Cannot edit Status Bar codes

Help & Support
1

I updated my Directory Opus installation last night and thought that I would update my status bar into the bargain, but when I go to - Preferences > Display > Status Bar, nothing relating to the status bar is visible or editable.

The dialogue eventually shows the options for modifying the - Display > Colours and Fonts (Sorry, I don't spell American :wink: .) after a few minutes.

I'm fairly certain that it is a result of an edit I made a few years ago as I have been using the same status bar for that long, and haven't gone to that page in the interim. They work fine... I just can't edit them¿

Firstly, I wonder where I might find my current status bar definitions (Which file are they stored within?) as I wish to preserve it (I'll hunt down the buggy bit and thrash it back into shape.) in case I need to reinstall them. I feel that I can do better now though as I understand that new variables have become available
since I last tinkered in this area.

And secondly, how best should I proceed to get the edit function back to normal? I suspect some XML formatted file contains the relevant code. Can I edit the section manually and just cut out the problematic bit and have Directory Opus recreate the section automatically? Should I delete the file in total and have Directory Opus recreate it fully? Or will a re-install (Shudder!) be necessary?

Thanks in anticipation.

2

Could you post a screenshot showing what you see on the Status Bar page in Prefs?

3

The behaviour has changed slightly, as now the page stays on the page that I am trying to move from when I want to go to the status bar editing page.

The attached image clarifies my dilemma, I hope. I can not get to the section that allows me to modify
the status bar display (I left the Preferences Dialogue alone for a while and it stayed on the page I was initially on (Display > Options. Last night, it always had changed to Display > Colours and Fonts).

As both parts of my image shows (2x captures combined.), neither test I made to get the resultant image proceeded to the desired function.

Capture
Capture1069×585 105 KB

4

Have you tried disabling the tool you're using to modify the Windows visual style?

5

Hi Jon,

Have been browsing the forum since my previous post, and came back here to see if there was a solution for my problem, and I realised that I had not actually posted a screenshot of the "Status Bar" dialogue.

My bad, sorry! But it is really hard to do so as never actually gets there. It just used to show a white/blank page {As re: Your request.} while I waited and then went on to display the view you get when you open the 1st item in the left hand tree (I.e: The "Display" item, at the top of the list that I had to already open manually as it contains the required 'Status Bar' - sub-page - I wish to navigate to and use. This is NOT the status bar colours settings area under Display > Colours and Fonts. I wish to configure a new status bar, not just change it's colours.).

However as of today, it just stays on wherever I am in the left hand list when I try to navigate away from a 'Non-Display' area option. I distinctly recall that last night I was looking at my installed icons and then unsuccessfully tried to open the 'Status Bar' - sub-page - and it just went blank and eventually gave me the same display that you see in the top part of my uploaded image. Now it doesn't even get that far, it just stays where I start from (In the lower part of the image you can see that I am on the 'Toolbars > Appearance' sub-page and have clicked the 'Status Bar' sub-page to go there.) and doesn't even turn blank while I wait. I did a test of waiting for 20 minutes without a change away from where I was.

6

Not using any tool that I can think of.

The green background is due to how I run Windows and I have used it for years in Directory Opus with no problem. It's been so long that I have forgotten how I got it into Directory Opus in the first place. I have edited many status bars with that colour scheme.

I may have hacked the registry for Windows 10 to apply it to tree/lists while modifying my themes, a.la Windows XP / Vista Aero theme, but not via any tool. (We are programmers... We break things! :grin: - It would be funny if it weren't so sad.). I may have hacked some Directory Opus settings (I seem to recall this possibility :flushed: , but is the only non-standard modification I have made to Directory Opus, of that I am certain, way back when I was using version 9.), but as to where I did that... I would have to do a comparison between my current settings files and a clean setups' settings files. :roll_eyes:

7

If you go to C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus is there a file in that folder called dopusbch.dll ?

8

There sure is boss.

9

The window borders look non-standard as well as the list theme colors. That's usually hard to do with just registry edits.

10

Leo,

Just had to do a reboot. The PC spat the dummy... Grr, just about to post my reply when BSOD. Typing on a dying keyboard using alt+numerical entry for about a dozen keys and triggered a kernel exception freeze. I am in lockdown here in Melbourne and can't get to a computer store to get a new keyboard.

While this may be true, I hate staring into a light bulb and so when I first got Windows 10 I did a lot of investigating of theme files and created my own theme. So it wasn't even a registry hack as such. Just a lot of comparisons and judicious tweaking to create a theme file. All via Windows customisation preferences. The same would have been true of the Directory Opus hack.

