7 December 2009

30% off Directory Opus

GPSoftware, makers of Directory Opus, have an end-of-year sale on at the moment where you can buy the program for 30% off:

http://www.gpsoft.com.au/

Also remember that prices on their website are in Australian dollars, not US dollars. The US dollar price is usually less than shown, though it obviously varies with the exchange rate.

(Update) Here's the official wording:

GP Software are pleased to announce an end-of-year sale. For a limited time only, Directory Opus 9 is available for 30% off the regular price.

This sale price applies to 1, 2 and 5 licence packs purchased through the website at http://www.gpsoft.com.au

Existing Opus 9 users can also take advantage of the sale pricing to add additional licences, as the incremental licence price takes the 30% discount into account.

4 December 2009

Directory Opus version 9.5.1.0

Directory Opus version 9.5.1.0 - December 3rd 2009

A free update for all Directory Opus 9 users is now available for download from GP Software.

The problem in this version which caused crashes for some new users of Opus 9 has been fixed in the 9.5.2.0 release.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Several Windows 7 compatibility improvements:
    • Explorer Replacement mode stopped Safely Remove / Eject device from working correctly.
    • Explorer Replacement can now trap the Open command from the context menu of a folder in the Start Menu.
    • Adding the Virtual Machines folder to the Explorer Replacement exclusion list now correctly prevents that folder from being trapped. Opus also adds this folder to the list by default now.
    • Fixed a problem with some context menu items not acting correctly when multiple files are selected (e.g. Windows Media Player - Play and Queue commands now work correctly with multiple files).
    • The SendTo context menu is now compatible with Windows 7 (including when the shift key is held down).
    • The option to add File Collections to the Send To menu now works in Windows 7 (and Vista).
    • Toggling between Details and Thumbnails view modes now works correctly in system namespaces.
    • Reading of Homegroup folders now works correctly.
    • Improved support for Libraries (the "Include in Library" folder context menu now works, the Folder Tree now displays the library member folders, the Tree automatically updates when libraries are modified, and libraries now work correctly as a destination folder).
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when using dopusrt to send the Select command to Opus.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when reading some PDF metadata.
  • FTP improvements:
    • Fixed a problem with FTP with PureFTPd and SSL not handling protected data correctly.
    • Fix for problem with bad servers not returning FD_CLOSE - could cause a folder listing to never complete.
  • Dragging and dropping from a TrueImage mounted backup image now copies sub-folders correctly.
  • Using the Clipboard COPY command in a file collection now works correctly when multiple files have the same filename.
  • Fixed problem with the Y / N key handling in a dialog when a button in that dialog had those keys as an accelerator.
  • The Folder Tree now displays drive letters/labels correctly when the system has been set to display letters first via the registry.
  • Adding files to the Search For list in the Duplicate File Finder now works correctly.
  • Improved Context Menu support, including the Adobe PDF 'Print' command, and the context menu provided by MediaInfo.
  • The CreateFolder command has a new NOSEL argument that prevents the newly created folder from being automatically selected.
  • The Toolbar STATE argument has a new floatactive option which floats a toolbar AND makes it active (useful when opening a Toolbar from a hotkey).
  • Fix for possible crashes from the context menu in the Viewer when accessed from the keyboard.
  • Fixed a layout issue in the Advanced Rename dialog that could cause the window to open with the bottom buttons off the visible screen.
  • Minor changes to hopefully fix a crash a few users were having when right-clicking on shortcut files.
  • Fix for slow copying to non-removable disks mounted as drive A: or drive B:.
  • The Open With menu now includes applications that were assigned via Vista/Windows 7's Default Programs system.
  • Fixed a problem in the ActiveX viewer with some IE-based viewers that could incorrectly take the input focus on opening.
  • Improved support for 32-bit BMP files (now handles V4 or V5 BMP files that use BI_BITFIELDS).
  • Fixed a bug in the status bar that could cause the text to not be correctly updated in a dual display Lister in some cases.
  • Fix for Explorer Replacement that stopped file selection from working in the newly opened folder (e.g. FireFox's "Open Containing Folder" command now correctly opens the folder in Opus and selects the target file).
  • Added an option for the JPEG loader to always uses the ICC color profile of the file if one exists (previously, the color profile was only used for CMYK images). This can be enabled from an option in Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced.
  • Added new THIS parameter for the Select command to select the file that currently has input focus (e.g. Select THIS).
  • Added new home parameter for the Go TABSELECT command to reset a locked tab to its home directory (e.g. Go TABSELECT=home).

30 November 2009

TortoiseSVN 1.6.3-1.6.6 on XP (updated again)

Just a heads-up in case anyone reading is experiencing lock-ups in Opus and has TortoiseSVN 1.6.3 to 1.6.6 installed on XP.

It looks like an issue was introduced into TortoiseSVN 1.6.3 which can cause multithreaded file managers to lock-up. It is more likely to affect Opus than Explorer, though we think it could affect both programs in some situations. It also looks like the problem only happens on Windows XP and not Windows Vista or Windows 7.

The issue is being investigated and it looks like the problematic change in TortoiseSVN 1.6.3 has been identified. GPSoftware have modified the open-source TortoiseSVN code to create a test version that should fix the problem, if the diagnosis is correct, and that test version has been sent to some of the affected Opus users for confirmation. Assuming the fix is good, a bug report and suggested patch will be sent to the TortoiseSVN team so they can incorporate it into a future official version.

In the meantime, if you think you're being affected by this problem you may wish to revert to TortoiseSVN 1.6.2 for the time being or get in touch with GPSoftware if you'd like to help test their patch.

Forum thread with more detail.

UPDATE:

GPSoftware sent a patch to the TortoiseSVN team which fixes the issue. The patch has been accepted and will be part of the TortoiseSVN 1.6.7 release.

In the mean time, you can use the stable nightly builds of TortoiseSVN to get the fix ahead of time.

See this post for more info on getting the fix.

Many thanks to Stefan Küng for the quick response (and for TortoiseSVN in general!).

UPDATE 2:

TortoiseSVN 1.6.7 is now available from its website and includes the fix for this issue.

Directory Opus version 9.5.0.3 (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.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.5.0.3 thread.

This fixes a Customize bug introduced in 9.5.0.2. It also makes the new JPEG ICC transform feature optional and off by default. (Got to Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced to turn it on.)

