DropDMG 2.7.6 — The easiest way to create Mac OS X disk images
reviewed by Harry {doc} Babad
Developer: Michael Tsai Shareware $15 USD File Size: ca. 1.9 MB Free Trial: fully-featured (30 days) Version Posted: 28 Mar 2006 Blog Based help is also provided at http://c-command.com/blog/category/dropdmg/ Uninstaller: provided Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3 or
10.4, not yet Universal Binary (e.g., Intel Macintosh) Audience: All user levels – the software grows with you. |
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The software was tested on a 1 GHz dual processor PowerPC G4 Macintosh with 2 GB DDR SDRAM running under OS X 10.4.6. |
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Product
and company names and logos in this review may be registered trademarks |
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Strength: Easy to use product to Create and convert .dmg disk images a s well, as Zip and StuffIt archives. It has intuitive preferences that allow great flexibility when creating custom disk images for a variety of uses (e.g., dmg files.).
Weakness: Nothing significant, that’s a great for a product way to be.
Introduction
Although I send out lots of data to clients and friends, in the past I’ve always packaged this material (e.g., MS word files, PDFs, graphics) in a folder that I zipped. Although zipped folder approach worked, and still works, there was little I could do to (a) customize or personalize the package and (b) assure all the pieces stayed together as an integral collection.
Thus when I read about DropDMG, I jumped at the opportunity to test it. Like other of my shareware reviews, I borrow a lot of details from the publisher’s web page – it save time spent trying to paraphrase that material, but my finding are the result of testing.
DropDMG is the easiest way to create Mac OS X disk images. Just drag and drop a folder or file, and the software will create an image in \”.dmg\”, \”.img\”, or \”.smi\” format–or a Tar, Zip, or StuffIt X archive. Users should note that some of the stuffed archive file formats are platform specific, something I did not find in the DropDMG manual. Indeed, the Macintosh operating system, especially Tiger is considerably better at accessing formats shunned by PC’s. Like don’t send a DMG or a StuffIt X archive to you Wintel using friends.
Alternatively, you can drag an existing image or archive file onto DropDMG to easily convert it to any of the other supported formats. DropDMG supports encryption, segmented images, and custom icons, and it can create images with rich-text license agreements in multiple languages. There are many timesaving features such as temporary preferences when you hold down Option, remembering recent folders, configurations to keep track of popular combinations of settings, and the ability to create more than one image or archive at a time.
Using the Product
Drag the DropDMG application icon into your Applications folder and then double-click it. To install the DropDMG command-line tool, choose Install “DropDMG” Tool from the DropDMG menu. To install the DropDMG command-line tool, choose Install “DropDMG” Tool from the DropDMG menu. DropDMG will ask for an administrator password, as it needs to copy the DropDMG file to the protected /usr/bin folder. The DropDMG service in the [Application > Services menu] will become available the next time you log in.
The after setting the
preferences, you do want the software to do exactly what you prefer, don’t you?
Then the product is ready to use. Simply drag and drop the files you want
convert to a disk image to the DropDMG and the software does the rest. Drag and
drop one or more files or folders onto the DropDMG icon, either in the Finder
or in the Dock, or onto the top portion of the status window. What DropDMG do
it’s thing. [There’s not enough time to get a of coffee, sorry. Hold down the
Option key to choose a different configuration or options than the ones
currently selected.
I’ve detailed, below, some of your options.
I verified, as the manual explains, that DropDMG tries to determine what you want it to do based on the files or folders that you give it.
For example, suppose that you’ve set the preferences to create .dmg disk images.
If you give DropDMG a folder, it will create an image of the folder.
If you give it a .zip, .tar, .gz, or StuffIt archive, it will convert the archive into a .dmg disk image.
If you give it an image in another format, DropDMG will convert it to .dmg format, using the options specified in the preferences.
If you give DropDMG a file, that’s not an archive or image, DropDMG will create a new image containing just that file.
