This was great. I've been using Directory Opus for years, and while I knew I wasn't scratching the surface on how I could utilize it, this has opened my eyes to new possibilities with real-world examples.
Director Opus is incredibly powerful. Some of my most favourite features are Rename and Search in combination with “regular expressions”. The built-in picture viewer can also work with colour management profiles. Oh, and you can customize your own colour schemes or create a whole new look. Work with database and archive collection with 3rd party plugins… Possibilities are almost endless. BTW, the extremely detailed Help documentation is also invaluable.
Directory opus was the best file manager on the Amiga era ❤ For norton commander lovers there is also the total commander which is my personal choice for windows os.
I've been using Directory Opus since 2004 and I love it. The customization is insane! I've customized Opus by quite a bit, but even after all this time, I have barely scratched the surface of this file manager's capabilities. I enjoy using the synchronization feature that allows me to easily backup files to my backup drives.
This is what the built-in file explorer should have been like 10 years ago, would it really be that much work for a multi-billion dollar company to add stuff like tabs and a dual-view?
Ctrl + Shift + T is ❤️ I learned it on your Dec. 5, 2019 video (20 Keyboard Shortcuts You're A Moron for Not Using). It's my life saver at work ever since.
Total Commander deserves praise too, I think. Very powerful. And for nostalgia: Far Manager. An open source Norton Commander clone for modern systems. I've been using others for specific functions, but I always have the classic Windows File Manager at hand, because handling certain type of folders could lead to errors. But other times is the Windows FM that end in errors. Other thing to consider alternative tools for copying files, like was the old but gold "Ultracopier", that gave you control of the file operations speed and other very useful settings that should be in Windows as "advanced settings", that nowadays seems like just a dream and the System is getting dumber and less customizable.
total commander doesn't hold a candle to dopus yet they expect 37 eur before tax, so 50 eur meanwhile dopus pro is 58 eur and the lite version that still does much more than total commander is 32 eur, lol should cost 10 max, if they don't want us to keep pirating it to get rid of the annoying dialog.
@@harshnemesis Which is why I've not paid for Total Commander but use it all the time - much better than Windows File Explorer. Opus may well be superior but is too expensive IMO.
Maybe customize the "Get Sizes" function to always list folder sizes, but if it takes longer that 5 or 10 seconds, leave it blank unless you call the function.
Not really possible because you can’t know how long it would take unless you actually perform the process, but then you’re still tying up resources to calculate that. You could instead maybe calculate how many files and sub folders are inside with a quick recursive function but the threshold for what is “too many” would vary by hardware and how fast the CPU and drives are. However even this is not perfect because 10 really large files can take longer to calculate than 100 really small ones depending on fragmentation and other factors. Honestly there are just more purpose built tools for doing this like WinDirStat or WizTree for calculating directory structure sizes.
Bro I’ve been watching you for almost 7 years and I have learned so much. I haven’t even seen this video but I know I’m gonna use directory opus now lol
Wow. That brings back some memories. I've been a Linux admin/user for about 25 years now (where I have almost all of the DOpus functionality you showcase here, under KDE/Plasma and Dolphin), but I used to write DOpus scripts in my Amiga days in the early 90's.
Directory Opus is great but Total Commander (originally Windows Commander) is equally good in many ways. I've been using it for decades and can't imagine using Windows without it.
I've been using Total Commander, and even windows commander before that so must be at least 20 years. I use it daily and it does everything I want it to. I don't really know how to use Window's own system as I just use total commander all the time. Easy to use and does the job. I've tried a lot of the others like DOPUS but end up going back to total commander every time.
Directory Opus is the KING of file managers. I've been using it for 33 years, since it was written for the Commodore Amiga in 1990. Yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for.
The breaking point in the Windows file explorer for me wasn't the layout hitches, nor the fact that flac/ogg files brought it to a screeching halt (half a minute for 5 items, on a gen 4 NVMe SSD), it was when it started to completely freeze because it could not properly parse the thumbnails on video files (requiring manually deleting administrator-protected cache files and rebooting). How does Microsoft do it? This looks pretty good, I'll check it out.
My biggest problem with File explorer was that one update that introduced a buggy memory leak that for most people could be resolved simply by restarting the computer, but my laptop being incredibly old was affected differently, the memory leak was permanent and after a week or two broke the laptop entirely.
I have been using Directory Opus for many years in its standard form without editing the program but have found even in that form it has many features that is far superior to File Explorer. There is also a feature (Find File) that is a powerful searching tool that allows finding groups of files with the same attributes which is impossible with File Explorer. This feature allows using "wildcards", "case sensitive letters", "file dates", "file sizes" and many other attributes that you may want to search a group of files with. Great review.
The search function was better in older versions of Windows File Explorer. IIRC, the one with Windows XP let you search with wildcards, dates, and sizes, and it had a cute little dog!
You still can search for those. Just put something into the search bar and extended search options will pop up on top toolbar of explorer. From there you can add pretty much any criteria, and it's in fact only a text like "date:" added to the search bar, so when you learn them you can skip top toolbar.
I think I've been using Directory Opus for ten years now. What I love the most about it is the Content Folder Types. I work in radio and browse a lot of music folders. It's excellent to have the lister show me metadata about the music files by default, and not to mention have it have the lister layout stay consistent. One problem with the regular File Explorer is that in case one of the folders with music have a picture, it defaults to a thumbnail view. I also like the feature of having the folder sizes showing up on hover. Directory Opus is one of the few programs I always install and I also one of the first programs I bought a license for.
I've switched from only using Total Commander to using One Commander as well. Directory Opus just haven't convinced me on the value proposition side, I find it to be way to expensive because it's competition just isn't as expensive and some of it is straight up free.
Well, I'm using Total Commander, which frankly is free to use. All you need to do is just click a correct button to keep it opened (it tells you which one it is). Yes, it asks for registration, which does cost money. But you don't have to, unless you're using it on behalf of a bussiness.
Total Commander is my (windows) choice, speciifcally dealing with large folders with project files or measrment data without losing oversight or control. And because of decennia long muscle memory ;). The duo window is a must for me with efficient conmparison and synching. Automatic background synching is to unreliable and slow.
This just validated me. Been using Opus for many years now but I would every now and then check out other file explorers just to see if I've been missing out on something. Still, so far, nothing can replace it for me. While mine is now so customized it's unrecognizable from the default settings, I still haven't tapped into all of its features. BUT you don't have to (and don't be overwhelmed by its tons of offerings). What makes Opus great is that when there's something you want to do or have that isn't there, just dive down into its options and you'll likely find a solution under its hood. And you can save every configuration so you don't have to redo it every time. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want. It's like readily having a set of tools (or different toolboxes) when you need it, for whatever task. In other words, spend some minutes, hours, or a day customizing it, then just let it grow to fit your needs. Rich and powerful, once you've tried Opus, you'll realize things can be a lot easier and better, especially if you're a power user.