Since it's such a minor change on top of the previous beta, the 9.5.0.2 forum thread has been recycled for 9.5.0.3.

26 November 2009

Directory Opus version 9.5.0.2 (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.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.5.0.2 thread.

(Update: If you click the thread link now you'll get the thread for 9.5.0.3; that's because 9.5.0.3 was a very minor update so the thread for the 9.5.0.2 beta was recycled.)

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • The new floatactive Toolbar state added in the previous update caused the old float behaviour to also activate the toolbar; this has been returned to its previous behaviour.
  • Minor changes to hopefully fix a crash a few users were having when right-clicking on shortcut files.
  • The Open With menu now includes applications that were assigned via Vista/Windows 7's Default Programs system.
  • Fixed a problem in the ActiveX viewer with some IE-based viewers that could incorrectly take the input focus on opening.
  • Improved support for 32-bit BMP files (now handles V4 or V5 BMP files that use BI_BITFIELDS).
  • Fixed a bug in the status bar that could cause the text to not be correctly updated in a dual display Lister in some cases.
  • Fix for Explorer Replacement that stopped file selection from working in the newly opened folder (e.g. FireFox's "Open Containing Folder" command now correctly opens the folder in Opus and selects the target file).
  • The JPEG loader now always uses the ICC color profile of the file if one exists (previously, the color profile was only used for CMYK images).
  • Added new THIS parameter for the Select command to select the file that currently has input focus (e.g. Select THIS).
  • Added new home parameter for the Go TABSELECT command to reset a locked tab to its home directory (e.g. Go TABSELECT=home).

19 November 2009

Directory Opus version 9.5.0.1 (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.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.5.0.1 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Several Windows 7 compatibility improvements:
    • Explorer Replacement mode stopped Safely Remove / Eject device from working correctly.
    • Explorer Replacement can now trap the Open command from the context menu of a folder in the Start Menu.
    • Adding the Virtual Machines folder to the Explorer Replacement exclusion list now correctly prevents that folder from being trapped. Opus also adds this folder to the list by default now.
    • Fixed a problem with some context menu items not acting correctly when multiple files are selected (e.g. Windows Media Player - Play and Queue commands now work correctly with multiple files).
    • The SendTo context menu is now compatible with Windows 7 (including when the shift key is held down).
    • The option to add File Collections to the Send To menu now works in Windows 7 (and Vista).
    • Toggling between Details and Thumbnails view modes now works correctly in system namespaces.
    • Reading of Homegroup folders now works correctly.
    • Improved support for Libraries (the 'Include in Library' folder context menu now works, the Folder Tree now displays the library member folders, the Tree automatically updates when libraries are modified, and libraries now work correctly as a destination folder).
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when using dopusrt to send the Select command to Opus.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when reading some PDF metadata
  • FTP improvements:
    • Fixed a problem with FTP with PureFTPd and SSL not handling protected data correctly.
    • Fix for problem with bad servers not returning FD_CLOSE - could cause a folder listing to never complete.
  • Dragging and dropping from a TrueImage mounted backup image now copies sub-folders correctly.
  • Using the Clipboard COPY command in a file collection now works correctly when multiple files have the same filename.
  • Fixed problem with the Y / N key handling in a dialog when a button in that dialog had those keys as an accelerator.
  • The Folder Tree now displays drive letters/labels correctly when the system has been set to display letters first via the registry.
  • Adding files to the Search For list in the Duplicate File Finder now works correctly.
  • Improved Context Menu support, including the Adobe PDF 'Print' command, and the context menu provided by MediaInfo.
  • The CreateFolder command has a new NOSEL argument that prevents the newly created folder from being automatically selected.
  • The Toolbar STATE argument has a new floatactive option which floats a toolbar AND makes it active (useful when opening a Toolbar from a hotkey).
  • Fix for possible crashes from the context menu in the Viewer when accessed from the keyboard.
  • Fixed a layout issue in the Advanced Rename dialog that could cause the window to open with the bottom buttons off the visible screen.

7 November 2009

DirectDraw Surface viewer 64-bit version

A 64-bit version of the DirectDraw Surface (DDS) viewer plugin has been posted to the forum. (There 32-bit version is still there too, of course.)

You can download it via this thread:

6 October 2009

Directory Opus version 9.5

This update adds support for Windows 7 Explorer Replacement mode, and also provides several new minor features and fixes for a number of anomalies reported since the release of Opus 9.1.3.0.

This is a free update for all registered Directory Opus 9 users.

