What is a Data CD-ROM?

A CD-ROM which contains data to be read on a computer is usually written in the ISO 9660 format. ISO 9660 is different from the file systems which Windows 95, NT, DOS, Macintosh, etc. use to manage data stored on hard and floppy disks, so every operating system has a system extension which allows it to read ISO 9660 discs. A useful side effect of this is that ISO 9660 discs are ideal for exchanging data among different platforms.


Steps in Writing a Data Disc

1	Select New from the File menu or [image] from the Toolbar.

2	Select CD-ROM in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

3	Set the Writing Parameters and CD Format in the General tab.

(Ignore the Load Contents tab for now; it is used in adding sessions to multisession discs, a process described in the section "How to Write a Multisession Disc").

4	Set filename options in the File Names tab.

5	Fill in any desired Volume Descriptors in the Volume Info tab.

6	Click on the Data Track tab to open the empty Data Track list.

7	Drag and drop into the Data Track list the files/folders you want to write to disc. You can drag them from the Windows Explorer, File Manager or any other desktop window.

 How to create a file list in the Data Track tab

8	Save the ECD project.

9	Insert a recordable CD into your CD recorder.

10	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.


What Kinds of Devices Can I Copy Files From?
What Can I Copy Files From?

You can drag and drop files and folders into the Data Track list from any source visible to your system. This includes files on CD (in another CD-ROM drive, not in your CD recorder), magneto-optical drives, network drives, and even floppy disks.

However, depending on the size of the buffer in your CD recorder, you may find it difficult to write on-the-fly from these devices to recordable CD. They are often too slow to keep up the steady flow of data required for CD writing. If you need to write data from a slow device, you can create the Data Track list using files from any source, and deselect the Write on the fly option in the General tab.


Creating a File List in the Data Track Tab

1	Click on the Data Track tab. An empty Data Track list is shown.

2	To add folders and files to the list write to CD, select the desired items in any desktop window or from the Windows Explorer or Find dialog box, and drag and drop the item(s) into the Data Track tab.

Note:

If you add entire folders to the Data Track list, everything within those folders at the time of writing (including any subfolders and all their contents) will be written to disc. If you wish to exclude specific or certain types of files from writing, use the Files to Exclude option in the File Names tab.

WARNING!

If your Data Track list includes identically-named directories from two different sources (e.g., two different hard disks), the two directories will be merged on CD. If there are identically-named files in the two different directories, the files arriving later (those further down in the Data Track list) will be recorded.

 How to select multiple items in Windows Explorer or File Manager.

 Adding Items to the Data Track Tab Using the Paste Command

 Windows NT users: Adding items to the Data Track tab from File Manager


Adding Items to the Data Track Tab from File Manager

If you are using Windows NT, you can drag and drop items from File Manager. However, you can only drag from the right side of the File Manager window!


Selecting Multiple Items in Windows Explorer or File Manager

•	To select multiple contiguous items, hold down the Shift key while selecting the top and then the bottom file of the desired group.

•	To select multiple non-contiguous items, hold down the CTRL key while selecting the desired files.

Tip:

When you use either of these methods to select multiple items in Windows 95 Explorer and copy them to a Data Track or Audio Tracks list, the item at the top of the list will be the last one on which your cursor was focused before you activated the Easy-CD Pro window.

To keep files in the order in which you view them in the Explorer, ensure that you select from bottom to top, so that the topmost file in your selection is chosen last.


Adding Items to the Data Track Tab Using the Paste Command

Instead of dragging and dropping files, you can select Copy from the Edit menu in the Windows Explorer. Then activate the Easy-CD Pro window and select Paste from the Edit menu.


Arranging Files in the Data Track List

•	Items added to the Data Track or Audio Tracks list are placed before the item currently highlighted in the list. The (End of List) marker is highlighted by default (until you click on something else in the list) so that new items are added to the end of the list.

•	Files and folders in the Data Track list are recorded to CD in the order shown. If your Data Track list contains folders, files within those folders will be recorded in alphabetical order.

•	By default, files and folders are recorded to CD with the same directory structure that they have on hard disk. If you wish to them to be recorded to CD in a different directory, use the Reparenting function.

•	Audio tracks in the Audio Track list are recorded in the order shown.

•	You can use the [image] and [image] buttons to rearrange items in a list.


Deleting Files and Folders from the Data Track List

You can delete any item from a Data Track list at any time. Deleting a folder implies deleting the folder itself, any subfolders it may contain, and all their files. Deleting a file or a folder from the Data Track list does not affect the original items on your hard disk.

1	Select the files or folders to delete in the Data Track list.

2	Click [image] in the Toolbar or select Delete from the Edit menu.

3	To delete the entire list, choose Delete All from the Edit menu, or click [image] in the Toolbar.


Files to Exclude
Excluding Files from the Data Track List

The file list you build in the Data Track tab can include individual files or entire folders, or any combination. If your list contains folders, everything within those folders at the time of writing (including any subfolders and all their contents) will be written to disc.

If you wish to exclude specific files or certain types of files from writing, use the Files to Exclude window at the bottom of the File Names tab. You can type in wildcards (with or without full or partial paths) or specific filenames (with full paths) as shown in the examples in the window.


Recording Files to CD with a Custom Directory Structure

By default, files and folders are recorded to CD with the directory structure (path) shown under the Name column in the Data Track tab. If you wish to record files to CD with a different directory structure, use the Reparenting function:

1	Click on the Data Track tab to display it.

2	Enlarge the Easy-CD Pro window so that you can see the Destination column at the right side of the window.

3	Select the item(s) whose paths you want to change. You can use Windows' standard multiple selection commands to select more than one item.

4	Select Reparenting from the Edit menu. A dialog box opens.

5	If all the items you selected have the same original path, this path will be shown in the dialog box, and you can edit it. If the selected items have different paths, simply type in the desired destination path. If you leave the box blank or put in a single " \ ", all the selected items will be placed in the root of the CD.


Writing Parameters

In this section of the General tab you may make the following CD writing settings:

•	Temporary directory

•	Write real ISO image only to

•	Writing speed

•	Write on the fly

•	Test before writing

•	Start writing if test completes OK


Comment

You may fill in this box with text describing the project for your future reference. This information is not written on the disc; it is only saved in the .ECD project.


Temporary Directory

Enter the path of a temporary folder where Easy-CD Pro can store some temporary files (and a temporary real ISO image, if you choose to write one). The default is the system temporary folder. All temporary files are deleted when writing is completed.

Your temporary directory must be set to a physical volume with at least 10 MB of space free, more if you will be working with very large numbers of files (e.g., 50,000 files).

Furthermore, if you DEselect Write on the fly, you will need as much free space in the temporary directory as your entire set of data will occupy on CD (check the Total Size in the Data Track tab).


Write real ISO image only to

By selecting this option you choose to write a real ISO image to hard disk, instead of writing your data to CD.

Why would you want to do this?

•	To write multiple copies of the same disc. Saving a real ISO image to hard disk saves processing time in writing multiple copies of the same set of data; you can write the ISO image to hard disk once, then use the CD from image option in the CD Type dialog box to record it several times to different discs.

•	If you need to create an ISO image file to be written to CD on another system. With Easy-CD Pro, an ISO image file can be written to CD using the CD from an image option in the CD Type dialog box.

•	If you have a strong need to verify data after it has been written to CD. Easy-CD Pro’s Compare Track function only works for comparing tracks recorded on CD with their originating real ISO images on hard disk.

If you need to record your data to CD via a real ISO image only because your system cannot keep up with on the fly writing, but you do not need to save the real ISO image after writing is completed, do not use this option, but rather deselect Write on the fly. In this case a temporary ISO image will be written to hard disk and then automatically copied to CD. This ISO image is deleted after writing is completed.


Writing Speed

Select the desired writing speed; the options available will depend on your CD recorder. Click on the Speed Test button to see if the speed you select is correct for your system’s capabilities and the amount of data you want to record to CD; if not, a dialog box will suggest the optimum writing speed.


Speed Test

Click to test whether the speed you select is correct for your system’s capabilities and the amount and type of data you want to record. This is a low-level test which does not actually pass data to the CD recorder, but simply runs through the files to be written to see if your CPU and hard disk can maintain adequate throughput to write to CD on the fly.

You can stop testing at any time by clicking the Cancel button in the progress dialog box.

When testing is completed, a dialog box appears to report the results.

If your system does not pass the Speed Test, it will definitely not be able to keep up with writing on the fly. However, even if the Test results are positive, you should still select Test before writing to ensure that the data can also be passed to the CD recorder fast enough.


Write on the fly

(Available only when writing files from a Data Track list.)

In writing on the fly, Easy-CD Pro consults the Data Track list and records the files in the list directly to CD, without first creating a real ISO image on hard disk.

 Why writing on the fly may cause buffer underruns.


Why Writing on the Fly May Cause Buffer Underruns

Writing on the fly demands a fast and steady flow of data from your hard disk through your system to the CD recorder. This is because CD writing is a real-time process: writing must proceed at a fixed speed (the Writing Speed that you set) without slowdowns or interruptions. If the flow of data is interrupted for too long, a buffer underrun occurs, and your recordable disc is probably ruined.

 NOT writing on the fly as a cure for buffer underruns.


NOT Writing on the Fly

If your system is not able to maintain the required flow of data even at the lowest writing speed, a final solution is to deselect Write on the fly. Easy-CD Pro will then write a real ISO image in the temporary directory before writing to CD.

Be aware that there are two drawbacks to this method:

•	It takes more time, because the real ISO image must be written to hard disk before it is copied to CD. (This temporary ISO image will be deleted when writing is completed.)

•	It requires as much free hard disk space as the total amount of data which you will write to CD.


Test Before Writing

Performs a real test in which the files to be recorded are passed to the CD recorder. The Write LED on your CD recorder may light up during testing, but nothing is actually being written to disc! This test is the most reliable indicator of whether or not CD writing will be successful.

1	The test is performed at the selected Writing Speed. If the test fails (usually due to a buffer underrun), Easy-CD Pro will try again at a lower speed (if there is one), until it finds a speed at which writing will be successful. If writing fails even at the lowest possible speed, Easy-CD Pro will give up and report back to you.

2	After a test is completed, the CD recorder may open and close its tray, or eject its caddy. For most CD recorders this is necessary to clear memory after a test. If your recorder uses a caddy, it will have to be manually reinserted in order to proceed with further testing writing.

3	When the test is finished successfully, writing may proceed automatically according to the Start Writing if Test Completes OK settings.

 Aborting a test


Aborting a Test

If a Test before writing proceeds smoothly long enough that you are certain you will be able to complete the entire write without problems, you can click on Cancel to interrupt the test. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to proceed imediately with writing.

If you abort a test before it ends, it is important to make sure that no applications are running which might be using any of the files in the Data Track list! This would cause a "sharing violation" error and a buffer underrun during an actual write.


Start Writing if Test Completes OK
Start Writing if Test Completes OK...

If Test before writing is selected, you may also choose to begin writing automatically after a successful test, after the selected amount of time has lapsed.

The options for automatically beginning writing after a successful test are:

•	Immediately

•	10 seconds

•	30 seconds

•	60 seconds

•	Do not start

When a test is successfully completed, a dialog box will open saying "The currently selected recording speed is OK. Proceed with writing?"

The start time of the countdown at the bottom of the dialog box will depend on the setting you made. If you had selected "Do not start," there is no countdown, and the dialog box remains open until you click Yes or No.


CD Format

Click for details:

•	Session Type

•	Close Disc

•	Disc-at-Once


Session Type

Set the physical format of the session you will write. (In some cases it is set automatically.) The options are:

•	CD-ROM

•	CD-ROM XA

•	CD-DA

Note:

The selection you should make here when writing data may depend on whether you intend later to make the disc multisession. See CD-ROM vs. CD-ROM XA Multisession Discs for details.


Close Disc command

Close a recordable disc so that no further data can be written to it. It is NOT necessary to close a disc in order to read it in a normal CD-ROM drive. However, it is recommended if you are creating a master disc for replication. If Easy-CD Pro detects that there will not be enough space on disc to close another session after the current one, it automatically closes the disc.


Disc-at-Once command

(Not available with all CD recorders.) Write and close a disc in one operation, without turning the writing laser on and off between tracks. Requires a blank disc. Recommended for audio and mixed-mode discs, and for data if the disc will be used as a master for replication.

It is not possible to record an audio disc in Disc-at-Once mode if the tracks come from more than one source (e.g., more than one audio CD, or a combination of Wave tracks on hard disk and an audio CD).


File Naming Options

The File Names tab offers the following options:

•	ISO 9660 Level 1-compliant DOS names (8+3, restricted character set), and file version.

•	DOS filenames (8+3)

•	Joliet: DOS (8+3) and Windows 95 (up to 64 characters). Unicode char. set

•	Romeo: Windows 95 long filenames only, up to 128 characters

In all cases Easy-CD Pro will write a standard ISO 9660 disc. However, these options support different ISO 9660 Interchange Levels, and not all of them can be read on all computer platforms. Please read their individual descriptions for details.

  Related topics.


ISO 9660 Level 1 Filenames

Note:

If you are going to make an ISO 9660 Level 1-compliant disc, we strongly suggest that you take ISO 9660’s filename limitations into consideration from the start when creating your files and applications.

Use this option to record discs with filenames which comply strictly with ISO 9660 Interchange Level 1 restrictions.

 Compatibility

File Version

In ISO 9660, all directory entries of files must contain the file name followed by a semicolon and the file version number, ;1 Most systems automatically remove these two characters from the filename when accessing a file or displaying a directory, but versions of the Macintosh operating system earlier than 7.5 did not. The result is that when you look at an ISO 9660 disc on a Macintosh with System 7.0 or earlier, all the filenames appear as FILENAME;1.

This could cause problems with an application that must run from CD on the Macintosh: if your application looks for a file named MYFILE.TXT, it will only find a file named MYFILE.TXT;1.


ISO 9660 Filenames Compatibility

Discs using ISO 9660 Level 1 filenames can be read on any computer platform which supports ISO 9660 (most systems have built-in support for ISO 9660; Macintosh systems prior to 7.5 require a Foreign File Access extension to read ISO 9660 discs).


