rfrost@spam.ua.oz.au (Richard Frost) (05/05/90)
I am posting this review on behalf of a friend below that does not have
access to USENET.
I have seen this program myself and consider it to be the most innovative
Directory Utility for the Amiga yet developed. I will try to get the
demo version FTP'd to Xanth so people can judge this for themselves!
Richard Frost.
+-------------------------+
| |
| DIRECTORY OPUS REVIEW |
| |
| by Ian Steuart |
| |
+-------------------------+
MOVE OVER CLIMATE AND DISKMASTER!!!
For the past 3 months, I have been involved with a very
talented Australian Software author, Jonathan Potter, in the BETA testing
of a new and very POWERFUL Utility program, DIRECTORY OPUS.
Well may you ask "What a strange name for a utility
program" and a simple reply "Why not!!". Look up the meaning in the
Oxford Concise dictionary and it reads of OPUS..... "writer's or other
artist's chief production"..... sort of appropriate given the current
names attached to present utility progs!
When I first saw a DEMO version of this prog, I could
hardly wait to purchase a copy. At this stage, Jonathan had not quite
finished developing the product so I dared to make some suggestions as
to a few ideas I would like to see implemented - he was very obliging.
During this time I have grown very dependent on Direc-
tory Opus for time saving chores and enhanced facilities simply not found
on any of the Public Domain or Commercial versions.....
SO WHY IS IT DIFFERENT?
For starters, on the front screen there are 12 custom
devices ( DF0: DF1: DH0: etc ) that can be set in any order you like - 6
custom gadgets ( your most frequently used progs ) in any order you like
- these can be swapped anywhere on the lower half of the screen till you
are happy with their location. Click on the top Menu Bar and a number of
pull down menus reveal more functions -Diskcopy, Format, Install, Relabel
Assign, Comment, Encrypt, Hunt for files ( very useful for large Hard
- Drives ) NewCli, Print selected files, Print directorys, Protect, and
Search for designated strings - But, thats not all.........
There are 3 additional pull down menus. marked Custom 1
thru Custom 3. They await 54 of your most `favoured' progs/utilities etc.
This is where Directory Opus shows its power - All 54 functions can be
either called direct ( DH0:PowerPacker etc ) or ( execute [ batch file ]
or ( format drive [ drive ] name [ name ] etc ). Any arguments that you
would normally type on the CLI line can be included in the call function.
A very powerful feature. In addition, all entries in the 3 custom menus
can be sorted alphabetically.
Prefer to see a different font displayed in the windows
and gadgets? Then select another pulldown menu called configuration -
amongst other gadgets you'll see modify - on this screen are many pref-
erances that are saved to a file called DirOpus.config which is called
each time the prog is booted. From here you select your preferred font,
custom viewer, custom text reader, text editor, color palette, various
requestors for delete, move, copy, prior to execution of command,
chip/fast ram display, and multitasking select if running programs direct
from the windows. Plus many others.....
You can also run as many progs as you like from
the ( 2 ) Directory Opus windows, plus configure it to launch one
program at a time or ( by selecting multitasking ) as many as you like
dependent on memory constraints..... It is a large program, 170K or 150K
on disk, depending on which version you use ( there are two versions, one
with a HELP feature - press AMIGA help button, then click on a function,
will see a small screen display open up with details on gadget selected )
plus 200K in memory, but the big file size reveals many innovative
features.
The usual CLI commands are displayed below the two
windows - consisting of, parent, read ( can be configured for the default
text reader, or your own favourite ) edit ( configurable for your own
Editor eg: Cygnused, Edit, Ed etc.. ) copy, rename, delete, move, makedir
clone, run, execute, play ( for iff digitized music ) show ( configurable
for the default IFF viewer or your favourite ) root and hexread.
Most functions can be accessed with combinations of
the LEFT and RIGHT mouse buttons....
Want to read a Doc.file, then try this for convenience.
Doubleclick with LEFT mouse button in which ever window it is displayed
and ZAP, it is loaded into a text reader. Directory Opus can tell the
difference between executable and ascii files. If you click LEFT/RIGHT on
an executable file, it will immediately load that file and run it if
no additional parameters are needed - if so, doubleclick with LEFT mouse
button and a requestor appears in which the necessary commands can be
entered, then click OK and the program in most cases will run as if
entered at the CLI prompt.
Have a favourite IFF file you wish to see? Normally you
you would hilight said file, then select view and seconds later the IFF
picture would be displayed - Directory Opus has simplified this - All you
do is doubleclick the IFF file with LEFT mouse button and providing it
is not overscan ( maybe in a later version? ) will be automatically
displayed either by the default viewer, or your own favourite. In cases
of unusual formats that are not supported by the default, configuring
your own would be a better option if it supports that IFF file....
What about ICONS? Well doubleclick on the ICON program
.info file and the ICON will display itself. If there is a second image
attached, hit < return > and you can alternate between them with each
subsequent press. Very simple, very effective.
Did you load a drive ( DF1: ) into the LEFT window, and
another drive ( DF0: ) into the RIGHT - now you wish to copy a file into
the devs directory on DF0: doubleclick on devs and it is open - copy file
and now you wish to return to the root directory ( normally selecting
parent would reload the the drive back into the window - WELL this will
introduce you to the buffer gadget. This device contains up to 10
separate buffers per window - 20 per screen - for instant recall before
it refreshes itself. Very handy as it saves a lot of reloading and wear
and tear ( plus grinding ) of the drives...
