Version 3.0
is out!!!
For Mac
OS 10.5 and 10.6 "Snow Leopard" and higher - INTEL ONLY!
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Split&Concat |
Please
note:
Older Registration Keys have expired with this version 3.0.
See the Release Notes.
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Localized for
English, Dutch, French, Italian
Spanish and German language
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
Please do NOT use the Windows FAT format for your output drive if you concat files!
The FAT format has a file size limitation of 4 GB. Your joined files (movies etc.) will NOT be complete!
Instead always use the HFS+ format for your Output volume.
Version 3.0
Version 3.0 released on September 5, 2009.
- Code rewritten for Mac OS 10.6 "Snow
Leopard" (and 10.5) - INTEL ONLY!.
- Program no longer compatible with 10.4 or earlier due to compiler limitations
- Several bug fixes, e.g. "Cannot convert "" to integer"
error is fixed.
- On Snow Leopard in 64 bit mode the program will benefit from the 64 bit
"split" and "cat" system commands.
- Older registration keys will expire with this version.
Version 2.5
Version 2.5 released on April 2, 2006.
- Now released as a Universal Binary for PPC and Intel Mac.
- Thanks to Gerard Putter of the MacPAR
DeLuxe project for providing the par binaries and
his assistance. Par2 is now considerably (40 %) faster on dual (core) processors.
Since version 2.1: automatic Par and Par2 file
creation.
Since version 2.1 Par2 and Par archive creation has been added for a set of
files in a specified folder (sponsors only). The program now
also can be used as an easy GUI to make Par2- or Par- files for any given set
of files (and not only for the split parts that result from a Split process
as in version 2.0 of the program). This function was added after several requests
from users. This option is an extra bonus for the program's sponsors, to encourage
the use of Par files on the Internet for recovery of missing or corrupted file
parts.
In version 2.2 a block size option for Par 2 was added. In version 2.1 it was
not yet possible to set the block size for Par2 files (as some users have correctly
indicated). This indeed seems to be an important option. Starting with this
version a check is built in the program to see if newer versions of the program
have been released.
Split&Concat works closely together with Gerard Putter's MacPAR
DeLuxe which program you can use for the processing of the Par- or Par2
archives created by Split&Concat.
Downloads of older versions of the program for users
of older Mac OS systems:
Please note that older versions of the program do not have the same functionality
as the new function! E.g. they might not have Par or Par2 functionality
or international language support.
Introduction
In Internet newsgroups large files often are split into smaller parts since
messages can not be of more than a certain size to be able to post them in newsgroups.
For that reason you can find often binary files that are split in parts like
filename.mp3.001, filename.mp3.002, filename.mp3.003 etcetera. It is possible
to put these parts together using commands in the Terminal yet not everybody
is handy with that.
That is why I decided to create a small utility with the OS X interface that
makes it easy for people to split large files to be uploaded, or to put together
split files downloaded from the Internet.
Of course, you can also use this program to split or recombine files that are
too large e.g. to be put on one CD.
Notices
Starting with the Version 1.5, the program will warn you if
you try to process a file that contains a "resoure fork",
or if you attempt to split a Mac OS X program (which in reality if a folder
containing files).
This is because the program uses Unix commands ("cat" and "split")
to perform its job. That means that
- the "resource fork" of every file that you split or concat would
be lost. For many file formats (.mpg, .mp3, .avi, .pdf etc.) this
is not a problem, but for certain formats the result will be a file that you
cannot use anymore.
- The same is true for OS X applications, which are in reality
folders consisting the program source files; of course you cannot split a
folder. Without a warning, the program would crash with an error ("divide
by zero") in such case.
In these cases you are adviced to first place the file on a disk image
(using Disk Copy, or Toast etc.), then compress the disk image (convert to compressed)
and then split the (compressed) disk image file with Split&Concat. If you
then concat the split parts of the disk image file, the resulting file will
contain an exact copy of the original file.
- This program cannot split files into parts that are greater than 2 Gig.
This is a limitation of the Unix "split" CLI.
Still to do:
What I want to improve in the next version of the program
- international language support for Japanese.
Splitting files
Just choose "Split" and the program will ask you to choose a file. The result
(the splitted files) will be placed in the same folder as the original file
by default. You can select another Output Folder by checking the CheckBox. If
you want to use Drag and Drop and select another Output Folder, the best thing
to do is first to open the program, then to select the CheckBox and then to
drag and drop.
