Related link: http://www.apple.com/support/tiger/burn/
13 Oct 05 @ 2pm - Thanks for all of the great feedback about Toast. The problem is…I just can’t bring myself to pay that kind of money for something just for this specific little purpose. Truthfully, I was hoping that someone would point me to some website that Google had mysteriously hidden away from me. So if anyone would find the app described below useful, respond with a “hear, hear!” (and possibly recommendations for **simple** options) and I’ll work something up that’s nice enough to share.
Every now and then I need to copy a CD. Sometimes it’s an audio CD and sometimes it’s a data CD. After making what I feel has been a reasonable attempt to find a simple 2-click solution, I’m left empty-handed.
Before I take matters in my own hands again only to find out that someone else has saved me some work, could someone please tell me that I at least have a reasonable expectation? Why should there have to be a visible artifact during this process? From Disc Utility’s help:
You can use Disk Utility to quickly make copies of a CD that contains information. To do so, first you create a copy, or “disk image,” of the CD. Then you can make additional copies from the disk image. To learn more about using Disk Utility, open Disk Utility, in the /Applications/Utilities folder, and choose Help>Disk Utility Help.
Now that’s just clumsy (although it does have its uses.) And sure, there are plenty of ways to do it in Terminal — and I’m all about Terminal — but can it really be the case that someone hasn’t already automated the task to the following simple process:
Click 1 - Click the app to start the process (we’ll assume it’s already in the dock.)
Click 2 - Prompt for the CD you want to copy if the drive is empty or confirm the one that’s already in the drive. Click “Continue” to proceed.
When it’s time to enter a blank CD, automatically eject the drive, wait for a blank disc to be inserted, and then continue without any intervention at all.
Notice that the intermediate step of creating the artifact goes unseen, and you might even have one default option that would automatically start the copying process if a non-blank CD is already in the drive when you open the app. That would take us down to 1-click
I don’t want configuration options and variety. Just a simple 2-click solution. Do I have to sweat to get it?
Would anyone else even be interested in such a thing or is this my own little selfish desire?
Toast
It's not free, but it is a matter of Click Copy Tab/Click Copy Button. And, possibly swapping disks if you don't have two drives.
It's an all-round good app.
ditto: Toast
I use Toast to easily make copies of CDs. I agree with you that Apple should include this in the OS.
What about audio CDs?
On my iBook, Disc Utility copies data CDs perfectly, but not audio CDs.
So, yeah, I use Toast as well (for either kind, in fact), but agree that there should be a simple "duplicate this disk" option.
Dragon Burn
IMHO Toast is heavily overpriced! Take a look at Dragon Burn!
ditto: Toast
A simple applescript saved as a application will work.
on run
tell application "Toast 6 Lite"
activate
set The_Disk to make new Copy disc
write The_Disk
end tell
end run
turn show recording settings off to let it run without you hitting the button.
I don't know it, but...
have you checked http://www.fastdvdcopy.com/ ?
The home page says it have a one-click interface!
I don't know it, but...
Wow, it does look like a very nice interface...but it better be for $99.95! Is this for real?
I'd love to know how many copies they've sold.
ISOlator?
I found this program by searching MacUpdate:
http://stuporglue.com/static/soft/isolator.php
I've never used it, but it claims to do what you want:
"ISOlator makes an exact copy of CDs, DVDs, or other Volumes. It also converts DMG files into ISOs."
...and it's free. Good luck...