DirectoryOpus is the first piece of software I install on any new Windows machine. I absolutely hate dealing with Windows installs that don't have it. When family asks for help with a computer, I insist they install it if they want me to do anything for them. (Mostly I buy them a license for my own sanity) I've been using dOpus for over 30 years, since the Amiga 2000! (I can't believe I'm typing that ...) It's a bad joke how little, in time measured in *decades*, MS has improved Explorer.
Total Commander since forever I can remember. Just like a few others, loved the 2 panes layout of NC from DOS days and found total commander (windows commander then) and have never moved away from it. It's the philospohy of the 2 panes - source and target that is the attraction and full marks to Norton for that. All that is ready in Total Commander and there is no need to customize to make it look like that - also while Directory Opus may be giving more control, it's also is making it complicated and the customizations makes commands appear all over the place in it's layout. Maybe, its appealing to people used to the windows file explorer and yes, in comparison to file explorer it's definitely better but finesse of Total Commander is a class apart. The plugins only add to its already great functionality.
+1 for Xyplorer. ive been using it for many years. The file tree pane where I can hide unwanted folders is what makes it worthwhile for me. Also not free. But you get what you pay for
@@rikutalvio I'm switched from default explorers (on my win7 , win8 and win10 PCs) to XYplorer a few month ago . And it feels great . I still experimenting with endless toolbar instruments and whole app settings . But i curious about your choice . What do you think make Xplorer2 most suitable for you ? And what in your opinion make it unique (in comparing to XYplorer and Directory Opus) ?
@@Grif_on96 I switched back in 2004 after a lot of testing with all the available alternatives; Xplorer2 felt the best and had everything I needed in the free lite version - have been happy with it ever since, and eventually bought the ultimate version to support the developer. Prompted by this video, I had a look at the top contenders, and even installed DO and XY to see what they're about. I'm sure their extensive customisation options will make them great, but the OOBE was so off-putting, I couldn't be bothered to test them very long. Most features are probably shared across the board. But do they have Miller columns?
I use "Open Shell" file explorer because it was built into the operating system called "Ameliorated Windows 10" that I reconstructed myself. I recommend building that OS for yourself because it strips all of Windows 10 bloatware out, dramatically improves OS performance, and eliminates Microsoft's ability to track/collect your data. (Note you will have to download and resinstall your GPU driver)
Ameliorated Windows 10 looks interesting, especially on my older laptops that won't work with W11. How are future upgrades and security updates handled with Ameliorated Windows 10? I like to know before committing to clean installing it and then installing my applications. If Ameliorated Windows 10 is something that is reliable, I can see it breathing new life into my older Win10 pcs (2) and laptops (2). What's Microsoft's take on this?
@@teknerd Unfortunately one of the major draw backs is making updates to the OS, if you want to update it you need to reinstall it, but to counter this issue you can do three things that cover most security vulnerabilities without the need for updates: (1) be careful what you download/install; (2) remove administrative privileges from the OS default user; and (3) install an antivirus (I use Avira). As for Microsoft's take, the distribution/download of an edited Windows 10 .iso file (that is not from Microsoft) breaks the law and could be considered piracy, but what is not illegal is recreating/editing your own version of the "Ameliorated Windows 10" from an already owned Windows 10 .iso file. The "Ameliorated Windows 10" website provides you with all of the information required to build the OS for yourself which is what I did.
Also as a tip if you are worried about security or some software not working in the OS then use a normal version of Windows 10 inside a Virtual Machine (VM). That way you are still secure and can run anything on "Ameliorated Windows 10".
@@litLizard_ Have you had anything break with Chris' debloater tool? I tried leaner version of windows before and almost everytime I had something break like a new program that requires something that has been removed. Just asking. I am also a subscriber to Chris' channel.
@@litLizard_ I have used ShutUp10++ and I like it as an alternative (the only concern is that it blocks only 99% of bloatware/spyware from running and doesn't actually remove the bloatware). To be honest "Ameliorated Windows 10" is only used by those who want the most extreme solution. Still ShutUp10++ is a really good option!
I have been using Total Commander since I was introduced in the world of computers when I was around 3 years old. I am very used to it. I use the free version, I have no intentions of paying it because it has everything I need. I use Total Commander in my Android phone, and when I use Linux, I install a very similar app (even I think it is a clone) called Double Commander
WOW... two things i just wanted to say: As a DOS-era relic i'm also using an alternative "file explorer"; namely Total Commander (which resembles the "back-then-uber-filemanager NC.exe (aka norton commander)). It even uses the same operations on the Fn-keys as the original. F3 will always be view, F8 is delete and tons of other functions ofcourse. NC is cloned and copied on every operating system I know or have used. The second thing my eye struck is your driveletters... I dunno if you know it; but A: and B: are reserved letters for floppy drives... That's also the reason why the boot-harddrive (or ssd) gets the designation C: and not A:. The reason why there are two letters reserved for floppy drives is simple: back in the days we also had computers withouth a hard-drive, and to not swap floppies every time the system needed a systemfile or function; we kept the MS-Dos bootdisk in drive A: and run applications from drive B: That's also the reason why you see those "vintage" computers having two 5.25" floppy drives. Once harddrives came along computers began to be fitted with a single floppy drive as there was no need for two anymore. But if in a modern day computer you'd hook up two floppy drives on the floppy controller on the motherboard, i'll automatically give them driveletters A: and B: on a Microsoft OS... So it's actually NOT DONE to designate either of those letters to non-removable drives... I use A: for certain USB thumb-drives (if you do that, than only the ones u gave that specific letter will get it when reconnected, others will just keep getting the first free letter). As soon as you'd connect a floppydrive though, that driveletter will become locked to the floppy and you'll need to set a new driveletter for that usb-drive. So i hope you (and your viewers) will adopt the correct driveletters from now on, as you could run in big troubles when we all revert to magnetical storage in the form of 360KB/1.2MB 5.25" floppies or the 720KB/1.44MB 3.5" diskettes as main storageformat... (ofc that's a joke!)
Thanks Thio, I'll keep this in mind if I get annoyed with the default file explorer in the future. Also, one tool I can recommend if someone wants tabs in the vanilla file explorer is QTTabBar
That's what I've been using for a very long time now. The issue I have with it is that it *slurrrrrrrrrrps* RAM like crazy. You can see explorer.exe take several hundred MB of RAM casually with QTTabBar. To be honest, I had been using it mostly for the tabs. I know there's a ton more it can do. Something I wish I could do, clean up the left pane, that it can't. Looks like Directory Opus can, however. Well, that's because it's a different app altogether and not an extension like QTTabBar.
Great Video, More people need to know there are options out there. I switched to Directory Opus 2 years ago and there is no looking back. I still keep Windows Explorer as the default, but a simple double click on the desktop anywhere fires it straight up. One Great feature I love is the 'Print / Export Folder Listing...' button, This is a 2 click process to list all of the contents in your folder as a text file which you can then use however you want, and is highly customizable. Transferring files from one location to another, or from your phone is also great because you can set it to keep transferring if there is a problem, and then you can go through the problem files at the end.
that print folder listing thing, used to (?) be fairly easy to do, though in a roundabout way, and it's been annoying that I can't anymore. i'm pretty sure the trick was dragging and dropping a selection of files into an Office document - my guess was Excel. It was even a key step in some project documenting procedure I wrote up for a company I interned at. Now...of the top of my head I still can't think of any easy way. Run commands in command prompt I guess?
