[Hidden-tech] Serving/downloading Macintosh .dmg files

[Will Loving]

Thanks for everyone's help. The problem was solved by adding .dmg as a MIME
type in the IIS settings (according to my hosting provider). They are
running IIS not Apache (unfortunately).

Regarding file names, the test files was simply called "Test.dmg" and I did
get a 404 error despite the fact that the file was clearly there - visible
in both Dreamweaver and my FTP software. Changing the setting as noted above
fixed the issue.

Side note on Apache. According to a System Engineer I know, the name
"Apache" comes originally from it's origins as "a patchy web server" -
meaning patched together from various bits of code.

Will

Will Loving, President
Dedication Technologies, Inc.


on 12/7/07 9:22 AM, Rich at rich at on-the-net.com wrote:

> Yes and no - depending on the default type setting - it might or not be
> downloaded as 'text' which might or might not work,
> so adding the AddType defiinition is a good idea
> 
> This issue will should up as the downloaded file not being valid as a
> dmg install file.
> 
> HOWEVER that has nothing to with a 404 error - that means 'file note
> found' -- and without a sample url, I can't really comment.
> I will note that since mac users often use long filenames and ones with
> spaces and other special characters, and since you didn't say
> what your server is running (linux, windows or mac) - it is more likely
> a file name difference between the file system name (that you ftp'd)
> vs the URL that apache recognizes
> 
> Rich
> 
> Robert Hafner wrote:
>> 
>> Will,
>> 
>> You need to set the apache mime information correctly for .dmg files.
>> Since it doesn't know what the file is or how it is processed, or if
>> it thinks its the wrong type, it can screw up like this.
>> 
>> Simplest way to do this is to create a file named ".htaccess" and put
>> the following line in:
>> AddType application/x-apple-diskimage dmg
>> 
>> 
>> Robert
>> 
>> 
>> On Dec 6, 2007, at 5:55 PM, Will Loving wrote:
>>> 
>>> I¹m having a specific problem with Macintosh .dmg files that I¹ve put
>>> on my server not downloading properly. The file is clearly there but
>>> when I attempt to download it via a URL, I get a 404 error. If I take
>>> the same file and compress it as a .zip archive, it downloads just
>>> fine. At some point earlier this year, I was having a possibly
>>> related problem where the .dmg file would start to download but would
>>> download as text.
>>> 
>>> The only happens with files that I¹ve uploaded to my server, not with
>>> dmg files from other sources, so I¹m guessing it has something to do
>>> with how the files are being transferred. The ³download as text²
>>> issue would make me think that the file got uploaded as text instead
>>> of binary, but as far as I can tell it¹s binary. I¹ve tried uploading
>>> from both Dreamweaver and a Vicomsoft FTP client with the same result.
>>> 
>>> I thought I remembered reading something in the last year about issue
>>> with uploading dmg files, but all my searches have been in vain...
>>>  Anyone know the answer to this conundrum?
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> 
>>> Will
>>> 
>>> Will Loving, President
>>> Dedication Technologies, Inc.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> 
>>> William M. Loving
>>> Dedication Technologies, Inc.
>>> 7 Coach Lane
>>> Amherst, MA 01002-3304   USA
>>> will at dedicationtechnologies.com <mailto:will at dedicationtechnologies.com>
>>> Tel: +1 413 253-7223   (GMT ­5)
>>> Fax: +1 206 202-0476
>>> _______________________________________________
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-- 

William M. Loving
Dedication Technologies, Inc.
7 Coach Lane
Amherst, MA 01002-3304   USA
will at dedicationtechnologies.com
Tel: +1 413 253-7223   (GMT ­5)
Fax: +1 206 202-0476