I recently re-installed my workstation (home PC) with Windows 7 Pro (64-bit). After the install, I usually get the drivers setup and running, then patch the OS with all current service packs and update, then start installing application. After my text editor, Directory Opus is next. The install was normal, but I noticed it was a bit slow to start almost immediately from my previous installation. I uninstalled it and re-installed again making sure I used all the default settings, e.g., Replace Explorer, etc.
Long story short, it's been about 4 months and now it's taking 40 to 60 seconds to open Opus. It's configured with a bunch of tabs I use regularly, but that doesn't seem be the cause. When I go back to a default interface, it still takes that long. I've done some customization but I had a lot more tweaks in my last build and it ran with zero lag on the same hardware. My OS drive is an Intel 600GB SSD. I have 4 large capacity 2TB+ SATA HDDs, and 2TB of PCIe SSD storage and I move a lot of data around. Opus is perfect for this type of work, but getting tired of waiting for a folder to refresh.
When opening Opus, the window opens the panels with no data. Then it waits almost a minute before all the tabs and directory trees snap into place. Changing tabs creates a hesitation of 3-5 seconds before the directory refreshes. When I open up Windows Explorer, I can quickly jump from drive to drive, and directory to directory without any hesitation so this isn't a situation where a drive is sleeping and needs to spin up or a network tab that's very slow. Another annoying twerk that it didn't do before is if I start a copy of a file then queue a second copy to the same folder, it always pops up the dialog "this file operation has been successfully queued" and regardless if I check the "don't show this again" checkbox, it always does.
Is there a way to put Opus into a debug mode and look at what it's doing during it's initialization and tab switching? Any helpful suggestions would be nice.
As a first step, I would use Settings -> Backup & Restore to save a backup of your current config, then uninstall Opus (which wipes the config) and reinstall it, to see if the problem still happens with a completely vanilla configuration (especially the toolbars).
Then we can look in different places, depending on the result of that.
Dopus is responding far too slowly in all listers. I've got a fresh install of Windows 8.1 64bit. I've unistalled Dopus and re-installed. No change. While Explorer responds immediately to each click, Dopus hesitates, thinks for a bit (up to 10 seconds). In folder tree, if click directory with multiple subs, Dopus can take up to 12 seconds to complete the task. While the folder tree is still working, I double-click a sub-directory in the lister window, and it opens very quickly. The issue seems to be related to the Folder Tree panel. I've currently uninstalled it.
It's most likely a shell extension or antivirus, which can both affect the folder tree.
Which other software is installed?
If the folder tree is closed, is everything else then working normally?
Also try setting the tree to display as few things as possible, via Preferences / Folder Tree, and if that helps turn things on one at a time to see which is triggering the slowdown.
Thanks for the reply Leo.
If I close the folder tree, its all good. Fast as. But I need the folder tree.
If I strip down Folder Tree preferences to as little as possible, still has no effect on speed of expanding the tree.
I don't have any shell extensions or alternative antivirus - all security is the stuff built into WIndows 8.1. HOWEVER I recently installed the WIndows EMET - Enhanced Migration Experience Tool (support.microsoft.com/kb/2458544) but I can't find any way that it has an operational effect on Explore or Opus.
You definitely will have shell extensions. There are typically hundreda of them on any machine.
A tool like ShellExView can be used to list them and try turning some off.
Microsoft's antivirus is also known to massively slow down the folder tree for some people, if there are large exe files (usually installers) or archives being considered for display in the tree.
Process Monitor is another tool which may be useful, as it can show which files are being accessed.
Thanks Leo - Yep, shellexview gives 270 shell extensions. Wow.
I targeted the red-highlights and disabled 21 extensions (some of them DOPUS extensions - full list below. The result - instant speed on the folder window. I noticed with shellexview was the number of extensions with exactly the same attributes listed multiple times - any idea what that's about?
I guess you'd advise gradually turning on each extension again to target the original culprit? Or can I just leave the 21 disabled?
DISBALED EXTENSIONS
Acrobat Elements Context Menu
DBROverlayIcon.DBRBackupOverlayIcon
DBROverlayIcon.DBROverlayNotBackuped
Desktop Explorer
Desktop Explorer Menu
DesktopContext Class
Directory Opus File Collection Shell Extension
Directory Opus Find Extension
Directory Opus Icon Handler
Directory Opus Info Tip Handler
Directory Opus Shell Execute Hook
Directory Opus Shell Execute Hook
DropboxExt
DropboxExt
DropboxExt
iTunes
NvAppShExt Class
NVIDIA CPL Context Menu Extension
nView Desktop Context Menu
OpenGLShExt Class
...