Makes me happy to know that I'm not the only one that sorts files by modification time. I live in the terminal, so I've got a bunch of aliases for listing directory contents in different ways, but this looks so good I'm wondering if it would work through WINE.
I've been using Total Commander for years even before it changed it's name from Windows Commander - apparently Microsoft pointed out that 'Windows' was their trademark.
I'm using Total Commander. 🙂 It's free, dual-window (like this in the video), can filter folders (Ctrl+Alt+[letter]), can use tabs (Ctrl+↑) and can save them to file, have a customizable toolbar at the top and it have a bunch more features, but doesn't contain search feature, unlike the Windows file manager. It also have built-in "quick view" feature ("lister", Ctrl+Q) which can display even pictures and play audio files, too. Total Commander also expandable with lots of plugins. 🙂
This is one of your most useful tutorials yet. I like the way you have customized your file explorer and now want to find a more fully featured file explorer in Linux.
You know what would be a nice improvement? Moving to trash a file when you accidentaly overwrite it. It occures to me from time to time that I drag and drop into a folder a file which has the same name of another already in it, and I confirm the overwriting without thinking (because often it is the straightforward thing to do), just soon realizing I actually needed that file too!
Has probably been mentioned already, but QTTabBar has most of the same features and is free. My only complaint is the split window is crap, though I have not tried the latest 2048 release. I also used Ultra Explorer for years, and still do on occasion. The split window is much better, but has been out of development for several years, so the UI is somewhat dated. I especially like the filename formatting for different extensions.
Yup, QTTabBar is great. It just adds features to Windows File Explorer for free. That way you don't have to worry about setting default file managers or have any compatibility issues. I just use it for tabs.
Free-commander is my go too it has dual sides each with infinite tabs to add that you can drag an drop through on the fly as well haha along with being open source baby woooo thats what I have been waiting for
For a quick File Search I use 'Everything' so much faster than normal File Explorer. I hope this DOPUS is as fast... I also use QTabbar. Would be great to have all-in-one solution..!
I have been using Total Commander since forever (talking win 95, here). I even used Norton Commander in DOS before that and the idea was to have something that did what NC did in DOS but in Windows. In old vanilla DOS you had to type everything: COPY MOVE DEL DIR EDIT MD CD etc. NC simply showed two directories side by side, you could jump from side to side with Tab and Copy and Move files and directories with F5 and F6, for instance. F4 was the EDIT command. It was so much better than typing! Total Commander was a copy of those functionalities in Windows and a gazillion more. You can export your customizations just copying the .ini and .bar files and it's portable so you can have it on a pendrive.
I've been using FreeCommander for years and I love it. But that's mainly because the thing I do most with files is move/copy from one place to another and the split panes makes it very easy.
Holy cow! Tab groups alone are worth the price of admission. If I'm working on financials, can have bank statements, credit card info, associated reports, etc. all front and center. Wow!
The problem with TC is that it can't group files. At least for extended attributes such as video resolution or framerate. Or maybe at all, i can't remember.
@@AyoKeito It does group by the column you click on such as extension. Haven't tried adding any custom ones, but I think your experience was too long ago. Mostly I use it for SFTP, various cloud drive services and as a front end for android ADB.
I love the .bak script. But I'd like to see it modified so that .bak* files get created in or moved to a designated backup folder so that you don't have to move them after the fact.
That is an amazing recommendation! I spent the last hours installing and configuring it and will evaluate it at work too. Already added a custom button to open the current folder in VSCode since I keep forgetting the command for that
Not speaking about Opus, but about almost all other replacements - for some reason they think its acceptable to downgrade the functionality of File Explorer, instead of improving it. Most replacements I've tried failed an extremely simple test - picking a file/folder and dragging it to a favourites bar. Almost none could do it, and some didn't even have any form of vertical favourites bar at all. "Files 2.0" which is often mentioned in Reddit posts can't do it, that is besides it being unimaginably slow.
Why has File Explorer not functionally changed in 20 years? There is so much potential to do something with it - customised folder icons, batch renaming, tagging, version control, metadata, etc.
Just wanted to say that Directory Opus has been around for years and years. I first came across when I owned my Commodore Amiga 500, way back when. It was excellent then, and still seems to be excellent now! Thanks for the video!
Free commander is my go to at work. Many dual pane explorers are good, here are some other that I used: - one commander (fancy looking, I like it, but it feels too heavy) - xyplorer (very classic, but very good at what it does)
just tried it and it seems to downgrade File Explorer functionality - can't add current path to Favorites via drag-and-drop, also can't add the current tab via drag-and-drop either. Also can't add a selected folder to a specific place in Favourites bar either - only to the very end. If I try to drag it to a specific place, FC tries to physically move/copy the folder to a new path instead. Too much functionality missing. Really hate when programs that are hailed to be "better" remove the functions I use daily instead.
I would like the option to automatically extract a ZIP file as you download it from a web browser instead of having to unzip it and delete the zipped variant. Also, an "Extract Folder" option would be nice - You can use it on a folder to move all of the files and folders inside of it to the upper directory and delete the original folder to organize your files.
I didn't notice the number one feature I would like in a file manager. The ability to "actually" set the view mode in a way that windows doesn't "forget" it right after setting and closing the window. This is especially exacerbated by removable drives. If I have a drive full of movies, I don't want to have to keep changing the view mode back to my customized movie view. This has been a major PITA since Windows 3.0 over 30 years ago, and despite just as many years of complaints, Microsoft still hasn't addressed this issue. By now, this issue should not only have been addressed, but we should have an option to save multiple custom views for a given folder/subfolder structure which we could toggle between with a simple drop down list, and it should all be saved to a hidden config file so that the options could be accessible on any device a removable drive is plugged into without it constantly forgetting. On the up side (of this app) the built in sync feature is an overdue feature that is sorely needed.
XYplorer has been my go to for a long time now. I don't think the UI is quiet as clean as what you were showcasing, but its background mechanics such as copy are REALLY strong. I'm gonna give your program a shot though. While I really like XYplorer, your demo of Directory Optius feels more modern.
Dopus has great file moving/copying mechanics too.. it even lets you schedule operations, rather than run them simultaneously. If it that doesn't do it for you, there's actually a built in script that let's you use teracopy on the power user bar.
There are a couple of things I'd like to see in file managers. First, is write and verify to make sure what is written is readable back as the original data. Second, is tag management, and this splits again into two formats, unstructured tags, and hierarchical tags. The second can be the possibility of having multiple directory hierarchies for a single file, i.e. abstracting the directories on the user side respect to the volume directories (which at that point could become redundant). In truth, these features could be more efficient as part of a file system. Then the multi-directory model could yield intrinsic de-dub for files (e.g. files catalogued by hash, then assigned the required directory hierarchies, implying no duplicate files on the FS volume).
