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1996-02-14
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So you thought DOpus couldn't do that!
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Brought To You By Sigma Alpha
By Dr DOpus
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So you've been using DOpus for a while and you've discovered that it is
probably the most useful, brilliant, amazing program available for the
Amiga...but are you getting the most from it?
In this doc some hints and tips to get the most from DOpus will be
explained but remember the beauty of DOpus is it's individuality, so be
sure to think about what you want DOpus to do and adapt ideas to suit
your own needs...there's not much it can't do when it comes to file
management!
To explain all the features and functions in DOpus would be a pointless
task...that's what the manual is for, but there's a host of things that
can be done or made to be more efficient that aren't in the manual, so
that's where this doc comes in. One of the most important things to
remember is that DOpus really shines when used in conjunction with
external utilities so I'll mention the most useful ones...be sure to find
them from the usual sources, PD Libraries, BBS's etc.
The hints are aimed at the average Amiga user who wants to do a little
bit of everything with his machine rather than experts who may wish to
perform more specific tasks. I'll assume that a hard drive is in use.
Q. What utilities will enhance Directory Opus?
A. Here's a list of a few essential utilities that you should have, that
perform functions or aid existing functions in DOpus. In no particular
order...
a) LhA (Stefan Boberg) - File archiving util.
b) KingCON (David Larsson) - Console handler (improves Shell/CLI).
c) PPShow v4 (Nico Francois) - Multi format viewer for pics/anims.
d) DMS (SDS Software) - Disk archiver/cruncher.
e) Virus_Checker (John Veldhuis) - Guess!
f) GoldED (Dietmar Eilert) - Text editor, complex but superb.
g) Edword (Martin Reddy) - Text editor, less powerful than GoldED
but still very good.
h) View80 (Frederico Giannici) - An alternative text viewer to
Fullview (the built-in viewer), faster and more flexible when
reading larger doc files.
i) StatRam 3 (Nicola Salmoria) - A very robust Rad: useful for fast
archiving/DMS'ing.
j) DLD or XFD (Georg Hormann) - decrunch utils.
k) FMS (Mat Dillon) - Create 'virtual' floppy disks' on your hard
drive, speeds up all sorts of operations.
NB: You'll have to follow the installation instructions supplied with
the utilities and ensure they work as they should before incorporating
them into use with DOpus.
Q. When I load a directory into an Opus window it takes ages to display,
is there anything I can do to speed this up?
A. To speed up access in the DOpus windows, select the Operation menu in
ConfigOpus, then select List Format. In the 'selected display items'
window just have 'file name' & 'file size' this will speed up the windows
enormously. Also make sure your disks/hard drives are optimized using a
utility such as Re-Org 3.11 (Holger Kruse) you'll be amazed at the speed
improvement.
Q. When I double-click or click and drag on some files things happen,
and on others nothing happens...why is this?
A. These mouse operated functions are set up in the Filetype section of
ConfigOpus, this is probably the most powerful feature of Opus yet it is
widely ignored. You can set up loads of different functions to be
performed with the mouse, for example, you can de-archive from one window
to another by simply clicking on a file with a .LHA extension then
clicking on the destination window. You can read docs, view pics and
anims, DMS disks, copy files, list the contents of archives etc etc, all
with your mouse! Details of how to set up some Filetypes are given on
this disk so take a look and experiment :)
Q. When I perform a function that has an output window, the workbench
screen comes to the front and the output window disappears just as I'm
reading the contents. I want to see what has happened and sometimes keep
a record, is this possible?
A. To make the 'DOpus Output' windows more friendly and useful, first
you should install KingCON (1.3), this is not essential but it does give
Shell/CLI windows a scroll bar which can be invaluable when dealing with
lists. Select System in ConfigOpus and then select AmigaDOS. In the
'Shell' string gadget type....SYS:c/NewCli (ensuring that you have the
NewCli command in your C directory!) Then in the 'Console' string gadget
type the following line....
KCON:11/11/640/154/Directory Opus Output/CLOSE/SCREEN DOPUS.1
or if you don't have KingCON...
CON:11/11/640/154/Directory Opus Output/CLOSE/SCREEN DOPUS.1
On a normal high res screen this will open the output window where the
DOpus windows are, this is better than flicking to and from the workbench
screen every time an output window is opened. If you want to suspend the
closure of the output window after the function has completed so you can
read what's happened (and scroll back if you've installed KingCON) then
don't forget you can set the 'close delay' of the function to -1 making
the output window wait for you to press the LMB before it will close.
Should you wish to keep a record of what's happened you can set the
'output to file' flag of the function.
Q. Is it possible to un-DMS to Ram: ?
A. No. There are however, ways to speed up DMS functions using Opus.
You can set up a recoverable ram disk ( Rad: ) and DMS to and from it by
setting up a Filetype for DMS. There is a Rad: utility called StatRam
(v3) available which is more flexible and robust than using the standard
method described in the Amiga manual. Also you could use FMS (see
essential utils above), this will set up "virtual floppy disks" on your
hard drive ( FF0: FF1: etc ) so you can DMS to and from these also.
To set up a filetype for DMS see the Filetypes directory on this disk for
information.
Q. Opus takes up a lot of my precious memory, how can I save some?
A. Go to the System section in ConfigOpus and click on modules, then
ensure that all modules have no tick beside them, this will prevent them
being loaded every time you use Opus but you'll still be able to use
them...they'll load when needed. Another thing you can do is regularly
clear the buffers this will free up a bit of memory.
Q. When I'm working with Opus I get thirsty, will it make coffee?
A. No....maybe in the next update!
Q. I want Opus to load my hard drive contents in the left window and
Ram: contents in the right at startup, is it possible?
A. Yes, just go to System/Startup in ConfigOpus and set which devices to
load at startup. Come on, read the manual again! :) You can load
devices into specified windows with any button/menu/filetype function if
you want...when setting up the config of the button etc use the Scandir
command like this...
ScanDir Sys: 0 (will load your boot device into the left window)
ScanDir Ram: 1 (will load Ram: into the right window)
NB: Don't forget to set the cycle gadget to Command.
For instance you could set up a Reset Opus button as follows...
Command ScanDir Sys: 0
Command ScanDir Ram: 1
Command Clearbuffers
Obviously you can rescan whatever devices/dirs you like.
Q. I use Parnet to link my 1200 with my CDTV, can I mount the network
from Opus?
A. Yes. Make yourself a bootable disk for the CDTV with the lines...
NetPNet-Server Unit 1
Mount Net:
...somewhere in the startup-sequence then set up a button in Opus with
the following...
AmigaDOS SYS:c/NetPNet-Server Unit 0
AmigaDOS SYS:c/Mount Net:
(assuming your commands are in SYS:c) No flags ticked.
Boot the CDTV with the floppy disk then after the disk activity has
finished you can click on your NET: button in Opus to start the network.
You can then set up Drive buttons to read the CDTV drives, for example...
Drive Name CD0:
Path Net:CD0
You can do the same to read Net:DF0 / Net:Ram / Net:Rad etc etc. When
using Opus with Net:CD0 it's better to type the exact dir you need into
the string gadget below the selected window.
ie. Net:CD0/utils/misc/
If you use the mouse to click through the directories it will take ages
because of the amount of information on the CD, and the CD drives are
much slower than hard drives.
END
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