I do know that it is more than likely that my problem stems from some error in my current status bar code, as I now recall that I experienced a problem when I created it right at the saving stage. But it did save and I was a happy camper till now, many years later.

11

The location 'Toolbars > Appearance' should have read 'Display > Options' regarding the earlier post I made about the image captures. Seems I am suffering severe foot in mouth disease today, sorry about that.

12

Typing on a keyboard, even using Alt codes, shouldn't cause a BSOD. It sounds like there might be some low-level issues with the machine (drivers, hardware or antivirus are usually the only kind of things that could cause a BSOD). Maybe they have the same underlying cause.

AFAIK you can't customize the colors of theme elements, or the way the minimize, maximize and close buttons in the titlebar look, through any official method. Are you sure you haven't used something unusual to get that look? It may turn out to be unrelated to the problem, of course, but it shouldn't be ruled out.

You could try backing up your config (Settings > Backup & Restore), then uninstall Opus (which wipes the config) and reinstall Opus. You'd then be on a default configuration, which would tell you if the problems are due to your current status bar setup. The config backup could then be restored to get back to where you were.

Another thing to check: If you open a toolbar button editor and switch it into Advanced (multi-line) mode, what does the edit control there look like? Please post a screenshot so we can see it. That dialog uses the same edit control as the Status Bar preferences page but, unlike the Preferences page, it will fall back on a standard edit control if the enhanced one isn't available for some reason (maybe antivirus blocking the DLL its in from being loaded or something).

13

I hit multiple keys at once. They don't call me butterfingers for nothing. The keyboard probably only
needs a disassembly and good clean as I had been a heavy smoker till recently and it has had heaps of ash spilt into it.

I definitely only edited an already existing theme file and placed new values where there were supplied
options.

I shall do. I haven't done a reinstall of any software in the last 8 ~ 10 years, so I guess it's about time
I had a turn at doing so.

The screenshot as requested, it all looks normal to me.

Editing Capture

Thank you for your and Jon's assistance in this matter. I'll get back with my results when I have them.

Cheers

14

Jon and Leo,

The re-installation has cleared it all up painlessly. I may once again edit my status bars without any problems.

Now I'll just have to judiciously import most of my old settings. To this end I would still like to know in which file the status bar configuration is stored in, so that I can re-enter most of those settings, but not all of them, if this were not to be too much trouble.

I have stayed with basically the same status bar for about five years as it really suits my needs and I actually just wanted to tweak it a little as I noticed on installing the latest update that the status bar would accept some new values that I felt warranted further investigation.

Anyhow Directory Opus just keeps getting better and better, so I'm certain that this update (12.24) will provide me with lots of useful new features.

Thanks for all the effort the development team puts into keeping it cutting edge.

Sincerely,
MikleB

15

Status bar codes are in /dopusdata\Config Files\prefs.oxc. If you open that in a text editor and search for <status> you should see them.

Could you paste the <status> section here (in text form) so we can try to reproduce what you're seeing?

image
image1614×647 56.9 KB

16

You mean my codes that caused the lock up, yes?