I was thinking for the need of such multi directory file system for a long time... Removes the redundant files and the stupid shortcuts that are not very useful for single files. For a lot of different workloads that will be a life saver... (3D modeling/texturing/rendering, video editing and so on on for me personally). I often need a lot of files (some of them pretty big too) to be in several different folders for different projects at the same time, and shortcut does not do the job at all...
I love Directory Opus. As a close second, I use FreeCommander XE. It's also really good, and free, so I tend to use it on computer I don't use that much.
Explorer is so far behind the curve. I've been using XYPlorer for years, not free but the license allow use on any PC I own. Similar features and very customizable.
Xyplorer can be overwhelming, especially with the pace of new features that are always being added. Don't get me wrong, I always download and review every update and try to use the new features as they are introduced.
I'll definitely try this - the changes is recent versions of Windows are always constantly irritating. The hobbled search function is unbelievable. The technology for instant filtering has been around for years, but in Windows, searching for files now is the same sluggish operation it was when I got my first Win98 PC. The incompetence is mind-boggling.
A suggestion: In the instructions file you can write the path as C:\Users\%USER%\AppData\Roaming\, which will automatically substitute the correct username for the current user. This would fail only in very few cases if the machine is part of a domain and the account has been renamed at some point in time, but the profile folder remains the same. Usually happens with Administrator and Administrator.domain ;-)
Hi ThioJoe, hope you're doing well. I've been watching a lot of your videos in the last month or so. I just have a comment. I was just wondering why 90 per cent of UA-camrs don't mention if new tools or programs they use apply to multiple users all the time. Thanks again for the great content you provide. I truly appreciate your videos. Have a great day.
First thing to do in Directory Opus: Go to Settings - Preferences - File Displays - Mouse: Double-click on file display background: Go to parent folder! What it does: double clicking on a white space in a folder takes you up one level. (In other words you go up by barely moving your mouse.) You try it once and never want to go back. May seem like a small thing, but you do it often and it really adds up.
I've been using FoldersPopup for years. Its main advantage is to propose you the most recent folders you stored files into, because the "recent folders" pane in Windows explorer is useless (at least in W7 and W10). I would take it to a desert island.
It looks like with Directory Opus replacing Explorer and Take Command Console replacing the command prompt in Windows Terminal, you can have Windows as it should be. Both big improvements.
explorer.exe is more than just the file explorer, its the entire desktop and taskbar. There are programs out there that replace it entirely (although they're not very good imo)
@@badasahog Apologies then, this is why people on the internet are always aggy .. when writing something the intonation is not passed on, next time try something like, "as a side note, explorer.exe", "by the way" or "not to mention".
Q-Dir and OneCommander are also nice free options [although no where near as many features as Opus]. Q-Dir has good functionality but dated user interface. OneCommander has new interface but lacks some basic functionality.
Total Commander does the work for me. When I copy or move files an folders, I don't want them to change the time and date. This can be set in the options. Also the sync directories is a treat. It's shareware and cost only 25 euro to remove the ads.
I’m a video editor and the tab groups look life changing. I’m getting this ASAP!
WHY DO I RANDOMLY COME ACROSS YOU IN RANDOM PLACES SO MUCH
@@nikkehtine maybe you were a stalker in your previous life 🤔
This was great. I've been using Directory Opus for years, and while I knew I wasn't scratching the surface on how I could utilize it, this has opened my eyes to new possibilities with real-world examples.
Opus is great. Been using it for years too.
10:01 - 10:04 - I like it everytime you do this. Connecting with your audience after a long presentation 👍🏻
lol
@@kerodfresenbetgebremedhin1881 yeah LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT LOL TROLL BOT
@Pragmatism'001 Good Question - I like to know too...!
@Pragmatism'001 Joe has not replied or it was a spammer and UA-cam deleted it
Director Opus is incredibly powerful. Some of my most favourite features are Rename and Search in combination with “regular expressions”. The built-in picture viewer can also work with colour management profiles. Oh, and you can customize your own colour schemes or create a whole new look. Work with database and archive collection with 3rd party plugins… Possibilities are almost endless. BTW, the extremely detailed Help documentation is also invaluable.
* Linux user watching *
*MacBuntu user watching* (macos theme for ubuntu)
@@Really_purple Lol.
have fun spending hours finding missing files and installing compatibility software just to get any linux distro anywhere near an actual working OS
@@starfieldgames5976 Its very clear u never used ubuntu
@@starfieldgames5976 it took me like an hour to install and set everything up
Directory opus was the best file manager on the Amiga era ❤
For norton commander lovers there is also the total commander which is my personal choice for windows os.
I am a Total Commander users for 27 years now. Best money I have ever spent.
@@XennialGeek same here
@@XennialGeek I PAID for Total Commander too! Love it! And they KEEP updating it.
@Georgios Xenakis YES! Amiga Opus. Very tightly written program.
Total commander doesn't hold a candle to dopus which is far better than it ever was on amiga. Amiga sucked so it failed and Windows won.
I've been using Directory Opus since 2004 and I love it. The customization is insane! I've customized Opus by quite a bit, but even after all this time, I have barely scratched the surface of this file manager's capabilities. I enjoy using the synchronization feature that allows me to easily backup files to my backup drives.
This is what the built-in file explorer should have been like 10 years ago, would it really be that much work for a multi-billion dollar company to add stuff like tabs and a dual-view?
Ctrl + Shift + T is ❤️ I learned it on your Dec. 5, 2019 video (20 Keyboard Shortcuts You're A Moron for Not Using). It's my life saver at work ever since.
Ctrl + Shift + T is amazing.
@UCQ3iOl_nW_OmLon-XFe4zHQ I have not heard about Windows Power Tools before and I always using Ctrl + Shift + T
How is that possible that your comment is 2hr ago and video 2min ago??
To my earlier reply
I can't see it to edit it
But misread ctrl + shit +t
For win+ shit +t
Sorry
@@kartiklakhotia3861 Channel Membership
Total Commander deserves praise too, I think. Very powerful. And for nostalgia: Far Manager. An open source Norton Commander clone for modern systems. I've been using others for specific functions, but I always have the classic Windows File Manager at hand, because handling certain type of folders could lead to errors. But other times is the Windows FM that end in errors. Other thing to consider alternative tools for copying files, like was the old but gold "Ultracopier", that gave you control of the file operations speed and other very useful settings that should be in Windows as "advanced settings", that nowadays seems like just a dream and the System is getting dumber and less customizable.
Total Commander expects you to buy it, just like WinRAR. And IMO Midnight Commander is better than Far.
@@UltimatePerfection You can still use Total Commander for free but you have to choose a button every time you open the program.
