3.6   Making Images With Background Pictures

Single Application File

This section describes how to create a standard disk image for distributing a Mac application. The disk image will have a background picture, a single .app file, an Applications folder symlink for easy drag-installs, a volume icon, and a license agreement.

1. Click Preferences in the toolbar to open DropDMG’s Preferences window.
2. To create the license agreement:
   1. Click the Licenses button at the top of the Preferences window.
   2. Click the + button to create a new license.
   3. Click New Language to add a localization for the license.
   4. Edit the text of the license.
3. To create the layout:
   1. Click the Layouts button at the top of the Preferences window.
   2. Click the + button to create a new layout.
   3. Click the Choose… button and select your background picture file. It can be a PDF file, a 72dpi or 144dpi PNG or JPEG file, or a multi-resolution TIFF file.
   4. If desired, add text boxes and adjust the icon and font sizes.
   5. Click the Application Placeholder button (below Add Icon…, on the left) to add the icon for your application.
   6. Click the Application Folder button (below Add Icon…, on the right) to add the Applications folder.
   7. Drag the icons to position them the way you want.
4. To create the configuration:
   1. Click the Configurations button at the top of the Preferences window.
   2. Click the + button to create a new configuration.
   3. Select the disk image format (e.g. .dmg — smallest file, slower).
   4. Use the pop-up menus to select the license and layout that you created.
   5. Make sure that Custom volume icon is checked. This will make DropDMG render a mounted disk image icon based on the icon of your application. If you prefer to use your own icon file, click Set Icon…
5. The above steps only need to be done once. In the future, if you’ve used DropDMG for other tasks in the interim, just select the configuration from the pop-up menu to reload those settings.
6. To create the disk image, drag your application file onto the DropDMG window or use one of the other methods. DropDMG will create a .dmg file next to the application. You can optionally automate this step using the dropdmg command-line tool or AppleScript.

Multiple Files

If your disk image will have multiple files, not just an application (.app) and an Applications folder placeholder:

• In Step 3, add additional files by dragging and dropping the files into your layout or by clicking the Add Icon… button.
• In Step 6, instead of dragging your application file onto DropDMG, put the files in a folder and drag the folder onto DropDMG.