Many enhancements have been added to the original
version, so much so that it is almost a version two before its release...
Many bugs occurred along the way which was to be expected in a program of
this magnitude, but happily Jonathan Potter believes Directory Opus to be
stable and that all functions if used correctly, should operate as they
were intended. I don't think any programmer alive would ever use the term
" BUG FREE ", but this program has been extensively tested and I must
admit, that since it has reached v1.52 ( the release version ) that it
is almost impossible to freeze or crash, unless you attempt to multitask
a program with others ( eg TurboBackup ) that don't hit it off, or very
low memory situations.. These conditions, unfamiliarity with the program,
and the unknown bug ( J.P. believes not ) should be your only source of
frustration............. As usual if any of your team should be killed,
this office will deny any knowledge of you, but NOT when it comes to BUG
/PROBLEM reports. Contact J.P. at the address below if you become stuck.
There are many other features that space simply does
not allow me to go into - suffice to say, most features are configurable,
and can be aborted by clicking with the right mouse button.
A certain amount of CLI knowledge will be required to
fully utilize all of Directory Opus's features, but those not blessed
by the AMIGA yet, will still enjoy its speed and friendly environment
although operating at a slightly disadvantaged level.
For simple use of copying, deleting, moving of files
etc a 512K Amiga will be fine, but if you intend on using a lot of the
features mentioned above, then I suggest 1 MEG as the minimum, especially
if you intend mutiltasking. As usual if FACCII is used in the background,
the program operates more efficiently.
If you wish to purchase a copy of the program and your
local commodore dealer does not have one in stock, then contact J. Potter
direct at the address indicated below. Price is $49.95.
Directory Opus is the Brainwave of Jonathan Potter in
Adelaide P.O. Box 289 GOODWOOD ph. 293.2788, and is his first commercial
venture. If you wish a customized version, he is willing to do so at
a reasonable cost..... He can be contacted direct at the address/ph.
indicated.. Being Australian, and in my opinion, better than any other
similar product on the market at the momemt, deserves recognition and
support from Aussie Amiga dealers around this country. Help make it the
success it deserves. ** Remember, spread the word NOT the disk. **
Ian Steuart
Note: The address to contact Jonathan Potter is:
================================================
SMAIL:
======
Jonathan Potter
Australia
South Australia
Adelaide
Goodwood P.O. Box 289
Phone: (08) 293 2788
======
Else either e-mail ME (Richard Frost) at my sig addresses below
or, you can contact Jonathan on FIDONET or NETMAIL:
FIDONET : Jonathan Potter 3:680/805 ADAM LINK SA
NETMAIL : jonathan_potter%680.805@fidogate.fido.oz
--
______________________________________________________________________________
_ ___ | Email Address: rfrost@spam.ua.oz.au
I) I_ |
I\ ichard I rost | FidoNet (ADAM LINK BBS): 3:680/805 Richard Frost
---------------------+--------------------------------------------------------
Bewildered Earth Scientist: "How do you re-wire alien equipment like that??"
Dr. Who: "Its easy when you've had 900 years experience in alien technology."
______________________________________________________________________________mt87692@tut.fi (Mikko Tsokkinen) (05/07/90)
In article <RFROST.90May5025217@spam.ua.oz.au> rfrost@spam.ua.oz.au (Richard Frost) writes: > I have seen this program myself and consider it to be the most innovative > Directory Utility for the Amiga yet developed. I will try to get the > demo version FTP'd to Xanth so people can judge this for themselves! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ do that! > Richard Frost. > +-------------------------+ > | | > | DIRECTORY OPUS REVIEW | > | | > | by Ian Steuart | > | | > +-------------------------+ > MOVE OVER CLIMATE AND DISKMASTER!!! > For the past 3 months, I have been involved with a very > talented Australian Software author, Jonathan Potter, in the BETA testing > of a new and very POWERFUL Utility program, DIRECTORY OPUS. [ Lotsa program information deleted ] > Many enhancements have been added to the original > version, so much so that it is almost a version two before its release... > Many bugs occurred along the way which was to be expected in a program of > this magnitude, but happily Jonathan Potter believes Directory Opus to be > stable and that all functions if used correctly, should operate as they > were intended. I don't think any programmer alive would ever use the term > " BUG FREE ", but this program has been extensively tested and I must > admit, that since it has reached v1.52 ( the release version ) that it > is almost impossible to freeze or crash, unless you attempt to multitask > a program with others ( eg TurboBackup ) that don't hit it off, or very > low memory situations.. These conditions, unfamiliarity with the program, > and the unknown bug ( J.P. believes not ) should be your only source of > frustration............. As usual if any of your team should be killed, > this office will deny any knowledge of you, but NOT when it comes to BUG > /PROBLEM reports. Contact J.P. at the address below if you become stuck. Doesn't multitask, if used correctly, very low memory situation!!! WHY IN EARTH ?????? Who needs this kind of programs? As one of the program requirements (for all programs), It DOESN'T do what it isn't supposed to do! Otherwise sounds nice :-) > Ian Steuart Mikko -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Mikko Tsokkinen : I'm not a number ... I'm a free man : : Internet mt87692@tut.fi : UUCP tut!mt87692 : Bitnet mt87692@fintut : -----------------------------------------------------------------------