@@mda5003 As I've said, just like WinRAR.
total commander doesn't hold a candle to dopus yet they expect 37 eur before tax, so 50 eur meanwhile dopus pro is 58 eur and the lite version that still does much more than total commander is 32 eur, lol
should cost 10 max, if they don't want us to keep pirating it to get rid of the annoying dialog.
@@harshnemesis Which is why I've not paid for Total Commander but use it all the time - much better than Windows File Explorer. Opus may well be superior but is too expensive IMO.
Maybe customize the "Get Sizes" function to always list folder sizes, but if it takes longer that 5 or 10 seconds, leave it blank unless you call the function.
Not really possible because you can’t know how long it would take unless you actually perform the process, but then you’re still tying up resources to calculate that.
You could instead maybe calculate how many files and sub folders are inside with a quick recursive function but the threshold for what is “too many” would vary by hardware and how fast the CPU and drives are. However even this is not perfect because 10 really large files can take longer to calculate than 100 really small ones depending on fragmentation and other factors.
Honestly there are just more purpose built tools for doing this like WinDirStat or WizTree for calculating directory structure sizes.
This.
I'm not sure if its actually not a good idea, you should try to prevent your disk from needlessly reads.
@@kebrus What's the harm in reading data? Isn't that only going to help with finding hidden errors on a drive?
@@kebrus to get file size you don't need to read whole file.
Bro I’ve been watching you for almost 7 years and I have learned so much. I haven’t even seen this video but I know I’m gonna use directory opus now lol
Wow. That brings back some memories. I've been a Linux admin/user for about 25 years now (where I have almost all of the DOpus functionality you showcase here, under KDE/Plasma and Dolphin), but I used to write DOpus scripts in my Amiga days in the early 90's.
Dolphin is extremely powerful. Really, almost any Linux file manager is as powerful as this one. It's just that Windows Explorer completely sucks.
Directory Opus is great but Total Commander (originally Windows Commander) is equally good in many ways. I've been using it for decades and can't imagine using Windows without it.
I've been using Total Commander, and even windows commander before that so must be at least 20 years. I use it daily and it does everything I want it to. I don't really know how to use Window's own system as I just use total commander all the time. Easy to use and does the job.
I've tried a lot of the others like DOPUS but end up going back to total commander every time.
Haha yes.. we used Total Commander in MS-DOS era... 👴🏼 That was life changing back then... 🆕
Total Commander is my go-to as well. The keybindings are pretty good too
Directory Opus is the KING of file managers. I've been using it for 33 years, since it was written for the Commodore Amiga in 1990. Yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for.
The breaking point in the Windows file explorer for me wasn't the layout hitches, nor the fact that flac/ogg files brought it to a screeching halt (half a minute for 5 items, on a gen 4 NVMe SSD), it was when it started to completely freeze because it could not properly parse the thumbnails on video files (requiring manually deleting administrator-protected cache files and rebooting). How does Microsoft do it?
This looks pretty good, I'll check it out.
My biggest problem with File explorer was that one update that introduced a buggy memory leak that for most people could be resolved simply by restarting the computer, but my laptop being incredibly old was affected differently, the memory leak was permanent and after a week or two broke the laptop entirely.
I have been using Directory Opus for many years in its standard form without editing the program but have found even in that form it has many features that is far superior to File Explorer.
There is also a feature (Find File) that is a powerful searching tool that allows finding groups of files with the same attributes which is impossible with File Explorer. This feature allows using "wildcards", "case sensitive letters", "file dates", "file sizes" and many other attributes that you may want to search a group of files with. Great review.
The search function was better in older versions of Windows File Explorer. IIRC, the one with Windows XP let you search with wildcards, dates, and sizes, and it had a cute little dog!
Looks like Microsoft has devolved File Explorer overtime.
You still can search for those. Just put something into the search bar and extended search options will pop up on top toolbar of explorer. From there you can add pretty much any criteria, and it's in fact only a text like "date:" added to the search bar, so when you learn them you can skip top toolbar.
I think I've been using Directory Opus for ten years now. What I love the most about it is the Content Folder Types. I work in radio and browse a lot of music folders. It's excellent to have the lister show me metadata about the music files by default, and not to mention have it have the lister layout stay consistent. One problem with the regular File Explorer is that in case one of the folders with music have a picture, it defaults to a thumbnail view. I also like the feature of having the folder sizes showing up on hover. Directory Opus is one of the few programs I always install and I also one of the first programs I bought a license for.
I've switched from only using Total Commander to using One Commander as well. Directory Opus just haven't convinced me on the value proposition side, I find it to be way to expensive because it's competition just isn't as expensive and some of it is straight up free.
I use one commander too!
Well, I'm using Total Commander, which frankly is free to use. All you need to do is just click a correct button to keep it opened (it tells you which one it is). Yes, it asks for registration, which does cost money. But you don't have to, unless you're using it on behalf of a bussiness.
Total Commander is my (windows) choice, speciifcally dealing with large folders with project files or measrment data without losing oversight or control. And because of decennia long muscle memory ;). The duo window is a must for me with efficient conmparison and synching. Automatic background synching is to unreliable and slow.
This just validated me. Been using Opus for many years now but I would every now and then check out other file explorers just to see if I've been missing out on something. Still, so far, nothing can replace it for me. While mine is now so customized it's unrecognizable from the default settings, I still haven't tapped into all of its features. BUT you don't have to (and don't be overwhelmed by its tons of offerings). What makes Opus great is that when there's something you want to do or have that isn't there, just dive down into its options and you'll likely find a solution under its hood. And you can save every configuration so you don't have to redo it every time. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want. It's like readily having a set of tools (or different toolboxes) when you need it, for whatever task. In other words, spend some minutes, hours, or a day customizing it, then just let it grow to fit your needs. Rich and powerful, once you've tried Opus, you'll realize things can be a lot easier and better, especially if you're a power user.
Sees title of video, hopes Directory Opus is at least mentioned. Immediately happy! I've been using it since version 4 on the Amiga.
DirectoryOpus is the first piece of software I install on any new Windows machine. I absolutely hate dealing with Windows installs that don't have it.
When family asks for help with a computer, I insist they install it if they want me to do anything for them. (Mostly I buy them a license for my own sanity)
I've been using dOpus for over 30 years, since the Amiga 2000! (I can't believe I'm typing that ...)
It's a bad joke how little, in time measured in *decades*, MS has improved Explorer.
Total Commander since forever I can remember. Just like a few others, loved the 2 panes layout of NC from DOS days and found total commander (windows commander then) and have never moved away from it. It's the philospohy of the 2 panes - source and target that is the attraction and full marks to Norton for that. All that is ready in Total Commander and there is no need to customize to make it look like that - also while Directory Opus may be giving more control, it's also is making it complicated and the customizations makes commands appear all over the place in it's layout. Maybe, its appealing to people used to the windows file explorer and yes, in comparison to file explorer it's definitely better but finesse of Total Commander is a class apart. The plugins only add to its already great functionality.
A Good free one is Files as well, a more modern prettier version of the default explorer with more features like tabs
Been using files for a little while. It's okay. Not as customized as this, but fun to look at.
