CreateDeviceImage   v1.4
©1999-2000 Jérôme DE SOLLIERS - All rights reserved
email : jerome.de.solliers@libertysurf.fr
homepage : http://perso.libertysurf.fr/desolliers/

This software is freeware. (Feedbacks will be appreciated)

(Read me with StyledEdit)


Introduction
The other day during the backup of my hard drive, I asked myself how could I burnt a CD with a BeFS partition without a burning software on BeOS (it's not true now : there is some solutions like cdrecord, CD Manager...). Then I checked an old newsletter which explained how to "Mastering Your Own BeOS Demo CD" (Volume 2, Issue 43 -- October 28, 1998).
The principe is to build a raw image of a partition and use a software on another OS which is able to burnt this image file. With the computer of a friend, I have burnt successfully a BeFS partition. The software he uses is CDRWIN of Golden Hawk Technology (just for information). 
Please, don't ask me if the software x or y could burnt an image file, I couldn't answer to you ! Thanks for your comprehension.

Creating an image of a device isn't very hard (it take one line in the Terminal !), but I have preferred to write a little application with a GUI to simplify the process and avoid problems of partition size, block size...

Warning : this software is distributed without garanty and I am not responsible for any problems or corrupted datas it could causing.
Nevertheless don't be afraid, this application has been tested and the number of bugs must be ridiculous (I hope :-)). 



Usage Section

Menu description
- Files / About : 
Informations about the application.
- Files / Preferences : 
Show the preference window.
- Files / Quit : 
Quit the application.

- Devices / Collapse : 
Collapse the device list.
- Devices / Expand : 
Expand the device list.
- Devices / Update : 
Scan the device and rebuild the list.

- Images / Create Virtual Image : 
Open a new window which permits to create a virtual image.
- Images / Rename Image : 
Open a new window which permits to rename an image.


Some features
* The GUI is font sensible, size & position auto saving and localized.


Usage - Create a device image
What's a device image ?
A device image is a file which contains all the datas of a device. For example, if you create an image of a BFS partition, you can burnt it on a CD.

How does it works ?
The main window let the user to create a device image :
* Select a device in the list.
* Press the "Create Image" button.
* Some warnings can appear in some conditions (size > 640 MB, block size <> 2048 bytes...).
* A filepanel appears and you must specify the destination file.
* An information window appear at the end of the creation and gives you the duration and the rate of the process (in MB/seconds).

Note :
* You can stop the creation with the "Stop" button.
* There is a copy status bar following the creation of the device image file.
* The program can add automatically an extension (.ISO for example). See the preference window.
* With the preference window, the user can set a sound to indicate the end of the image creation. (Be careful : if you select a file which is not a sound, you may damage your speaker !).


Usage - Create a virtual image
What's a virtual image ?
A virtual image is a file the user can mount, use and unmount like a hard drive partition.
The main idea with this virtual image is to store files in it and burn the image with another software (for backup purposes...).

How does it works ?
This window let the user to create an empty BFS image (only a /home directory is present).
If you want to create an image, you must fill theses parameters :
- Destination file : it's the virtual image file. You can store it where you want.
- Volume informations :
  * Volume name : it's the name of the volume when you mount it on your desktop (maximum 31 characters long).
  * Volume size : it's the size of the image file in MBytes.
  * Block size : it's the size of a block for your image. If you want burn this image, you MUST select 2048 bytes.

After filling parameters, press the "Create" button and wait for the end of the creation (a window will appear to inform you it's finished).

Note 1 : after the creation of a virtual image, CreateDeviceImage is set as the preferred application for it.
Note 2 : the drag & drop of file is supported.


Usage - How to mount my image ?
* Be sure your image isn't already mounted.
* Double click on his icon.
* Look at your desktop...

For unmount it, use the usual Tracker menu.


Usage - Rename a image
With this option, you can change the volume name of the image.

How does it works ?
* Specify the path of the image file and the current name will be shown. 
* Type the new name and press the "Update" button.

Note : the drag & drop of file is supported.



Information Section

Some things you MUST know
May be there is stupid things in this list, but I prefer to be careful :
* If you want to create an image of a BeFS partition, the source must have block size  of 2048 bytes (minimum). If not, BeOS couldn't read this partition on the CD. (The Be guys idea to use these incorrect CD as a coaster is very cool !  :-)
* If you have two hard drive, I advise you to create the image file on the other HD : the creation of the image will be accelerated.
* Remember, creating an image of a partition is a (very) long process. I advice you not to operate files during the process (it could slower it).
* Remember, a CD have approximately 650 MB capacity. Don't create a file larger than this capacity, it doesn't make sense (or may be you have a DVD recorder ?).
* The name of the partition of your image file will be the same as the source device.
* Don't operate on the source device while the creation, your image file could be corrupted.


How create a good bfs partition
Use the Be DriveSetup application :
* Create a partition with an inferior size of 650 MB.
* Initialize it with the Be File System.
* Fill it with your precious files.


Tests I have done (Creating a device image)
Source => Destination : size | duration
- HD 1 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 185 MB in 21 minutes.
- CD-Rom 8x (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 38 minutes.
- CD-Rom 24x (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 26 minutes.
- Jaz 1GB (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 31 minutes.

V1.1 :
- HD 1 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 185 MB in 7 minutes 8 seconds.
- CD-Rom 24x (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 2 minutes 44 seconds.
- Jaz 1GB (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 9 minutes 41 seconds.
Performances are better because the R4.5 corrects a bug in the file system.

V1.2 :
- HD 2 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 612 MB in 4 minutes 37 seconds.


Deinstall
All you have to do is to put theses two folders into the trash :
- the "CreateDeviceImage" application folder
- the "CreateDeviceImage" settings folder (in "home/config/settings/")


Contacting the author
You can e-mail me if you have any questions, comments, bugs' reports... or simply to ask me if this application could be usefull for you.
Thanks to all who have already sent to me some email !

Feedbacks are welcome (it costs just a mail ;-)


History
V1.4 : 21 october 2000
- Handle the creation of raw device.
- Huge improvement of the device speed copy.
- Little improvement of the virtual image creation.
- Generate the correct information message when a physical device (CD) is removed during the copy process.
- New internal preference system.
- Remove the feature that remember the workspace number at startup.
- Rewrite of some parts of the code.

V1.3.2 : 5 september 2000
- Bug correction in the "Create Virtual Image" : if the destination filename contained a space, the image wasn't initialized in BFS. It's ok now.

V1.3.1 : 4 august 2000
- New : the creation of a virtual image is more friendly : you can stop the file image creation by pressing the cancel button.
- Some fixes in the code.

V1.3 : 22 december 1999
- New : menu Images / Create Virtual Image.
- New : menu Images / Rename Image.
- New : you can mount an image (on your desktop) by double clicking it (if this file have been created by CreateDeviceImage).

V1.2.1 : 12 december 1999
- This is a maintenance release. Correct a bug with the user settings files.

V1.2 : 11 october 1999
- Bug correction for the large partitions.
- Bug correction of the expand & collapse menus : when the list contained many items, the application could crash.
- New : If a writing problem occurs, a message will appear and a sound should be play.
- New : Preference => handle sound error.
- New : Preference => the destination directory could be open automatically at the end of the creation.
- New : The application checks if the destination volume have sufficient spaces to receive the image.
- Modification : Use of the new 4.5 API for playing sounds.

V1.1 : 1 august 1999
- Bug correction when creating the image : in some case, the size wasn't a multiple of 2048...
- New preference : extension
- Update of this documentation concerning the better file system performances attributable to the R4.5

V1.0 : 19 may 1999
- First release.