When asked to create an image from a volume, DropDMG creates a special “device image” that is an exact copy of the volume, not just its constituent files. If the volume was bootable, the image may be burned to CD or DVD and the resulting disc will also be bootable.
To group multiple items into a single image or archive, move them into a new folder, and then drop it on the application icon.
You can also lock in the
sets of preferences you use for a specified variety of tasks by using the
software’s configurations features.
Conversion can also be used to add or remove license agreements or encryption from a set of files, or to segment or join an existing image. When given multiple files or folders, DropDMG creates a separate image or archive for each, but even this has a workaround allowing the creation of just a single archive.
DMG Content Planning — Now, there is a minor detail associated with using this product. There always is, isn’t there? — You must think! I use a pad and paper to outline (plan), on what files you want to convert to a disk image. Otherwise, GIGO and you have to do the task again. However, that’s what you get paid big bucks for, isn’t it.
Documentation — The full DropDMG documentation is available in PDF and HTML formats. To view it, double-click the DropDMG application icon and then look in DropDMG’s Help menu. You can also, as I did, download it from the developer’s site. The 40 Page manual, although only needed occasionally by most users, is a bit terse in style but is well organized and easy to follow. One doesn’t need purple prose to understand a users manual, so this, Michael, is not a ding.
To use the software’s more sophisticated functions, I recommend reading the manual. Otherwise you can get started the Macintosh way, install it and start to use it. Reading the manual will help explain somewhat arcane information such as all the options are available from Automator, AppleScript, and from the DropDMG command-line tool. In addition Michael offers a number of ways to backup and restore backup data that provided sound advice on using this essential function. The DropDMG manual actually links to the Apple help files when dealing with the maccentric items.
Features — What Can You Do With DropDMG?
I’ve listed the features most important to me along with a few comments, in italics, on each I cared about, for your consideration. A few of these were mentioned in passing in the preceding sections, but tell me-tell me again is good practice. Specify as many—or as few—options as you want. DropDMG’s Preferences window gives you lots of controls, but you don’t always have to use them. Save a few named configurations; to allow switching between different sets of preferences, you can instantly recall different combinations of options you’ve previously created.
Make
Backups (You know you should.) — Before backing up files to another hard disk or
to removable media, you can use DropDMG to bundle them into a disk image. The
disk image compresses the files to save space; lets you check their integrity
with a checksum, and can (optionally) encrypt the files to protect your
off-site backup from prying eyes.
– For backing up files, scattered around your hard disk, associated with a
project, this is a great way to organize and keep that data together.
Use
DropDMG To Burn Data Backups To Disc — If your folder is too large to fit on
one CD or DVD, DropDMG can segment the image to span multiple discs.
– Although
Macintosh OS X Tiger, Toast (Déjà vu) and a number of backup utilities allow
backup to CD/DVD media, the process is well implemented in DropDMG. I still prefer a
large partitioned external hard drive for backups since burning DVDs take more
time than I have patience.
Prepare Mac OS X Software for Distribution — Apple recommends that developers use disk images to distribute their software. DropDMG makes it easy to create disk images that auto-open, have license agreements, custom icons, and that are Internet-enabled (so the image unpacks automatically when downloaded with Safari).
Compress
Files Before Sharing Them — With support for a variety of image and archive formats
(and encodings for sending files over networks), DropDMG makes it easy to
archive and compress files before sending them via e-mail, uploading them to a
server, or saving them to removable media. In many cases, the images DropDMG
creates are smaller than those created by Apple’s Disk Utility, while still
being fully compatible. It’s also easy to convert between any of the formats
DropDMG supports.
–
The compression size wars go on between the Apple compression scheme, those of
Allume Systems the developer of DropStuff or other shareware contenders. Since
my main purpose of compressing files is to get them past the size limit
barriers for email or other Internet transactions, the small differences in
compressed size do not matter. Nevertheless, the feature works, so processing
more can be done from within the DropDMG application.
I
Took a 22.4 MB file of illustrated and unillustrated recipes in PDF and MS Word
format and used a variety of preference alternative to compress them.