Thanks for the tip! Testing it now and it looks like a nice upgrade to Explorer. Not very customizable but has most of what I need.
I expected this video to be of files
I don't know why but it's paid for me 😢
Files is slow as balls.
Best ones are Total Commander and Directory Opus.
I've been using Xplorer2 for years - big fan of the dual pane view. Now it also has Miller columns which comes in handy with deep folder trees.
+1 for Xyplorer. ive been using it for many years. The file tree pane where I can hide unwanted folders is what makes it worthwhile for me. Also not free. But you get what you pay for
@@kittle31 Xplorer2, not Xyplorer.
@@rikutalvio I'm switched from default explorers (on my win7 , win8 and win10 PCs) to XYplorer a few month ago . And it feels great . I still experimenting with endless toolbar instruments and whole app settings .
But i curious about your choice . What do you think make Xplorer2 most suitable for you ? And what in your opinion make it unique (in comparing to XYplorer and Directory Opus) ?
@@Grif_on96 I switched back in 2004 after a lot of testing with all the available alternatives; Xplorer2 felt the best and had everything I needed in the free lite version - have been happy with it ever since, and eventually bought the ultimate version to support the developer.
Prompted by this video, I had a look at the top contenders, and even installed DO and XY to see what they're about. I'm sure their extensive customisation options will make them great, but the OOBE was so off-putting, I couldn't be bothered to test them very long.
Most features are probably shared across the board. But do they have Miller columns?
I use "Open Shell" file explorer because it was built into the operating system called "Ameliorated Windows 10" that I reconstructed myself. I recommend building that OS for yourself because it strips all of Windows 10 bloatware out, dramatically improves OS performance, and eliminates Microsoft's ability to track/collect your data. (Note you will have to download and resinstall your GPU driver)
Ameliorated Windows 10 looks interesting, especially on my older laptops that won't work with W11. How are future upgrades and security updates handled with Ameliorated Windows 10? I like to know before committing to clean installing it and then installing my applications. If Ameliorated Windows 10 is something that is reliable, I can see it breathing new life into my older Win10 pcs (2) and laptops (2). What's Microsoft's take on this?
@@teknerd Unfortunately one of the major draw backs is making updates to the OS, if you want to update it you need to reinstall it, but to counter this issue you can do three things that cover most security vulnerabilities without the need for updates: (1) be careful what you download/install; (2) remove administrative privileges from the OS default user; and (3) install an antivirus (I use Avira). As for Microsoft's take, the distribution/download of an edited Windows 10 .iso file (that is not from Microsoft) breaks the law and could be considered piracy, but what is not illegal is recreating/editing your own version of the "Ameliorated Windows 10" from an already owned Windows 10 .iso file. The "Ameliorated Windows 10" website provides you with all of the information required to build the OS for yourself which is what I did.
Also as a tip if you are worried about security or some software not working in the OS then use a normal version of Windows 10 inside a Virtual Machine (VM). That way you are still secure and can run anything on "Ameliorated Windows 10".
@@litLizard_ Have you had anything break with Chris' debloater tool? I tried leaner version of windows before and almost everytime I had something break like a new program that requires something that has been removed. Just asking. I am also a subscriber to Chris' channel.
@@litLizard_ I have used ShutUp10++ and I like it as an alternative (the only concern is that it blocks only 99% of bloatware/spyware from running and doesn't actually remove the bloatware). To be honest "Ameliorated Windows 10" is only used by those who want the most extreme solution. Still ShutUp10++ is a really good option!
I have been using Total Commander since I was introduced in the world of computers when I was around 3 years old. I am very used to it. I use the free version, I have no intentions of paying it because it has everything I need. I use Total Commander in my Android phone, and when I use Linux, I install a very similar app (even I think it is a clone) called Double Commander
WOW... two things i just wanted to say: As a DOS-era relic i'm also using an alternative "file explorer"; namely Total Commander (which resembles the "back-then-uber-filemanager NC.exe (aka norton commander)). It even uses the same operations on the Fn-keys as the original. F3 will always be view, F8 is delete and tons of other functions ofcourse. NC is cloned and copied on every operating system I know or have used.
The second thing my eye struck is your driveletters... I dunno if you know it; but A: and B: are reserved letters for floppy drives... That's also the reason why the boot-harddrive (or ssd) gets the designation C: and not A:. The reason why there are two letters reserved for floppy drives is simple: back in the days we also had computers withouth a hard-drive, and to not swap floppies every time the system needed a systemfile or function; we kept the MS-Dos bootdisk in drive A: and run applications from drive B: That's also the reason why you see those "vintage" computers having two 5.25" floppy drives. Once harddrives came along computers began to be fitted with a single floppy drive as there was no need for two anymore. But if in a modern day computer you'd hook up two floppy drives on the floppy controller on the motherboard, i'll automatically give them driveletters A: and B: on a Microsoft OS... So it's actually NOT DONE to designate either of those letters to non-removable drives... I use A: for certain USB thumb-drives (if you do that, than only the ones u gave that specific letter will get it when reconnected, others will just keep getting the first free letter). As soon as you'd connect a floppydrive though, that driveletter will become locked to the floppy and you'll need to set a new driveletter for that usb-drive.
So i hope you (and your viewers) will adopt the correct driveletters from now on, as you could run in big troubles when we all revert to magnetical storage in the form of 360KB/1.2MB 5.25" floppies or the 720KB/1.44MB 3.5" diskettes as main storageformat... (ofc that's a joke!)
Thanks Thio, I'll keep this in mind if I get annoyed with the default file explorer in the future. Also, one tool I can recommend if someone wants tabs in the vanilla file explorer is QTTabBar
That's what I've been using for a very long time now. The issue I have with it is that it *slurrrrrrrrrrps* RAM like crazy. You can see explorer.exe take several hundred MB of RAM casually with QTTabBar.
To be honest, I had been using it mostly for the tabs. I know there's a ton more it can do. Something I wish I could do, clean up the left pane, that it can't. Looks like Directory Opus can, however. Well, that's because it's a different app altogether and not an extension like QTTabBar.
Great Video, More people need to know there are options out there. I switched to Directory Opus 2 years ago and there is no looking back. I still keep Windows Explorer as the default, but a simple double click on the desktop anywhere fires it straight up. One Great feature I love is the 'Print / Export Folder Listing...' button, This is a 2 click process to list all of the contents in your folder as a text file which you can then use however you want, and is highly customizable. Transferring files from one location to another, or from your phone is also great because you can set it to keep transferring if there is a problem, and then you can go through the problem files at the end.
that print folder listing thing, used to (?) be fairly easy to do, though in a roundabout way, and it's been annoying that I can't anymore. i'm pretty sure the trick was dragging and dropping a selection of files into an Office document - my guess was Excel. It was even a key step in some project documenting procedure I wrote up for a company I interned at. Now...of the top of my head I still can't think of any easy way. Run commands in command prompt I guess?
