asked on

Assistance with instructions from another site re modifying shortcuts in Windows Explorer/File Explorer.

Hello,

In case it's frowned upon, I apologize for importing a question/thread from another forum but I could use some help understanding a couple of comments.

Several years ago, I began using Directory Opus in place of Windows Explorer as my primary file manager for reasons not really relevant to this question.

Recently, I posted a question on the Directory Opus forum with the title:

Force folder shortcut in Windows Explorer to open destination folder in Directory Opus

However, after receiving two fairly detailed replies, I'm unfortunately still not sure what to do. Also, I sense that the difficulty I'm having is related more to my general level of computer know-how (or lack thereof :P) rather than my proficiency level re Directory Opus — although it could easily be that I'm lacking too much in both. Therefore, rather than post a request for a third clarification, I opted to see if one of my friends here on EE (who is likely more familiar with my skill level) could help me understand what to do.

The thread from the other site is included in its entirety below (in case it is the topic of a future search on EE) or it can obviously be accessed at the above link.

Thanks

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Thread from Force folder shortcut in Windows Explorer to open destination folder in Directory Opus:

[original post]
WeThotUWasAToad
Opus 12 Pro

Hello,

How can I create a shortcut to a folder which, when clicked in Windows Explorer* (WE), will open the shortcut destination in Directory Opus (DOpus)?

I have DOpus pinned to my Taskbar and designated as my default file manager. During a typical workday, I usually end up with multiple instances open at various sizes and locations on my screen.

I also have the icon for WE pinned to my Taskbar.

While I intend to continue using DOpus as my workhorse file manager, I'd like to maintain a single open (but sort of static) WE window containing a list of 20-30 shortcuts to frequently-used folders & files. My thought is to make the WE window tall & narrow and position it at the far right of my screen (sort of like a panel) so it will always be quickly accessible with a single click — either on its Taskbar icon or its bottom-right corner which will always be visible.**

The shortcuts for going to files behave as desired of course, but when the shortcut I click is for a folder, the resulting folder — as one would expect — opens in the WE window.

Is there some setting (in DOpus or WE or in the shortcuts themselves) which will force a target folder to always open in DOpus so that the WE panel remains unchanged?

If not, is there a work-around strategy using only DOpus to accomplish the same goal?

Thanks

*I guess, beginning in Windows 10, Windows Explorer is now called File Explorer but I will still refer to it as WE.

**I use an app called MaxMax which causes all Windows, when in their maximized state, to leave a narrow border (I've got the border set to 60 pixels for a 3840x2160 monitor) of usable desktop space.
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[1st comment]
Leo
Directory Opus developer

You can use DopusRT.exe to ask Opus to open a folder

"C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /open "C:\Program Files"

Or you can use /acmd to run Opus commands via dopusrt.exe, if you need something more complex than opening the folder in the default way. e.g. By running the Go command.

Creating a shortcut or .bat file which runs dopusrt.exe with the args you need will let you have an icon you can double-click in Explorer.

Alternatively, you can make an Opus button which opens the folder, then (while still in Customize mode) drag that to a folder to create a .dcf file. You can then double-click that .dcf file from anywhere, including Explorer windows, to run the Opus command.
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[response to 1st comment]
WeThotUWasAToad
Opus 12 Pro

Thanks for the reply Leo.

It's not surprising that DOpus has multiple options for doing what I'm after, but unfortunately, I'm not clear (ie knowledgeable enough) re exactly how to proceed in order to implement one of them.

What I've done...

Since DopusRT.exe is an executable file, should I have it running in the background concurrently with DOpus? And if so, how do I invoke it to cause folder shortcuts residing in WE to open the target folder in a new DOpus instance?

I do not see DopusRT as an option to run from the GPSoftware folder in the Start menu but I did find it by navigating to the directory:

C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus

But what do I do once I'm there?

Also, I followed your link to

https://www.gpsoft.com.au/help/opus12/index.html#!Documents/DOpusRT_Reference.htm

and read about DOpusRT Reference but I've never seen something with the form shown in the first example:

dopusrt.exe /acmd Go "C:\Program Files"

so I don't know how to proceed from there either.

Quickest resolution — maybe?

Perhaps the quickest way to help me get on track is if you could post the specific steps for creating just one of the shortcuts I'm after. Then I could hopefully follow the same steps to create the other shortcuts.

I recently had a new SSD C Drive installed and in the process, the previous C drive is now the F Drive. As a result, it's not uncommon that I want to retrieve a file from that drive. To do that currently, I open a new DOpus instance then click several more times to navigate as follows:

This PC > Local Disc (F:) > Users > Steve > Documents

In place of that, I'd like to have a shortcut in my WE "panel" named:

F_Users_Steve

which, when clicked, both opens the new DOpus instance and takes me there automatically.

