A tool you didn’t know you needed

o/PARASHOOT checks if files on an inserted memory card are already backed-up somewhere (by file name and file size). It can also fake format a memory card so once inserted again into a camera it prompts to reformat the card. As a fallback, the app can reverse fake format the card to make it readable again.

FAQ

By erasing the card with o/PARASHOOT before returning it to the camera, you signal that it has been downloaded and checked and is ready for reuse. Using this signaling system, any card inserted into the camera which is found to contain footage should be immediately checked to confirm it was properly downloaded and verified.

As an added benefit, every camera will force you to format a card erased with o/PARASHOOT before allowing it to be used for recording. This will not only save time on set but also ensures that the card is always properly formatted in camera before each use.

o/PARASHOOT checks for file name and file size on one of your backup destinations. No checksums are verified though!

o/PARASHOOT erases the card by flipping every bit of the first 2MB (2 * 1024 * 1024 bytes) of the card. Every 0 becomes a 1 and every 1 a 0. This destroys all file system information in a controlled way and can be easily reversed. As an added benefit every camera will force you to format such a card before allowing it to be used for recording. This will ensure that the card is always properly formatted in camera before each use.

Because we’re nice guys. You can always buy us some beer if you find it useful.

o/PARASHOOT is operating as background service and as such is almost invisible. A symbol in the MacOS menu bar (top right) indicates that it is running.

On some systems you need to give the app full disk access permission before it can restore a card it did not format itself. Please do so by going to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Full Disk Access. If the app is not in the list you can add it with the + icon at the bottom.

You can create a file called .no_card on your backup to hide it from the menu. The easiest way to do so is by adapting the current terminal command:

touch /Volumes/YOUR_BACKUP_NAME/.no_card

How does it work?

Set backup destination folder

Back up card

Verify backup & fake format card

Format card in camera

Set backup destination folder

Back up card

Verify backup & fake format card

Format card in camera

Operation instructions

o/PARASHOOT is a background application that watches over your selected backup destination folder. When you format a memory card after a backup, o/PARASHOOT verifies file names and file sizes to be identical to the backup destination. If files in the backup destination folder are missing, o/PARASHOOT won’t allow you to format the card and you will be prompted to manually re-check the backup or to back up missing files.

If the backup is identical, o/PARASHOOT fake formats the card to make it unreadable by any camera or file system. This allows the camera assistant to format the card on insertion into the camera without going through the menu, as most cameras prompt you to reformat a mal-formed card. Up until then, the fake-formatting allows to restore the card completely without loss of information.

This workflow makes sure a camera assistant knows that the card was backed up by a DIT and verified by o/PARASHOOT.

System requirements

MacOS X

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