Makes me happy to know that I'm not the only one that sorts files by modification time. I live in the terminal, so I've got a bunch of aliases for listing directory contents in different ways, but this looks so good I'm wondering if it would work through WINE.
Terminal is life!
I've been using Total Commander for years even before it changed it's name from Windows Commander - apparently Microsoft pointed out that 'Windows' was their trademark.
This is cool! I might make a custom remake of win10 and 11 explorers with more features like editing zip files without extracting them.
I'm using Total Commander. 🙂 It's free, dual-window (like this in the video), can filter folders (Ctrl+Alt+[letter]), can use tabs (Ctrl+↑) and can save them to file, have a customizable toolbar at the top and it have a bunch more features, but doesn't contain search feature, unlike the Windows file manager. It also have built-in "quick view" feature ("lister", Ctrl+Q) which can display even pictures and play audio files, too. Total Commander also expandable with lots of plugins. 🙂
It's not free. 😆
@@Sunstepa That's nonsense. The registration is not free, but anyone can use the software itself for unlimited time without registration!
@@zsombor_99 What you are saying is nonsense. Abusing evaluation periods does not equal "free". Shall we ask the developer for their opinion?
Love Directory Opus, have been using this application for years now. Good choice.
This is one of your most useful tutorials yet. I like the way you have customized your file explorer and now want to find a more fully featured file explorer in Linux.
Dolphin and Konqueror. Thunar and Nemo aren't quite as powerful, but they're based on GTK so they might integrate better into your desktop.
You know what would be a nice improvement? Moving to trash a file when you accidentaly overwrite it. It occures to me from time to time that I drag and drop into a folder a file which has the same name of another already in it, and I confirm the overwriting without thinking (because often it is the straightforward thing to do), just soon realizing I actually needed that file too!
I've never thought Directory Opus is still around. I used to use this file explorer when I was working at an oil company. 😁 Nice info. 👍🏽
Has probably been mentioned already, but QTTabBar has most of the same features and is free. My only complaint is the split window is crap, though I have not tried the latest 2048 release. I also used Ultra Explorer for years, and still do on occasion. The split window is much better, but has been out of development for several years, so the UI is somewhat dated. I especially like the filename formatting for different extensions.
Yup, QTTabBar is great. It just adds features to Windows File Explorer for free. That way you don't have to worry about setting default file managers or have any compatibility issues. I just use it for tabs.
Huh. Neat. I left that project for dead nearly a decade ago. Nice to see it back in development, and there's even a fork!
Qt apps suck. All of them. If it was made using Qt, i run away
Never even thought about looking for a different file manager for windows, Thank you.
Free-commander is my go too it has dual sides each with infinite tabs to add that you can drag an drop through on the fly as well haha along with being open source baby woooo thats what I have been waiting for
For a quick File Search I use 'Everything' so much faster than normal File Explorer. I hope this DOPUS is as fast... I also use QTabbar. Would be great to have all-in-one solution..!
Q-Dir has the Quadro-View technique and is great!
I have been using Total Commander since forever (talking win 95, here). I even used Norton Commander in DOS before that and the idea was to have something that did what NC did in DOS but in Windows.
In old vanilla DOS you had to type everything: COPY MOVE DEL DIR EDIT MD CD etc. NC simply showed two directories side by side, you could jump from side to side with Tab and Copy and Move files and directories with F5 and F6, for instance. F4 was the EDIT command. It was so much better than typing!
Total Commander was a copy of those functionalities in Windows and a gazillion more. You can export your customizations just copying the .ini and .bar files and it's portable so you can have it on a pendrive.
when I'm having trouble finding something on my computer I use a program called "Everything." it's never let me down
What a fantastic video. I even laughed at some moments, like the spacer columns in the lister haha
I've been using FreeCommander for years and I love it. But that's mainly because the thing I do most with files is move/copy from one place to another and the split panes makes it very easy.
FreeCommander FTW! I use it because Windows Explorer is super slow with changing sort by.
Holy cow! Tab groups alone are worth the price of admission. If I'm working on financials, can have bank statements, credit card info, associated reports, etc. all front and center. Wow!
What do you think about Total Commander, I've been using it for at least 20 years.
I like the double windows display for moving files around.
I use Total Commander because of how compact it is and has lots of useful plugins.
The problem with TC is that it can't group files. At least for extended attributes such as video resolution or framerate. Or maybe at all, i can't remember.
@@AyoKeito It does group by the column you click on such as extension. Haven't tried adding any custom ones, but I think your experience was too long ago.
Mostly I use it for SFTP, various cloud drive services and as a front end for android ADB.
@@TheDoctorFlay around 2 years ago
I love the .bak script. But I'd like to see it modified so that .bak* files get created in or moved to a designated backup folder so that you don't have to move them after the fact.
Directory Opus sounds like a winner.
It's as open source as it gets, without being open source.
SPAM BOTS! *BUGGER OFF!!!!*
That is an amazing recommendation!
I spent the last hours installing and configuring it and will evaluate it at work too.
Already added a custom button to open the current folder in VSCode since I keep forgetting the command for that
Not speaking about Opus, but about almost all other replacements - for some reason they think its acceptable to downgrade the functionality of File Explorer, instead of improving it.
Most replacements I've tried failed an extremely simple test - picking a file/folder and dragging it to a favourites bar. Almost none could do it, and some didn't even have any form of vertical favourites bar at all.
"Files 2.0" which is often mentioned in Reddit posts can't do it, that is besides it being unimaginably slow.
Very cool ! The tabs groups would be a life changer 🙌
Brilliant video. Been using it for years. Originates from the Amiga back in the 90s.
Why has File Explorer not functionally changed in 20 years? There is so much potential to do something with it - customised folder icons, batch renaming, tagging, version control, metadata, etc.
Just wanted to say that Directory Opus has been around for years and years. I first came across when I owned my Commodore Amiga 500, way back when. It was excellent then, and still seems to be excellent now! Thanks for the video!
I've been using Q-DIR for 10+ years (the Quad Explorer)
it's acutally fascinating how little windows has improved file explorer, which is like the most important app for an OS
I have been looking for this for 2 years now, only ever finding stuff like total commander and some none UI File Directories. Thank you!
Free commander is my go to at work.
Many dual pane explorers are good, here are some other that I used:
- one commander (fancy looking, I like it, but it feels too heavy)
- xyplorer (very classic, but very good at what it does)
just tried it and it seems to downgrade File Explorer functionality - can't add current path to Favorites via drag-and-drop, also can't add the current tab via drag-and-drop either.
Also can't add a selected folder to a specific place in Favourites bar either - only to the very end. If I try to drag it to a specific place, FC tries to physically move/copy the folder to a new path instead.
Too much functionality missing. Really hate when programs that are hailed to be "better" remove the functions I use daily instead.
This is the VS Code Equivalent of File Explorers.... definitely going to try. Thanks for the Video.
I would like the option to automatically extract a ZIP file as you download it from a web browser instead of having to unzip it and delete the zipped variant.
