Tools We Use: DropCopy

I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network
(hooked up to a Netgear router), but it didn't work. It listed the
available computers next to the "black hole" but refused to copy
things over, possibly because of the firewall being turned on -- I
turned it off on the computer being-sent-to and it still didn't work,
at that point I gave up, because, if I have to turn the Firewall off,
then I might as well turn on File sharing and/or use iChat. :-(

On Feb 2, 2006, at 10:16 , r2ggentlysloping.com wrote:

> I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
> it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network
> (hooked up to a Netgear router), but it didn't work. It listed the
> available computers next to the "black hole" but refused to copy
> things over, possibly because of the firewall being turned on -- I
> turned it off on the computer being-sent-to and it still didn't work,
> at that point I gave up, because, if I have to turn the Firewall off,
> then I might as well turn on File sharing and/or use iChat. :-(

You didn't say what other computers were on your LAN, but I tried
this stunt at home as well and found out that DropCopy must be
running on BOTH the sending computer and receiving computer...and
DropCopy only runs under Mac OS X...so if your other computers are
WinTel computers, DropCopy won't "see" them and it won't work...

Fortunately, there is another program -- not freeware like DC, but
$15/computer paid through Kagi -- called "Wormhole" published by
CrystalFire Software (crystalfiresw.com) that does what DropCopy
does, but across platforms.

Its user interface is similar to DC, but not quite as nice, with
somewhat kludgy windows-style windows rather than the a Mac style UI,
but it works like a charm and the $15/box registration is worth the
price and the install and registration is easy (no wait for the
needed reg codes, although the program works well as a demo).

J

On or about 2/2/06 7:16 AM, thus spake "r2ggentlysloping.com"
<r2ggentlysloping.com>:

> I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
> it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network
> (hooked up to a Netgear router), but it didn't work. It listed the
> available computers next to the "black hole" but refused to copy
> things over, possibly because of the firewall being turned on -- I
> turned it off on the computer being-sent-to and it still didn't work,
> at that point I gave up, because, if I have to turn the Firewall off,
> then I might as well turn on File sharing and/or use iChat

I have no idea whether the firewall affects things. But I do have one
suggestion: make sure you are dropping on the menu item, not on the hole.
This is a slightly misleading aspect of the interface. Otherwise, you might
try writing to the developer and just asking. m.

--
matt neuburg, phd = matttidbits.com, http://www.tidbits.com/matt/
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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596005571/somethingsbymatt
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>I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
>it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network
>(hooked up to a Netgear router), but it didn't work. It listed the
>available computers next to the "black hole" but refused to copy
>things over, possibly because of the firewall being turned on -- I
>turned it off on the computer being-sent-to and it still didn't work,
>at that point I gave up, because, if I have to turn the Firewall off,
>then I might as well turn on File sharing and/or use iChat. :-(

Open up port 5052 on the receiving Mac (or on all of them).

I likewise downloaded and installed DC as soon as I read
the article. Mostly it's working great. The only issue I
have run into is problems copying from Tiger to Panther
(each installed with the appropriate version of DC). I'm
in email conversation about this with one of the co-founders
of 10base-t interactive. They are commendably responsive.

KDawson

> I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
> it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network
> (hooked up to a Netgear router), but it didn't work. It listed the
> available computers next to the "black hole" but refused to copy
> things over, possibly because of the firewall being turned on -- I
> turned it off on the computer being-sent-to and it still didn't work,
> at that point I gave up, because, if I have to turn the Firewall off,
> then I might as well turn on File sharing and/or use iChat. :-(

There was a note with the program that a specific port (5052) would
need to be opened for using DropCopy with a Firewall. You might also
try quitting the application and reopening it after doing so -- I
find that's the only way to get a change in the preferences to stick.

> I have no idea whether the firewall affects things. But I do have one
> suggestion: make sure you are dropping on the menu item, not on the
> hole.
> This is a slightly misleading aspect of the interface.

Wait -- you can drop items on the menu item, as well?

BRIAN PEARCE
<http://www.redjacketpress.com>
"Yesterday's Books for Today's Reader"

I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since it seemed like exactly what I needed

Yes I was seduced too. Perfect for local file transfers over Airport. And I found it works just fine IF your files are small e.g. a 2 page Word doc. But an album of MP3s? Forget it. It sat. It chugged. Nothing appeared the other end - ever. It made drilling down trough the Finder/Network hierarchy seem quick and robust. It's a shame because the interface IS discreet and handy.

DropCopy loses metadata, so at the receiving end you get a generic file which can't be double-clicked to open. The solution is supposed to be to hold down Option when dragging the file. This has worked about 2 for 15 for me. If I hold down Option first, the DC hole etc. completely disappear. If I hold it down during the drag, usually it's just the generic file thing. But a couple times yesterday, the transfer churned ineffectually for over an hour before I noticed it and cancelled it...

So it's a great idea but still needs a lot of work, IMHO.

Bill Conable OSU School of Music

Suggestion: There is another freeware program tht does similar things called Schick. It may work better for you.

<http://www.wurst-wasser.net/cgi-bin/wurst-wasser.net/wiki.pl?SoftwareProjectSchick>

Howard Kaufman
Lectrosonics

>I went and downloaded DropCopy as soon as I read the article, since
>it seemed like exactly what I needed for my 3-Mac local network

I likewise downloaded and installed DC as soon as I read
the article. Tiger-to-Tiger it works fine. I've run into
an issue with copying from Tiger to Panther (each installed
with the appropriate version of DC and each firewall having
port 5052 open). I have been in email contact with 10base-t
Interactive and they have been commendably responsive, but
the problem persists.

Fast-forwarding to the end of the story: my ability to use
DC from Tiger to Panther is still broken. 10base-t Interactive
says it works fine in their testing environment and that it
is clearly "a bonjour linklocal publishing issue on [my] Panther
machine," whatever that means.

They suggested that as a workaround I try adding the Panther
machine's IP address as a local destination. While this did
work around the problem, it's not an acceptable solution be-
cause my IP addresses are dynamically allocated. Also, once
you add an IP address there is no way to delete it (that I
have found) short of deleting the preferences plist and
letting DC create a new one.

Here is the behavior I see. Am I the Lone Ranger here or has
anyone else experienced this problem?
_____________________

Tiger to Panther:

 - send file to machine name: says "connecting" then "cancelled" after
    a brief pause
 - send file to IP address: works

 - text msg. to machine name: says "sending message to remote host"
    then "cancelled" after a brief pause
 - text msg. to IP address: works

 - copy clipboard from machine name: says "unable to connect to the
    chosen destination after trying for 5 seconds"
 - copy clipboard from IP address: works, shows brief popup indicating
    new clipboard contents

Panther to Tiger:

 - send file to machine name: works
 - send file to IP address: works

 - text msg. to machine name: works
 - text msg. to IP address: works

 - copy clipboard from machine name: works, but no popup indicating
    new clipboard contents
 - copy clipboard from IP address: works, but no popup indicating
    new clipboard contents
_____________________

KDawson