.
You will be asked for the size of the files to be split. You can choose a file
size in Megabytes or kilobytes. The program limits the number of split files
to a maximum of 500.
Please note that the file to be split MUST have a FILE
EXTENSION (like .mp3 or .avi) otherwise the program will warn you and
quit, in which case you must add a valid file extension to your file.
If there exist already files with that filename and an extension ".001" in
the directory, then the program will ask you if you want to delete these older
split files.
Concatenate (recombine) split files
Just choose "Concat" and the program will ask you to choose a file. The result
(the assembled and joined file) will be put in the same folder as the originating
split parts by default. You can select another Output Folder by checking the
CheckBox. If you want to use Drag and Drop and select another Output Folder,
the best thing to do is first to open the program, then to select the CheckBox
and then to drag and drop.
Please note that the files to be concat MUST have TWO
FILE EXTENSIONS, one extension indicating the type of the file (like
.mp3) and the other extension indicating the part number (like .001 or .0aa).
E.g. filename.mp3.001 The program will warn you and quit if the name of the
file doesn't meet this condition.
Note that it is not important which file you choose, e.g. number .004 or .005
or any file of the split files will do.
Since version 1.0b2:
The program now will skip any PAR files (like .PAR, or P01) and not include
them in the combined file.
Drag and Drop (since version 1.0b5):
The most easy way to split or concat is just to drag and drop the file to the
program icon (in the Dock, on the Desktop or in a folder).
Rules:
The file that you Drag-and-drop has:
- no file extension: (.xxx) the program will warn you and stop.
- only one file extension: (e.g. .mpg) the program will split.
- two file extension: (e.g. .mpg.001) the program will concat.

License and Disclaimer
This program is donationware. I don't accept any reliability for any damage
that might have been caused to your software, files or hardware or other properties
by using this program. If you don't agree to this: don't use this program. This
program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. Split&Concat,
Par and Par2 are licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation. You should have received a copy
of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to
the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307
USA
Contact
For bug reports, comments or suggestions please contact me at loekjehe@xs4all.nl
My other programs:
Split&Concat will work together also in combination with MacPAR
OS X, a freeware utility for OS X.1.2 to create
(or restore missing files from) PAR archives for use on Internet newsgroups.
This utility doesn't support the Par2- format. Allthough some users still like
the interface and this program is still being used by them, the new MacPAR
DeLuxe program now offers more options (including par2 format). For that
reason the MacPAR OS X program is no longer supported by me anymore.
On the use of PAR archives:
Par archives Original Par file format It seems miraculous, but it is true!
You can recover lost or corrupted files from a series of parts by using recovery
files, called Par files. Nowadays you see frequently the par2-format, but the
original format for file recovery was Par. It was created as an Open Source
project on parchive.sourceforge.net using the Reed-Soloman algorithm for restoring
missing parts of an archive. In the original Par-format it was necessary to
have one Par-file (e.g. filename.p001) for each missing or corrupted part of
the archive. The Par-files have exactly the same sizes as the parts from which
they were construed. Only if one has sufficient Par-files it is possible to
reconstruct the missing or corrupted files.
But: how is this possible? I don't believe it...
this is magic!!!....
It works a bit like the checksum example given below:
Say you have the following numbers: 1 4 6 7 9 the checksum
of this (i.e. in the Par file) is "27" (=1+4+6+7+9).
If let's say the "7" now is missing then we have the following:
1 4 6 9 producing a checksum of (1+4+6+9=) "20"
So, if you have the checksum file ("27") then you can reconstruct
the missing file from the remaining files and the checksum ("27" - "20" =) "7".
Of course, the real calculations are infinitely more complex and elaborate,
but this is to only give you some feeling of what's happening.
Why the new Par2 format?
Recently the Par2-format became popular on the Internet. It has several advantages
over the original Par-format. E.g. also the corrupted, partly downloaded parts
now can also be used for file recovery (so you must not throw incomplete parts
away with par2!). So you don't need to have so many Par-files: if only one block
of a certain file is missing or corrupt it suffices to have a small Par2-file.
