Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about DropCopy. If you don’t find the answers to your questions below try the DropCopy Tips page for more helpful solutions!

If you still need more help, head on over to the Support Forum or send us an email and we’ll be happy to help.

The machines don’t see each other. It says ‘no local destinations.’

This kind of problem is usually related to Bonjour (the auto-discovery technology we use). The problem is that some routers block this networking technology under the pretext of better security. Sometimes you can re-enable Bonjour support (also sometimes referred to as ‘multicast’) in the router firewall, but if not you may have to go manual and enter each device’s IP number into DropCopy manually. A useful overview of this and other networking issues and potential fixes is at Cultured Code‘s site.

I use the built-in firewall on my Mac. Recently, I started getting the message “Do you want the application “DropCopy.app” to accept incoming network connections” every time I restart my computer. How do I stop this?

This is your computer saying that it doesn’t recognize the ‘signature’ of DropCopy. Since DropCopy receives data over the network, this makes it suspicious to the operating system. There are a variety of ways that DropCopy may lose its signature, including if you look around inside the application bundle (e.g., to change the graphics) or even (sometimes) during our over-the-air updates. To fix this, the app needs to be ‘signed’ again. If you are comfortable using the terminal, there is a nice informational thread describing how to ‘resign’ the app (link below). Otherwise, we recommend simply deleting DropCopy, and removing it from the Firewall preferences (you’ll find it in the ‘Security’ settings of System Preferences, then click the ‘Advanced’ button to see the list of approved firewall-accepted applications, and remove DropCopy, if it is present in the list).

Finally, simply download the app again. You will see the “Do you want the application to accept…” message the first two times you restart, and after that it should be quiet.

“How to resign your application”:
http://forums.macnn.com/79/developer-center/355720/how-re-sign-apples-applications-once/

My Mac doesn’t see the iPad or it sees the the iPad but transfers time out.

Most often this is because DropCopy is not launched or it is launched but the user has moved to a different app using the iPad’s multitasking ability. Unfortunately, Dropcopy cannot currently run in the background on iOS devices (yet). Make sure DropCopy is launched on the iPad and is the foreground app – you need to see its interface in front of you. If you are still having issues, then its time to try a variety of different things, starting with trying to send something from the iPad to Mac to see if at least transfers work in that direction.

How do I transfer Photos on DropCopy Mobile?

At the home screen, tap the drop zone (the black “circle”); you should get some options – choose ‘Browse/Preview Files’, then select ‘Photo Library’

DropCopy says it is “archiving” – what does this mean?

If you drop multiple files or folders, DropCopy makes an archive first to send.  If that archive will be large, DropCopy should warn you that it may take a while. In general, it is not advised to use a wireless network to send large amounts of files or data, such as a photo library, or something like similar.  In such a case, it is always better to use a thumb drive or portable hard drive as wireless networks are inherently going to be MUCH slower than direct connections.

The machines see each other but DropCopy transfers are spotty – sometimes the transfer times out without starting. Other times it works, then all of a sudden stops working.

This kind of problem is usually related to Bonjour (the auto-discovery technology we use). Try changing your Local-Link name to one continuous word: e.g., MikesPowerbook instead of Mike’s Powerbook. You can change this In System Preferences in the ‘Sharing’ tab. Where it says ‘Computer Name:’ at the top is where you should change the name to be one continuous word as described above. On the iPod, go to the ‘Prefs’ and change ‘My Identity’ in the same manner.

When I try to copy a file it says ‘no local destinations’; how can add a manual destination?

Make sure both computers (the one you are sending FROM and the one you are sending TO) are on the same network and that DropCopy is launched on both machines. If the machine still does not show up automatically, you may try adding it as a manual destination. To add a manual destination, you need to find the receiving computer’s IP number. This can be done by selecting ‘Troubleshooting’ from the ‘Help’ menu in DropCopy, or by visiting the Network pane of System Preferences. Then choose ‘Add New Manual Destination’ from the DropCopy menu.

If I use DropCopy on two machines as the same user, how can I differentiate between them?

Use the option to display the machine name as well as the user name. This option is found in the normal prefs for the desktop version, but in the System Settings for the mobile version, in the area reserved for other application-specific prefs.

I accidentally clicked on an option to remove DropCopy from the menu bar. How do I get it back or get access to its preferences?

To get access to the preferences in situations where the menu bar is hidden AND the app is hidden from the dock, click once on the drop-zone and hit command+comma (i.e., the apple key + the comma key and the same time.)

How do I configure my firewall to work with DropCopy?

Click here for configuration instructions.

How do I use DropCopy if there is no wifi network?