File Type |
Compression Mode |
Results and Notes |
Original Recipes |
None |
22.5 MB |
Trial 1 DropDMG |
.DMG |
18.5 MB [Fast] |
Trial 2 Drop DMG |
.Zip |
18.5 MB [Fast] |
Trial 3 OS X Tiger |
.Zip |
18.6 MB [Fast] |
Trial 4 DropStuff |
.Zip |
18.5 MB [Fast] |
Trial 5 DropDMG |
.Tar |
22.2 MB [Slower] |
Trial 6 DropDMG |
.cdr |
25.9 MB [Slower] |
Trial 7 DropDMG |
StuffIt X Archive |
18.2 MB [Slow] |
Share
Files so That Others Can More Easily Read Them — Disk images
provide maximum compatibility: earlier versions of Mac OS X don’t support
Mac-savvy Zip and Tar archives, and Mac OS X 10.4 doesn’t have built-in support
StuffIt archives. Only disk images preserve Mac metadata and long filenames and
are compatible with all versions of Mac OS X. Of course, if your audience
prefers archives, DropDMG makes it easy to create them, as well.
–
I did not test this feature.
Encrypt Files That You Want To Keep Private — I did not test this feature since I’m the only person using my system.
Create
A Device Image That Records the Exact Contents of a Data CD or DVD — You can then burn
backup copies of the disc, or double-click the image it to access its contents
as though the disc were still in your drive.
–
This is another DropDMG convenience that works quite well, although it is not unique to DropDMG. Comparing the
use of DropDMG against Toast Titanium 7.0.2, the choice is yours; both create
exact content images wonderfully well.
A Single Gripe But Not With Paul Tsai
After drafting out my review, I searched the Internet to find pearls of wisdom I might have missed. I ran across the following. Paul Collins noted in the September 2005 MacInTouch that DropDMG is a great alternative to StuffIt. Paul mentioned that he’d used it for 5 months with no problems.
Now, using DropDMG as I substitute for StuffIt or StuffIt Deluxe or even in part for Apple’s Disk Utility troubles me. It’s an apples and oranges thing. Suffice it to say that if you have the Allume utilities installed, particularly version 9.x, DropDMG can gain additional features/functions from those software packages. I quote from the DropDMG manual
“If StuffIt Expander 9.0.1 or later is installed, DropDMG will be able to convert StuffIt archives to other formats. The developer recommends that you turn off the StuffIt Expander preference Continue to expand (if possible). If StuffIt Deluxe 5.0, 7.0 or later (9.0.1 recommended) is installed, DropDMG will also be able to convert disk images and other kinds of archives to StuffIt X format. In addition, StuffIt Deluxe allows DropDMG to convert more than one StuffIt archive at a time and to convert StuffIt archives without opening the StuffIt Expander application.” There’s more read the manual or detailed help files.
Picky, picky doc_Babad
Conclusions
DropDMG is a great program, abounding in features. Its simplicity is excellent. Having worked with the product for a few days, I’m likely to keep on using it, and using it and…
In summary, DropDMG can create/convert Mac OS X disk images via drag and drop (".dmg", ".img", or ".smi"). It also supports encryption, segmented images, and custom icons. You can use it to create images with rich-text license agreements in multiple languages. The software offers Panther .Zip, StuffIt X, .cdr, file support as well as supporting Apple’s system services, custom mount points, more options and other enhancements for those who are control oriented. I will not replace other the Allume “stuffit” applications I use with DropDMG but am likely to make less use of them and Apple’s archiving tools. Viva DropDMG
I rate this product 4.5 macCs
About the Developer:
Michael Tsai is a Macintosh software developer who has authored several useful utilities, including DropDMG BBAutoComplete (for BBEdit) and SpamSieve. Michael is also the editor and publisher of the monthly Mac eZine ATPM About This Particular Macintosh, and he writes an interesting Mac-oriented weblog. Michael, I couldn’t find a picture of you on the Internet.
[I will be reviewing SpamSieve in a future issue of macC, doc_Babad].