Also, an "Extract Folder" option would be nice - You can use it on a folder to move all of the files and folders inside of it to the upper directory and delete the original folder to organize your files.
This is how file explorer from windows should be in today's time. So many advanced features. Thanks for the recommendation 👍🏻
Thanks for my new file explorer!
Us old Amiga users are well aquainted with Directory Opus. Good to see a version for the PC, downloading it now.
I didn't notice the number one feature I would like in a file manager. The ability to "actually" set the view mode in a way that windows doesn't "forget" it right after setting and closing the window. This is especially exacerbated by removable drives. If I have a drive full of movies, I don't want to have to keep changing the view mode back to my customized movie view. This has been a major PITA since Windows 3.0 over 30 years ago, and despite just as many years of complaints, Microsoft still hasn't addressed this issue. By now, this issue should not only have been addressed, but we should have an option to save multiple custom views for a given folder/subfolder structure which we could toggle between with a simple drop down list, and it should all be saved to a hidden config file so that the options could be accessible on any device a removable drive is plugged into without it constantly forgetting. On the up side (of this app) the built in sync feature is an overdue feature that is sorely needed.
XYplorer has been my go to for a long time now. I don't think the UI is quiet as clean as what you were showcasing, but its background mechanics such as copy are REALLY strong. I'm gonna give your program a shot though. While I really like XYplorer, your demo of Directory Optius feels more modern.
Dopus has great file moving/copying mechanics too.. it even lets you schedule operations, rather than run them simultaneously. If it that doesn't do it for you, there's actually a built in script that let's you use teracopy on the power user bar.
XYplorer is better in my opinion.
There are a couple of things I'd like to see in file managers.
First, is write and verify to make sure what is written is readable back as the original data.
Second, is tag management, and this splits again into two formats, unstructured tags, and hierarchical tags. The second can be the possibility of having multiple directory hierarchies for a single file, i.e. abstracting the directories on the user side respect to the volume directories (which at that point could become redundant).
In truth, these features could be more efficient as part of a file system. Then the multi-directory model could yield intrinsic de-dub for files (e.g. files catalogued by hash, then assigned the required directory hierarchies, implying no duplicate files on the FS volume).
I was thinking for the need of such multi directory file system for a long time... Removes the redundant files and the stupid shortcuts that are not very useful for single files. For a lot of different workloads that will be a life saver... (3D modeling/texturing/rendering, video editing and so on on for me personally). I often need a lot of files (some of them pretty big too) to be in several different folders for different projects at the same time, and shortcut does not do the job at all...
I’ve been using Directory Opus for years and I adore it. I can’t go back to the default file manager.
I love Directory Opus.
As a close second, I use FreeCommander XE. It's also really good, and free, so I tend to use it on computer I don't use that much.
I got a lot of value from this video. Thank you!
there's bunch of these alternatives and modifications for explorer and I love it
You can still use Total Commander from the dos days. I remember using arrow keys and F5 to copy files to the other side
Dopus has been around since the amiga days. Was always a good thing to have around.
Wow, that tool is really OP, man! Thanks for the vid, ThioJoe! :)
Explorer is so far behind the curve. I've been using XYPlorer for years, not free but the license allow use on any PC I own. Similar features and very customizable.
Xyplorer can be overwhelming, especially with the pace of new features that are always being added. Don't get me wrong, I always download and review every update and try to use the new features as they are introduced.
+ for XYplorer . It has some minor shortcomings , but it's still good alternative to Directory Opus .
Dude, I PAID for Total Commander years ago too! Love it! And they KEEP updating it.
Please review it.
I'll definitely try this - the changes is recent versions of Windows are always constantly irritating. The hobbled search function is unbelievable. The technology for instant filtering has been around for years, but in Windows, searching for files now is the same sluggish operation it was when I got my first Win98 PC. The incompetence is mind-boggling.
A suggestion: In the instructions file you can write the path as C:\Users\%USER%\AppData\Roaming\, which will automatically substitute the correct username for the current user. This would fail only in very few cases if the machine is part of a domain and the account has been renamed at some point in time, but the profile folder remains the same. Usually happens with Administrator and Administrator.domain ;-)
You can just write %APPDATA%.
It'll get expanded to the user's AppData\Roaming folder.
Hi ThioJoe, hope you're doing well. I've been watching a lot of your videos in the last month or so. I just have a comment. I was just wondering why 90 per cent of UA-camrs don't mention if new tools or programs they use apply to multiple users all the time. Thanks again for the great content you provide. I truly appreciate your videos.
Have a great day.
First thing to do in Directory Opus: Go to Settings - Preferences - File Displays - Mouse: Double-click on file display background: Go to parent folder!
What it does: double clicking on a white space in a folder takes you up one level. (In other words you go up by barely moving your mouse.)
You try it once and never want to go back.
May seem like a small thing, but you do it often and it really adds up.
I'm a Directory Opus fan since so many years... It really worth every penny. There's frequent updates also. 👍
Ha, Directory Opus. Sweet memories. Originally written for the Amiga. I used it all the time in the mid 1990s.
I've been using FoldersPopup for years. Its main advantage is to propose you the most recent folders you stored files into, because the "recent folders" pane in Windows explorer is useless (at least in W7 and W10). I would take it to a desert island.
The key feature that would sell me on this is seeing folder sizes. I saw you go over Get Sizes which does that. Pretty cool.
I've been using Windows commander since I was using Norton on my 386 dos PC back in the 90s
10:01 I was literally just about to ask. Thank you :) - Great video!
It looks like with Directory Opus replacing Explorer and Take Command Console replacing the command prompt in Windows Terminal, you can have Windows as it should be. Both big improvements.
explorer.exe is more than just the file explorer, its the entire desktop and taskbar. There are programs out there that replace it entirely (although they're not very good imo)
he´s talking about "Windows File Explorer" a part of explorer.exe, not the thing as a whole, try to keep it up.
@@atlantictherapymadeira6874 I wasn't correcting him, just pointing out if anyone was curious
@@badasahog Apologies then, this is why people on the internet are always aggy .. when writing something the intonation is not passed on, next time try something like, "as a side note, explorer.exe", "by the way" or "not to mention".
Q-Dir and OneCommander are also nice free options [although no where near as many features as Opus]. Q-Dir has good functionality but dated user interface. OneCommander has new interface but lacks some basic functionality.
Q-DIR is essential for me. I use the 'filter' feature often, so I just see filenames matching my wildcard patterns.
Can i make shortcut key to copy a file/folder's path?
Im using QTTabbar currently and this feature is the most useful for me.
Directory Opus started out on the Amiga in the 1980s, still going strong!
I am using Directory Opus for many many years for now! I find it even better then Total Commander!
Thank you for giving you your presets too helps us with a starting point. I notice the file is named Light? Do you also have a dark mode version?
Total Commander does the work for me. When I copy or move files an folders, I don't want them to change the time and date. This can be set in the options. Also the sync directories is a treat. It's shareware and cost only 25 euro to remove the ads.