 Contents

Welcome to CDdb, a CD-ROM audio player and database.

CDdb is shareware.

  Menus

  Controls

  Shareware

  Contacting the Author


It's a common mistake for people to think CDdb (or seedy dubber) stands for Compact Disc DataBase. In fact it doesn't... It stands for something else...


Menus

  File Menu

View Database

Configuration

Volume

Exit

  Edit Menu

Edit Current Disc

Program Current Disc

Add New Disc

Copy

  Options Menu

Auto Replay

Random Shuffle

Always On Top


Controls

  List Box

Track List

  Scroll Bar

Scroll Bar

  Buttons

Play/Pause

Stop

Previous Track

Next Track

A-B Loop

Shuffle	Eject

Window Size


Track List

The list box displays a list of tracks of the current inserted CD

Each entry shows (from left to right) the disc track number, the track title, and the length of the track. Each track title may be edited using the Edit Disc menu command.

Clicking on a track entry will play that selection.


Scroll Bar

The scroll bar below the Track List displays the current position of the selected track.

By selecting the scroll bar and dragging, the Digital Display will change to the position within the track. This works when the CD is playing, paused or stopped.

Clicking on the arrow buttons will increase or decrease the time by approximately 5 seconds. Clicking within the scroll bar frame will increase or decrease the time by approximately 30 seconds.


Edit Disc

The edit  disc dialogue box, allows the user to input the artist, disc title and each track name.

  Artist, type the name of the CD artist.

  Title, type the title of the CD

  Track, enter the title of each track. Use the up and down cursor arrows to scroll through the list of tracks, or click with the mouse on the item in the list box you wish to change.

  Save will write changes to the database.

  Cancel to abort any changes made.

  Copy to copy the disc details to the clipboard

See also Add New Disc


View Database

The dialogue box will show a list of CD's in the database. You must have used either the Edit Disc or Add New Disc menu commands to enter the details for the CD, for it to appear in the database list. Alternatively data may be imported from a text file, see Import.

A letter P after the title entry, signifies that this entry has been programmed. U after the title entry, signifies that this entry has yet to be assigned to a disc.

  Double clicking on an entry, or selecting Edit, will bring up the Edit Disc dialogue box. This allows you to change entries within the database even if the selected disc is not currently in the drive. If the entry is unassigned, the Add New Disc dialog will appear.

  Selecting Program, brings up the Program Disc dialogue box. Again, this allows you to program a disc even if it is not currently in the drive.

  Import allows data to be imported into the database from a text file.

  Export, allows the database to saved in several formats.

  Delete, will remove the selected entry from the database.


Export

There are 3 data formats available for export:

  CSV - each record entry is separated by a ',' (comma). This format is most suited to exporting to databases.

  TXT - This is similar to the Copy format, and may be useful for inclusion in word processors or for printing

  CDB - Is the same format as used to Import data. Databases can therefore be exchanged or merged between different users.

Use the 'Save as File Type' control to select which format is to be used.


Import

N.B. CDdb is incredibly strict about the data to be imported! However this should ensure that the integrity of the database remains intact.

The rules for the format of imported files are as follows:

  No line should be greater than 37 characters.

  A maximum of 99 tracks.

  Each cd entry must contain at least 3 lines.

  The first line must be the artist.

  The second line must be the cd title.

  Subsequent lines are the track names in track order - there must be at least one track name.

  Each cd entry must be separated by a blank line. That's a blank line with no characters at all, not even a space The last entry in the file must have a blank line at the end.

For example:

-------------------------------------------------

Artist 1

Title 1

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Artist 2

Title 2

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

-------------------------------------------------


Configuration

  Track display selects whether the time in the Digital display should show the elapsed time or the remaining time for the current track.

  Window title, determines what should be displayed in the window title when a track is playing.

  Track list height, determines the number of tracks displayed on the main display window. Any value from 1 to 99 is valid, 7 is the default.

  Volume control, selects which sound source will be used by the volume control.

  Use systems sounds, enables the sounds defined in your system.ini for Message boxes.

  Expand Upwards, expands the dialog box in an upwards direction. The default is downwards.

  Autoplay, automatically plays a cd as soon as it is placed in the drive.

  Data file path, is the file path to the CDdb data files - cddb.idx and cddb.dat. You may have multiple databases in different directories.

All the above are saved as defaults in cddb.ini if ok is selected.


Add New Disc

Disc information may be added to the database, even if the disc is not currently in the drive. This may be achieved by either using the Add New Disc dialog box, or by importing a text file.

Information such as the total duration and the duration of each track are added to the entry when the entry is assigned to a disc.

  Number of tracks, prompts for the number of tracks for the cd to be added, you may change this at any time.

  Artist, type the name of the CD artist.

  Title, type the title of the CD

  Track, enter the title of each track. Use the up and down cursor arrows to scroll through the list of tracks, or click with the mouse on the item in the list box you wish to change.