Thanks again!
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[2nd comment]
tbone
Opus 12 Pro2d

As Leo wrote, create a file called "MyFolder.bat", modify the path to your folder (and dopusrt.exe) within the file accordingly.

Leo:

"C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /open "C:\MyFolder"

Then drag that file from where you want to launch DO with the folder in question.
Onto the task bar, start menu or into your folder collection where you like to store all the "DO-Launch" scripts.

Apart from that, it seems much easier to enable DO system wide (enable full explorer replacement) and never think about WE again. You have all the options and a dozen ways to get there. Enabling the full explorer replacement would allow you to use regular windows shortcuts to your folders e.g.. You can still collect them in a special place, if you like to stick to that idea.
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ben Personick (Previously QCubed)

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David Johnson, CD

Without making Directory Opus the default system-wide you're stuck. If this list of 30 or so locations is pretty much static, you could maintain a list of the locations in one of many different ways.. i.e. a webpage, a powershell page, a custom application that reads an editable list..

Ben Personick (Previously QCubed)

Additionally, if you want to access all of your old files as if they were on the new disk itself you can create Folder junctions on your system within folders that make sence.

IE if you ant to get to your old documents from your new documents I would do the following (Assumes C:\Users\Steve\Documents is your new documents folder)

in a CMD Prompt:

MKLINK "C:\Users\Steve\Documents\Old_Documents" "F:\Users\Steve\Documents"

Open in new window

This will cause a Directory Junction (A hard link pointer for a directory) to appear under your normal my documents folder, and allow you to browse to it directly by both Windows CMD Shell, Windows Explorer, and your existing open copy of Directory Opus, and any other program that normally navigates the directory tree.

IE. For most intents and purposes it will seem as if the folder existed directly under your new documents folder for any program, without moving the files or taking up space on the new hard disk.

Ben Personick (Previously QCubed)

PS it's always been "Explorer" File Explorer is the old-school Windows 9X term, they seem keen on bringing it back, Windows Explorer was the term in the early NY days, many people call it "My computer" but technically it's just "Explorer".

Older copies of MSIE will navigate your hard disk like Explorer because they were originally joined at the hip, newer copies will open explorer when you type in the file paths

WeThotUWasAToad

ASKER

Ben Personick (Previously QCubed)

This should be fairly Simple.

Oh wow. That's all it was?

Those can be dangerous words to open with, Ben (haha), as I have learned from first-hand experience in the past (:P). But in this case, you are absolutely right: it is quite simple now that I see the solution.

I was partly confused, I think, by the comments about .bat files, /acmd, Go command, etc, (none of which I'm familiar with), but mainly I just could not understand what to do with this line:

"C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /open "C:\Program Files"

— even after the second commenter rewrote the ending thus:

"C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /open "C:\MyFolder"

The Shortcut Wizard was asking for a location and I couldn't understand how an .exe file could represent a location. Even more though, I didn't understand what to do with the portion following ".exe" Therefore, it wasn't until you made the end more specific and explicitly instructed me to paste the whole thing into the wizard as the location, that it finally clicked.

"C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /open "F:\Users\Steve\Documents"

So looking at it now, is it correct to say that "dopusrt.exe" is being "called on" to perform a command (/open) on a particular folder?

It actually reminds me a bit of the only DOS prompt command I know, which is used to get a list of folder contents:

Dir "C:\...[some folder directory]" > "C:\...[some folder directory]\FileName.txt"

In any event, many many thanks Ben! I'm so glad I posted the thread here on EE because now I can make my shortcut list — with its own devoted Taskbar icon.

WeThotUWasAToad

ASKER

Thanks for the response David.

David Johnson, CD, MVP

Without making Directory Opus the default system-wide you're stuck.

As I mentioned in "both OP's", Directory Opus already is my default file manager:

Several years ago, I began using Directory Opus in place of Windows Explorer as my primary file manager

and

I have DOpus pinned to my Taskbar and designated as my default file manager.

Are we referring to different things?

WeThotUWasAToad

ASKER

Please note that another question following-up on this topic has been posted here:

Windows Explorer shortcut to activate a file which is already open

David Johnson, CD

use anything other than explorer to keep your frequently used locations. If it is explorer that shows these, explorer knows how to open a folder..

WeThotUWasAToad

ASKER

Thanks for the help.

Ben Personick (Previously QCubed)

Hey WTUWAT,

Glad to help! :)