This in theory makes it less necessary to upload so many Par2-files as with
the Par-format. However, in practice the Par2 processes are very slow. It takes
much more time to create a Par2-archive or to recover from Par2-files than with
the original Par-format. Also, it is a bit more complex to work with Par2 in
practice. Maybe future improvements of the Par2 code will make these disadvantages
compared to Par smaller. Nowadays, however, it is extremely popular on the Internet
and seems to have fully taken the place of the original Par format (and some
might say: unfortunately!).
History of PAR for the Macintosh platform
In 2002 I started development of MacPAR for the Macintosh platform. After my
initial releases of the program I discovered that Gerard Putter (also here in
the Netherlands) had exactly the same idea at the same moment. In my opinion
the program that I wrote in AppleScript Studio had less possibilities and features
than Gerard's program. So, since Gerard and me could very well get along I decided
to withdraw support for my MacPAR version in favor of Gerards' MacPAR DeLuxe
program. Since that moment I assist Gerard with working on his program. The
MacPAR DeLuxe
program and Split&Concat work closely together.
How can I test the Par2- or Par- archive function?
What do I need?
First choose a test file and copy that in a separate folder somewhere (e.g.
on your Desktop). Choose "Split" in Split&Concat and select the Option "Create
Par Archive". The process will result in split parts and the accompanying Par-files.
Then remove the original test file from that folder, so that only the split
parts and the Par-files remain. To test then remove also one or two of the split
parts from the folder. Then (after you have installed MacPAR DeLuxe) after double-clicking
the Par file (named .Par or .Par2) the missing parts will be recovered by MacParDeLuxe.
You can find MacPar DeLuxe here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gp/MacPAR_deLuxe/index.html

Release Notes
Version 2.5
Version 2.5 released on April 2, 2006.
- Now released as a Universal Binary for PPC and Intel Mac.
- Thanks to Gerard Putter of the MacPAR
DeLuxe project for providing the par binaries and
his assistance. Par2 is now considerably (40 %) faster on dual (core) processors.
Version 2.4.2
Version 2.4.2 released on August 19, 2005.
- International language support: German localizations added.
The program is now in English, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish and German
language.
Thanks to Jean-Jacques Cortes, Giuseppe Di Marco, Miguel Alemañy, Victor
Klimov
and Jakob Winkler for their excellent translations!
- Thanks to Dru Kepple for updating the program's icon.
Version 2.4.1
Version 2.4.1 released on June 2, 2005.
- International language support: Italian and Spanish localizations added.
The program is now in English, German, Dutch, French, Italian and Spanish language.
Thanks to Jean-Jacques Cortes, Giuseppe Di Marco and Miguel Alemañy
for
their excellent translations! (Japanese translations to follow).
Version 2.4
Version 2.4 released on May 14, 2005. Recommended update for all users.
- International language support: French and Dutch localizations added (program
only).
(Italian, Spanish and Japanese language soon to follow). [Looking for a German
translator.]
- Bug-fix: error thrown on pressing the "Split" button is fixed.
- Bug-fix: the program now also works with files on disk drives that are bigger
than 350 Gig
(integer overflow fixed).
- Code for checking the existence of a resource fork improved (e.g. for BBEdit
text files).
- Code for avoiding attempts to split an OS X application improved.
- Help now functions also off-line (no Internet connection needed).
- Donation system improved.
- Extra script added for EasyNews users (to replace underscores in filenames
by dots).
Version 2.3.2
Version 2.3.2 released on May 6, 2005.
- Update for G3 computers only. The version 2.3.1 still appeared to be not
functional. This version is!
- The versions 2.3.1 and 2.3.1 do not affect users of G4 or G5 computers.
They do not need to download or upgrade to this version.
Version 2.3.1
Version 2.3 released on May 5, 2005.
- This version is now compiled also for G3 computers.
Version 2.3
Version 2.3 released on May 5, 2005.
- This version is now compatible with OS 10.4 "Tiger".
- Tested to be also compatible with OS 10.3
- Some code was improved for greater reliability.
- I am working on internationalization of the program. I am looking for translators
in German, Spanish and Italian.
- The basic functions of this program are free. Beginning with this version
2.3, in order to enable the extra options, a new registration key must be
entered. The keys from the older versions will no longer work. New keys can
be obtained by making a donation through PayPal. If you have sponsored later
than 1 October 2004 then you will receive a free registration code by e-mail.
