients used in the UI in Opus 10
  • CLI DOSPROMPT buttons did not update their enable/disable state correctly when switching tabs
  • The Duplicate Finder did not put the results collection display into grouped mode unless the Delete Mode option was checked.
  • If a Duplicate search had been run, and then you switched to another tab and clicked either the Select or Delete buttons in the Duplicates panel, they would act on the active tab instead of the tab containing the results
  • Fixed problem which could make the Replace dialog progressively shift to the left if it needed to be resized due to long description strings
  • The copy progress dialog was not resized correctly for Sync mode, meaning the right-edge of the progress bars were out of view
  • When grouping by certain digital image fields (those expressed as a fraction or decimal, e.g. exposure time), those groups are now sorted numerically rather than alphabetically
  • Fixed background of Preferences (and other) dialogs when using Windows themes that don't use a bitmap to draw the tab control background
  • Added an additional MIME type for DNG images in the metadata pane
  • Fixed problem where folder tabs would sometimes jump around if you clicked them and the machine was under heavy load
  • Fixed a crash that could result from browsing to some virtual filesystems on Windows XP (e.g. a mobile device)
  • Fixed a problem with the Viewer pane that prevented files in libraries from working with some plugins (e.g. movie files)
  • Document metadata (Author, Title, etc) in the file display now works in libraries
  • Fixed some context menu commands not working on files in libraries
  • Add to / Extract from 7zip plugin archives now works from the context menu in libraries
  • Added support for an alternative method of static cascading context menus in Windows 7
  • Fixed crash that could occur in some (rare) cases when moving the mouse off the status bar padlock's tooltip
  • Fixed folder tabs background image not appearing on one side of the Lister in some cases
  • No longer displays garbled metadata for encrypted PDF files (currently does not display anything - we hope to support these in the future)
  • Fixed crash when right-clicking on a file in Explorer when ALL Opus archive support is disabled

23 May 2011

Directory Opus version 10.0.0.3 (Beta)

This is an Opus Beta release only. If you aren't comfortable running the very latest version of Opus then you may like to wait for the next stable/public release.

Directory Opus 10.0.0.3 is available now for all Opus 10 users:


This is a preliminary, beta release. It fixes a number of issues reported since the release of Directory Opus 10:
  • Fixed an error that meant selecting a third-party context menu extension on the root of a drive could trigger the New->Folder command instead
  • With the 'Display localized folder names' option disabled, folders are now sorted in the tree according to their non-localized names
  • If you dragged a folder tab *down* or *up* (depending on top or bottom tab state) the tabs would jump around when the mouse was below (above) the tab but still over the tab bar. Hypothesis that this is behind the "jumping" tab problem (forum thread).
  • The File count/Dir count/etc columns would clash when turned on at the same time as the Rating column
  • Paste of files to libraries didn't work from the context menu of the library itself
  • The replace confirmation dialog is now automatically resized if the description or filename strings are too wide for the controls
  • The viewer's next/previous list was not properly resolved when it came from an archive inside a library
  • Fixed problems with navigation lock losing sync one level too soon when going up on or against an FTP site
  • Fixed problems where the source file display would be refreshed (and lose its scroll position) after copying to an FTP site in the destination with navigation lock turned on
  • The copy progress dialog is now always resizeable, not just when the copy queue is displayed
  • Menus where all items had labels above/below their icons, and icons wider than their labels, would draw the icons on top of the line that delineates the menu's lefthand strip.
  • The overflow menu for toolbars docked to the bottom of the screen would appear on top of the chevron/overflow button, meaning if you clicked and released to open the menu you'd end up selecting the bottom item before you'd even seen it.
  • Glass and Transparent toolbars docked to the left or right would draw buttons past the overflow scroll buttons when in customize mode.
  • Pop-up menus configured to open above or below their parent button would open covering it if their contents were too tall to fit above or below. This resulted in problems like accidentally selecting a favorite when clicking & releasing to open the menu because the favorites list was so long it made one of the favorites appear under the mouse pointer. In situations like this, the menu is now shifted to the right or left of the parent button.
  • Added a new method of reconnecting network drives which seems to have resolved all outstanding issues with network drives
  • Added support for Portable Devices category in native My Computer view (digital cameras)
  • Fixed some cases where the Copy/Delete Filter flag from the destination Lister could affect a copy - now it should only consider the flag in the source Lister
  • Reintroduced the bug that makes the 'Keep folders sorted alphabetically' flag not obey the 'Reverse sort order' flag. People seem to prefer it this way :)
  • Fixed a problem where Shift-Page Up/Down or Home/End did not work in List mode immediately after entering a folder
  • When the Find panel is opened in a Lister with multiple tabs, its location now defaults to that of the active tab
  • Context menus from the Breadcrumbs or File Display Border did not always associate their commands with the current Lister, meaning commands like 'Open in New Folder Tab' could sometimes open a new Lister instead of a new tab
  • The tree and the file displays now will not go into inline rename mode if you click on an already selected file and the window was not currently active
  • Fixed problems where certain combinations of Folder Tree options could result in unnecessary tree rebuilds and doubling-up of some items
  • Fixed repaint issue when resizing Folder Tree with a virtual folder (like Recycle Bin) open in the file display
  • Folder-Tab lock states were not restored in layouts which had the "ignore folder formats" flag set
  • Fixed a crash extracting metadata from some particular PDF files
  • Metapane now supports EXIF data in JPEG2000 and DNG files
  • A button combining Set COPYFILTER=on with the Copy command now correctly applies the filter
  • In Japanese translation, default toolbars will no longer be assigned accelerator keys using japanese characters (will only pick Roman characters from the label)
  • Fixed error/crash sending certain long command lines to Opus via dopusrt /col
  • The FTP site properties command was incorrectly disabled when added to a toolbar
  • Image thumbnails are no longer re-colored when a File & Folder Label specifies an icon color. (Icons are still re-colored, including in Thumbnails mode.)