By creating your own wifi network, of course. It is a little-known fact that all Macs can create “ad-hoc” wifi networks. This enables you to transfer files between Mac and iOS devices even if you don’t have a standalone router. Here’s how.

Does DropCopy work long distance? I’m on my iBook in Philly and want to send a document to my iMac in Texas…

Yes, but it requires that the destination machine have a “public” IP number. This means that the machine in question is not connected to a router that provides it with a “translated” or “private” address. If your destination machine fits that bill, then you still need to know its IP number and add it as a manual destination in DropCopy on the machine that you are sending from.

Is there a Windows or Linux version of DropCopy?

Not yet, but if you are technically inclined you can make one yourself by simply creating an application that implements the DropCopy protocol, which is open. Contact us for more information if you want to give it a go!

When I’m on my iPod Touch and someone transfers me a song, how do I listen to it, and how do I set a path to where it should go?

The song goes into your incoming files folder just like other documents. There is currently no published way to add outside songs to the iTunes database on your iPod from the iPod itself. You can listen to the song, however, using the ‘quicklook’ feature. Simply click on the eyeball icon next to the song in your incoming files folder.

One of my Macs can send and receive files fine but the other can only send, not receive.

I’ve checked the firewall. What could be the problem? Are the Tiger and Leopard versions not compatible?

Versions 1.3.3 (for Tiger) and 1.4.x (for Leopard) are 100% compatible so the problem probably has to do with the auto-discovery mechanism (called Bonjour). One way to debug this is to add the Mac that cannot receive files as a manual destination (using its current IP number) on the Mac you are sending from. You can find the current IP number by looking in the Network control panel in System Preferences, or by using the “troubleshooting” tool in the hints menu of DropCopy (version 1.4 or later).

How do I view files from mobile DropCopy with a different application (e.g., a Pages doc in Pages for the iPhone?

Tap to the right of an item where you see the ‘More Option’ icon and then select ‘Open Other’

Files are appearing on my iPhone as archives or folders that I can’t open.

Try changing the pref in DropCopy on the Mac to NOT preserve resource forks by default. Leaving this preference enabled causes DC to first make an archive of the file (to preserve the resource fork) which is then registering as a folder to mobile DropCopy.

How do I delete destinations I no longer want?

Mac: highlight the destination in the list and hit the delete key.
iOS: swipe the row and tap the delete key.

How do I uninstall DropCopy?

Mac: move the application into the trash and empty the trash.
iOS: press and hold the icon from the home page until it jiggles. Then tap the black X that appears above the app.

Files over 2 gigabytes don’t seem to transfer.

Yes, this is a limitation imposed by the old 32bit filesystem. DropCopy was originally intended for quick transfers of small files and we never anticipated these large file transfers back in the day. Eventually we will support larger files but for the moment this is a real limitation of DropCopy.

The dropzone is obscured by other windows – how can I use DropCopy without moving windows all the time?

Use OS X’s built-in exposé feature to clear the desktop of all open windows and then drag to the drop zone.

I dragged a file to the icon and nothing happened – what’s going on?

You probably dragged to the dock icon, menubar icon, or application icon instead of to the drop zone. When you launch DropCopy it puts a small, circular ring in the upper-left corner of your desktop – this is where you drag files to be copied. If the drop zone is obscured by open windows, use exposé to temporarily move the windows aside.

I dragged a file to the drop zone and let go of it and the file didn’t copy.

When you drag onto the drop zone, a list of destinations will pop up. You need to continue dragging the file until it is over the actual destination, even if there is only one destination listed. Simply dropping the file on the drop zone will not initiate a file transfer.

Things are functioning strangely and I would like to delete the prefs and start over. Where can I find the DropCopy preferences file?

DropCopy saves a preferences file to the standard user preferences directory found at (your user directory)/Library/Preferences. Then search for anything with the word DropCopy in it (depending on which version you have, it will be called DropCopy.plist or com.10baseT.DropCopyMac.plist or com.10baseT.DropCopyProMac.plist)

The file seems to copy fine but it lost its custom icon and/or the file doesn’t open correctly.

Due to limitations with our networking engine, custom icons and other ‘resource fork’ data is not transferred by default. If you need this data for specific file types, simply hold down the option key when dragging the file to the drop zone.

How do I get the dropzone to show up on all the desktops in Lion?

Lion works differently with regard to multiple desktops than under Leopard or Tiger, and you have to specifically tell the system to put DropCopy on all of them. Here’s how (from MacRumors):

Right-click (control-click, two-finger-click) on an application icon in the Dock.
In the Options menu that appears, you’ll see three choices related to Spaces:

- Assign To All Desktops

- This Desktop

- None

Originally from: macrumors