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We don't know a great deal about Macs. We had to make an installer, and were told to try a .dmg
So we put together version 1, and it seemed to work. We had one application file, which had our icon, and one folder. The user was instructed to drag these into the Applications folder, of which there was the Mac version of a shortcut in the dmg.
Then we were told we needed to update files, and assured that we could do so via drag-and-drop. So we did; we dragged them into the folder in the dmg. We tested it (on the computer we were using to edit the dmg) and it seemed to work. So we burnt it onto a disk (along with a windows installer that actually works!).
I've just gotten an email from the recipient. She's got a Mac laptop. She inserted the disk, doubleclicked on it, doubleclicked on the .dmg, and got a Warning: no mountable file systems. Screenshot:
I have the dmg (not on a disk) and am able to open it with no difficulty.
How can we get it to work for our recipient?
Use zip. Many Mac developer shops (e.g. Panic) switched to application distribution using zip archives a while ago. Also,
– Daniel Beck – 2010-10-21T09:24:15.787autorun.inf
does not work on Mac OS X.autorun.inf is for the Windows installer I mentioned. We had both on one disk. Are you able to tell me how to make the right sort of zip archive? Are they easy for the user to unzip and install? This is a program for kids. – dragonridingsorceress – 2010-10-21T22:32:54.527
@dragon Sorry, didn't see your comment (use @Username when replying to someone so they get notified).Can't see the Windows binary in the screenshot, therefore the tip. Check out Panic's website and download e.g. Transmit and have a look: this is commercial software that's as easy or difficult to install as distributed via DMGs. They switched in fact because it's easier if users have no idea what they're doing. Since you mention that both a folder an an application need to be moved, it could be a little more difficult. Can you elaborate on the structure of your DMG's contents? – Daniel Beck – 2010-10-25T13:51:03.680
@dragon Also, how are you creating
.dmg
files if not on a Mac? – Daniel Beck – 2010-10-25T13:52:08.187@Daniel We made the .dmg on a Mac in one of the labs at uni, but were trying to burn it from a Windows computer. We finally got it working... by doing exactly the same thing again. In effect, we burnt the same disk three times; #1 and #3 worked; #2 didn't, and I honestly couldn't tell you why. In any case, I don't think I would try to use a .dmg again. They seem terribly unreliable. – dragonridingsorceress – 2010-10-26T08:10:46.763
@dragon Seems like Gordon was right. As for your decision regarding DMGs, many Mac OS developer shops are moving to zip, as I said. Also, you can create .zips on Windows as well, no need for a special "packaging" Mac. – Daniel Beck – 2010-10-26T08:32:07.860