DOS Filenames

Windows 95 allows you to use file and folder names up to 256 characters long, which may include spaces. To maintain DOS compatibility, a DOS-standard (8+3) filename is associated with each file; these names are created automatically by Windows 95 and can be viewed in Properties for each file. To create these DOS-standard names, long filenames are truncated and the tilde (~) is added; a number may also be added to distinguish between files which would otherwise have identical names when truncated. For example, the filename LETTERS TO MOM.DOC might become LETTER~1DOC.

If you select the DOS names only option, only these DOS names will be used in writing the files to disc -- the long filenames are not recorded to disc.

 Compatibility


DOS Filenames Compatibility

Discs using DOS filenames can be read on any computer platform which supports ISO 9660 (most systems have built-in support for ISO 9660; Macintosh systems prior to 7.5 require a Foreign File Access extension to read ISO 9660 discs).


Joliet Filenames

WARNING:

Versions of Windows NT up to 351 build 1057 do NOT read the long filenames on Joliet discs. This should be corrected in a future version; contact Microsoft for more information.

If you select the Joliet option, filenames up to 64 characters long will be allowed.

 Compatibility


Joliet Filenames Compatibility

As of this writing (02/05/96),the long filenames on Joliet discs can be read only on Windows 95 systems. The short (DOS-style) filenames are also written, so these discs can also be read on DOS systems.


Romeo Filenames

Romeo allows you to write to disc filenames up to 128 characters long, including spaces. This is not part of the Joliet standard, the Unicode character set is not supported (Romeo uses an ANSI character set), and there is no provision for associated DOS filenames. Romeo filenames can be read on Windows 95 and NT systems. Romeo discs can be read on Macintosh systems if the filenames are not longer than 31 characters. Do not use Romeo if your disc must be read in other conditions.

If you select this option, your disc can include filenames up to 128 characters long.

 Compatibility


Romeo Filenames Compatibility

Readable on Windows 95 and NT systems, and on Macintosh systems if filenames are no longer than 31 characters. NOT readable on DOS or Windows 3.1.


MSCDEX and File Naming

MSCDEX, the system extension used to read CD-ROMs in DOS and Windows 31, is largely Level 1-compliant, meaning that it can read filenames only up to 8+3 characters (as in DOS). However, it does not restrict you to the d-character set, and will accept characters such as the dollar sign in filenames. Discs which must be read on DOS or Windows 3.1 platforms should therefore use the ISO 9660 Level 1-compliant DOS names or DOS filenames (8+3) option for file naming.


The Compliant Naming Dialog Box

If any of the files in the Data Track list do not comply with the setting you have chosen in the File Names tab, during the Adding Files process the Compliant Naming dialog box will appear showing the original filename and a suggested substitute filename. Your options are:

Click	To
Yes	Accept the suggested substitute name, or edit the substitute name. You can also edit the substitute name before you accept it by clicking Yes.
Yes to All	Accept this suggested name, and for all other illegally-named files to be renamed automatically without further prompting. Some things to keep in mind when using this option: Because the set of d-characters is smaller than the character set available for file naming under DOS, when Easy-CD Pro encounters an illegal character such as $ or & in a filename, it has only one possibility for substitution, the underscore. It is therefore very possible that in automatically renaming files, substituting the underscore for every illegal character, it would come up with identical names for different files, which would cause problems. It is also desirable that you be aware what filenames have been changed, because you may have overlooked the fact that a file is illegally named, while your CD-ROM or other application needs to locate files by their exact names.
Cancel	Stop the entire writing operation.


Volume Info

ISO 9660 allows you to record information about the CD in a set of special fields called Volume Descriptors. The information stored in these fields is not accessible from DOS or Windows, except the Volume Name, whose first eleven characters are displayed with the DIR or VOLUME command or in the Windows 95 Properties dialog box for the disc. All of these Volume Descriptors are optional, though you probably want to include a Volume Name.

1	Open the Volume Info tab.

2	Fill in any Volume Descriptors you desire; the characters you will be allowed to use depend on the settings you made in the File Names tab. If you had selected ISO 9660 Level 1, the restrictions shown here apply:

Volume Descriptor	Explanation
Volume Name	The name of the Volume.  Maximum: 32 d-characters
System Name	The operating system under which the application will run. Maximum 32 a-characters allowed.
Volume Set Name	If the CD you are preparing is part of a set of discs, every disc in the set may have the same name recorded in this field. Maximum 32 d-characters allowed.
Copyright File Name	Authors can protect their work with a copyright notice stored in a file which must be placed in the root directory. The name of this file can be recorded here. Copyright and Abstract files must be located, if present, in the root directory of the CD. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.
Abstract File Name	Records the name of a file stored in the root directory which describes the work. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.
Bibliographic File Name	Refers to a file, stored in any directory, containing bibliographic information such as an ISBN number. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.
Publisher’s Name	Identifies the publisher of the disc. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.
Data Preparer’s Name	Records the name of author of the content of the disc. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.
Application Name	Records the name under which the application is known, if any. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.
Dates	May be filled in in this format: year, month, day; hour, min, sec.


Saving the ECD Project

Click [image] in the Toolbar or select Save from the File menu.

An. ECD project includes all the settings you have made for this writing session, as well as all the Data Track list. When you re-open the project, you will find everything set up exactly as it was before.

If you wish to use the same writing settings for a different Data Track list, you can open the project with the desired settings, select Save As from the File menu, and save the project under a different name.


The Writing Process

1	Before writing begins, you will see a message box with the title "Adding files to CD image..."

2	This will be followed by a progress dialog which will show the messages Fixing up and Mounting. When these processes are completed, if you had set Test before writing in the General tab, you will see a testing progress dialog.

3	If the test is successfully completed, the CD recorder’s caddy or tray will eject, and a message will appear. If you had set a timer under Start writing if test completes OK in the General tab, a countdown will begin.

4	Reinsert the disc caddy if necessary. You can click on Yes to begin writing immediately, or No to halt before writing begins. If you do nothing, and you had selected to start writing automatically after a test, writing will begin and you will see a write progress dialog box.

5	When the data has been written, you will see a message saying "Closing session." This will take a few more minutes.

6	When writing is completed, the tray or caddy will be ejected, and you will see a "Write successfully completed message."


How to Save a Real ISO Image to Hard Disk
How to Make an ISO 9660 Disc Image from Files on Hard Disk

1	Launch Easy-CD Pro.

2	Select New from the File menu or [image] from the Toolbar.

3	Select CD-ROM in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

4	Set filename options in the File Names tab.

5	Fill in any desired Volume Descriptors in the Volume Info tab.

6	Click on the Data Track tab to open the empty Data Track list.

7	Drag and drop into the Data Track list the files/folders you want to write to disc. You can drag them from the Windows Explorer or any other desktop window. See Creating a Data Track list for details.

8	Select Write Real ISO image only to in the General tab.

9	Click on the ISO File button to open a Save As dialog box in which you can set the location and name under which the ISO file is to be saved. This file will require as much space on hard disk as the total amount of data which will be written to CD. The file will be saved with the extension .iso.

10	Click [image] on the Toolbar or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.You will see a progress dialog box as your data is saved to hard disk.

11	To record the real ISO image to CD, following the instructions in How to Write a Real ISO Image to CD.


How to Write a Real ISO Image to CD

Use this option to write to CD a real ISO image previously prepared with Easy-CD Pro or with any other software.

1	Launch Easy-CD Pro.

2	Select New from the File menu or the [image] button from the Toolbar.

3	Select CD from an image in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

4	Set Writing Parameters in the General tab.

5	In the Image File tab, select the .iso file you wish to record. You can use the Browse button to locate it. Information about the track is given in the lower part of the tab. You can use the Detect button to automatically set CD Format properties in the General tab.

6	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.


What Kinds of CDs Can I Copy?

Due to technical limitations of CD-ROM drives and CD recorders, not every kind of disc can be copied perfectly. Problems can arise both from the source CD-ROM drive used and from the CD to be copied.

We strongly recommend that you always set test before writing when copying discs, however, it is possible to copy some types of discs without error messages, yet be unable to use them.

Type of Disc	Notes
Audio	Requires a source CD-ROM drive capable of reading audio digitally. Relatively few drives support this. (Easy-CD Pro will test your drive to determine its capabilities when the source disc is inserted.) Caveat: This release of Easy-CD Pro does not support copying audio discs in Disc-at-Once mode. This means that two seconds of gap (silence) will be inserted between tracks.
CD-i	Few current CD-ROM drives can read a CD-i disc properly for copying.
Mixed-Mode	Mixed results. Some discs copy perfectly, others do not, possibly due to formatting designed to circumvent copying.
Photo CD	Requires a source CD-ROM drive capable of reading CD-ROM XA. Most current CD-ROM drives do support this.
Sony PlayStation PSX	Mixed results. Some older discs may be copiable, newer discs may not be. Note: It is possible to make an apparently successful copy of a disc which nevertheless does not run!
Video CD	Requires a source CD-ROM drive capable of reading CD-ROM XA. Most current drives support this.


Source CD-ROM Drives for Disc-to-Disc Copying

In order to copy directly from a source disc in a CD-ROM drive to a recordable disc in the CD recorder, you must have a SCSI 2 CD-ROM drive to use as your source (see the drive’s manual for more information).

However, not all SCSI 2 drives are equal. When you select your source CD-ROM drive in the Disc Copy tab and insert a CD into it, Easy-CD Pro performs a test of both the drive and the disc in order to determine whether the selected drive can successfully read the selected disc. If not, an error message will be displayed.

Copying Audio and Mixed-Mode

Although most CD-ROM drives can play back music from an audio disc, not all are capable of reading audio tracks in digital format in order to copy them. If you are not sure whether your drive can do it, follow all the steps described in How to Record an Audio Tracks List; you will receive an error message if your CD-ROM drive cannot read audio tracks.


How to Make Backup Copies of CDs

1	Launch Easy-CD Pro.

2	Select New from the File menu or [image] from the Toolbar.

3	Select CD Copy in the CD Type dialog box and click on OK.

4	Set Writing Parameters in the General tab. (CD Format settings will be made automatically.)

5	Open the Disc Copy tab. A list of SCSI devices available on your system will be shown under Source device. (Your CD recorder is not included in this list because it is the target device.)

6	Click on the name of the source device you want to copy from; information about the device will appear under Unit Info.

7	Mount your source CD in the source drive.

8	Click the Refresh button (if necessary) to read the source disc. Easy-CD Pro will examine the disc and determine whether your source CD-ROM drive can copy it, and will display information about the disc under Media.

9	Insert a blank CD into the CD recorder.

10	Click [image] on the Toolbar or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.

11	A progress dialog box will keep you informed. If the source disc has more than one track, progress will be shown for each track in turn.


What is a Multisession Disc?

A multisession disc is an ISO 9660 disc to which data is added incrementally in more than one session, allowing you to add and update files and directories. All the data on a multisession disc, when read on a multisession CD-ROM drive, may be seen as part of a single logical structure.


Uses for Multisession Discs

Uses for multisession include periodically backing up quantities of data less than the full capacity of a disc, or distributing data which is periodically updated. Because only multisession CD-ROM drives can access all the data on a multisession disc, it’s best to consider such discs for use only where you have some certainty or control over what system will be used to read them.

If you have a strong need to distribute data on multisession discs -- you send discs out to clients or colleagues, they send them back to be updated, and then you send them out them again -- you should ensure that all the interested parties will be able to read your multisession discs. A simple test would be to make a multisession disc (as described below) with directories A through M in the first session, and directories N through Z in a second session. Send that disc to whoever will need to read your data; if they can see all the way to directory Z, you’re all right.


Sessions and Tracks

A session, as defined under the Orange Book, is a recorded part of a compact disc which contains one or more tracks of any type (data or audio). When a session is closed, a lead-out is written which allows a CD-ROM drive to recognize the session and read data from it.

Closing a session takes some extra space on disc for the session lead-in and lead-out, about thirteen megabytes in data terms. This isn’t excessive if you are writing only a few sessions per disc, but you probably don’t want to use multisession to back up small amounts of data at a time -- you could end up using more space in closing the session than the data you are storing actually occupies.

Every time you write to CD, you will create at least one track, which is preceded by a pre-gap and followed by a post-gap (these gaps are small, at most 300 kilobytes each). Any session may contain one or more tracks, and the tracks within a session may be of the same or of different types (for example, a mixed-mode disc contains one data and one or more audio tracks).


How Data is Recorded in Multiple Sessions

When you record the first session of a disc and close the session, the directory structure and the addresses of the files on disc are recorded within the data area of the session in the ISO 9660 format. When you want to add data in a subsequent session, the filename and directory structure for the new session can include references to files and directories which were actually recorded in the previous session -- this is known as linked multisession. The files already on disk are not re-recorded in the new session; only their addresses are included in the new session’s logical structure. These addresses can be carried forward in additional sessions, so that all files recorded on the disc are shown as if they were part of one overarching file system, even though they may have been recorded in many different sessions.

You can even overwrite files already recorded on disc. Because CD is a write-once medium, you cannot really delete or replace files on disc, but you can virtually do so by writing a newer version of the same file (with an identical filename and directory path) into a new session on the disc.


How to Write a Multisession Disc

1	To write the first session, follow the instructions for creating an ISO 9660 disc. Be sure to DEselect the "Close Disc" option in the General tab.

Note:

You can turn a single-session disc into a multisession disc at any time simply by adding another session to it. However, it’s best to decide in advance whether your disc will be multisession or not, so that you can decide whether to record the first session in CD-ROM format (aka Mode 1) or CD-ROM XA format (aka Mode 2).

2	Save your project so that you will be able to use your Data Track list as a starting point for adding future sessions to the disc.

3	When you are ready to add another session, insert the disc into your CD recorder and launch Easy-CD Pro.

4	Select CD-ROM in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

5	Set Writing Parameters and the CD Format in the General tab. (You will not be allowed to mix CD-ROM and CD-ROM XA sessions on the same disc.)

6	Open the Load Contents tab.

7	The default option is "Load the last complete track, if present." This means that the data you are adding now will be linked to the data in the most recent session of the disc, and that all the data on the disc will be seen as part of the same logical structure.

8	If you have recorded more than one session on the disc, you may in some cases wish to select a different previous session to which the current session will be linked. Check the "Select the track to load" box and select the desired track in the list that will appear below.

9	Set filename options in the File Names tab.

10	Fill in any desired Volume Descriptors in the Volume Info tab.

11	Click on the Data Track tab to open the empty Data Track list.

12	Drag and drop into the Data Track list the new files/folders you want to write to disc. You can drag them from the Windows Explorer or any other desktop window.