If you are using a pre-release beta version then you should still update to 9.5 to get the final version of the code. A few changes have been made since the last beta release in response to feedback.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Support for Explorer Replacement mode in Windows 7. Also fixed creation of soft-links in Windows 7.
  • FTP re-upload changed files option now works with programs launched from buttons.
  • The Print Folder function can now print meta-data (e.g. Author, Title, Artist, etc) columns in File Collections.
  • Improved handling of Office safe-saves for files within collections.
  • Text pasted into the Create Folder dialog is now stripped of any linefeeds.
  • Fixed rendering problem with List Mode when font size meant the label text was smaller vertically than the icon.
  • Zip auto-extract now sets the correct current directory for files that are in sub-folders of the zip file.
  • Fixed sorting with Name column when file extension is hidden (previously the extension was still considered for the sort).
  • Image ADDSUFFIX now works correctly when the filename has a dot in the name.
  • Blank links in multi-line commands no longer cause some functions to misbehave.
  • The {filepath} command code no longer incorrectly adds a \ to the end of RAR file paths.
  • Fixed problem with space/quote handling with the {allfilepath} command code.
  • Fixed drag & drop problems when dragging from/to FTP -- now correctly uses functions defined in File Types.
  • Fixed problem that could cause infinite loop of listers/tabs to be opened when a path like C://Dir was entered.
  • Fixed problem with drag & drop that could prevent listers from coming to the front correctly.
  • Fixed problem when dragging images from Firefox 3.5 to a lister (now writes the original image file instead of a bitmap version).
  • With full-row selection on for the Folder Tree, double-clicks to expand/contract a branch are now active anywhere on the row instead of just on the label.
  • Drag & drop from FTP/SFTP to the desktop now works correctly instead of only copying 4K of the file.
  • Added @sync to the drop-down list in the Advanced function editor.
  • Fixed potential infinite loop in the FTP file properties dialog if an error message appeared and the dialog was closed before the error dialog was.
  • Fixed a crash on startup that could occur if any environment variables contained %%.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur in the Licence Manager on x64 systems.
  • FTP Interim support for VMS servers.
  • File permissions are now updated correctly when undeleting a file from the recycle bin (prevents files appearing with a 'padlock' icon overlay in Windows 7).
  • The Delete confirmation dialog (and other dialogs where appropriate) now respond to the 'Y' and 'N' keys as well as the existing accelerators for each button. ('Y' and 'N' are localised as appropriate.)
  • The Find Panel now correctly inherits the current path when a new lister is opened.
  • Ctrl-Z to undo a Paste now works in inline rename.
  • Moving a file in a File Collection to a folder on the same hard drive now correctly moves the file instead of using copy/delete semantics.
  • Fixed problem which meant that, in rare circumstances, files within archives were not fully read by viewer plugins.
  • Fix for possible memory corruption with glass docked toolbars in Office style.
  • Fixed incorrect sort order in Profile branch of tree in Windows 7.
  • The 'Open With' menu item is no longer added for .EXE and other program files (same as Explorer).
  • FTP improvements: Increased upload speed for both standard FTP and SSH.
  • Fixed error that could allow a Copy/Move to take place with no valid destination path (e.g. if My Computer was open in the destination file display).
  • Folder colors, toolbar icons and status bar icons now support aliases/environment variables.
  • Added /homeroot alias for root of program drive.
  • Folder aliases are now sorted correctly when displayed in the tree.
  • For DOS commands with @leavedoswindowopen set (which includes commands run from the FAYT field), Opus now only adds /K to the command line if the command processor is the default cmd.exe; if the %ComSpec% environment variable is set to something else, Opus will now look for a new environment variable called %ComSpecLeaveOpenArg% which can be used to specify an argument for the "leave open" option.
  • Fixed problem where a checkmark next to a context menu item may not have been shown (for example, the Always available offline context menu command).
  • Additional fixes for rendering of glass docked toolbars.
  • Buttons on "taskbar" and "borderless" toolbars docked to the right edge of the screen can now be clicked when the mouse is right at the edge of the screen.
  • Fixed crash when attempting to view some 16-bit Photoshop images.
ActiveX plugin improvements:
  • Added workaround for "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler not working under x64 due to Adobe registering it incorrectly.
  • Added workaround for "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler rendering blank pages sometimes when scrolled with the mouse wheel.
  • "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler is now enabled by default, if installed, as it's the only Adobe PDF viewer applet that works properly on Windows 7 x64 and it doesn't depend on the "Display PDF in browser" setting of Adobe Reader. People who preferred Adobe Reader can still configure the plugin to use it instead of the Adobe PDF preview handler if they want to.
  • Added .MP4 to default Generic ActiveX extensions.
  • Added workaround for Microsoft preview handlers that have identical names. It's now clear which is which.
  • Added a hardcoded list of default preview handler associations to use as a fallback when no association exists in the registry. (Example 1: Uninstalling the FoxIt preview handler does not re-assign .PDF to the Adobe preview handler. Example 2: On a vanilla Windows 7 install there is no .EML filetype but there is an Email preview handler which works fine if the plugin knows to use it.)
  • Plugin configuration dialog now opens a bit faster on Windows 7 x64.
  • Fixed using Microsoft Office itself (not the preview handlers) to view documents on Windows 7 x64.
  • The Open Office file types are now viewed via an embedded Internet Explorer, by default, as this works better with OpenOffice 3.
  • The default configuration now recognises Open Office documents (.ODT), spreadsheets (.ODS), graphics (.ODG) and presentations (.ODP).
  • Internet Explorer and the Windows Email preview handlers can now be scrolled with the mouse wheel without first clicking on them. (Unfortunately, this has to be done by giving them the focus when you scroll.)
  • Adobe PDF preview handler no longer takes the focus when scrolling with the mouse wheel.
  • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler on Vista x64. (Different to the previous workaround for Windows 7 x64.)
  • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler locking files when they are viewed.
  • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not responding to the keyboard after scrolling with the mouse wheel.
  • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not allowing you to tab-cycle to or from it.
  • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not drawing pages if you scrolled rapidly using the keyboard.
  • Note: The above two Adobe PDF workarounds are done by installing a keyboard hook into the Adobe PDF viewer process. When you view a PDF file, if your anti-virus software complains that docsvw32.exe (part of the Opus ActiveX plugin) looks like a keylogger then you should either dismiss the ignore the warning or disable the keyboard hook by setting KeyHooks="no" in the plugin's configuration file. A FAQ has been posted with more details: Opus executables and hooks.

22 September 2009

21 September 2009

FAQ: Directory Opus executables and hooks

A new FAQ has been posted:

  • Directory Opus executables and hooks

    This FAQ explains the purpose of the different .exe files that are part of Directory Opus. It also provides details of the keyboard hooks which Opus may install (and which some anti-virus tools may flag as potential key-loggers).

    You don't need this information to use Directory Opus; it is here for people who want to understand what is running on their machines.


    Read more...

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.5 (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.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.3.5 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Folder colors, toolbar icons and status bar icons now support aliases/environment variables.
  • Added /homeroot alias for root of program drive
  • Folder aliases are now sorted correctly when displayed in the tree
  • For DOS commands with @leavedoswindowopen set (which includes commands run from the FAYT field), Opus now only adds /K to the command line if the command processor is the default cmd.exe - if the %ComSpec% environment variable is set to something else, Opus will now look for a new environment variable called %ComSpecLeaveOpenArg% which can be used to specify an argument for the "leave open" option.
  • Fixed problem where a checkmark next to a context menu item may not have been shown (for example, the Always available offline context menu command).
  • Additional fixes for rendering of glass docked toolbars.
  • Buttons on "taskbar" and "borderless" toolbars docked to the right edge of the screen can now be clicked when the mouse is right at the edge of the screen.
  • ActiveX plugin improvements:
    • Added workaround for Microsoft preview handlers that have identical names. It's now clear which is which.
    • Added a hardcoded list of default preview handler associations to use as a fallback when no association exists in the registry. (Example 1: Uninstalling the FoxIt preview handler does not re-assign .PDF to the Adobe preview handler. Example 2: On a vanilla Windows 7 install there is no .EML filetype but there is an Email preview handler which works fine if the plugin knows to use it.)
    • Plugin configuration dialog now opens a bit faster on Windows 7 x64.
    • Fixed using Microsoft Office itself (not the preview handlers) to view documents on Windows 7 x64.
    • The Open Office file types are now viewed via an embedded Internet Explorer, by default, as this works better with OpenOffice 3.
    • The default configuration now recognises Open Office documents (.ODT), spreadsheets (.ODS), graphics (.ODG) and presentations (.ODP).
    • Internet Explorer and the Windows Email preview handlers can now be scrolled with the mouse wheel without first clicking on them. (Unfortunately, this has to be done by giving them the focus when you scroll.)
    • Adobe PDF preview handler no longer takes the focus when scrolling with the mouse wheel.
    • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler on Vista x64. (Different to the previous workaround for Windows 7 x64.)
    • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler locking files when they are viewed.
    • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not responding to the keyboard after scrolling with the mouse wheel.
    • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not allowing you to tab-cycle to or from it.
    • Added workaround for Adobe PDF preview handler not drawing pages if you scrolled rapidly using the keyboard.

