Directory Opus revamps interface, adds new scripting powers

GPSoftware has announced the release of Directory Opus 11, the latest edition of its powerful Windows file manager. And perhaps unsurprisingly, with a three year gap since version 10, it’s absolutely packed with new features.

The interface has been revamped in many ways. There are thumbnails in the Details and Power modes; the breadcrumb path has a clickable "ghost" of your previous path; the folder tree is easier to navigate, and remembers which branches are expanded; and a new Jobs Bar helps you see and manage all your current file operations.

Toolbars are now much more configurable. Turn on a toolbar and it’s enabled in the current Lister only. You’re able to save multiple toolbars as a Toolbar Set, then turn them all on and off as required. Toolbars can be stored in Lister Layouts and Styles, or enabled directly from a Folder Format: it’s your call.

The horribly basic "rename script" system of Opus 10 has been replaced with a hugely powerful scripting interface. This allows you to obtain lists of files and folders; query the state of Listers, tabs and toolbars; display dialogs and pop-up menus; trigger scripts on certain events; run commands (internal or external) on collections of files, and a whole lot more.

Elsewhere, file and folder labels are now stored using the NTFS file system (move or copy the file and the label goes with it); there’s support for online-only SkyDrive files in Windows 8.1; context menus can now be configured just like toolbars; toolbar functions may have multiple hotkeys; a new plugin displays the waveform of WAV files; there’s support for RAR 5.0 archives; and the list goes on.

Directory Opus 11 is priced from $49 AUD for the Light version. Registered Directory Opus Pro users are entitled to a discounted upgrade, but if you’d like to try it out first, a 60-day trial build is available now.