13	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.


Can I Make a CD Plus Disc?

Any version of Easy-CD Pro can make a disc which has the basic structure of a CD Plus disc (n audio tracks in a first sesson, one data track in a second session). However, making a real CD Plus disc requires more than this.

The upshot is that you can use Easy-CD Pro 95 to make something that looks like a CD Plus disc, and probably behaves more or less like one on a computer or an audio CD player, but which is not fully a CD Plus disc according to the Blue Book standard.


Can I Record Macintosh Files?

Not from a Windows system. All Mac files are made up of two parts, the Data Fork and the Resource Fork, which have identical names. As far as I understand it, the Resource Fork contains things like the file icon but could also contain important things needed to run the file. The Windows/DOS file system can't handle the two identically-named parts of the file, and throws away one fork assuming that it is a duplicate file. So you could lose some important parts of your Mac file by transferring it in any way through a Windows system.

If you had Easy-CD Pro for the Mac you could, as you describe, create an ISO 9660 disc containing both Mac and Windows directories. There's no problem transferring PC files onto the Mac, and ISO 9660 is read by both platforms.


Can I Record to Multiple CD Recorders Simultaneously?

You may hear about daisy-chaining CD recorders, so as to be able to record the same data to more than one recorder simultaneously. A few CD recorders theoretically support this, but it is not possible with this version of Easy-CD Pro.


Can I Make a Photo CD Using Easy-CD Pro?

Photo CD discs are written in the CD-ROM XA format, which any CD recorder can write. You can use Easy-CD Pro's Disc Copy feature to copy an existing Photo CD disc.

However, you cannot build a Photo CD from scratch, nor compile a new collection of photos from several existing Photo CDs. This is because a Photo CD disc includes complex structures and microcodes which allow it to run from Photo CD players, and also includes CD-i software to run from CD-i players. It's a question of authoring as well as CD writing; just having PCD images on hard disk and putting them on CD does NOT make a Photo CD.

Incat's Photo Theatre software allows you to both author and write Photo CD and Photo CD Portfolio discs. Contact Incat Systems for more information.


Can I Make a Video CD?

You can record any kind of file, including  MPEG video, on a normal ISO 9660 CD-ROM using Easy-CD Pro 95. However, making a real Video CD disc requires much more than this. We have a separate product for this, Easy-CD Video. Contact Incat Systems for more information.


What is a Compact Disc?

A CD is simply a medium for storing digital information; you can think of it as a very large, write-protected floppy disk. The difference is that, while DOS floppy and hard disks are written using the DOS file format, CD-ROMs are usually written using a file format called ISO 9660. The ISO 9660 standard is so widely accepted that it can be read back on any computer platform, under any operating system.


What Kind of Information Can a CD Hold?

The simple rule of thumb is: whatever you have stored as a file on any other storage media can also be stored as a file on a CD-ROM. Under the ISO 9660 standard, a file is a file, and ISO doesn’t care whether it contains pictures, text, or sound.

There are a few special cases where you would want to record a file to CD in a special format. The most obvious is CD-DA audio: if you want to record an audio file to CD so that it could be played back by your home stereo, you need to write a CD-DA (Digital Audio) disc.


How Much Information Can a CD Hold?

When you copy data to a CD, you must take care that the your data does not exceed the capacity of the CD you are recording to. Due to the audio origin of CDs, the amount of information a CD can hold is measured in minutes:seconds:sectors. Each second contains 75 sectors, each of which can hold 2048 bytes (2 kilobytes) of Mode 1 user data. Recordable CDs come in 21- (80 mm diameter), 63-, and 74-minute sizes (both 120 mm diameter), which can contain the following amounts of data in the CD-ROM format:

21 min x (60 sec) x (75 sectors) x (2 kbytes) = 189,000 kilobytes

= 184 megabytes

63 min x (60 sec) x (75 sectors) x (2 kbytes) = 567,000 kilobytes

= 553 megabytes

74 min x (60 sec) x (75 sectors) x (2 kbytes) = 660,000 kilobytes

= 650 megabytes

Factory-recorded CDs can hold up to 74 minutes of data.

 And subtract...

 Why do some recordable discs appear to hold more data?


And Subtract...

There are several factors that you must subtract for when calculating the total amount of data that you can fit on a CD:

•	Session Lead-In and Lead-Out The first lead-in and lead-out on a disc are not usually taken into consideration when calculating space available on disc; they are considered to be outside the usable disc area. If you make a multisession disc, you will need to consider the space used for subsequent lead-ins and lead-outs.

•	ISO 9660 and Yellow Book Overheads

•	Logical Block Size


Logical Block Size

Files on CD do not occupy a space exactly equal to their original size, but usually a bit more. This is because the minimum recordable unit on a compact disc is the logical block. In theory a logical block could be 512, 1024 or 2048 bytes in size (that is, that you could fit 1, 2, or 4 logical blocks into a sector). In practice, MSCDEX and other ISO 9660 redirectors read only the 2048-byte block size. This means that a file will occupy a space equal to the closest (higher) multiple of 2048 bytes. You may therefore notice slightly that your files are slightly bigger on CD than  they were on hard disk.


ISO 9660 and Yellow Book Overheads

In ISO 9660, just as in the DOS file system, directories are also files, and also take up space.

The Yellow Book specifies that the CD data starts after a pause of two seconds. This means that the first two seconds on a CD are not available for user data. So, from the theoretical capacity of any CD you must subtract:

[(2 sec) x (75 sectors) x (2 kilobytes)] = 300 kilobytes

Furthermore, the ISO 9660 file structure needs space for its structures, and the first 16 sectors are also reserved for system use. More sectors may be needed to store the path tables, or the root directory if its size exceeds one sector as files are added.


Why Do Some Recordable Discs Appear to Hold More Data?

Some disc manufacturers advertise disc capacities such as 700 megabytes, larger than the capacities we told you about in "How Much Information Can a CD Hold? " How is this possible? They are probably calculating the number of bytes which are stored on a disc when it is recorded in audio format.

The number of bytes of user data you can record in a sector depends on the type of data you're recording. For CD-ROM data it's 2048 bytes (2 kilobytes), for audio it's 2352 bytes (to understand why this is, see "CD Physical Sector Layouts").

74 min x (60 sec) x (75 sectors) x (2352 bytes) = 783,216,000 bytes = 764,859 kilobytes

= 747 megabytes


How Many Files Can I Put on a CD?

The ISO 9660 standard does not limit the number of files you can put on CD, nor does Easy-CD Pro. But there are practical limits to what you will be able to get onto a disc and then read back comfortably. As a rule of thumb, it's best to organize large numbers of files by spreading them among many directories. Otherwise your user may end up waiting several minutes just for a directory to load from CD.


CD Physical Sector Layouts

This shows the formats of the physical sectors in which different kinds of discs are written. Note that the total size of the sector always adds up to 2352 bytes.

CD-DA (CD-Digital Audio)

2352 bytes user data (music)

CD-ROM Mode 1

12 bytes sync	4 bytes header	2048 bytes user data	4 bytes EDC	8 bytes blank	276 bytes ECC
CD-ROM Mode 2 (never used in real life)

12 bytes sync	4 bytes header	2336 bytes user data
CD-ROM XA / CD-I  Mode 2 Form 1

12 bytes sync	4 bytes header	8 bytes sub-header	2048 bytes user data	4 bytes EDC	276 bytes ECC
CD-ROM XA / CD-I Mode 2 Form 2

12 bytes sync	4 bytes header	8 bytes sub-header	2324 bytes user data	4 bytes EDC


The CD Family

This graphic shows part of the compact disc family, combining physical formats (how many bytes of user data are written per sector) with logical formats. You can click on hotspots on the picture for more information.


Making Sure Your System is Ready for CD-R

Writing data to recordable compact disc is a complex process which demands a great deal from hardware and software. Most of this complexity is hidden by the power of Easy-CD Pro 95, but you should be aware of some factors which can influence the success of the operation.

The most important thing to realize is that CD recording is a real-time operation: the recording laser inscribes pits into the surface of the CD at a steady speed which cannot be altered or interrupted. This speed depends on the physical format in which the data is written, and on the writing speed:

Format/Mode	Required transfer rate at:
(user data bytes/sector)	1x	2x	4x
CD-ROM Data (2048)	150 kilobytes/ second	300 kilobytes/ second	600 kilobytes/ second
CD-ROM XA Data (2336)	171 kilobytes/ second	344 kilobytes/ second	684 kilobytes/ second
CD-DA Audio (2352)	172 kilobytes/ second	344 kilobytes/ second	688 kilobytes/ second

Your entire system configuration, as well as the type and amount of data you are writing, influences the recorder’s ability to maintain the required speed, and therefore the success or failure of CD recording.


The Data

The total amount of data you are writing is less important than whether it contains a few large or many small files; if you are recording many small files the system may have trouble locating and opening the files quickly enough to send them smoothly to the CD recorder, particularly if the small files are all grouped together.


The System

By "system" we mean your computer and everything running on it or connected to it. ANY interruption is fatal to CD recording, so ensure that your system does not load any TSR utilities which may periodically or otherwise interrupt operations. Screen savers, alarms or reminders, and incoming faxes will kill disc writing. You should also turn off network sharing of the drive you will be writing data from, so that no one tries to access files when you’re trying to write them.


Hard Disk Considerations

There are three critical factors related to your hard disk which will determine the success or failure of CD writing:

•	Speed

•	Fragmentation

•	Thermal Calibration


Hard Disk: Speed

To write a virtual image on the fly to compact disc, the hard disk from which you are writing MUST have a transfer rate fast enough to keep the buffer full in the CD recorder. This usually means an average hard disk access time of 19 milliseconds or better.


Hard Disk: Fragmentation

Having to search all over a fragmented hard disk for the data to be written (whether on the fly or from a real ISO image) causes operations to slow down, possibly fatally. Defragment your hard disk regularly!

Note:

There is no such thing as fragmentation on an ISO 9660 CD (in any current implementation of the ISO 9660 standard). ISO 9660 Interchange Levels 1 and 2 require that a file be written in a single extent, from start to finish, then the next file written, and so on.


Hard Disk: Thermal Calibration

Most hard disks automatically periodically perform a thermal calibration to ensure proper functioning. Some hard disks force a calibration at fixed intervals, even if the disk is in use, causing interruptions fatal to CD writing. This problem arises particularly when the amount of data to be written is large, and the writing process therefore takes longer.

Other hard disks calibrate intelligently, postponing it when the disk is being used. AV (audio/visual) hard drives do this, as well as some drives not specifically designated AV.


The CD Recorder: Writing Speed

Many CD recorders are capable of writing at two times (some at four or even six times!) the standard writing/playback speed of 150 kilobytes (75 sectors) per second. Recording speed is simply a matter of how fast the bits are inscribed by the laser on the disc surface, and has nothing to do with how fast you read them back or how much data you can fit on the disc. Writing a disc at 4x does not mean that you can only read it back on a quad-spin CD-ROM drive.

Recording a CD at high speed is similar to recording an analog music cassette on a high-speed dubbing machine: it doesn’t mean that all your Grateful Dead albums are going to sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks! You are putting exactly the same information on disc in exactly the same way; you’re just getting it on there faster.

When you write a real ISO image from hard disk to CD, speed is rarely a problem because the image is already one gigantic file in which the files and structures are already in order, so it is only necessary to stream off the data to the recorder.

When you write from a file list, things get trickier. In order to write to CD on-the-fly, Easy-CD Pro must consult its database to learn where each file is stored on hard disk, and where it should go on CD. It must then locate and open each file, while sending data in a smooth, continuous stream to the recorder. Finding and opening files is often the more time-consuming part of the process, so why writing on-the-fly is more difficult when you have many small files and/or your hard disk is badly fragmented.


The CD Recorder: Buffer

Most of the time your computer actually passes data to the CD recorder faster than it is needed. The CD recorder’s buffer memory stores some of this extra data as it arrives, to help maintain a steady flow of data to the writing laser. The size of the buffer is critical to trouble-free writing: a slow-down or interruption in the transfer of data from the computer will not stop writing so long as the buffer is not completely emptied. The larger the buffer, the more safety margin you have in case of interruptions. If your CD recorder has a very small buffer and your hard disk is slow, you may find it difficult to write on-the-fly to CD, particularly at higher speeds. Your options are: record at a lower speed; make a real ISO image on hard disk and record from that; use a faster hard disk; or, if possible, increase your recorder’s buffer size.


The CD Recorder: Environment

It is best to keep your CD recorder on a vibration-free surface which doesn’t experience sudden shocks. For example, slamming something down onto your desk while the recorder on your desktop is writing can cause errors which ruin the disc.

Also ensure that your recorder has plenty of room to eject its caddy or tray without running into anything.


Matching Discs to Recorders

There are many different brands of recordable CDs available. Quality varies from brand to brand, and sometimes even from batch to batch within a brand. To make matters still more confusing, some discs work better with certain recorders than other discs do. If you are going to record at high speed (4x or 6x), it is wise to use discs certified for high-speed recording. Some CD recorder manufacturers certify specific disc brands for use with their recorders; contact your recorder’s manufacturer for up-to-date information.

If you have repeated problems in recording or in reading back a successfully-recorded disc that can be traced to the discs you are using, try using a different brand or even a different batch of the same brand. 74-minute discs are sometimes more difficult to read back than 63-minute discs because of their denser track pitch (on a 74-minute disc, more tracks must be fit into the same disc radius, so the tracks must be closer together and it is harder for the CD-ROM drive to stay on track).


Kodak Photo CD and Other Special-Purpose Discs

Kodak Photo CD discs are designed to be used only with Kodak Photo CD professional workstations. These discs have a protection bit which prevents them from being written on many CD recorders (you will get an error message if you try). Other special-purpose discs are now becoming available which also have a protection bit.


Care of Recordable Discs

Issues about the longevity and durability of recordable CDs are subject to lengthy and acrimonious debate. Here we distill some general principles:

•	Don’t expose discs to sun or other strong light for long periods. Also try to avoid high heat and humidity.

•	The top (label) side of the disc is much more vulnerable than the bottom, because there is only a thin layer of lacquer protecting the recording surface. Handle discs carefully to avoid scratching them, especially on the label side.