8 September 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.4 (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 public release of 9.1.4.0.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.3.4 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Fixed crash in Explorer in x86 Windows 7 version when Windows-E key pressed (in Explorer Replacement mode).
  • Double-clicking a folder in an Explorer window in Windows 7 now opens the folder in that window rather than in Opus (in Explorer Replacement mode).
  • Fixed incorrect sort order in Profile branch of tree in Windows 7.
  • The 'Open With' menu item is no longer added for .EXE and other program files (same as Explorer).
  • FTP improvements: Increased upload speed for both standard FTP and SSH.
  • Fixed error that could allow a Copy/Move to take place with no valid destination path (e.g. if My Computer was open in the destination file display).
  • ActiveX plugin improvements:
    • Added workaround for "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler not working under x64 due to Adobe registering it incorrectly.
    • Added workaround for "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler rendering blank pages sometimes when scrolled with the mousewheel.
    • "Adobe PDF for Vista" preview handler is now enabled by default, if installed, as it's the only Adobe PDF viewer applet that works properly on Windows 7 x64 and it doesn't depend on the "Display PDF in browser" setting of Adobe Reader. People who preferred Adobe Reader can still configure the plugin to use it instead of the Adobe PDF preview handler if they want to.
    • Added .MP4 to default Generic ActiveX extensions.

29 August 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.3 (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 public release of 9.1.4.0.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.3.3 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • This is a minor update to 9.1.3.2 to fix a specific Explorer Replacement-related issue.

28 August 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.2 (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 public release of 9.1.4.0.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.3.2 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Improved support for Explorer Replacement mode in Windows 7 (opening control panel sub-pages like Fonts, Wireless Networks, etc, now works correctly). Attempting to access the control panel in a Lister (e.g. Go /controls) now opens an Explorer window.
  • File permissions are now updated correctly when undeleting a file from the recycle bin (prevents files appearing with a padlock icon overlay in Windows 7).
  • The Delete confirmation dialog (and other dialogs where appropriate) now respond to the 'Y' and 'N' keys as well as the existing accelerators for each button. ('Y' and 'N' are localised as appropriate.)
  • The Find Panel now correctly inherits the current path when a new Lister is opened.
  • Ctrl-Z to undo a Paste now works in inline rename.
  • Moving a file in a File Collection to a folder on the same hard drive now correctly moves the file instead of using copy/delete semantics.
  • Fixed problem which meant that, in rare circumstances, files within archives were not fully read by viewer plugins.
  • Fix for possible memory corruption with glass docked toolbars in Office style.

FAQ Update: Silent Install guide

The FAQ on Silent Installs of Opus has been updated. It is now correct for current versions of Opus and describes a much easier way to extract the installer data:

(Silent installs are usually used in corporate environments to automate installation onto multiple machines.)

20 August 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.1 (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 public release of 9.1.4.0.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.3.1 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Support for Explorer Replacement mode in Windows 7. Also fixed creation of soft-links in Windows 7.
  • FTP re-upload changed files option now works with programs launched from buttons.
  • The Print Folder function can now print meta-data (eg Author, Title, Artist, etc) columns in File Collections
  • Improved handling of Office safe-saves for files within collections.
  • Text pasted into the Create Folder dialog is now stripped of any linefeeds
  • Fixed rendering problem with List Mode when font size meant the label text was smaller vertically than the icon.
  • Zip auto-extract now sets the correct current directory for files that are in sub-folders of the zip file.
  • Fixed sorting with Name column when file extension is hidden (previously the extension was still considered for the sort)
  • Image ADDSUFFIX now works correctly when the filename has a dot in the name
  • Blank links in multi-line commands no longer cause some functions to misbehave
  • The {filepath} command code no longer incorrectly adds a \ to the end of RAR file paths.
  • Fixed problem with space/quote handling with the {allfilepath} command code
  • Fixed drag & drop problems when dragging from/to FTP – now correctly uses functions defined in File Types
  • Fixed problem that could cause infinite loop of listers/tabs to be opened when a path like C://Dir was entered
  • Fixed problem with drag & drop that could prevent Listers from coming to the front correctly
  • Fixed problem when dragging images from Firefox 3.5 to a Lister (now writes the original image file instead of a bitmap version)
  • With full-row selection on for the Folder Tree, double-clicks to expand/contract a branch are now active anywhere on the row instead of just on the label
  • Drag & drop from FTP/SFTP to the desktop now works correctly instead of only copying 4K of the file
  • Added @sync to the drop-down list in the Advanced function editor
  • Fixed potential infinite loop in the FTP file properties dialog if an error message appeared and the dialog was closed before the error dialog was
  • Fixed a crash on startup that could occur if any environment variables contained %%
  • Fixed a crash that could occur in the Licence Manager on x64 systems

14 August 2009

FAQ Updates: USB launching & x64/Win7 video

Two of the FAQs have been updated with some new information.

The How to refer to programs on the same drive as portable Opus FAQ has a new section at the bottom with info about my LaunchViaLabel script. The script can be used to run commands on a USB drive which Opus isn't (always) running from, looking up the drive by label.

The How to enable/fix playback of various media formats in Opus FAQ has been updated to include registry settings to enable playback of various formats (given suitable codecs + splitters) in Opus, Media Player and Media Center for people using Windows 7, with separate files for 32-bit and 64-bit users.

