Composer Preferences

You can manage the following preferences in Composer:

  • Toolbar preferences

  • Package preferences

  • Cleanup options for OS packages

  • Excluded files

  • Location of the work directory

  • Default bundle identifier

To access Composer preferences, navigate to Composer > Preferences from the menu bar.

Toolbar Preferences

Composer allows you to customize the toolbar by adding and removing items.

To add items to the toolbar, Control-click (or right-click) the toolbar and select Customize toolbar, and then drag desired items to the toolbar.

To remove an item from the toolbar, simply drag the item off of the toolbar.


Package Preferences

Composer allows you to manage Package preferences from the pane in the screenshot below.

This pane includes the following preference settings:
Build flat PKGs
By default, Composer builds flat PKGs. Flat PKGs consist of a single file and allow for easier and more reliable deployment than non-flat PKGs. You cannot view or change the contents of a flat PKG after it is built.
Sign flat PKGs

Sign flat PKGs with an installer certificate (.p12) obtained from Apple.

Remove .DS_Store Files in Common Locations

Composer ensures the removal of any files that disturb the way Finder windows are presented on a user's computer. Any .DS_Store files necessary to configure views of deployed files and folders will not be removed.

This feature removes .DS_Store files in the following locations:

  • /.DS_Store

  • /Applications/.DS_Store

  • /Applications/Utilities/.DS_Store

  • /Developer/.DS_Store

  • /Library/.DS_Store

  • /System/.DS_Store

  • /Users/.DS_Store

  • /Users/<username>/.DS_Store

  • /Users/<username>/<first_level_directory>/.DS_Store

Scan Images When Building DMGs

Scanning images when building a DMG calculates the checksum and stores it in the DMG.

The checksum is used to ensure proper installation of the DMG package.

Play Sounds
Composer plays a sound each time a package source is created or deleted.
Reveal in Finder when done
Composer reveals newly built packages in a Finder window.
Executable Types in PKGs
Configure when prompts about installing Rosetta on Mac computers with Apple silicon are displayed based on the types of executables (Intel-based or Universal) in packages. By default, the Automatically detect executable types option is used, which automatically detects if your package contains any Intel-based executables and ensures users on Mac computers with Apple silicon that install the package are only prompted to install Rosetta when required. For more information about package building, see Package Building for Mac Computers with Apple silicon.

Exclusion List

The exclusion list allows you to specify files and folders that should be ignored when creating a package using a snapshot or file system monitoring.

To view the exclusion list, click Exclusion List in the toolbar. A list of common files and folders is specified by default.

To add and remove files, use the Add (+) and Delete (-) buttons at the bottom of the list.

Advanced Preferences

Composer allows you to manage some advanced preferences from the pane in the screenshot below.


This pane includes the following preferences:
Work Directory

When Composer creates a package source, it copies files to a work directory. This work directory must have privileges enabled.

To change this directory, click Change, or hold down the Option key when you open Composer.

Default Bundle Identifier

The default bundle identifier is used when creating the info.plist file for a new package source. For example, if the default bundle identifier is "com.jamfsoftware", and you create a package source named "Composer", the bundle identifier for the package source is "com.jamfsoftware.composer".

Reset Transparency Consent and Control (TCC) Permissions

Resetting TCC permissions will cause macOS to re-prompt users for permission to access protected files and app data, which allows users to change their previously set permissions if needed.

For more information, see the Resetting Transparency Consent and Control Prompts on macOS Knowledge Base article.