•	Don’t use alcohol-based pens to write on discs; the ink may eventually eat through the top (lacquer) surface and damage your data. Don’t use ballpoint or other sharp-tipped pens: you may scratch right through the lacquer and damage your data.

•	Don’t put labels on discs unless they are expressly designed for recordable CDs. There are two reasons for this: the glue may each through the lacquer surface just as some inks do, and/or the label may unbalance the disc and cause problems in reading it back or recording to it again. Never try to remove a label -- you might tear off the lacquer and some of the reflecting surface.

•	Store and ship CDs in their jewel cases or other containers. Don't stack them together; sometimes they stick to each other and parts of the reflective surface may peel off.


Using 8mm (21 min) Discs

If your CD recorder requires a caddy, a caddy adapter must be used to hold the disc, then disc/adapter is inserted into the caddy. We can recommend the Sony model CSA-8 adapter.


Overview

This is a complete software package for CD publishing. It can be used to produce discs in the following formats:

•	CD-ROM

•	CD-ROM XA (also known as Mode 2)

•	CD-DA (digital audio)

•	Mixed-Mode (CD-ROM + CD-DA)

Discs can be created from files stored on hard disk or other peripherals, including networks. Backup copies can be made of existing data or audio discs.


Hardware Requirments: Minimum Configuration

•	PC sufficient to run Windows 95 or NT.

•	3.5 floppy disk drive for installation.

•	Fast hard disk, large enough to hold your application executables and data.

•	More about hard disks...

•	SCSI host adapter to connect your CD recorder. (This software does not require two SCSI cards, nor are there any performance benefits to be gained by having two.)

•	CD recorder.


Software Requirements

•	Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT (version 3.51 or later).

•	WNASPI32.DLL for your SCSI host adapter.


Installing the SCSI Adapter

1	Install the SCSI host adapter card in your computer. Refer to the manual that came with your SCSI card for more information.

2	Reboot your computer.


Installing the CD Recorder

1	Connect the SCSI cable to the SCSI adapter in your computer. Connect the other end to one of the SCSI ports at the back of the CD recorder. Use only good-quality, shielded SCSI cables.

2	It is not necessary to dedicate a SCSI adapter to the CD recorder; you can use other SCSI devices on the same adapter. If you do, be sure to set a different SCSI ID for each device on the chain. (See your CD recorder’s manual for settings to change its SCSI address.)

3	Connect the power cable to the CD recorder and to an outlet.

4	If no other devices are connected to your CD recorder, you may need a SCSI terminator. Check your CD recorder’s manual to determine whether it is self-terminating; if it is not, you should put a SCSI terminator on the unused SCSI port.

5	If you have an additional CD-ROM drive on your SCSI bus, you may wish to turn off Auto Insert Notification as it sometimes causes trouble during disc writing.


Using Your CD Recorder as a CD Reader

With Windows 95, Microsoft supplies software drivers which are loaded automatically when a particular type of device is recognized on the system. One type of device which is automatically recognized is a CD-ROM drive, which is identified in its firmware as a SCSI Device Type 5.

Most CD recorders in the current generation are set as SCSI Device Type 4 (writeable optical device). Either their manufacturers or Microsoft will need to supply software drivers in order to allow them to be used as readers. Please contact your recorder's manufacturer for more information.


Turning Off Auto Insert Notification for Your Source CD-ROM Drive
Turning Off Auto Insert Notification

Note:

You should do this for every CD unit on your SCSI bus, including the CD recorder itself!

1	Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.

2	Select Properties from the menu. The System Properties dialog box opens.

3	Click the Device Manager tab.

4	Click the plus sign next to the CD-ROM icon until you see the name of your CD drive. Select it.

5	Click on the Properties button. The Properties dialog box for your CD drive will open.

6	Click on the Settings tab.

7	Deselect "Auto insert notification."

8	Restart your system as prompted.


Software Installation: Windows 95

To install the software either:

•	From the Start menu in the Taskbar choose Run. Type a:setup in the box.

•	Open the window for your floppy drive and double click on SETUP.EXE.

•	Use the standard Windows 95 installation procedure in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

...then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

 Notes for Windows 95 Plus Pack users

 Turning off Auto Insert Notification


Windows 95 Plus Pack Users

If you are using the Windows 95 Plus Pack, you should be aware of the following:

•	If you use System Agent, ensure that you don’t schedule anything to occur at any time when you might be writing a disc. Do not use the "When Idle" setting; it only detects when the mouse and keyboard are idle, and will interrupt hard disk activity during a write.

•	System Monitor: Don’t overdo it. Having to constantly update a lot of graphics can slow down your system enough to cause a buffer underrun.

•	Hard disk compression may cause buffer underruns.


Software Installation: Windows NT

Run SETUP.EXE from the installation floppy diskette.

If you are installing Easy-CD Pro on a Windows NT system, the files WNASPI32.DLL, ASPI32.SYS, WINASPI.DLL, and WOWPOST.EXE will be automatically installed for you.


Software Deinstallation

Windows 95

Use the standard Windows 95 uninstall feature in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

Windows NT

Double-click on the Uninstall icon in the Easy-CD Pro group in Program Manager.


Registration Card

Be sure to fill out and send in your registration card right away, so that we can provide technical support if necessary, and keep you informed of updates to the software.


Launching the Program

You can launch Easy-CD Pro from the Start button in the Taskbar. If your CD recorder is powered on and connected it will automatically be recognized and installed. If more than one CD recorder is recognized, a dialog box will open in which you can select the target recorder. This setting will be maintained until you change or add a CD recorder, or you Select CD Recorder from the CD-Recorder menu.

To learn how to use Easy-CD Pro, select Help Topics from the Help menu. We suggest you start by reading the help section entitled Working with CD-Recordable Technology, especially (but not only) if you are new to CD-Recordable technology.


a-characters

Capital A to Z, digits 0 to 9, and the following symbols: (space) !  % & ’ ()=*+,-./:;<?>_


A-Time

Absolute-time. In CD-DA, the time elapsed since the beginning of the disc. Can be used in determining the start and stop times of sound segments for programming an application on a mixed-mode disc, measuring from the very beginning of the data area (including the computer data in Track 1).


Access Time

The time it takes to retrieve a piece of information. With hard disks or compact discs, maximum access time is measured as the time it takes to move from one end of the disc to the other, find a piece of information, and transfer that information to RAM.


ASPI

Advanced SCSI Programmer’s Interface. Set of software primitives and data structures which allow software using the ASPI interface to be SCSI host adapter-independent.


Authoring

Authoring is what you do to create an application before you are ready to write to CD. For example, if you wish to create a multimedia game or presentation you will need authoring software that allows you to combine sound, graphics, and text into an application.

When you have finished creating your application with an authoring software, you can use Easy-CD Pro to write it to CD.


Barcode

A unique code for a compact disc. With recordable CDs, this number is often printed in the clear inner ring of the disc.


Buffer

An amount of memory which temporarily stores data to help compensate for differences in the transfer rate of data from one device to another.


Buffer Underrun

The error that occurs when a CD recorder's buffer is emptied during recording.


Cache

A portion of RAM used for temporary storage of data which must be accessed very quickly. In CD-ROM applications, the cache is typically used to store directory files.


Caddy

The plastic and metal carrier into which a CD must be inserted before it is loaded into some CD-ROM drives or CD recorders.


CD Plus

A multisession disc containing n audio tracks in the first session, and one CD-ROM XA data track in the second session. Additional characteristics are defined in the Blue Book standard.


CD-DA

Compact Disc-Digital Audio. The standard under which CD-DA discs are recorded is known as the Red Book; it was jointly developed by Philips and Sony, and is the worldwide standard to which all digital audio CDs and audio CD players adhere. CD-DA requires sound files to be written at a frequency of 44.1 kHz and a sample size of 16 bits; this results in a storage size of approximately 10 megabytes of memory per minute. CD-DA discs can be played back from a stereo CD player, or from a CD-ROM drive through speakers or headphones attached to the drive’s output jack.

An audio disc may contain up to 99 tracks, each usually representing a separate piece of music.


CD-I

Compact Disc-Interactive, a compact disc format designed to allow interactive multimedia applications to be played through a small computer/disc player on a home television screen. Especially good for real-time animation, video, and sound. The CD-I standard is also known as the Green Book.


CD-I Bridge

A set of specifications defining a way of recording CD-I information on a CD-ROM XA disc. Used for Photo CD and Video CD.


CD-R

Compact disc-recordable.


CD-ROM

Compact Disc-Read Only Memory. A standard for compact disc to be used as a digital memory medium for personal computers. Jointly developed by Sony and Philips and launched in 1985, the specifications for CD-ROM were first defined in the Yellow Book.


CD-ROM Drive defined
CD-ROM Drive

A peripheral device attached to a computer which allows it to read/play a CD-ROM disc. All CD-ROM players can also play back audio CDs, but you need external headphones or speakers to hear them.


CD-ROM XA

XA stands for Extended Architecture. CD-ROM XA is an extension of the Yellow Book standard, generally consistent with the ISO 9660 logical format but designed to add better audio and video capabilities (taken from the CD-I standard) so that CD-ROM can more easily be used for multimedia applications. CD-ROM XA is also the physical format for Photo CD discs.


CIRC

Cross-Interleaved Reed-Solomon Code. The first level of error correction used in every compact disc, and the only one used for audio CDs. It consists of two Reed-Solomon codes interleaved crosswise. Now you know!


Close Disc

(Setting available in the General tab.) To close (or finalize) a recordable disc so that no further data can be written to it. This is done when the last session’s lead-in is written -- the next writeable address is not recorded in that lead-in, so the CD recorder in subsequent attempts to write has no way of knowing where to begin writing. It is NOT necessary to close a disc in order to read it in an ordinary CD-ROM drive.


Close Session defined
Close Session

When a session is closed, information about its contents is written into the disc’s Table of Contents, and a lead-in and lead-out are written to prepare the disc for a subsequent session. It is necessary to close a session in order to read its contents on an ordinary CD-ROM drive.

Easy-CD Pro automatically closes a session when a write operation is completed.


d-characters

Capital A to Z, digits 0 to 9, and the underscore symbol ( _ ).


Data Area

In ISO 9660, the space on a CD-ROM where the user data is written. It begins at the absolute or physical address 00:02:16, immediately following the System Area.


Disc-at-Once

A method of writing more than one track on a disc without ever turning off the recording laser between tracks, so that no run-in/run-out blocks are written. Preferable when an audio disc will be replicated in a disc factory.


ECC

Error Correction Code. A system of scrambling data and recording redundant data onto disc as it is premastered. On playback this redundant information helps to detect and correct errors that may arise during data transmission.


EDC

Error Detection Code. 32 bits in each sector which are used to detect errors in the sector data.


File System

A data structure that translates the physical (sector) view of a disc into a logical (files, directories) structure, which the application and user can more easily use to locate files. See also Logical Format.


Gold Disc

The recordable disc used in CD-R systems. The blank disc is made, like all other compact discs, of a bottom layer of polycarbonate, but instead of having a series of pits and lands stamped into it, it contains a preformed track spiral, which the recording laser beam will follow when writing information onto the disc. A translucent layer of recordable material (green or yellow-green) is laid on top of the polycarbonate, then a reflective layer of gold. Then a layer of lacquer and a label are applied.


Green Book

The Philips/Sony specification for CD-I.


Header Field
Header

Four bytes recorded at the beginning of each sector which tell the address of the sector (expressed as a Logical Block Number) and the mode in which the sector is recorded.


HFS

The file system used by the Macintosh operating system to organize data on hard and floppy disks. Can also be used for CD-ROMs.


High Sierra Format

The standard logical format for CD-ROM originally proposed by the High Sierra Group, on which the ISO 9660 standard is based; essentially identical to ISO 9660, and now defunct as a separate standard.


Hybrid

Under the Orange Book standard for recordable CD, hybrid means a recordable disc on which one or more sessions are already recorded, but the disc is not closed, leaving space open for future recording. However, in popular use the term hybrid often refers to a disc containing both DOS/Windows and Macintosh software, which on a DOS/Windows platform is seen as a normal ISO 9660 disc, while on a Mac it appears as an HFS disc.


ISO 9660

An international standard which specifies how data is arranged (its logical format) on a CD-ROM.


ISO 9660 Interchange Levels

These are three methods of recording and naming files on disc under the ISO 9660 standard. They are organized in three nested, downward-compatible Levels.

In Level 1 (the most restrictive):

•	Each file must be written on disc as a single, continuous stream of bytes -- files may not be fragmented or interleaved.

•	A filename may not contain more than eight d-characters (the letters A through Z, the numerals 0 through 9, and the underscore symbol "_".

•	A Filename Extension may not contain more than three d-characters.

•	A directory name may not contain more than eight d-characters.

In Level 2, again, each file must be written on disc as a single, continuous stream of bytes.

In Level 3 there are no restrictions.


ISO 9660 Image

Or CD-ROM image, image, disc image, real ISO image. A single large file which is an exact representation of the whole set of data and programs as it will appear on a CD, in terms of both content and logical format.


ISRC

International Standard Recording Code. Some recorders allow the ISRC to be recorded for each audio track on a disc. The code is made up of: Country Code (2 ASCII characters), Owner Code (3 ASCII characters), Year of Recording (2 digits), Serial Number (5 digits).


Joliet

A standard eveloped by Microsoft for Windows 95 to allow CDs to be recorded using long filenames (it also allows for using the Unicode international character set). For files recorded to CD, Joliet allows you to use filenames up to 64 characters in length, including spaces. Joliet also records the associated DOS-standard name (8 + 3 characters) for each file so that the disc may be read on DOS systems or earlier versions of Windows.

WARNING:

Versions of Windows NT up to 3.51 build 1057 do not read Joliet discs. This should be corrected in a future version; contact Microsoft for more information.


Lead-In

An area at the beginning of each session on a recordable compact disc which is left blank for the session’s Table of Contents (track numbers and start-and-stop points). The lead-in is written when a session is closed, and takes up 4500 sectors on disc (1 minute, or roughly 9 megabytes). The lead-in also indicates whether the disc is multisession, and if the disc is not closed, which is the next writeable address on the disc.


Lead-Out

The area at the end of a session which indicates that the end of the data has been reached; there is no data written in the lead-out. The first lead-out on a disc is 6750 sectors (1.5 minutes, about 13 megabytes) long; any subsequent lead-outs are 2250 sectors (.5 minute, about 4 megabytes).


