I am on my third trial of Dopus, I like it a lot but cannot get around to paying $88 when I already have two file mangers. I have Powerdesk which I would delete but for its ability to encrypt files and Xyplorer. Dopus as far as I can see will not encrypt files also being an oldie I cannot seem to get the 'UNDO' command or the 'Calculate folder sizes' on to a Toolbar. I like commands visible so I don't forget them. Any advice would be appreciated.
The cost is not $88. You can get a 10% discount from a couple of different websites. And after the conversion rate I recently paid about $76. Not a huge difference, but certainly nothing to ignore.
I am a former PD user and it used to be a good program but the last two versions had a lot of bugs and terrible support. Dopus has great support and they fix issues promptly when they surface.
You can put any command on any menu. Dopus is VERY flexible that way. You can even make up your own commands programmed with the Dopus command language or using VBScript, JScript or even DOS Batch files. You can pass selected files to other programs to do work (like encrypting files) using the command language. If you are not much of a programmer, people here are very helpful in assisting other users and sharing their programed commands.
I am not familiar with Xyplorer so I cannot compare it to Dopus. I spent 3 weeks learning Dopus, reading the manual and using this forum before I decided to buy the program. I thought it was worth the money. After an additional 6 weeks of using Dopus I am still glad I bought it.
If you have Undo visible in the menu, just go into Customize mode and drag (shift + drag to copy) that menu entry on to a toolbar. Likewise Calculate folder sizes.
The general point is that the menu is just another toolbar. So you can copy and move things to your heart's content.
Directory Opus has made a profound difference in how I use my computer. I use it everyday and I can't imagine doing without it. Configuring the program has been fun and I still tweak my configuration from time to time. You balked at the cost and so did I when I initially bought it. Now I know the price was cheep. The program is a great achievement and I hope more customers recognize how brilliant the people who wrote the code are. It's a steep learning curve, but there isn't a software company on the planet with better customer service. The updates keep coming and I appreciate the attention the company gives to keep product fresh. So take my advise and spend the money. It's really a smart investment and they deserve every dime they earn.
My 2c.. I also balked at the price. Now, I never look back. Firstly this forum - just post your questions! The help has been spectacular.
Secondly its flexibility. I have had to take each issue one by one and read the help and ask questions. Steep learning curve, yes, but worth it for the overall time saved. I am no programmer or batch file person, yet people here have helped by writing a few for me that I still use. Thirdly its fun. I mean to keep discovering new and faster ways to do stuff is enjoyable, and has kept me feeling good for years each time I discover something new (new to me). Go for it.
Thank you all for your invaluable advice. Unfortunately I live in Australia so the 10% discount is nullified by the 10% GST (VAT). I am almost certainly going to buy it but one last question: How do I encrypt files from within the programme? I would love to delete Powerdesk. Do not misunderstand me, I love living in Australia and I really like the UI of Dopus.
When you talk about encrypting files. How did the other tools encrypt the files?
If the tool has its own special inbuilt encryption process I would tend not too use that. I have two reasons. I don't trust most encryptions tools. If they are not open source its hard to know if its being done correctly. Secondly you want something that you will be able to unencrypted in years to come.
If I wanted to encrypt a file, I would use an encrypted RAR, which works well with dopus, or Truecrypt.