  Save, will add/change the details to the database. If you select View Database from the File menu, you should see the entry with a 'U' after the title. This means that the entry is unassigned to any disc. You can still edit this entry, ie. change the number of tracks etc. by selecting edit from the View Database dialog.

  Assign, assigns the data to the current disc in the drive. CDdb, first scans the database to see if the current disc in the drive has already been assigned an entry. You have the option to override previous entries.


Program Disc

By using this option, you may change the order, or omit certain hated tracks from your playlist.

There are two lists, the first is the Available tracks - the tracks which are not currently in the programmed playlist - and the Playlist tracks.

To add tracks to the program play list, double click on the entry in the available list. You will see that the track is appended to the end of the playlist.

To remove a track from the program play list, double click on the entry you which to remove in the play list box.

If you wish to remove a program all together, select the Clear All button.

  Selecting Save writes the updated program list to the database. You can determine if the current disc is programmed by a small 'P' appearing in the Digital Display, or a P appearing next to the title entry in the View Database dialogue box display.

See also Edit Disc


Copy

Copies the current disc details to the clipboard.

See also Edit Disc


Auto Replay

Auto Replay - simply means that when the CD reaches the last track in the Track List it will return to the first entry, and resume playing.


Random Shuffle

Random Shuffle - after each track has completed, the list is shuffled.


Always On Top

If the menu item is checked, CDdb will always be the topmost window.


Volume

Changes the current volume setting.

Note: If the volume control fails to operate, try a different sound source. See Configuration.


Exit

Exits the program!

If a cd is currently playing, it will continue to the end, except for shuffle and programmed plays which will terminate at the end of the track..


Play Control

   Play/Pause Control

The play/pause control starts/pauses the current selected track in the Track List.

When the CD is playing the Digital Display will change to green, and the control will show the pause icon..

When the CD is paused the Digital Display will change to yellow, and the control will show the play icon. Selecting the control again will resume playing of the current track.

See also Scroll Bar and Key Commands


 Stop Control

The stop control, stops the current track from playing. It will also reset the position of the Scroll Bar to the beginning of the track.

When the CD has stopped playing, the Digital Display will change to red.

See also Scroll Bar and Key Commands


 Previous Track Control

The previous track control, skips to the start of the previous track in the playlist.

See also Key Commands


 Next Track Control

The next track control, skips to the start of the next track in the playlist.

See also Key Commands


  A-B Loop Control

This control allows a part of a track to be repeated.

This control only works when the CD is playing.

Selecting the control will mark a start position for the loop. The small 'A' will change from red to green in the Digital Display

Selecting the control for a second time will mark the end position for the loop. The small 'B' will change from red to green in the Digital Display. The player will now repeat the selected section starting at the 'A' position.

Selecting any other control, will cancel the A-B operation.

See also Key Commands


 Shuffle Control

The shuffle control shuffles the Track List into a random order. Selecting the shuffle control again will revert the Track List back to it's original order.

When the disc is in shuffle mode, a small 'S' appears in the Digital Display.

See also Options and Key Commands


 Eject Control

If the CD-ROM has a software eject capability, clicking on the eject control will eject the disk from the drive.

See also Key Commands


  Window Size Control

The windows size control, toggles between the full display and a minimal window containing only the button controls and the digital display.

Note: the current window state and position is saved in cddb.ini in your Windows directory, and is read each time you start CDdb.

See also Key Commands


 Digital Display

The digital display shows the current track number and current position within the current track, in minutes and seconds.

  If the display is red, then the CD is currently stopped.

  If the display is yellow, the CD is currently paused.

  If the display is green, the CD is currently playing.

When the A-B is cyan, this signifies that the player is currently playing in an A-B loop.

When the small P is cyan, this signifies that the current disc has been programmed.

When the small S is cyan, this signifies that the current mode is shuffled.


Key Commands

CDdb supports the following keyboard commands:

SHIFT+F1	Play/pause

SHIFT+F2	Stop

SHIFT+F3	Previous track

SHIFT+F4	Next track

SHIFT+F5	A-B loop

SHIFT+F6	Shuffle

SHIFT+F7	Eject

SHIFT+F8	Window size


Shareware

If you like this program, and use it regularly, then please send £5 (UK sterling) or $10 (US dollars, cash only) to:

Steven Fletcher

34 Leafield Avenue

Withington

Manchester M20 6EJ

ENGLAND

IMPORTANT!!

DO NOT SEND ME CHEQUES DRAWN ON A NON UK BANK

Cashing non UK cheques costs me more than $10 :-(

Please try not to send other currency other than US dollars and Pounds Stirling.

If you have Internet access, the latest version of CDdb can be found on ftp.cica.indiana.edu in pub/pc/win3/sounds


Contacting the Author

Comments and suggestions - good or bad - are always welcome. Please read the readme.txt file for further information regarding CDdb.

Via email:

cddb@blzbub.demon.co.uk

stevenn@cix.compulink.co.uk

or write to:

Steven Fletcher

34 Leafield Avenue

Withington

Manchester M20 6EJ

ENGLAND