Please note that a new key can be obtained by sponsoring just only EUR 1.00
(= ±$1.30).
Version 2.2.1
- Bugfix: the program now does not accept a block size of zero kB.
- People complained about the automatic version checking. This now has been
changed into a manual version check button.
Version 2.2
Released on August 20, 2004.
- The possibility to create Par2 and Par archives (for sponsors only) has
been received with enthusiasm by the users. However, in version 2.1 it was
not yet possible to set the block size for Par2 files (as some users have
correctly indicated). This indeed seems to be an important option which now
has been added.
- Starting with this version the program will check and notify the user automatically
if a newer versions of the program has been released.
Version 2.1
Released on August 14, 2004. This version has the following improvements:
- Added Par2 and Par archive creation for a set of files in a specified folder
(sponsors only). The program now also can be used as an easy GUI to make Par2-
or Par- files for any given set of files (and not only for the split parts
that result from a Split process as in the previous version of the program).
This function was added after several requests from users.
- Bug fixed: trashing of files from a different volume than the boot volume
resulted in a time consuming copying of these files to the trash. This now
has been solved.
- Added better updating of Finder windows, as a prevention for possible errors
to occur.
Version 2.02
Bug fixed: the program logged the user out when cancelling a Split process.
Version 2.01
Bugfix: the program crashed on cancelling the selection of an Output folder.
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 released on April 24, 2004. Upgrade adding new features.
- Fully automatic Par- or Par2- archive creation has been added as an extra
bonus for the program's sponsors, to encourage the use of Par files on the
Internet for recovery of missing or corrupted file parts. Split&Concat
works closely together with Gerard Putter's MacPAR
DeLuxe which program you can use for the processing of the Par- or Par2
archives created by Split&Concat.
- The following bugs were fixed:
- sometimes the program's preferences were not saved;
- "division by zero" errors occurred on a few systems.
Version 1.6
- Version 1.6 released on November 2, 2003. The following changes have been
made:
- compiled for Panther (using GCC 3.3) (the program should also run in Jaguar
10.2);
- the program has its new icon (thanks to Dru Kepple for this and for rephrasing
the text of the ReadMe file);
- a new option (for sponsors only) has been added: now you can choose if the
program asks before trashing the original 0nn-files or always trashes them.
I noticed in working with the program that this might be handy;
- a new option drawer has been installed (to improve the program's appearance).
Version 1.5
- Version 1.5 released on August 10, 2003.
- Many improvements in performance and stability of the program (large parts
of code rewritten):
- bug fixed by which some files with names containing "strange"
characters (like {}"|()!@#$%^& etc.) would not be processed by
the program;
- bug fixed in which the rename routine (after a split process) crashed
(leaving the resulting split files with unusable filenames);
- code for automatic recognition of files improved (drag&drop, to
decide whether to split or concat);
- Largely improved error checking:
- now the program checks the users' system and AppleScript version before
run (some people still seem to try to run the program on OS 10.1, which
is not possible);
- now the program warns if the user tries to split or concat a file that
contains a "resource fork".
- the program now also checks if there is enough space available on the
output disk and warns when a user is attempting to write to a read-only
folder or disk.
- the program now warns the user if he/she attempts to split or concat
a folder, a disk or an OS X application (which in reality is a folder);
- The program is now shareware.
- This is because the program now is widely popular (esp. as post-processing
agent for MacPAR deLuxe), yet I only received very few donations. But
this program will not be expensive: ANY donation from $1 to $1.... will
do! I leave it entirely up to you what you want to give for this program.
That doesn't mean that people who don't sponsor the program can no longer
use it. All split and concat functions will remain available. There will
be no time limitations. But sponsors will be rewarded with more functionality,
to make working with the program more fun. Without a registration code
the users will be frequently reminded (with beeps and dialogues) of the
possibility of sponsoring.
- Certain options will now only work for sponsors:
- the program will open the resulting file after a concat process;
- the program will automatically quit after doing its job;
- you can now switch off the beeps and warnings (e.g. when a file must
be overwritten); some users complained about these hindering beeps and
dialogues after a succesful proces. Now (for sponsors only) the program
will perform a fast and fully silent process without any noisy beeps or
buttons that must be pressed by the user.