13 June 2009

How to backup/locate your Opus config (Advanced)

Ken Alcock has written a detailed FAQ explaining what all the files in Opus's configuration folders do, how they are backed up, and so on.

This is a great guide if you want to dig into the config details beyond what the automatic Backup & Restore feature in Opus will do.

I'll just give you a link to the FAQ, instead of copying the text to here, as duplicating the formatting would be a pain:

HOW TO: Back-up or locate your Opus configuration (Advanced)

BTW, this FAQ is a companion to the older one: HOW TO: Back-up or locate your Opus configuration (Simple)

11 June 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.0

Directory Opus version 9.1.3.0 – June 11th 2009

A free update for all Directory Opus 9 users is now available for download from GP Software.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Bold/italic styles defined through the Folder Colors system are now properly accounted for when initially auto-sizing columns after a folder is read.
  • Fixed incorrect/inconsistent handling of {file|noext} and similar command sequences with folders and files with no extensions.
  • The Image CONVERT command now automatically sets the 'Output to destination' option when running in interactive mode if the TO argument is given on the command line. This makes it reliable when used in the Drag & Drop menu for a file type.
  • The Send To menu displayed in Opus now respects the NoDrivesInSendToMenu system policy and will not display removable disks if this is set.
  • Lister Layouts now save and restore the state of the Lister Format Lock.
  • GifAnim plugin: Fix for incorrect dimensions in the status bar when changing from one tiled/flattened GIF to another.
  • Fixed layout issue introduced in last version with Utility pane open in conjunction with a vertical toolbar between dual file displays.
  • Fixed problem of startup folder shortcut being left behind after uninstall.
  • Fixed file change notification issue with short, Unicode filenames (could occasionally result in duplicate file entry).
  • Fixed auto-size column option when switching between two formats that only change the 'hide file extensions' setting.
  • The FAYT field will no longer auto-close if its context menu is visible.
  • PCX images can now be viewed from ZIP files.
  • Fix for ActiveX plugin not viewing files within archives and FTP sites.
  • Added switch parameter to Close SYSTEM command to initiate fast-user switching. Note that this option does not support the scheduling or prompting that the Close SYSTEM command normally offers.
  • Fixed a problem where drag & drop from Opus to the desktop would always copy the file rather than moving when appropriate. Also improved drag & drop from ZIP/FTP – moving via drag & drop now really moves the file rather than copying it.
  • Fixed incorrect bitrate shown for WAV files. Also, a duration is now shown for WAV files.
  • Fix for broken Rename Scripting in Vista SP2 x64 version.
  • Raw Digital Camera plugin:
    • Added several new file extensions to the defaults (e.g. .PEF).
    • Fix for multi-threaded thumbnails not always working.
    • Fix for having to restart Opus for changes to the list of raw extensions to take effect.

5 June 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.2.2 (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 public release of 9.1.3.0.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.2.2 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Bold/italic styles defined through the Folder Colors system are now properly accounted for when initially auto-sizing columns after a folder is read.
  • Fixed incorrect/inconsistent handling of {file|noext} and similar command sequences with folders and files with no extensions.
  • The Image CONVERT command now automatically sets the 'Output to destination' option when running in interactive mode if the TO argument is given on the command line. This makes it reliable when used in the Drag & Drop menu for a file type.
  • The Send To menu displayed in Opus now respects the NoDrivesInSendToMenu system policy and will not display removable disks if this is set.
  • Lister Layouts now save and restore the state of the Lister Format Lock.
  • GifAnim plugin: Fix for incorrect dimensions in the status bar when changing from one tiled/flattened GIF to another.

1 June 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.2.1 (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 public release of 9.1.3.0.

See the previous blog post for information on the new Opus Beta group.

This will be the only beta release with the "main program updates" tag here at the news blog. Future beta releases will only have the "beta updates" tag. If you're filtering the news and want to see future beta releases, update your filters.

To download the new beta version, visit the Directory Opus 9.1.2.1 thread.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Fixed layout issue introduced in last version with Utility pane open in conjunction with a vertical toolbar between dual file displays.
  • Fixed problem of startup folder shortcut being left behind after uninstall.
  • Fixed file change notification issue with short, Unicode filenames (could occasionally result in duplicate file entry).
  • Fixed auto-size column option when switching between two formats that only change the 'hide file extensions' setting.
  • The FAYT field will no longer auto-close if its context menu is visible.
  • PCX images can now be viewed from ZIP files.
  • Fix for ActiveX plugin not viewing files within archives and FTP sites.
  • Added switch parameter to Close SYSTEM command to initiate fast-user switching. Note that this option does not support the scheduling or prompting that the Close SYSTEM command normally offers.
  • Fixed a problem where drag & drop from Opus to the desktop would always copy the file rather than moving when appropriate. Also improved drag & drop from ZIP/FTP – moving via drag & drop now really moves the file rather than copying it.
  • Fixed incorrect bitrate shown for WAV files. Also, a duration is now shown for WAV files.
  • Fix for broken Rename Scripting in Vista SP2 x64 version.
  • Raw Digital Camera plugin:
    • Added several new file extensions to the defaults (e.g. .PEF).
    • Fix for multi-threaded thumbnails not always working.
    • Fix for having to restart Opus for changes to the list of raw extensions to take effect.

Directory Opus Beta Versions

Beta versions provide access to new Directory Opus updates ahead of their general release. This allows you to try new features and bug-fixes before they have been fully tested.

Like any other update, beta versions can be used by anyone with a valid licence for the same major version of Opus (e.g. "Directory Opus 10"). This includes evaluation licences.

(In the past, beta versions were released via the members-only Opus Illuminati forum at the Resource Centre. These days, anyone can download them.)

News of beta versions will be posted here, at the blog, using the "beta updates" tag. They won't be tagged as "main program updates", so if you want to filter them out you can.

Opus's built-in Update Checker will only prompt you to install non-beta updates. If you want to keep on top of new beta versions you should subscribe to the blog's RSS feed or keep an eye on the forum's News & Announcements area. In Directory Opus 10, you can also see a list of recent blog posts by manually opening the Update Checker via the Help menu.

31 May 2009

Update O&O Defrag if you've having right-click crashes

If you have O&O Defrag installed and you find that Opus exits or crashes when you right-click things: Update to the latest version of O&O Defrag to fix the problem.

