Conquest of the multi OS...

icemanv

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So my dilemma is quite simple, however the solution --unsurprisingly must be complicated and problematic.

My goal is to have Disc based media, or in some cases, USB, to have a personalized, professional look to them.

In Windows its straight forward. I have my desktop.ini files that handle the icons, and my autorun. That's that.

On the other hand, Mac is having trouble retaining it's personalization upon burn, and I fear, potentially won't after moving them to a USB. Text size, background image, icon size, icons, nothing.

From what I understand the .DS_Store is what contains everything from the layout, to the background image, and icon info.

It's also to my understanding that the .DS_Store contains "everything", to the point where it may take directory into play, with no ability to be localized.
(Which is why I am thinking, even if I would have everything looking good on my Mac, it'll look nothing like it on someone else's on the USB) The first part of my search was acctually on the .DS_Store file, assuming OSX handled it like an ini.

I spent countless hours looking into this, countless more experimenting with .CDR .DMG and hybrid .ISOs... when all I want is to have some sexy folders that have icons, and if possible a background img.
Hopefully to where I can keep everything in a folder, and just copy-paste the preassembled sexyness, and then just add the content.

My main mission is to have the style ready to go, for Windows, OSX, and Linux, to be burned on one disc, in one partition, or just move them to a USB.

Any help and input will be appreciated! I'm pulling my hair out here guys... ;'(
 
As far as I'm aware this will not be possible as Windows and Nix * use a different file system. NTFS and the likes of FAT . I'm unsure about Mac as what File system that uses but having them on the same partition I dont know if possible how it would be done.

You mite have to go deeper and look in too Coding \ Programming as being imaginative and like you say having it on a separate media you will need something to work as an intermediate for different file types Ect:
 
Thank you for the reply my man! I was biting my nails in anticipation, as I know that this may not be a common issue to some due to it's non-necessity by the average day to day requisites... less it be commercial personalization, or such circumstances.

Just the clarify however, I'm not looking to dual boot lol.

What I am looking for is to customize folders with icons, and take advantage of OSX's ability to use folder backgrounds, ect. Something that should be achieved no matter the partition structure.

http://imgur.com/a/kTch3

As I believe I mentioned prior, as well as yourself, It is indeed a suspicion of mine that the file system is to blame, though it makes more sense to say it's simply a matter of it's location.

I.e, if I made all the customisations from the Mac on my network, the .DS_Store file will identify the icon's location as well as the background and all other personalisation at the network path, "smb://PC/users/user/desktop/Pfolder", rather than account for it's self locally. However if I were to move said folder to the desktop on the mac, it still remains the same. Yet, to burn it to a disk as is, messes it all up. Infact when I burn it "as is" everything is all jumbled, but I'm thinking it has to do with the hidden files, "maybe". I've tested this numerous times and as long as i delete the .DS_Store file, everything looks fine. It's fishy though because all folder customisations persist on my Windows computer and are indeed recognised by OSX no matter where I move them, even if I move them around on Windows.

The .DS_Store file itself is within the folder that contains the customisations, thefore by moving the folder to the desktop of the Mac, it would thereby perceive itself as is, meaning that either it changes the file dynamically, or it is localized... Then again I can even move it on Windows...

If you were referring me to a programming approach to this particular issue, the only way would be an Apple script, terminal or alike, and alas OSX doesn't support autorun type behavior from disc based media, and with that, nor a USB. TMK anyway.

It's sorta' frustrating really, I was just thinking over my network usage between Windows and the Mac and realised how ridiculous it is that I can manipulate NTFS files, read/write in a network environment, but pop my external in, and it refuses to write a damn thing. More so with NTFS USB sticks... uhg... I'm going to have to look into this, because I refuse to partition a 70% full 5Tb, and risk corruption to my data because of Apple.


Id like to add that I understand that disc structures are far different than hardisk, and I'll have to study more on that subject. If that's the case however, I must inquire more on hybrid disc, and how to accomplish my goal without the need to double burn (In lack of a better term) a single disc with the same data in two different partitions. Most of the discs I burn often hold 300~500Mb of data.
 
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After some more time on this issue, I am now at a 95% problem solved state! yay!

Using "Toast".

So far I am able to use autorun.inf to set both the disc label, and the disc icon. However, I can no longer use my desktop.ini files for the subfolders.

What I've learned so far is that in order to use the desktop.ini files on a disc, the format must be UDF. I'm not entirely sure why this can't be accomplished through Joliet...

For a while I've been using ImgBurn to compile my disc using, ISO-9660+Joliet+UDF, (I didn't know tis but) therefore allowing me to use desktop.ini within my subfolders in order to use icons in their stead.

Toast only allows me to create 'hybrid' discs with the format ISO9660+Joliet...
So if only there were a way to compile UDF/HFS+ Disc...

Be that as it may, it seams, even though I create a UDF disc through Toast, the desktop.ini files still don't work, so I don't see using Toast as a viable solution either way... =/

So off to seek other solutions.


PS: Using ImgBurn on Windows to create a functioning image, and creating and prepping the DMG on Mac, then 'merging' them together on Toast works great. Though It appears to double the size. That's just logical I suppose.
 
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99.3% Solved

Been using this method for the past few weeks, and wanted to come complete this post!

Open Disk Utility

Go to -- File > New Image > Blank Image

Save As: FileName

Encryption: none
Name: YourVolumeName
Size: ~slightly more than what you may need~
Partition: Single partition - Apple Map
image Format: R/W Image

Save it to your Desktop



Once It's finished, go ahead and mount it, and add your files. From there you can go ahead and and personalize everything as needed. Hide files that need hiding, and in order to use desktop.ini files in subfolders, make sure the folder it is within is set to “Read Only”!!! It's also worth mentioning that all this can only be done on the .DMG file, not outside of it, be it Mac or Windows.

Once your DMG is all set with your personalization - - Dismount your image.

Open Terminal-

cd desktop

hdiutil makehybrid -o destination_Name.iso -iso -joliet -udf -hfs -application “edit Me” -preparer “edit Me” -publisher “edit Me” -iso-volume-name EDIT_ME -joliet-volume-name “edit Me” -udf-version 1.02 -udf-volume-name “edit Me” -hfs-volume-name “edit Me” -system-id edit Source_Name.dmg


That's it! This allows me to use desktop.ini with-in subfolders for folder icons - -

The Issue as of now however, on OSX's side, I get two directories when mounted. If anyone can spit a solution my way as far as that goes that'd be superb xD


Hope this helps someone out there! I can almost guarantee there are no 100% exact answers like this one, and far fewer questions! Had to piece together snippets from alot of sources... fewf.... :rolleyes:
 
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