Linked Multisession

A disc containing more than one session, in which all of the data in the various sessions on disc can be seen as if it had all been recorded in one single, large session.


Logical Block

The smallest addressable space on a disc. Each logical block is identified by a unique Logical Block Number (LBN), assigned in order starting from 0 at the beginning of the disc. Under the ISO 9660 standard, all data on a CD is addressed in terms of Logical Block Numbers. At present, CD recording is supported at one Logical Block per logical sector.


Logical Format

A logical file format such as ISO 9660 translates the sector-by-sector view of a compact disc into a virtual tree of directories and files, which makes it easier for both humans and computers to use the information on the disc.


Mastering

Technically, refers to the process of creating a glass master from which compact discs will be reproduced in quantity. Data is read from a tape or recordable CD to a powerful modulated laser beam that engraves the corresponding pits into a photoresistant surface. In desktop recordable CD systems, mastering is done together with premastering by the desktop CD recorder, and the term mastering is used to mean recording in general.


Mixed-Mode Disc

A compact disc including both data and audio tracks. The data is written in CD-ROM or CD-ROM XA format in the first track of the disc, and the audio in CD-DA format in one or more following tracks.


Mode

There are two recording modes for compact discs. In Mode 1, used with CD-ROM, 288 bytes of each sector are used for storing error correction code, and the remaining 2048 bytes per sector are available for user data. Mode 2, used in CD-I and CD-ROM XA, has two forms: Form 1 is similar to Mode 1, as it is also used to record data that requires error correction; Form 2 is used for recording information such as sound or images which do not require such extreme precision. Since less error correction is needed, more bytes in the sector can be freed for information storage, resulting in a data area of 2336 bytes per sector.


Mount

To install a compact disc so that the computer recognizes its presence and can read data from it.


MSCDEX

Microsoft DOS extensions for CD-ROM. Allows the DOS operating system to recognize a CD-ROM as a DOS volume.


Multisession

A compact disc to which data is added incrementally in more than one recording session. If data is linked between session, all data on a multisession disc, when read on a multisession CD-ROM drive, may be seen as part of a single logical structure.


On the Fly

To write on-the-fly means to write to CD data referenced in a file list without first writing a real ISO 9660 disc image.


Orange Book

The Philips/Sony specification for Compact Disc Magneto-Optical (CD-MO) and Write-Once (CD-WO) systems -- in other words, the standard by which recordable CDs are recorded.


Packet Writing

A method of CD recording in which data can be written in much smaller chunks than are possible with the current Disc-at-Once and Track-at-Once methods. Not currently supported by most CD recorders or operating systems, and not possible with Easy-CD Pro. Contact Incat for more information about new software we will be releasing to support packet writing.


PCA

(Power Calibration Area). A space reserved at the beginning of the disc for calibrating the laser to record to that disc.


Photo CD

A compact disc format based on the CD-ROM XA and Orange Book Hybrid Disc specifications, used to store photographic images for display and printing.


PMA

(Program Memory Area) On a recordable disc, an area which temporarily contains track numbers and their starting and stopping points (that is, the session Table of Contents) when tracks are written in a session which is not yet closed. When the session is closed, this same TOC information is written in the session lead-in.


Pre-Gap

A space dividing tracks, recorded before the track data area. The length of the pre-gap varies with the CD recorder, the types of tracks being recorded, and whether recording is done in Track-at-Once or Disc-at-Once mode.

Gaps in Track-at-Once recording:

The pre-gap length varies depending on the types of tracks being separated and the CD recorder used:

Track Types	Gap
CD-ROM followed by...
Audio	2 or 3 seconds*
CD-ROM	2 seconds
CD-ROM XA	3 seconds
CD-ROM XA followed by...
Audio	2 or 3 seconds*
CD-ROM	3 second
CD-ROM XA	2 seconds
Audio followed by...
Audio	2 seconds
CD-ROM	3 seconds
CD-ROM XA	3 seconds
*According to the standards the gap between a data track and an audio track should always be 2 seconds, but some recorders automatically write a 3-second gap.

Gaps in Disc-at-Once recording:

Note:

Disc-at-Once recording is not supported by all CD recorders!

Track Types	Gap
CD-ROM followed by...
Audio	2 seconds
CD-ROM	2 seconds
CD-ROM XA	3 seconds
CD-ROM XA followed by...
Audio	2 seconds
CD-ROM	3 second
CD-ROM XA	2 seconds
Audio followed by...
Audio	0 seconds
CD-ROM	3 seconds
CD-ROM XA	3 seconds


Premastering

The process of preparing data to be mastered onto a compact disc. It includes breaking the data into logical blocks and recording those blocks with the appropriate header (address) and error correction information. The result of premastering may be a tape ready to go for mastering, or, in the case of recordable CD systems, premastering and mastering are done in one operation, resulting in a ready-to-read compact disc.


Red Book

The Philips/Sony specification for audio (CD-DA) compact discs.


Replication

Or duplication. The factory process of making multiple copies of a compact disc by injection-molding.


Romeo

An option in Easy-CD Pro which allows you to write files to disc with names up to 128 characters long, including spaces. This is not part of the Joliet standard, the Unicode character set is not supported, and there is no provision for associated DOS filenames. Romeo filenames can be read on Windows 95 and NT systems. Romeo discs can be read on Macintosh systems if the filenames are not longer than 31 characters. Do not use Romeo if your disc must be read in other conditions.


Run-In/Run-Out Blocks

Whenever the recording laser is turned off after writing, two run-out blocks are written. When it is turned back on again, one link block and four run-in blocks are written.


SCSI

Small Computer System Interface (pronounced scuzzy). An interface which allows up to eight peripheral devices to be linked to a single controller. All CD recorders are connected via a SCSI host adapter card.


Sector

The smallest recordable unit on a CD. A disc can contain [(75 sectors per second) x (60 seconds per minute) x (number of minutes on disc)] sectors. The amount of data contained in the sector depends on what physical format and mode it is recorded in; for regular CD-ROM (Mode 1) data, you can fit 2048 bytes (2 kilobytes) of data into a sector.


Session

As defined under the Orange Book, a recorded segment of compact disc which may contain one or more tracks of any type (data or audio).


Table of Contents (Disc)

Shows the number of tracks recorded on disc, their starting locations, and the total length of the data area of the disc.


Track

Every time you write to CD, you will create at least one track. Any session may contain one or more tracks, and the tracks within a session may be of the same or of different types (for example, a mixed-mode disc contains data and audio tracks).


Track-at-Once

A method of disc writing in which the recording laser is turned off after each track is written, and on again when a new track is written. This means that run-in/run-out blocks will be written between tracks.


UPC

Universal Product Code. With some CD recorders, you may define a thirteen-digit UPC catalog number for the entire disc, which will be written in the disc’s Table of Contents. Also known as EAN.


Video CD

A reproduction system to present full motion pictures with associated audio by using the Compact Disc format. The video and sound are compressed together using the MPEG 1 standard, and recorded onto a CD Bridge disc.

A Video CD disc contains one data track recorded in CD-ROM XA Mode 2 Form 2. It is always the first track on the disc (Track 1). The ISO 9660 file structure and a CD-I application program are recorded in this track, as well as the Video CD Information Area which gives general information about the Video CD disc.

After the data track, video is written in one or more subsequent tracks within the same session. These tracks are also recorded in Mode 2 Form 2. The session is closed after all tracks have been written.


Volume

Under the ISO 9660 standard, a single CD-ROM disc.


Volume Descriptors

In ISO 9660, a set of information on the disc containing information about the CD and how the computer should read it.


Yellow Book

The book which sets out the standard developed by Philips and Sony for the physical format of compact discs to be used for information storage.


Help Version

01/30/96


How to Write an Audio Disc

NOTICE:

Easy-CD Pro is designed to assist you in reproducing material in which you own the copyright or have obtained permission to copy from the copyright owner. Unless you own the copyright or have permission to copy from the copyright owner, you may be violating copyright law and be subject to payment of damages and other remedies. If you are uncertain about your rights you should contact your legal advisor.

Overview of Steps:

1	Prepare the tracks you will want to record to CD:

•	If you will want to copy tracks from other audio CDs, use Windows' CD Player to register the disc's title and author, and the individual song titles if you wish.

•	You can also record tracks from Wave files prepared on hard disk.

2	Build an Audio Tracks list.

3	Record the Audio Tracks list to CD.

Tip:

Use the CD Copy function to copy an audio disc from start to finish.

  Related topics.


How to Build an Audio Tracks List

1	Launch Easy-CD Pro.

2	Select New from the File menu or click [image] on the Toolbar.

3	Select "CD-DA" in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

4	Set Writing Parameters in the General tab.

5	Click on the Audio Tracks tab.

6	Insert the first source audio disc into your source CD-ROM drive. If you have not already done so, use the Play List function in Windows' CD Player to supply names for the disc, artist, and tracks.

7	Select the track(s) you wish to add to your compilation in the Windows Explorer (unfortunately, you cannot drag them directly from the Windows CD player). Drag them from into the Audio Tracks list. The author, disc title, and track title information will be displayed in the track list.

 Note to NT Users

 Selecting Multiple Items in Windows Explorer

8	You can add Wave files to the list simply by dragging and dropping them from the Windows Explorer, File Manager, or any other desktop window.

9	Tracks are recorded in the order shown in the list. You can use the [image] and [image] buttons to rearrange them.


Note to NT Users

As of this writing (February 5, 1996), audio tracks on CD are not shown in File Manager in Windows NT. Therefore you cannot create an audio compilation copying tracks from disc to disc; you will first have to copy all the desired tracks to hard disk as Wave files using the Read Track function, then create an Audio Tracks list by dragging and dropping the Wave files from File Manager.

The new Windows NT interface currently in beta testing will show audio tracks on CD; contact Microsoft for more information.


How to Set Disc and Song Titles in the CD Player

When you insert an audio CD into your CD-ROM drive, Windows' CD Player may automatically start playing the disc. If so, Auto Insert Notification is turned on and you should turn it off.  (You can launch the CD Player from the Startup menu, or by clicking here [image].)

You can use the CD Player's Edit Play List function to enter add author, title, and track names for the disc. This information is stored in your system, and the CD will automatically be recognized every time you put it back in your drive.

The author, disc title, and track title information that you enter here will appear in the Easy-CD Pro Audio Tracks list, and can be used to print a track list for the disc.

Note:

It is important to enter at least the author and/or title for each disc so that you will know which disc to insert when Easy-CD Pro prompts you during recording!

Track and disc names are NOT shown in Explorer or File Manager; you will only see track numbers.


Preparing Wave Files for Recording to CD

With Easy-CD Pro, you can record to CD Wave files stored at 44.1 kHz, 16-bits, stereo.

Audio tracks copied to hard disk from your CD recorder using the Read Track function are automatically saved in this format.


Using Your CD Recorder to Copy Audio Tracks to Hard Disk

You can check the CD Recorder tab in Disc Info and Tools to see whether your CD recorder can read digital audio tracks. If it can, you can use the Read Track function to copy your audio tracks from the CD recorder to the hard disk as Wave files, and then record them to CD by including them in your Audio Tracks list.


How to Record an Audio Tracks List

Warning:

If you will be copying tracks from a CD, you should turn off Auto Insert Notification for your source CD-ROM drive before launching the writing process.

1	Insert a blank recordable CD into your CD recorder.

2	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.

3	If your Audio Tracks list includes tracks to be copied from CD, a dialog box will display a list of the source discs that will be needed for recording. Click on OK. You will be prompted to insert the first source disc into your source CD-ROM drive.

4	When all the tracks from this disc have been written to CD, you will be prompted for the next disc, and so on, until writing is completed. Wave files are recorded without further user intervention.

5	When all tracks have been written, the session is closed (and also the disc, if you had selected Disc-at-Once in the General tab).


How to Print an Audio Tracks List

This version of Easy-CD Pro does not include a printing function which would allow you to print directly from the Audio Tracks list. However, you can easily print a copy of it using standard Windows functions:

1	Open the Audio Tracks tab and size the Easy-CD Pro window so that it is as wide as the paper jewel case insert of your CD (12 cm). Make the window long enough vertically so that all the tracks are visible.

2	Press the ALT and PrtSc keys on your keyboard simultaneously. This makes a screenshot of the active window and saves it to the Windows clipboard.

3	Open Windows' Paint application from the Start menu or click here:

4	In Paint, select Paste from the Edit menu or press the Ctrl and V keys on your keyboard simultaneously. A picture of the Audio Tracks tab will be copied into the Paint window.

5	Select Print from the File menu.


How to Write a Mixed-Mode Disc

There are two methods for making a mixed-mode disc:

•	Write the data track on the fly from a Data Track list.

•	Write the data track from a real ISO image.


How to Make a Mixed-Mode Disc on the Fly
How to Write a Mixed-Mode Disc On the Fly

1	Prepare the Wave files you wish to record.

2	Launch Easy-CD Pro.

3	Select New from the File menu or click [image] on the Toolbar.

4	Select "Mixed-Mode CD" in the CD Type dialog and click on OK.

5	Set Writing Parameters and the CD Format in the General tab.

6	Set filename options in the File Names tab.

7	Fill in any desired Volume Descriptors in the Volume Info tab.

8	Click on the Data Track tab to open the empty file list.

9	Drag and drop into the file list the files/folders you want to write to disc. You can drag them from the Windows Explorer or any other desktop window.

10	Click on the Audio Tracks tab to open the empty track list.

11	Drag and drop into the list the audio files you want to write to disc; you can drag them from the Windows Explorer or any other desktop window.

12	Insert a recordable CD into your CD recorder.

13	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.


How to Write a Mixed-Mode Disc Using a Real ISO Image

1	Prepare a real ISO image of your data files.

2	Select New from the File menu or [image] from the Toolbar.

3	Select "Mixed-Mode CD" in the CD Type dialog. Click the check box for "Write data track from a real ISO image on hard disk," and click on OK.

4	Set Writing Parameters in the General tab.

5	In the Image File tab, select the .iso file you just wrote to hard disk. You can use the Browse button to locate it. Information about the track is given in the lower part of the tab.

6	Click on the Audio Tracks tab to open the empty track list.

7	Drag and drop into the list the audio files you want to write to disc. You can drag them from the Windows Explorer or any other desktop window.