As far as we can tell the problem started happening in a recent-ish O&O Defrag update and was fixed in a more recent update. At least, we can reproduce the crash easily using a version from several weeks ago, but the crash goes away again if we install a version of O&O Defrag downloaded two weeks ago (19th May 2009).

Normally we wouldn't bother posting about such fixed issues but we're still getting a lot of reports about the crash and it isn't obvious that O&O Defrag is the cause and what needs updating. Hopefully people with the problem will see this FAQ.

(If you still have problems after updating O&O then they could be caused by something else. See the FAQ on Crash, exit or high CPU usage when right-clicking certain files for instructions on how to track down the problem.)

28 May 2009

Interactive list of Opus Plugins & Media Capabilities

Interactive list of Opus Plugins & Media Capabilities

I've made an interactive list that helps you find which viewers (etc.) are bundled with Opus and which add-ons are available to make Opus do more.

The list includes several plugins/features that have not been mentioned here or at the forum. Screenshots are included, where useful, to give you an idea of how things are before you install anything.

You can filter the list to show just what interests you. For example, you can make it show only plugins which support 64-bit & USB mode, and don't come bundled with Opus, so that you don't waste time looking at things you already have or cannot use.

(Filtering requires Javascript. Without Javascript you'll get a static list with all of the information at once. By default much of the information is hidden so play with the filter to see the other details.)

Maybe you'll discover something new. Hope it's useful!

http://www.pretentiousname.com/opus_plugin_list/index.html



22 May 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.2.0

Directory Opus version 9.1.2.0 – May 21st 2009

A free update for all Directory Opus 9 users is now available for download from GP Software.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Fix for Desktop context menu crash in conjunction with the NVidia v185.85 drivers.

  • Fix for BSOD crash that could occur when copying over existing font files. (Crash caused by bug in Windows/GDI which is exposed by generating thumbnails of copies of the same font on multiple threads.)

  • Fix for problem triggered by generating WMV thumbnails (files could get locked and never released until Opus was shutdown).

  • Fix for error when dropping files to Zip files in the Folder Tree.

  • Fix for problem where RAR files with comments could not be opened in the x64 version.

  • Fix for crash that could occur in the initial configuration wizard.

  • Fix for crash when editing button lines longer than 1024 characters.

  • Fix for crash that could be caused by launching FrontPage via DDE (e.g. from the context menu for a .html file).

  • Fix for crash when viewing files in the Nokia phone namespace.

  • The Zip Auto-Extract function now sets the current directory of the launched file correctly to that of the extracted files (so that any associated files like DLLs will be found).

  • Shortcuts launched from Opus (e.g. by double-clicking in a Lister) now have their current directory set correctly if there is no value defined for the ‘Start In’ field (previously the CD would be that of the shortcut’s target, whereas the correct behaviour is the directory the shortcut itself is in).

  • Pressing Ctrl-X (Clipboard CUT) with nothing selected no longer clears the clipboard.

  • Improvements to Image Conversion function:
    • Added NOLOSSLESS argument to the Image CONVERT command to force recompression of JPEG files. (Lets you rotate a JPEG image and forcibly recompress it rather than rotating it losslessly.)

    • Image conversion now works for all selected font files instead of just the first.

    • Fix for JPEG-EXIF rotation offset not always being lossless when it could have been.

    • Image Converter can now reset EXIF rotation tags in JPEG files.

    • When clearing EXIF rotation, the orientation field is now set to 1. Previously the entire field was nulled-out which could potentially cause problems with some EXIF readers.

  • Cropping an EXIF-rotated image in the viewer used to rotate the image an extra time.

  • New Ogg/FLAC AudioTags plugin which works on x64 systems.

  • New Raw Digital Camera plugin:
    • Works on x64 systems.

    • Adds/improves support for many camera models.

    • Raw thumbnails now display the correct dimensions and are, where possible, correctly rotated.

    • Separate decoding options for the Image Conversion function so you can use Opus to produce high quality raw conversions without slowing down file browsing.

  • Added support for RGBA (alpha) Photoshop images.

  • New JPEG2000 plugin which supports x64 and is much faster than the old one.

  • TGA plugin: Added support for alpha channels, pre-multiplied alpha, indexed color, and greyscale. Fixed problems with swapped red/blue channels in 16-bit images and small/corrupt thumbnails for some files.

  • Fix for problem when renaming files on some Samba network filesystems. (It was possible to end up with two files with the same name showing in the list.)

  • The Select Destination dialog now shows all levels of Favorites in the drop-down rather than just top-level ones. Several other minor fixes/improvements to the dialog as well.

  • Selecting a Content Type format from the drop-down list no longer applies sections of the format that are turned off.

  • FTP changes to support WindowsCE FTP server.

  • The Go /controls command could cause a duplicate tab to be opened if the right-most tab was locked when it was executed.

  • Fixed problem with unreliable “Automatically select next file when viewed image is deleted” option for Viewer Pane.

  • Fixed layout issue when Find Panel was opened and there was a toolbar beside the Viewer Panel.

  • If inline rename failed in an FTP directory, the retry dialog would reveal the full path of the FTP file including the username/password.

  • The ‘Run Opus on startup’ option now uses a shortcut in the Startup program group rather than the registry. Fixes problems a small number of people had with Opus starting too early during boot.

  • The default behaviour for single-line functions is now asynchronous again. Now, only multi-line functions default to running synchronously. Of course this behaviour can be changed using the appropriate @ modifiers.

  • The ActiveX plugin now scans the registry if it cannot find a viewer. (Workaround for programs which trash the MIME and COM settings of any file-types they take over.)

  • Fix for the Replace dialog’s thumbnail generation getting in the way of the file move/overwrite if the dialog was dismissed very quickly.

20 May 2009

Heads-up: Desktop context menu crash

(Update: This problem is fixed in Opus 9.1.2.0. However, you may still like to disable the NVidia menu to speed up the Desktop context menu.)

If you've been experiencing Explorer.exe crashes when the Desktop context menu is used then you're probably affected by a problem caused by the combination of Opus and the latest NVidia drivers (v185).

A fix for the problem has been written and will be included in the next Opus release, which should be out fairly soon.

For now, if you're affected by the problem then you can prevent the crash by disabling either the Opus or the NVidia items on the Desktop context menu. (The problem only occurs if they are both on the menu together.)

To disable the Opus items, go to Settings -> Preferences / Miscellaneous / Windows Integration and turn off Add layout and other items to Desktop context menu.



