Scripting

The Directory Opus scripting interface lets you write scripts using any installed ActiveX-scripting language. The advantage of this is that you can leverage skills you may already have in well-known languages, rather than having to learn a potentially arcane and confusing proprietary language as in some other products. For example, VBScript and JScript are built into Windows, and many people are already familiar with them from the web. Other common languages like Perlscript and Python can be obtained from third-party providers.

With the scripting interface you can, for example:

• Query the state of Listers, tabs, paths and toolbars
• Obtain lists of files and folders and discover information about them (basic information like name, size, date modified, etc, as well as metadata like EXIF information, MP3 tags, etc)
• Write buttons and hotkeys functions purely from script code without resorting to "Rename" hacks
• Test the state of certain system settings (similar to @ifset in a traditional function)
• Build collections of files and run commands (Opus internal commands and external programs) on them
• Display dialogs and popup menus
• Access the clipboard, environment variables and folder aliases
• Extend the list of Opus internal commands
• Add additional file and folder information columns that can be displayed in file displays and infotips
• Automatically trigger scripts based on certain events
• Save and load configuration (Opus provides an editor that the user can use to edit your script config)

The scripting interface is present as a series of objects that export methods you can invoke and properties you can query (and sometimes set).

There are three ways to use scripts with Opus.

• Rename Scripts let you write a script within the Advanced Rename dialog that gives complete control over file renaming. 
• Script Functions are scripts that are defined directly in a button, menu or hotkey.
  
• Script Add-ins are script files that are installed in the Opus Script Addins folder. Whereas Script Functions are user-driven (e.g. they execute when the user clicks a button to specifically run the script), script add-ins are event driven. They provide one or more defined event handlers that Opus will invoke in certain situations, and are also used to implement custom commands and columns.

See the Scripting Reference section for a complete guide to the Opus scripting objects, and the Example Scripts section for some examples of the various types of scripts.

Any errors/warnings or text output from a script (via the DOpus.Output function) will be displayed in the Other Logs panel (part of the Utility Panel). You can choose the type of information to display in the log using the Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced: script_output_level option.

You can also use the CLI tool to design and test ad-hoc scripts.