8	Insert a recordable CD into your CD recorder.

9	Click [image] on the Toolbar, or select Write! from the CD-Recorder menu.


New
New command (File menu)

To create a new .ECD project in the main window. You can open an existing .ECD project with the Open command. If you are preparing an .ECD project and use the New command without having saved it, a dialog box will appear prompting you to do so.

An .ECD project includes all the settings you have made for this recording session, as well as all the files listed under the Data Track or Audio Track tabs and all of their settings. When you re-open an .ECD project, you will find everything set up exactly as it was before.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + F, N

Hotkeys: CTRL + N


Open
Open command (File menu)

To open an existing .ECD project. If you already have one open and have modified it since it was opened, you will be asked if you want to save it before opening a new one. If you answer NO, all changes will be lost. You can create a new .ECD project with the New command.

In the dialog box, type or select the project filename you want to open. This box lists only files with the extension .VCD; you cannot open any other type of file using this command.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + F, O

Hotkeys: CTRL + O


Save
Save command (File menu)

To save the open project at its current name and location. When you save an .ECD project for the first time, the Save As dialog box is opened so that you can name the file. If you want to save an existing project under a different name or location, use Save As.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + F, S

Hotkey: Ctrl S


Save As
Save As command (File menu)

To save the open project under a different name or location. To save an .ECD project with its existing name, use the Save command.

Shortcut

Keys: ALT + F, A


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
1, 2, 3, 4 command (File menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four .ECD projects you closed. Choose the number that corresponds with the .ECD project you want to open.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your Easy-CD Pro session. You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu. Easy-CD Pro prompts you to save .ECD projects with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Keys: ALT+F4


Select CD Recorder
Select CD Recorder command (CD Recorder menu)

When you launch Easy-CD Pro, if your CD recorder is powered on and connected it will automatically be recognized and installed. If you have more than one CD recorder, or if you turn it on after starting the program, select this command to choose the one you wish to record to. This setting will be maintained until your setup changes or you select this command again.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + C, S


Disc Info and Tools
Disc Info and Tools command (CD Recorder menu)

Opens the Disc Info and Tools and CD Recorder tabs.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + C, I


Eject/Tray
Eject/Tray command (CD Recorder menu)

Click to eject the CD recorder’s caddy or open its tray.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + C, E


Write!
Write! command (CD Recorder menu)

Begin writing (a test may be performed first, depending on settings in the General tab).

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + C, W

Hotkey: Ctrl W


Paste
Paste command (Edit menu)

You can use the Copy command in the Windows Explorer or a desktop window to select one or more items to paste to the Clipboard. Then use Paste in Easy-CD Pro to insert the items into the Data Track or Audio Tracks list.


Delete
Delete command (Edit menu)

Delete selected files/folders from the list.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + E, D


Delete All
Delete All command (Edit menu)

Delete all items from the list.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + E, A


Move Up
Move Up command (Edit menu)

Move the selected item up one place in the Audio Tracks or Data Track list.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + E, M


Move Down
Move Down command (Edit menu)

Move the selected item down one place in the Audio Tracks or Data Track list.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + E, O


Reparenting
Reparenting command (Edit menu)

By default, files and folders are recorded to CD with the directory structure (path) shown under the Name column in the Data Track tab, which is the exact path of the source files/folders on hard disk.

You can use the Reparenting function to record files to CD with a different path.


Refresh Totals
Refresh Totals command (Edit menu)

Click to refresh the total on the amount of data in the Data Track list when you add or remove items.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + E, R


View Toolbar command
Toolbar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in Easy-CD Pro, such as Open. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Toolbar is displayed.

See Toolbar for help on using the Toolbar.

Shortcut

Keys: ALT + V, T


Toolbar

The Toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The Toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Easy-CD Pro,

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the View menu (ALT, V, T).

Click	To
	Start a new CD writing project.
	Open an ECD project. Easy-CD Pro displays the Open dialog box in which you can locate and open the desired file.
	Save the active ECD project with its current name. If you have not named the .ECD project, Easy-CD Pro displays the Save As dialog box.
	When you launch Easy-CD Pro, if your CD recorder is powered on and connected it will automatically be recognized and installed. If you have more than one CD recorder, select this command to choose the one you wish to record to. This setting will be maintained until your setup changes or you select this command again.
	Opens the Disc Info and Tools and CD Recorder tabs.
	Eject the CD recorder’s caddy or open its tray.
	Begin writing (a test may be performed first, depending on settings in the General tab).
	Delete selected files/folders from the list.
	Delete all items from the list.
	Move the selected item up one place in the Audio Tracks or Data Track list.
	Move the selected item down one place in the Audio Tracks or Data Track list.
	Refresh the total on the amount of data in the Data Track list when you add or remove items.
	Display the opening screen of Help.
	Activate context-sensitive help.


View Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu item or depressed Toolbar button, and keyboard latch state. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.

Shortcut

Keys: ALT + V, S


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the Easy-CD Pro window. To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus. This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of Toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them. If after viewing the description of the Toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the Toolbar button.


Help Topics
Help Topics command (Help menu)

Opens help for Easy-CD Pro.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: ALT + H, H


Search for Help On...
How to Use Help command (Help menu)

Provides information on how to use Windows 95 help.

Shortcut

Keys: ALT + H, U


About Easy-CD Pro 95
About Easy-CD Pro command (Help menu)

Opens the About dialog box for Easy-CD Pro. You can double-click on the version number to see a complete list of CD recorders supported with this software release.

Shortcut

Keys: ALT + H, A


Help Using Help Command
Context Help command

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on some portion of Easy-CD Pro. When you choose the Toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark. Then click somewhere in the Easy-CD Pro window, such as another Toolbar button. The Help topic will be shown for the item you clicked.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the [image] button in the Toolbar.

Keys: SHIFT+F1


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window. It contains the name of the application and .ECD project.

To move the window, drag the title bar. Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.


Scroll bars

May be displayed at the right and bottom edges of the Data Track and Audio Tracks tabs. The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your vertical and horizontal location in the tab. You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the tab.


Size command (System menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note: This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse: Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note: This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Keys: CTRL+F7


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the Easy-CD Pro window to a button in the Taskbar.

Shortcuts

Mouse: Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.

Keys: ALT+F9


Maximize command (System menu)

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.

Shortcut

Mouse: Click the maximize icon [image] on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Shortcut

Keys: 	ALT+F4 closes the Easy-CD Pro window


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.

Shortcut

Mouse: Click the Restore icon [image] on the title bar.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.


The General Tab

In this tab you can set Writing Parameters and the disc format you wish to write.


The Image File Tab

The Image File tab is available when you choose "CD from an image" in the CD Type dialog box.

Browse

Select the real ISO image  file you wish to record by typing its full path and name into the text box, or you can use the Browse button to find the file.

Image File Info

When a file has been selected, the following information about it is given under "Image file info":

Gives the following information about the real ISO image you have selected:

•	The type of data recorded in the track.

•	Gives the ISO 960 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.

•	The ISO 9660 Creation Date of the data track.

Detect

Click to refresh the image info below, and to automatically set CD Format properties in the General tab according to the attributes of the image file.


The File Names Tab

Use to set file naming options for your disc and to exclude certain files from being written to disc.


The Load Contents Tab

Use to load file system information from a session previously written on a disc in order create a linked multisession disc.


The CD Type Dialog Box

In this opening dialog box, choose the type of disc you want to write:

•	CD-ROM

•	CD-DA

•	CD Copy

•	Mixed-mode CD

•	CD from an image


To make a standard ISO 9660 data CD in CD-ROM or CD-ROM XA format. For further details, see the help topic "How to Make an ISO 9660 Disc."


To make a disc-to-disc copy of an existing CD. Requires a CD-ROM drive to use as the source drive; the types of disc you can copy depend on the capabilities of the source drive. For further details, see the help topic "How to Make Backup Copies of CDs."


To make a mixed-mode disc (first track of data, additional tracks of CD-DA audio). If the data track already exists as a real ISO image on hard disk, click in the check box to "Write data track from a real ISO image on hard disk." For further details, see the help topic "How to Make a Mixed-Mode Disc."


To record to CD a real ISO image file already prepared on hard disk. For further details, see the help subtopic "Working with Real ISO Images" within the topic "How to Make an ISO 9660 Disc."


To record an audio disc (CD-DA). The source audio tracks can be Wave files on hard disk, audio tracks from existing CDs, or a combination. See the help topic "How to Make an Audio Disc."


Identifies the type of disc being written in this project.


You may fill in this box with text describing the project for future reference. This information is not written on the disc; it is only saved in the .ECD project.


Enter the path of a temporary folder where Easy-CD Pro can store its index files (and a real ISO image, if you choose to write one). The default is the system temporary folder. All temporary files are deleted when writing is completed.

DO NOT set your temporary directory to any volume which has less than 10 MB of space free! If you will be writing a very large number of files (more than 50,000) in a single session, you may need more temp space.


To write a real ISO image to hard disk, instead of writing your data to CD.

Enter the full path and name where you wish to store the real ISO image, or click on ISO File to open a Save dialog box.


Select the desired writing speed; the options available will depend on your CD recorder. You can click on the Speed Test button to see if the selected speed is correct for your system’s capabilities and the amount of data you want to record to CD; if not, a dialog box will suggest the optimum writing speed.

Note:

This test does not actually pass data to the CD recorder, but simply runs through the files to be written to see if your CPU and hard disk can maintain adequate throughput to write to CD on the fly. Even if the Speed Test results are positive, you should still select "Test before writing" the first few times you write to CD.


Write files directly from the Data Track list to CD, without first creating a real ISO image on hard disk.


Select "Test before writing" to perform a real test in which files are located on hard disk, opened, and passed to the CD recorder. The Write LED on your CD recorder may light up during testing, but nothing is actually being written to disc! This test is the most reliable indicator of whether CD recording will be successful.

If "Test before writing" is selected, you may also choose to begin writing automatically after a successful test, after the selected amount of time has lapsed, by making the appropriate setting in the "Start writing if test completes OK" list box. If you select "Do not start," you can still launch the writing process immediately after testing by clicking Yes in the dialog box that appears after a successful test is completed.


Set the session type (physical CD format) in which your disc will be written. For some types of discs this is set automatically.

Note:

The selection you should make here may depend on whether you intend later to make the disc multisession. See the help topic "How to Make a Multisession Disc" for details.


To close a recordable disc so that no further data can be written to it. It is NOT necessary to close a disc in order to read it in a normal CD-ROM drive.

However, it is recommended if you are creating a master disc for replication.


Write and close all tracks on a disc in one operation, without turning the writing laser on and off or writing link blocks. Requires a blank disc.

Recommended for audio and mixed-mode discs, and for data if the disc will be used as a master for replication.


For linked multisession. The data you are adding now will be linked to the data in the most recent session on the disc. After writing, all the data in the two sessions will be seen as if it were part of one large session. If the last session on disc was also linked to previous sessions, their files will also be seen.

Newer versions of files already recorded on disc may be overwritten, depending on the settings you make here below.


For linked multisession. Use if you prefer to link the new data to be recorded to a session other than the last one written on disc. Mount the disc in the CD recorder, check the "Select the track to load" check box, and select the desired track in the list that will appear below.

You can use the Eject button to eject the CD in the recorder, and Refresh to update the disc information when a new disc is loaded.


In recording multisession, you may have files already on disc whose paths and names are identical to those of files in the Data Track list. Select this option if you do not want files on disc to be overwritten by the (possibly newer) identical files in the list.


In recording multisession, you may have files already on disc whose paths and names are identical to those of files in the Data Track list. Select this option if you want the files on disc always to be overwritten by identical files in the list, regardless of whether the files already on disc are older than those in the Data Track list.


In recording multisession, you may have files already on disc whose paths and names are identical to those of files in the Data Track list. Select this option if you want the files on disc to be overwritten by identical files in the list only if the files in the Data Tracks list are newer than those already on disc.


Use this option to record discs with filenames which comply strictly with ISO 9660 Level 1 restrictions.


Your disc will be recorded with DOS-standard (8+3) filenames; any associated long filenames will be lost.


Filenames up to 64 characters long will be allowed. Readable on Windows 95 systems only.


Filenames up to 128 characters long will be allowed. Romeo discs can be read on Windows 95 and Windows NT systems, and on Macintosh systems if the filenames are shorter than 31 characters.


To exclude specific or certain types of files from the Data Track list during writing, you can use wildcards (with or without full or partial paths) or specific filenames (with full paths) as shown in the examples.


The only ISO 9660 Volume Descriptor available in DOS/Windows: the first 11 characters of the Volume Name are displayed with the DIR or VOLUME command, or in the Windows 95 Properties dialog box for the disc.


The operating system under which the application will run. Maximum 32 a-characters allowed.


If the CD you are preparing is part of a set of discs, every disc in the set may have the same name recorded in this field. Maximum 32 d-characters allowed.


Identifies the publisher of the disc. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.


Records the name of author of the content of the disc. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.


Records the name under which the application is known, if any. Maximum 128 a-characters allowed.


Authors can protect their work with a copyright notice stored in a file which must be placed in the root directory. The name of this file can be recorded here. The copyright file must be located, if present, in the root directory of the CD. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.


Records the name of an file stored in the root directory which describes the work. The abstract file must be located, if present, in the root directory of the CD. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.


Refers to a file, stored in any directory, containing bibliographic information such as an ISBN number. Maximum: 8.3 d-characters.


May be filled in in this format: year, month, day; hour, min, sec.


The total amount of data which will be written to CD. You can check the recordable disc in Disc Info and Tools to ensure that it has enough space free to contain your data. Click on [image] in the Toolbar to refresh the total data size when you add or remove items in the list.


The names and paths of the items you have added to the Data Track list.


The size of each item added to the Data Track list. For folders, this includes the total contents of the folder and any subfolders it may contain.


The type of each item added to the Data Track list.


The last modification date of each item added to the Data Track list.


The total number of tracks you have added to the Audio Tracks list.


The total time of the audio tracks in the list.


The total playing time of the disc, which includes the two-second post-gap which is added to each track.


Displays information about the tracks in the Audio Tracks list. For tracks to be recorded from existing CD audio discs, the track title, artist, and disc title are displayed if they have been entered in the Play List of the Windows CD Player. If a Wave file is included in the Audio Tracks list, its filename is given. Length in minutes:seconds and file type are given for both kinds of tracks.