To disable the NVidia item you can use NirSoft's ShellExView. Disable the NVIDIA CPL Control Menu Extension as shown below:



Alternatively, you can disable the NVidia item using SysInternals' AutoRuns, as shown below. This does exactly the same thing as using ShellExView.



Once the Opus update is out you'll be able to enable everything again. (Having said that, if you do not use the NVidia item then you may wish to leave it disabled as it causes an annoying one-second delay every time you open the Desktop context menu.)

(Note: The NVidia control panel has a View -> Add Desktop Context Menu option. Turning that off will not avoid the crash, nor the one-second delay. NVidia's menu code is still run every time you open the Desktop context menu, even if the option is turned off and nothing is actually added to the menu. You must disable the code using one of the methods above instead.)

All of the changes discussed above will take effect immediately. There is no need to restart anything.

19 April 2009

How to add comments/descriptions to files and folders

  1. In Settings / Preferences / Folders / Options, make sure the Support 'descript.ion' file comments system option is on.

  2. To actually add a comment, use the Set Description command which by default is on the File / File Commands menu (you can move this to your toolbar or assign a hotkey if you like).

  3. To see the comments in the Listers, make sure you have the Description column displayed.
You could add the notes to the Info Tip that is displayed when you hover the mouse over a file, if you like.

For example, go to Settings / File Types, select All files from the list and click Edit. Then, on the Info Tip tab, add {desc} to the Info Tip definition.

Note that you will also need to do this separately for any file types that have an Info Tip defined -- although by default nothing does except the items listed in File Type Groups. For example, under File Type Groups, locate the Documents entry and do the same thing for that to add descriptions to document Info Tips.

See also: List of FAQs by topic

18 April 2009

CSV Chart Plugin (32-bit only)

User tomkupitz has posted an alternative CSV viewer plugin over at the forums.

This one displays numeric CSV data as a graph.

See his post for the download and screenshot links.

(This plugin is actually a few weeks old. I forgot to mention it here before.)

How to refer to things on the same portable drive

USB drive letters

People who run Opus from a USB drive often carry other programs on the same drive and want to run them from Opus buttons.

The USB drive won't always be assigned the same letter, so how do you create buttons which refer to other programs on the USB drive when you don't know what the path will be?

The home alias

You can do it using the home alias. This built-in alias always points to where Opus is installed (where you will find dopuslib.dll and so on).

To see where the home alias points, type /home into the location field in Opus.

Let's look at how you can use the home alias in your buttons...

  1. Relative to home:

    If your USB drive has Opus installed in X:\DOPUS\ and you want to run X:\UTILS\HANDY.EXE then put this in your button:

    {alias|home}..\UTILS\HANDY.EXE

    As is standard on Windows, adding .. after a folder will take you to its parent. So in this example, {alias|home}..\ is the same as X:\ but without having the drive letter hard-coded.

  2. Via the drive letter:

    You can also use the {alias} code to get just the drive letter that Opus is running from. In this particular example the parent of the home folder is the same as the root of the drive so it doesn't make much difference. Here is the button code anyway:

    {alias|home|\}UTILS\HANDY.EXE

  3. Alternative:

    If you are [i]not[/i] creating an MS-DOS Batch type of button then Opus will automatically expand /home without you having to use the {alias} code:

    /home\..\UTILS\HANDY.EXE

    Just remember that it doesn't work with MS-DOS Batch buttons. It's probably best to get into the habit of always using one of the other methods since they work in all situations.


Not just for USB installs

All of this works when Opus is installed normally as well. If you have Opus and Windows installed to the default locations then all of the follow examples will launch the windows Calculator:

{alias|home|\}Windows\system32\calc.exe


{alias|home}..\..\..\..\Windows\system32\calc.exe


/home\..\..\..\..\Windows\system32\calc.exe

Of course, it would be much easier to run C:\Windows\system32\calc.exe directly if you know that's where it will always be.

Don't forget the quotes

If there are spaces in your paths then don't forget to put quotes around them. For example:

"{alias|home|\}Program Files\Beyond Compare 3\BComp.exe"

See also: List of FAQs by topic

PS: You can grab an almost-finished version of the new Raw Digital Camera plugin from here or wait for the next version of Opus which should contain the finished version. (Some features of the final version required changes in Opus itself.)

31 March 2009

Raw Digital Camera plugin update

I've posted a "preview" version of the new Raw Digital Camera plugin which adds support for 64-bit Windows, more camera formats and USB mode.

See my post about it over at the Resource Centre for more details and download links.

The plugin is currently in an early stage. In particular, everything is hardcoded (no configuration) and it always extracts the quick embedded preview images rather than doing a full (slow) high-quality decode. Those things will be improved later.

I figure a lot of people have been waiting patiently for this version, with many unable to use the old version at all, so it's worth mentioning now even though it's a work-in-progress.

I probably won't mention the new Raw plugin again on this blog until a proper release is ready. I'll post more frequent updates and preview builds in the forum thread, so keep an eye on that if you want to be on the cutting edge. Otherwise just wait and you'll find a nice new Raw plugin in a future Opus release in the not-too-distant future.