Version 1.4
- Version 1.4 released on January 12, 2003. Again a major update, specially
to integrate the program with the
new post-processing options in MacPAR DeLuxe 2.3:
- now compiled for OS 10.2.3 Jaguar ONLY, using the new GCC 3.1 compiler
(improved speed!)
(a separate built for OS 10.1.5 users is available for download on the program's
homepage
http://www.xs4all.nl/~loekjehe/Split&Concat/)
- the program now has the new fashionable metallic skin (10.2.3 version only)
- the program now can post-process .001-files from MacPAR DeLuxe 2.3 automatically
(Concat)
- options added (for compatibility with MacPAR DeLuxe):
- to trash the original .00n-files after a successful Concat process,
- whether or not to include a .000-file during a Concat process (.000-files
often give problems in mpg's)
- to launch the resulting file at the end of a Concat process
- code for the "Cancel" button entirely revised (was still
giving problems in the former release)
Version 1.3
Version 1.3 released on October 9, 2002. A major update:
- Code of the program entirely rewritten, for a better stability and reliability.
- The program is now compatible with Jaguar OS 10.2.1
- Code for the file renaming routine (after split process) fully rewritten
using perl (fast!)
- Many bugs fixed, among others:
- program crashed due to incomplete loading of nibs at program start on
a drag and drop action
- program stopped reporting a succesful split or concat process while
the process was still busy
- splitting a file into more than 100 parts crashed the program
- the "Forced Quit" button was not reliable (now replaced by
a "Cancel" button)
- Various extra error checks built into the program:
- to prevent the user from trying to split an OS X application
- to prevent trying to produce output on read-only media (CD, DVD)
- to prevent splitting into parts larger than 2 Gig
- The Esc key now releases the input panel (where you indicate the file size
for the split process).
Version 1.2
Version 1.2 released on June 13, 2002:
- Recompilation of the program (for use with OS 10.1.5):
I forgot to include some frameworks in the former build. Sorry for that!
This produced error messages in 10.1.5. This has now been fixed.
- Added some improvements to the GUI: added a file menu with
shift-apple-S for "Split" and shift-apple-C for "Concat",
added a close button
and a minimize button to the window.
Version 1.1
Released on April 2, 2002. What's new in this version:
- Fixed a bug in the file renaming routine that made it incompatiable with
the new AppleScript 1.8.2b3 (this AppleScript version will probably be
introduced in the next version of OS X (10.1.4 ?)
- Checked for backwards compatibility with AppleScript 1.8.2 and 1.8.2b1
- Now also par-files with lower cast filename extensions (like .par or .p01
etc.) will no
longer be included in the concatenated file (compatibility with the new
MacPAR deLuxe program).
Version 1.0b5
Released on February 11, 2002. Many improvements:
- Drag and drop (to the program icon in the Finder or in the Dock) has been
enabled with "smart detection" if you want to split or concat;
- Added the option to choose an Output Folder for the resulting files;
- Progress indicator now functions to show the state of the process;
- Added a "Forced Quit" button to interrupt the process at any time;
- Made forward compatible with the new AppleScript 1.8.2 version (to arrive
in March 2002).
Version 1.0b4
Released on January 9, 2002. Improved error checking, a.o. on "forbidden"
characters in the folder path. The program now only quits on serious errors
and gives only warnings at minor errors. Fixed a bug in which the program refused
to quit after an error statement and had to be "forced quit".
Version 1.0b3
Released on January 8, 2002. The program now should also split and
concat very large files that are bigger than 2 Gig. Several bugs fixed and code
rewritten.
Version 1.0b2
Released on January 6, 2002. The program now skips PAR files (.PAR
or .P01 etc.) while concatenating and no longer included them in the combined
file.
Version 1.0b1
Split&Concat for OS 10.1.2 or higher was born on January 4, 2002.
It has been downloaded 535 times within its first two days of existence. I asked
for bug reports and suggestions, unfortunately nobody gave any positive response
:-(( so I guess the program works fine :-). I only received some remarks that
you can do this job easy in the Terminal. I know! But since not everybody likes
this or is able to work in in the Terminal and since we have the beautiful Mac
OS X quartz interface, why not have a simple program for everybody?