Select the.ISO file you wish to record. You can use the Browse button to locate it. Information about the track is given in the lower part of the tab. You can use the Detect button to refresh the image info below, and to automatically set CD Format properties in the General tab according to the attributes of the image file.


Gives the following information about the real ISO image you have selected:

•	The type of data recorded in the track.

•	Gives the ISO 960 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.

•	The ISO 9660 Creation Date of the data track.


Click to refresh the image file info and to automatically set CD Format properties in the General tab for the selected image file.


Select the desired source device from which you wish to copy data to the CD recorder. The Unit area below will give the device’s model and type.


When your source CD is mounted in the selected device, you will see a dialog box saying "Scanning disc for content structures." After this process is finished, the total amount of data on the source CD and its type will be reported. You can click on the Refresh button to update this information when a new source disc is inserted into the source drive.


Gives the model and device type for the selected source SCSI device.


The CD recorder model.


The CD recorder manufacturer.


The firmware revision of the recorder.


The SCSI Host Adapter, ID, and Logical Unit Numbers.


Lists the disc formats which this recorder is capable of reading to hard disk in digital format.


Lists the speeds at which the recorder can read data. These are not always the same as possible writing speeds.


Shows whether this recorder is capable of reading UPC and ISRC codes.


Shows whether this recorder is capable of reading barcodes.


Lists the disc formats which this recorder can write to CD.


Lists the speed(s) at which this recorder can write to CD.


Shows whether this recorder can perform a real speed test. In such a test, data is passed to the CD recorder and the writing laser is turned on, just as in a write. The only difference is that the laser does not actually touch the disc surface.


Shows the size of the buffer in the CD recorder.


In Track-at-Once recording, each time a track is finished the writing laser is stopped, and each time the laser is stopped it writes Run-Out blocks. When starting again (to write a new track) it writes Run-In blocks, for a total of seven blocks (also known as link blocks) between tracks. With data tracks, the Run-In/Out blocks are ignored by CD-ROM readers and so do not disturb data transmission, but it is preferable to use Disc-at-Once recording for audio discs which will be duplicated at a disc factory.


In Disc-at-Once recording all tracks are recorded without ever stopping the laser, and the disc is closed, so there are no link blocks between tracks.


Shows whether this recorder is capable of writing UPC and ISRC codes.


The type of the disc. Possible types include:

•	CD-DA

•	CD-ROM

•	CD-ROM XA

•	CD-I


Displays the number of sessions on disc. For a recordable disc, if the last session written has been closed, a new session already prepared to accept the new track may also be listed, even if it is currently empty.


The total number of tracks on disc. Tracks are numbered consecutively from the beginning of the disc, regardless of how many sessions they are divided among.


Shows whether the disc is recordable.


Displays the amount of free space, expressed in CD sectors and in megabytes, available for recording on the CD. On a closed disc this value will always be zero, no matter how much space is actually left.


The total amount of space on disc, expressed in CD sectors and in megabytes.


(Not supported by all CD recorders!) Reports the thirteen-digit UPC (Universal Product Code), if any, for the disc.


(Not supported by all CD recorders!) Reports the barcode (if any) of the disc. On recordable discs, you will usually also find this number printed in the clear inner ring of the disc.


Session: A session may contain more than one track. On a recordable disc, you may see a final session which contains no tracks. This is because when you close a session without closing the disc, the disc is automatically prepared to accept a further session.

Track: Sequential number of the track; tracks are numbered in order from the beginning of the disc, no matter how they are divided among sessions. A disc can contain no more than 99 tracks.

Format: The physical format in which the individual track is recorded.

Address: Sector starting address of the track given as an absolute sector address on disc.

Length: The length of each track is given in CD sectors. It is also given in megabytes for data tracks and in minutes:seconds for audio tracks.


To copy selected track(s) to hard disk. For detailed instructions, see How to Copy a Track to Hard Disk.


Opens the Track Info dialog box giving more detailed information about an individual track.


To compare a track recorded on CD with its the real ISO image it was recorded from. Compare Track is not possible for tracks which were recorded on-the-fly. For detailed instructions, see To Compare a Track on CD with its Original Real ISO Image on Hard Disk.


If the selected track is damaged, you can click Recover to repair it. This function is not possible with all CD recorders!


If your disc contains an open session with one or more tracks in it, you may click on this button to close the session. It is necessary to close a session to read the data in it or, in the case of audio discs, to play the audio.


Gives the starting address of the selected track. (If more than one track is selected, this is grayed out.)


Gives the total length in sectors of the selected track. (If more than one track is selected, this is grayed out.)


Auto: Audio tracks will be copied at 1x speed, data tracks at the maximum read speed of your CD recorder.

nx: Set the desired read speed for this track copy. Possible speeds depend on the reading speed of your CD recorder, which is not always the same as its writing speed.


Type in the name (and, optionally, the full path) under which to save the file. If you do not include a path, the file will be saved to Easy-CD Pro’s working directory. Data tracks will be saved with the extension .ISO. Audio tracks will be saved with the extension .WAV. You can click on the Browse button to find the folder where you want to save the file, and give it a name. If you had selected more than one track, an incremental number will be given to each track as it is read and saved.


The copy protection bit is set for this track. (In any existing CD recording system the status of this bit makes no difference -- the track can be copied. Consider it, instead, a warning of copyright: if this bit is turned on, the copyright owner is making a clear statement that she does not want the disc to be copied.)


The type of data recorded in the track. Possibilities include:

•	Red Book Audio

•	ISO 9660


Gives the ISO 960 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.


The ISO 9660 Creation Date of the data track.


Possible values are:

•	Complete

•	Damaged

•	Incomplete


Set for audio which requires four-speaker playback.


If yes, the initial playback volume of an audio track has been raised by two decibels.


TheInternational Standard Recording Code is a code which may be assigned to individual audio tracks. It is a number made up of the following characters:

•	Country Code: 2 ASCII characters

•	Owner Code: 3 ASCII characters

•	Year of Recording: 2 digits

•	Serial Number: 5 digits


The track number on disc of the track you have selected to compare.


The type of data recorded in the track to be compared. Possibilities include:

•	Red Book Audio

•	ISO 9660


Gives the ISO 960 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.


The ISO 9660 Creation Date of the data track.


Auto: Audio tracks will be copied at 1x speed, data tracks at the maximum read speed of your CD recorder.

nx: Set the desired read speed for this track copy. Possible speeds depend on the reading speed of your CD recorder, which is not always the same as its writing speed.


The size in CD sectors of the track you have selected for comparison.


Enter the full pathname and name of the real ISO image to compare with the selected track on CD, or click on the Browse button to locate it.


Stops the entire recording operation.


Select to accept the suggested substitute name, or edit the substitute name and then click Yes.


Clicking on Yes to All means that you accept this suggested name, and that all other illegally-named files will also be renamed automatically without further prompting.


Select the format in which to close the session. Be sure you do not mix CD-ROM and CD-ROM XA sessions on the same disc!


Select this check box if you want to close the entire disc at the same time that you close the current session.


Retry the Read Track operation from the point where the error occured. For an audio track, this might mean you would hear a click in the track at that point when playing it back. To avoid this, use the Restart Track option instead.


Use this option to attempt reading the track again from its beginning.


Use this option to skip reading this track. If you had selected other tracks to be read, Easy-CD Pro will attempt to read the next selected track.


Use this option to abort the Read Track operation.


Select to accept the suggested substitute name, or edit the substitute name and then click Yes.


Clicking to accept the suggested new filename. All other illegally-named files will also be renamed automatically without further prompting.


Shows the original filename which is not compliant with the filename option you have selected in the File Names tab.


Shows the filename which Easy-CD suggests as a substitute for the original filename which is not compliant with the setting you have made in the File Names tab. You can edit the name given if you prefer.


By default, files and folders are recorded to CD with the directory structure (path) shown under the Name column in the Data Track tab, which is exactly the same directory structure as the source files/folders on hard disk.

You can use the Reparenting function to record files to CD with a different path.


Gives the total number of directories that will be written to CD. Any Files to Exclude you have set in the File Names tab will be considered in calculating this total; if you make changes to Files to Exclude or the Data Track list, click on [image] in the Toolbar to update this figure.


Gives the total number of files that will be written to CD. Any Files to Exclude you have set in the File Names tab will be considered in calculating this total; if you make changes to Files to Exclude or the Data Track list, click on [image] in the Toolbar to update this figure.


The CD Recorder Tab

The CD Recorder tab gives information about the technical specifications and reading and writing capabilites of your CD recorder.

Item in the Tab	Explanation
Product ID	The model number of the recorder.
Vendor	Who manufacturers/resells the recorder.
Firmware Rev.	The firmware revision of the recorder.
Buffer	The size of the CD recorder’s buffer.
SCSI Address	The SCSI ID, Logical Unit Number, and Host Adapter number.
Read Capabilities
Mode	The disc formats which this recorder is capable of reading (copying) to hard disk.
Speeds	The speeds at which the recorder can read data. These are not always the same as the possible writing speeds!
UPC and ISRC	Shows whether this recorder is capable of reading UPC and ISRC codes.
Barcode	Shows whether this recorder is capable of reading barcodes.
Write Capabilities
Mode	Lists the disc formats which this recorder can write to CD.
Speeds	Lists the speed(s) at which this recorder can write to CD.
Speed Test	Shows whether this recorder can Test before writing.
Track-at-Once	Shows whether this recorder can record in Track-at-Once mode.
Disc-at-Once	Shows whether this recorder can record in Disc-at-Once mode.
UPC and ISRC	Shows whether this recorder is capable of writing UPC and ISRC codes.


The Disc Info and Tools Tab

Disc Info and Tools can be used to examine any disc, recordable or commercially-produced, mounted in the CD recorder. The following information is given:

Item in the Tab	Explanation
Disc Type	Possible types include: • Audio • CD-ROM with first track in Mode 1 • CD-ROM XA with first track in Mode 2 • CD-I
Sessions	Displays the number of sessions on disc. For a recordable disc, if the last session written has been closed, a new session already prepared to accept the new track will also be listed, even if it is currently empty.
Tracks	The total number of tracks on disc.
Recordability	Possibilities include: • Blank • Gold recordable. • Silver or closed gold.
Free Sectors	Displays the amount of free space, expressed in CD sectors and in megabytes, available for recording on the CD. On a closed disc this value will always be zero, no matter how much space is actually left.
Total Sectors	The total number of sectors on disc.
UPC	(Not supported by all CD recorders!) Reports the thirteen-digit UPC (Universal Product Code), if any, for the disc.
Barcode	(Not supported by all CD recorders!) Reports the barcode (if any) of the disc.
Disc Table of Contents	This box gives detailed information about the tracks and sessions recorded on the disc.
Session	Sequential number of the session. A session may contain more than one track. On a recordable disc, you may see a final session which contains no tracks. This is because when you close a session without closing the disc, the disc is automatically prepared to accept a further session.
Track	Sequential number of the track; tracks are numbered in order from the beginning of the disc, no matter how they are divided among sessions. A disc can contain no more than 99 tracks.
Mode	Possibilities include: • CD-ROM (Mode 1) • CD-ROM XA (Mode 2) • Audio
Address	Sector starting address of the track.
Length	The length of each track is given in CD sectors. It is also given in megabytes for data tracks and in minutes:seconds for audio tracks.


Disc Tools

The following functions are available in the Disc Info and Tools tab:

•	Read Track

•	Track Info

•	Compare Track

•	Recover

•	Close Session

Note:

Not all of these functions are available with all CD recorders; availability of a certain function with a certain recorder will also depend on the type of track selected. See the individual commands for details.


Read Track

To read a track means to copy it (from a disc in the CD recorder) to hard disk. Most CD recorders can copy data tracks. Not all can copy audio tracks. Check the CD Recorder tab to see what your recorder supports.

A data track copied from CD is saved on hard disk as an ISO 9660 disc image with the extension .iso. An audio track copied from CD is saved as a Wave file with the extension .wav.

Procedure:

1	Insert the disc you wish to copy from into the CD recorder.

2	Click on the [image] button in the Toolbar or select Disc Info and Tools from the CD-Recorder menu.

3	Select the Disc Info and Tools tab. If necessary, click on the Refresh button to view information about the disc you have just mounted in the CD recorder.

4	Select the track(s) to copy from the box at the bottom of the Disc Info and Tools tab.

5	Click on the Read Track button. (This button will be grayed if your recorder does not support reading the selected type of track.)

6	If there are problems in reading the track, the Read Error dialog box will open.


The Track Info Dialog Box

Item in the Tab	Explanation
Data Content	The type of data recorded in the track. Possibilities include: • Red Book Audio • ISO 9660
Volume Name	Gives the ISO 9660 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.
Creation Date	The Creation Date of the data track, if any is recorded in its ISO 9660 Volume Descriptors.
Status	Possible values are: • Complete • Damaged • Incomplete
Copy Permitted	If yes, the copy protection bit is set for this track. (In any existing CD recording system the status of this bit makes no difference; the track can be copied. Consider it, instead, a warning of copyright: if this bit is turned on, the copyright owner is making a clear statement that she does not want the disc to be copied.)
4 Channels	Set for audio which requires four-speaker playback.
Pre-emphasis	If yes, the initial playback volume of an audio track has been raised by two decibels.
ISRC	The ISRC code, if any, recorded for the track. (Not supported by all CD recorders!)


Compare Track: Procedure
Compare Track

This function can be used for verification, by comparing a source real ISO image on hard disk with the same ISO image written to CD.

Procedure:

1	Insert the disc you wish to copy from into the CD recorder.

2	Click on the [image] button in the Toolbar or select Disc Info and Tools from the CD-Recorder menu.

3	Select the Disc Info and Tools tab. If necessary, click on the Refresh button to view information about the disc you have just mounted in the CD recorder.

4	Select the track you want to compare from the list of tracks in the scroll box, and click on Compare Track. The Compare Track dialog opens.

