Help me understand how to handle .dmg files on my Mac

[SnowLeopard OSX]

So I've been downloading a lot of primary apps I'll be using for my new Mac for the past couple of days. However, I'm getting really confused what to do with the .dmg files.

They're all over the place: on my desktop, in my downloads folder, in Finder, in my trash bin.


Let's say I download an application. The .dmg file shows up in my downloads folder. What do you guys ordinarily do from there?

I'm not supposed to delete the .dmg file once it's downloaded, right? Where do you guys store it? Also, when an icon appears on your desktop and you don't want it there, what do you do? Delete it? Or relocate it? And if so, where?


I'd appreciate if anyone could help me understand this.

 

[AllergyDoc]

I delete them once the app is installed.

 

[chabig]

The .dmg is a disk image. Think of it as though you purchased an application on a CD. What would you do with a CD? You would insert the disc, copy the app to your Applications folder (or run an installer), and eject the disc because you're done with it.

Treat the .dmg the same way. Double-click it to mount the virtual disk. Copy or install the application. Eject the drive image. Then delete the .dmg.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Deleted. chabig already explained it.

 

[SnowLeopard OSX]

Deleted. chabig already explained it.

When I try to delete the .dmg in my trash bin, it won't let me.

It notifies me that the disc image is "in use". Is there something I'm doing wrong?

 

[Ulenspiegel]

You are fine, doing nothing wrong. After you have installed the application, in Finder, in Sidebar, under Devices find the mounted .dmg (name of the application), click on the arrow next to the name and wait until it disappears. Now, it will let you delete the .dmg.

 

[SnowLeopard OSX]

You are fine, doing nothing wrong. After you have installed the application, in Finder, in Sidebar, under Devices find the mounted .dmg (name of the application), click on the arrow next to the name and wait until it disappears. Now, it will let you delete the .dmg.

I just tested this out by doing this with Skype. Does this delete the app off of my computer? When I did this, it deleted the Skype icon from my dock!

I want to keep the application, but find somewhere to store the .dmg files that are cluttering my desktop and my download folder, and other places.

I hope that makes sense

I want to keep the application, but find a place to keep the .dmg files.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

With what I have written, you will only unmount the .dmg. The application installed will remain on your computer.
You don't have to keep the .dmg. However, if you want, you may copy the .dmg(s) to a pendrive etc. Don't keep them on the computer, they only take up space.

 

[CoastalOR]

When I try to delete the .dmg in my trash bin, it won't let me. It notifies me that the disc image is "in use". Is there something I'm doing wrong

I just tested this out by doing this with Skype. Does this delete the app off of my computer? When I did this, it deleted the Skype icon from my dock!
I want to keep the application, but find somewhere to store the .dmg files that are cluttering my desktop and my download folder, and other places. I hope that makes sense
I want to keep the application, but find a place to keep the .dmg files.

I've bolded some key points in the posts. It looks to me that you may have launched the Skype app from the mounted dmg instead of the installed app in your Applications folder.

The .dmg is a disk image. Think of it as though you purchased an application on a CD. What would you do with a CD? You would insert the disc, copy the app to your Applications folder (or run an installer), and eject the disc because you're done with it.
Treat the .dmg the same way. Double-click .dmg to mount the virtual disk. Copy or install the application. Eject the drive image. Then delete the .dmg.

Follow chabigs instructions.
You install the app by dragging it to your Applications folder (copy) or double click the installer package (install). Just to be sure, you can open your Applications folder and see if the newly installed app is there before deleting the dmg.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"When I try to delete the .dmg in my trash bin, it won't let me.
It notifies me that the disc image is "in use". Is there something I'm doing wrong?"

That's because the -volume- from the disk image is still mounted on the desktop.
The volume appears when you double-click the disk image to open it, and this is what you interact with to install the app "inside" the dmg file, etc.

Drag the icon for the volume into the trash.
Drag the disk image into the trash.
Then empty the trash.

Final thought:
I keep some ".dmg" files that I want to save on a "scratch volume" (that doesn't get backed up).
They are "just there" if I need to access them again, without downloading again.

 

[chabig]

FYI, I never keep .dmg files. If I need to reinstall something, chances are there is a more recent version on the net anyway.

 

[SnowLeopard OSX]

Thanks, guys. I was able to figure this out. Freed up a good 9 GB of storage from this. Even though I'm on 512 hard, every bit counts.

I think the issue has to do with the specific app. After looking in to it, other people have run into issues with specific apps (such as Skype, VLC and others) "disappearing into question marks" on their docks when unmounted and .dmg is deleted. I just redragged the apps from my Applications folder, though.



Thanks again.