5 March 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.1.8

Directory Opus version 9.1.1.8 - March 5th 2009

A free update for all Directory Opus 9 users is now available for download from GP Software.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Added @toggle command modifier. This lets you change the highlight status of buttons that can automatically highlight (e.g. Set HIDESYSTEMFILES). You can specify @toggle invert to invert the normal highlight state or @toggle disable to prevent highlighting altogether.
  • Added new option to Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced called flatview_folder_filters. When set to True this will enable folder filters in FlatView mode.
  • Fixed several drag & drop issues:
    • Drag & drop to Favorites menu now shows correct cursor.
    • Drag & drop to the Folder Tree no longer results in the Lister being locked until the copy is finished.
    • Fixed problem where drag & drop would do nothing if the action was Copy MOVEWHENSAME and the dropshift event was empty.
    • Fixed problem where D&D from a RAR file to the file display border hot paths of parent folders did not work.
  • Fixed problem where key presses were ignored when the mouse was over a toolbar button.
  • Added checks to prevent crashes when using some viewer plugins written in Delphi.
  • Improved support for Gmail Drive namespace extension.
  • Having the {smp3} or {tmp3} codes on the status bar will now trigger a read of extended file information even if no extended columns are displayed in the Lister.
  • Improved handling of drive removal / disk change – Folder Tree should now refresh correctly, and file change notification should no longer be broken by removing and reinserting a drive.
  • Fixed double progress bar when using Clipboard Paste via folder context menu.
  • Ctrl-Z to undo in inline rename mode no longer results in filename being scrolled out of view.
  • Fixed crash caused by inline renaming a file to a file extension that was filtered out by current filters.
  • Fixed "same drive" detection when moving files between two junctions on the same physical drive.
  • Fixed infinite loop if FileType ACTION=dblclk was set as the double-click action for a file type.
  • Fixed extraction of RAR files with encrypted filenames.
  • When defining Folder Colors, selecting folders from the Profile branch of the tree now works correctly.
  • The Owner column now works correctly in the x64 version.
  • Fixed crash in Plugin About dialog if plugin did not specify a URL.
  • Fixed problem with text-extraction plugins not working if they did not specify DVPFIF_CanReturnViewer, or did not export both DVP_LoadTextA and DVP_LoadTextW.
  • In some cases viewer plugins did not receive a DVPLUGINMSG_CLEAR message before their window was destroyed.
  • FTP changes:
    • Fix for SSH/SSL reconnect problems.
    • Fix for invalid initial folder and drop connection if parent also not available.
    • Fix for folders containing % characters in the folder name.
    • Secure FTP descriptions changed after user feedback.

22 February 2009

Heads-up: dopus_fileinfo crashes and solution

Update: A workaround for this problem is included in Opus 9.1.1.8. See above.

Please see Heads-up: dopus_fileinfo crashes and solution if you're using the new CSV/RTF/Font/Postscript plugins and have found Opus crashes sometimes.

Hopefully the plugins will be easy to fix but I figure the mysterious crash may be causing problems for some people so it's worth giving everyone a heads-up on how to avoid it for now.

5 February 2009

CSV/PS/Font/RTF plugins updated

There are new updates for Dinkelhopper's plugins: CSV, PostScript, Font viewers and RTF editor.

The updates fix problems when multiple copies of the same plugin were open at once and add some new features like auto-save in the RTF editor plugin.

To get the new versions head on over to the plugins area of the Resource Centre.

Enjoy! And, of course, thanks to Dinkelhopper for the hard work!

26 January 2009

New plugin: RTF Viewer/Editor

Dinkelhopper has released another new plugin for Opus. This one lets you view and edit Rich Text Format files:


As with Dinkelhopper's other plugins, this one is for 32-bit users only.

(They are 32-bit only because they're written using the Delphi programming language which doesn't yet support 64-bit. Unfortunately, working around the problem with Delphi plugins and 64-bit would be quite complicated. I read that the new owners of Delphi plan to introduce 64-bit support later this year, however.)

Dinkelhopper's other plugins have also had a few updates since they were mentioned on this blog a few days ago. Keep an eye on their respective forum threads if you want to stay up to date with them.

As with when my MayaIFF plugin was new, it's normal for there to be a bunch of small updates for new plugins as people try different files on them and discover issues. I'm assuming people reading this blog prefer the traffic to be minimal (else they'd be reading the forum instead) so I won't post about every update until things settle down.

Windows 7's UAC whitelist is anti-competitive

I'd like to get on my soap box and alert you to what I think is a very bad thing in Windows 7:

20 January 2009

Directory Opus version 9.1.1.7

Directory Opus version 9.1.1.7 - January 20th 2009

A free update for all Directory Opus 9 users is now available for download from GP Software.

Bugs fixed / minor changes:

  • Fixed problem with drag & drop from Outlook to Opus.
  • Fixed problem with drag & drop from ZIP and RAR files in Opus to system namespaces like the desktop.
  • Fixed problem with file type system that could cause events like double-click to stop working if a file type event was defined with an empty function body.
  • Fixed crash that could occur when decoding thumbnails in ID3v2.2 MP3 files.
  • Fixed crash in Find that could occur when searching certain UTF-8 encoded files.
  • Fixed crash that could occur when invoking some context menu handlers from an admin-mode Lister (under Vista only).
  • The New -> Folder menu item now has a key sequence assigned.
  • A command that combines Select ALL followed by Clipboard COPYNAMES now works correctly.
  • Drop-down menus opened via the keyboard now ignore the position of the mouse cursor; previously if the mouse happened to be where the menu opened, the item under the mouse would be selected.
  • Fixed problem in the Folder Tree with full-row selection when Folder Tree is locked.
  • In Context Menus, a hidden shell item that ends a sub-menu no longer causes subsequent items to be displayed in the sub-menu incorrectly.
  • Fixed problem with Rename Test mode that could cause Find & Replace values to be added to the Preview list.
  • Advanced Selection using a location filter now works in Flat View and Collections.
  • Fixed problem with Desktop Layouts context menu with layout names containing & characters.
  • Fixed problem with top-docked toolbars not taking account of other app-bars on the left or right.

New Opus plugins: Font, Postscript and CSV viewers

Dinkelhopper has posted three new Opus viewer plugins to the Resource Centre:


64-bit users should note that these plugins are 32-bit only, at least for now.

If you need alternatives that work with 64-bit:
  • CSV can be shown through the ActiveX plugin if you have Excel installed. (May also work with OpenOffice.org instead of Excel.)

    Update: Not sure where my head was at when I wrote this... I don't think using ActiveX/Excel for CSV works very well as, from memory, you get an annoying format conversion dialog when you open the files. That would be why I didn't include .CSV in the default config of the ActiveX plugin.

  • Postscript should be visible in the ActiveX plugin if you have Ghostscript installed and add the appropriate file extensions to the plugin:

    The Ghostscript installer includes a postscript viewer for Internet Explorer and the ActiveX + Preview + Office + Web plugin for Opus can be configured to take advantage of that. Go to Preferences - Plugins - Viewer Plugins, select the ActiveX + Preview + Office + Web plugin, click Configure, then add the .ps and .eps extensions under the Internet Explorer (32-bit) section. Those file extensions will then be displayed in the Opus viewer pane via IE.


    Update: Turns out this is incorrect. Ghostview does not provide a viewer that works in Internet Explorer, despite its webpage suggesting it does.

  • Fonts can be viewed via the Font preview handler which comes installed with Vista. (This is via the ActiveX plugin as well but doesn't require any configuration to enable.)