17 
	<status>
		<single> {fl} (·!·){||}&lt;b&gt;&lt;#0080f0&gt;{vm} ~ &lt;#f00080&gt;{ls}&lt;/#&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/#&gt;{pad6}{||}{rtree}{dlet} ({dlab}){||}{sbaL}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaL}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfL}/&lt;b&gt;{tfL}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdL}/&lt;b&gt;{tdL}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!L}{hiL} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!L}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3L}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!L}{smp3L}/{h!L}{h!L}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3L}&lt;/b&gt;{h!L}{||}{h!L}{bgL+v={sbLa}/{dfLa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletR}{h!L}{||}F= {dfL}/{duLa}/{dtLa}{bg+v=puL/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}{rleft-}{||}{rleft}{||}{sbaR}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaR}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfR}/&lt;b&gt;{tfR}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdR}/&lt;b&gt;{tdR}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!R}{hiR} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!R}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3R}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!R}{smp3R}/{h!R}{h!R}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3R}&lt;/b&gt;{h!R}{||}{h!R}{bgR+v={sbRa}/{dfRa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletL}{h!R}{||}F= {dfR}/{duRa}/{dtRa}{bg+v=puR/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}{||}{pad55}{bg+v=sbL/1.44m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/700m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/4.7g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/8.5g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/25g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/50.1g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/8g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/16g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/32g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/64g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}</single>
		<dual>{fl}{||}{dlet} ({dlab}){pad6}{||}{bg+v=sbL/1.44m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/700m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/4.7g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/8.5g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/25g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/50.1g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{||}{bg+v=sbL/8g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/16g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/32g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/64g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{||}{rtree}{||}{sbaL}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaL}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfL}/&lt;b&gt;{tfL}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdL}/&lt;b&gt;{tdL}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!L}{hiL} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!L}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3L}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!L}{smp3L}/{h!L}{h!L}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3L}&lt;/b&gt;{h!L}{||}{h!L}{bgL+v={sbLa}/{dfRa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletR}{h!L}{||}F= {dfL}/{duLa}/{dtLa}{bg+v=puL/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}{rleft-}{||}{rtree2}{||}{sbaR}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaR}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfR}/&lt;b&gt;{tfR}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdR}/&lt;b&gt;{tdR}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!R}{hiR} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!R}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3R}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!R}{smp3R}/{h!R}{h!R}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3R}&lt;/b&gt;{h!R}{||}{h!R}{bgR+v={sbRa}/{dfLa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletL}{h!R}{||}F={dfR}/{duRa}/{dtRa}{bg+v=puR/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}</dual>
		<left>{fl}{||}{dlet} ({dlab}){pad6}{vm}{ls}{||}{bg+v=sbL/1.44m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/700m,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/4.7g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/8.5g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/25g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/50.1g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{||}{bg+v=sbL/8g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/16g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/32g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=0,g=1}{bg+v=sbL/64g,b=#ffffaf,c=#8eb2e4,c1=#00dfff,c2=#0055ff,c3=#FF0000,w=35,f=2,l=1,g=1}{||}{rtree}{||}{sbaL}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaL}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfL}/&lt;b&gt;{tfL}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdL}/&lt;b&gt;{tdL}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!L}{hiL} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!L}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3L}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!L}{smp3L}/{h!L}{h!L}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3L}&lt;/b&gt;{h!L}{||}{h!L}{bgL+v={sbLa}/{dfRa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletR}{h!L}{||}F= {dfL}/{duLa}/{dtLa}{bg+v=puL/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}{rleft-}{||}{rtree2}{||}{sbaR}/&lt;b&gt;{tbaR}&lt;/b&gt;{||}&lt;#0000FF&gt;{sfR}/&lt;b&gt;{tfR}&lt;/b&gt;{i:.txt}&lt;#000000&gt;{sdR}/&lt;b&gt;{tdR}&lt;/b&gt; {i:dir}&lt;#FF0000&gt; {h!R}{hiR} Filtered&lt;/#&gt;{h!R}{||}&lt;#006644&gt;{h!{tmp3R}}{i:.mp3} {h!}{h!R}{smp3R}/{h!R}{h!R}&lt;b&gt;{tmp3R}&lt;/b&gt;{h!R}{||}{h!R}{bgR+v={sbRa}/{dfLa},w=50,f=2,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840,c3=#ff7575,g=0} of {dletL}{h!R}{||}F={dfR}/{duRa}/{dtRa}{bg+v=puR/100,f=2,b=#ffffaf,c1=#7fff00,c2=#ff3f1f,w=70,g=2}</left>
		<right>{i:dir}  {sd} / {td} {||}{i:file}  {sf} / {tf} {||}{h!} &lt;#FF0000&gt;&lt;b&gt;{hi} hidden&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/#&gt; {h!}{||}{h!} &lt;#008800&gt;&lt;b&gt;{hse}&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/#&gt; {h!}{||} {sba} / {tba} {rpad}{||}{h!} {ls} {h!}{||}{fl}{||}{h!} {df} {bg+w=50,f=2,g=3,t=n,c1=#68f040,c2=#f06840}{h!}</right>
		<tortoise_set />
	</status>
18

Thanks!

I added those to my own config and didn't run into any problems, FWIW.

19

Sorry about the multiple posts (I hit the first day posting limit... Even though I had made a few posts years ago on the old forum.), but I have a thought. that might be relevant.

Each time I tried to edit the status bar and while testing the performance of Directory Opus to resolve this issue, I was using a dual panel lister and this was the status bar code that froze Directory Opus when I initially created it.

I had made the single panel left and right codes and then tried to make a more relevant dual panel code, and I distinctly recall that Directory Opus froze as I closed the settings dialogue at the status bar page on completing the dual panel code.

On restarting Directory Opus at that time, all was well and the status bar was exactly what I wanted so I left it alone till two nights ago.

Other than that, the only idea I have is that gremlins had crept into the system at some point - too many
button edits, system modifications in one fell swoop for that version of Directory Opus (I had just upgraded from v9 to v10 and was furiously modifying things all over the place.) to handle when I finally closed the Settings.> Preferences dialogue.

Anyhow, I too have reinstalled that code and all seems to be working here as expected, so this problem
is solved