5	Use the Browse button to locate the real ISO image file on hard disk to compare with the track on CD.

6	Click Compare. A progress bar will be displayed as the comparison is made.

7	If differences are found, you will see a message saying "Verify failed at sector _____."


The Compare Track Dialog Box

Compare track... (track on CD)

Item	Explanation
Number	The sequential number on disc of the track selected for comparison.
Data Content	The type of data recorded in the track. Possibilities include: • Red Book Audio • ISO 9660
Volume Name	Gives the ISO 9660 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.
Creation Date	The Creation Date of the data track, if any is recorded in its ISO 9660 Volume Descriptors.
Size	The size in sectors of the track selected for comparison.
Speed	• Auto: Audio tracks will be copied at 1x speed, data tracks at the maximum read speed of your CD recorder. • nx: Set the desired read speed for this track copy. Possible speeds depend on the reading speed of your CD recorder, which is not always the same as its writing speed.
with track image file...

Enter the full pathname and name of the real ISO image on hard disk to compare with the selected track on CD, or click on the Browse button to locate it.

After the real ISO image is located, the following information is displayed:

Data Content	The type of data recorded in the track. Possibilities include: • Red Book Audio • ISO 9660
Volume Name	Gives the ISO 960 Volume Name, if any, of a data track.
Creation Date	The Creation Date of the data track, if any is recorded in its ISO 9660 Volume Descriptors.
Size	The size in sectors of the track selected for comparison.
If any of these factors do not match with those reported for the track on CD in the upper part of the dialog box, you know immediately that the comparison will fail because the tracks are not the same.


Close Session command

If your disc contains an open session with one or more tracks in it, you may click on the Close Session button in the Disc Info and Tools tab to close the session. It is necessary to close a session to read the data in it or, in the case of audio discs, to play the audio.


To Recover a Track

If a track on your disc is damaged, you can click Recover to try to repair it. This is not supported by all CD recorders, and does not work in all situations.


The Read Error Dialog Box

If there are problems reading a track, a dialog box will appear offering the following options:

Click	To
Retry	Try again to read the track from the point where the error occurred. If you are reading an audio track, this may cause an audible click in the track when it is played from hard disk or re-recorded to CD! To avoid this, use the Restart Track option instead.
Restart Track	Try reading the track again from its beginning.
Skip Track	Skip reading this track. If you had selected other tracks to be read, Easy-CD Pro will attempt to read the next selected track.
Abort All	Abort the Read Track operation.


Problems in Reading "Recordable discs
Problems in Reading Recordable CDs

If you have successfully completed a writing session but have problems reading the CD you wrote, there are a number of possible reasons:

•	If the disc can be read on the CD recorder but not on a normal CD-ROM drive, check in Disc Info and Tools to ensure that the session containing the data you just wrote is closed. CD-ROM drives cannot read data from a session which is not closed.

•	If your disc is ejected or an error message is reported in reading it, or you have random problems accessing files from it, the problem may be that your CD-ROM drive is not well calibrated to read recordable discs.

•	If you recorded the disc using the DOS filenames option in the File Names tab, but there are nonetheless difficulties in reading back the disc on DOS or Windows 3.1 system, it may be that the version of MSCDEX on that system is an older one with a known bug.


Problems in Reading Multisession Discs

•	Can you see only data recorded in the first session on the disc? If so, it may be that you recorded the disc in CD-ROM (Mode 1) format, while your multisession CD-ROM drive only recognizes CD-ROM XA (Mode 2) multisession discs.

 CD-ROM vs. CD-ROM XA Multisession Discs

•	Or it may be that your CD-ROM drive does not support multisession at all.

•	Can you see only data recorded in the last session? If so, you probably forgot to link your new data with data previously recorded on the disc by selecting a track in the Load Contents tab before recording.


CD-ROM Drive Incompatibility with Recordable discs
CD-ROM Drive Incompatibility with Recordable CDs

It sometimes happens that you write a disc apparently without trouble, and can even read it on your CD recorder, but when you put it in a normal CD-ROM drive, the disc is ejected, or you get error messages such as "no CD-ROM" or "not ready reading," or you have random problems accessing some files or directories. You may find that the problems vanish completely when reading the disc on another CD-ROM drive.

Unfortunately, there are compatibility problems with some CD-ROM drives, especially older ones, and CD-Recordable discs. Some CD-ROM drives' lasers were not calibrated to read recordable discs, whose surface is different from that of factory-pressed discs. If your CD-ROM drive reads mass-produced (silver) CDs but not recordable CDs, check with the CD-ROM drive manufacturer to determine whether this is the problem. In some cases an upgrade is available which will resolve the problem.

The combination of disc brand and CD recorder can make a difference. Check with your recorder’s manufacturer for a list of discs which they have certified for use with their recorder. (We do not attempt to provide such a list here, because CD-R media, like every other part of the industry, is constantly changing and improving.)


CD-ROM vs. CD-ROM XA Multisession Discs

Multisession discs are recorded according to the Orange Book Part II standard, which states that they can be written in either the CD-ROM or CD-ROM XA format. It should not matter which; a multisession CD-ROM drive should always look at the LAST session on a disc, no matter its format.

However, there have been misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the standard, largely for historical reasons. Multisession recording was first used by Kodak for Photo CD, because one roll of film does not fill up a Photo CD disc. When you take your disc and a new roll of film to be Photo CD’d, the new photos are added in a new session, which is linked to previous sessions so that you can see all the photos on the disc, no matter how many sessions they are recorded in.

Kodak chose CD-ROM XA for its disc format for reasons which had nothing to do with the Orange Book standard. But because Photo CD was the first reason that CD-ROM drive manufacturers had to create multisession drives, some assumed that the Kodak way to do multisession (CD-ROM XA) was the ONLY way. They accordingly wrote software drivers which assume that, to be multisession, a disc must also be XA. When one of these drivers sees a disc which is not XA, it assumes that the disc is also NOT multisession, and it tells the CD-ROM drive to read only the first session on the disc. The result is that a multisession disc is read as if it were a single-session disc, and you see only the data in the first session.

The drive manufacturers have largely resolved the problem in newer drives and drivers, but if you record a multisession disc in CD-ROM XA format you run the risk that some older drives, even if multisession, may not read beyond the first session on the disc. If you need to share multisession discs with others, you may want to test what their CD-ROM drives can handle, or, to be on the safe side, write your disc in the CD-ROM XA format.

WARNING:

You cannot mix formats on the same disc; a disc containing both CD-ROM and CD-ROM XA sessions would be unreadable on any drive!


MSCDEX Errors

Versions of MSCDEX prior to 2.23 had a problem in dealing with filenames which contain illegal characters. If a directory contains a filename with an illegal character in it, you will be able to see all the files by doing a DIR from DOS, and even open the illegally-named file. But one or more files listed after that one may not be accessible or may give errors. MSCDEX 2.23 appears to have fixed this bug. A similar problem has been reported with a third-party MSCDEX-type extension as well.


Numbered Error Codes

Some Easy-CD Pro 95 error messages include a numbered code in the form xxx-xx-xx-xx. Some of these messages are explained in this section; for others you will need to contact technical support. Please ensure that you write the numbers down accurately!


Error 175-xx-xx-xx

Explanation: This message indicates a buffer underrun.


Error 220-01-xx-xx

Explanation: This error code indicates that the software cannot communicate with a SCSI device, possibly because your SCSI bus was reset. In some cases this is caused by conflicts between real-mode and protected-mode SCSI drivers on a Windows 95 system. Try REMming out any SCSI drivers in your CONFIG.SYS file; the drivers provided with Windows 95 should be sufficient on their own.


Error 220-06-xx-xx

Explanation: This is a SCSI selection timeout error, indicating a SCSI setup problem. Please contact the maker of your SCSI host adapter.


Adding files to CD image...
Message: Adding files to CD image...

Explanation: As part of the process of preparing to record, Easy-CD Pro is creating a database of the files to be written to CD.


Buffer underrun at sector (filename).
Message: Buffer underrun at sector  ____. Ensure that the flow of data from hard disk to CD recorder is not being interrupted by other software, network accesses, or thermal calibration of your hard disk.

Explanation: CD writing is a real-time process which must run constantly at the selected recording speed, without interruptions. The CD recorder's buffer is constantly filled with a reserve of data waiting to be written, so that small slowdowns or interruptions in the flow of data from the computer do not interrupt writing.

This message indicates that for some reason the flow of data from hard disk to CD recorder was interrupted long enough for the CD recorder's buffer to be emptied, and writing was halted. If this occurs during an actual write operation rather than a test, your disc may be ruined.

In order to avoid buffer underruns, ensure that no screen savers or other TSR utilities are active which might momentarily interrupt operations, and that your working hard disk cannot be accessed via network.

The CD recorder’s position in the SCSI chain or the length of cabling between the computer and CD recorder may also cause data slow-downs; try connecting the CD recorder as the first peripheral in the SCSI chain, and keep the cable short.


Error reading the Table of Contents (TOC) or Program Memory Area (PMA) from the CD.
Message: Error reading the Table of Contents (TOC) or Program Memory Area (PMA) from the CD. You should NOT try to write to this disc.

Explanation: This disc has serious problems, perhaps from damage in a previous write. You should not try to write to it.


Fixing up...
Message: Fixing up...

The files in the Data Track list are being checked on the hard disk for potential problems such as hard disk corruption, and their length is computed in preparation for writing.


Generating  ISO 9660 image file...
Message: Generating  ISO 9660 image file...

Explanation: A real ISO image is being written to hard disk, because Write on the fly is DEselected or Write real ISO image is selected in the General tab.


Initializing
Message: Initializing

The CD recorder’s laser is calibrated and the disc is checked in preparation for writing. Writing should begin immediately after this, if there are no problems.


Loading file from previous track...
Message: Loading files from previous track to make linked multisession....

Explanation: This message appears when you have chosen to make a linked multisession disc. During this process the ISO 9660 file system information is being loaded from the track you chose in the Load Contents tab so that it can be linked with the new files which will now be recorded.


Mounting...
Message: Mounting...

The ISO 9660 disc structure is prepared on hard disk. This generates a large temporary file in your set temporary directory.


SCSI initialization failed. In order to run this program you must have WNASPI32.DLL installed and started.
Message: SCSI initialization failed. In order to run this program under Windows NT, you must have WNASPI32.DLL installed and started.

Explanation: If you are using Easy-CD Pro under Windows NT, you must have installed and started WNASPI32.DLL. This should have been installed automatically when you installed Easy-CD Pro; try reinstalling the software.


The current CD already contains a closed audio session. If you continue you may have problems to reading the last audio
Message: The current CD already contains a closed audio session. If you continue you may have problems reading the last audio session on some CD audio players. Continue anyway?

Explanation: Under the Red Book standard for audio CDs, all audio tracks must be written in a single session. If you add audio tracks in more than one session, playback results will be unpredictable. Most CD-ROM drives will play back all audio tracks on a disc even if they are recorded in several sessions. Most CD players will only play the tracks in the first session.


The current CD already contains tracks and or sessions that are incompatible with the requested operation.
Message: The current CD already contains tracks and or sessions that are incompatible with the requested operation.

Explanation: This error appears if you are trying to add data in a different format to a disc which already contains data, for example if you are trying to add a CD-ROM XA session to a disc which already contains a CD-ROM session. A disc containing both formats would be unreadable, so you are not allowed to record the different session type.


The current CD contains a session that is not closed. Close the session before writing further data to the disc.
Message: The current CD contains a session that is not closed. Close the session before writing further data to the disc.

Explanation: CD-ROM drives can only read back one data track per session, so you do not want to record another data track in an open session.


The currently selected source CD-ROM drive or CD recorder cannot read audio in digital format.
Message: The currently selected source CD-ROM drive or CD recorder cannot read audio in digital format.

Explanation: Reading audio tracks in digital format is NOT the same as being able to play the music. Few CD-ROM drives can read audio tracks in digital format.


The destination CD is smaller than the source.
Message: The destination CD is smaller than the source.

Explanation: There is not enough room on the recordable CD to copy the source CD.


The selected CD track is longer than the image file.
Message: The selected CD track is longer than the image file.

Explanation: The verify fails immediately because the source ISO 9660 image and the ISO 9660 track on disc are not the same size.


The selected CD track is shorter than the image file.
Message: The selected CD track is shorter than the image file.

Explanation: The verify fails immediately because the source ISO 9660 image and the ISO 9660 track on disc are not the same size.


The source image file was not prepared for the current CD. Write anyway ?
Message: The selected ISO image file was not prepared for the current CD. Write anyway ? (This is not likely to produce a readable disc!)?

Explanation: This error occurs if you had prepared the ISO image file for a blank CD and are now trying to record it to a CD containing data, or vice-versa. In either case you would write a disc that cannot be read at all because the disc addresses calculated for the ISO image are wrong for this disc!


Solving Problems

For set-up and connection problems with your CD recorder, refer to its user manual.  If you still have problems, please contact your CD recorder manufacturer’s or distributor’s technical support.  For problems arising from the Easy-CD Pro software, explanations of error messages and other potential problems are included in this on-line help.

If these resources do not help you resolve the problem, your first contact should be the reseller from whom you bought the software.

If your reseller’s technical support department cannot help you, you are welcome to contact Incat Systems’ technical support by calling (408) 379-9900 or faxing (408) 364-6597. In Europe call +39 (2) 3931-1341 or fax +39 (2) 3931-1374. In the rest of the world contact the office where sent your software registration card.

Technical support will not be provided without a valid software registration number.

Note:

Before calling, please fill out the tech support form you will find in the installation directory (TECHFORM.DOC), and send it to us by fax or e-mail; we can help you much more efficiently if we already have your system information in hand.

 Finding out the Extended Version Number of the Software


How to Find the Extended Version Number of the Software

Windows 95

1	In Windows Explorer, select the program executable file (ECDPRO.EXE); it is most likely in the directory \Program Files\Easy-CD Pro 95.

2	Click the right mouse button and select Properties.

3	In the Properties dialog box, click on the Version tab. The first thing in that tab is the File version, which should look something like 1,x,x,xxx.

4	Be sure to include this number in the tech support form!

Windows NT

View Properties for the program executable file (ECDPRO.EXE) in File Manager.


Incat On-Line

Incat Systems has a library and message center on CompuServe for technical support and information for users of all Incat products. If you are a CompuServe member, simply log on and type GO INCATS at any prompt to enter the CD-ROM Vendors B Forum, where you will find the Incat sections. The Incat library contains recent technical information as well as marketing and general-interest information on all Incat products. The message section is checked daily; questions and problems are responded to promptly.

If you are on the Internet, you can send messages to us at: 74431.2004@compuserve.com. We can also be found on several CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD publishing newsgroups and lists.

We are working on getting a Web site up; watch the newsgroups and lists for an announcement.