The CDIni Database program is one I've been working on and updating for some time. Currently it appears to be my biggest project, with a code base of more than 8,700 lines. It was reasonably complex to create, with some of the search functions being the most complex.
You can download from here. (It is in my new installer package format, so I recommend you also download Universal Installer, but you don't have to.)
Try out the example 'Cdplayer.ini' content below (Post #4), if you don't have an existing file.
Artist INI Files
I've decided to upload a whole stack of Artist files (.ini) created with my copy of the program (i.e. Albums & Singles I've scanned in, etc). You can download the whole lot in a .zip file, or browse the alphabetical folders where the zip file is located. I will update these from time to time. You can store these wherever you like, but if you want the program to use them, then either import them, or probably better still, just store the names (etc) in the CD ID Search Dialog list, by browsing to them ... that way the program can just check & import them as needed (i.e. when you scan a matching CD).
INI_Files_Link.txt 299bytes
238 downloadsAnother good source for Artist files, that still seems to be available, even though it doesn't appear to have been updated since 2005, is here. Just check out the alphabetical section in the left frame.
If I can't find a CD in any of the files I've stored locally, then I just use CDex to query the FreeDB on-line database. You used to be able to download their files and create a local database version, but they may not be available anymore ... and they took all day (i.e. many hours to finish installing ... on top of being pretty hefty downloads as well ... at least initially and with only a 56k modem). My PC used to always crash (this was years ago), because of the many, many thousands of small files eating up the memory or something like that.
Screenshots
Main Window (Scan update)
Right-Click Context Menus
Artists
Albums
Tracks
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Item Text Editor ** UPDATED
Album Details Editor
Track Details Editor ** UPDATED
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Settings Dialog
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CDID Search Window
CD ID Search Results Dialog ** NEW
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Check & Report Dialog
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Check.jpg
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File Choice Dialog
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Choice.jpg
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Backup Dialog
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Backup.jpg
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Search Dialog
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Search.jpg
Search Results Window
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Results.jpg
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Compare window
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Comp.jpg
CDID Selector
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_SelID.jpg
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Music File Renamer
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Rename.jpg
New Name Preview
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Namprv.jpg
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Scan - Add New CD ** UPDATED
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~timbhall/timbhall/downloads/Screenshots/CDID_Scannew.jpg
I use this program in conjunction with CDex, Tagscanner and my own programs - Abbreviation Database, Export To Nero and TextFiles Joiner, etc. None of these programs are necessarily required to be used with the CDIni Database, but they make my audio file world nearly idylic (especially CDex, which I use to download CD info from FreeDB - because it saves to the Windows Cdplayer.ini file and saves me typing). Primarily I'm concerned here with burning CD Text, converting to Mp3 (wav, etc), tag editing, playlists, etc.
The CDIni Database program has one major requirement to get started, and that is, a populated Windows Cdplayer.ini file. While many new music programs now ignore this older database format file, there are still plenty of good ones around that read &/or write to it (i.e. CDex).
One of the major flaws with the Cdplayer.ini file, was the 64kb limit on older versions of Windows. If you have upwards of Win2000, then the limit is no longer so small. On top of that, my CDIni Database program converts entries from the Cdplayer.ini file into multiple .ini files - making the limitation even harder to reach.
The CDIni Database program can check for new entries in the Cdplayer.ini file and import them, plus if you prune the Cdplayer.ini file, any missing entries that are required at a later date, can be exported back from the CDIni Database back into the Cdplayer.ini file.
While over the years since the Cdplayer.ini file first appeared in Win95, many people have created viewers and database converters for it. Some have been quite good, but none have done all I wanted, so I made my own.
Many of you are probably quite happy using Windows Media Player and it's current database format or one of the other myriad of players and databases. If so, then you don't need to use the CDIni Database. However, I like to get down and dirty and have more control over my audio files - that's why I still use the Cdplayer.ini file ... it's very easy to edit manually, but much easier with a program like the CDIni Database.
Over the years, I have made several programs to work with the Cdplayer.ini file. Most I no longer use very often and the others are now redundant because of my CDIni Database. Most were made using VB6, and one in particular was very handy, because it played middleman between the Cdplayer.ini file and other programs that like to access it. This program called CDLocate, worked somewhat similar to the Autorun menu that first appeared with WinXP. It ran when you inserted an Audio (or mixed) CD and gave you a GUI with buttons to start other programs. But more importantly, it retrieved CD details from other pre-specified files when the currently loaded CD did not exist in the Cdplayer.ini. If it found the details, it automatically exported them into the Cdplayer.ini. If not, then it could display another VB program of mine (CDEditor), to create them. Because many programs like Nero no longer check the Cdplayer.ini, I have not included this feature in the CDIni Database.
While the CDIni Database is quite a comprehensive program, it still lacks some features that I might add later. I may add the CDLocate ability if I ever find it would be handy, but I am more interested in giving it the ability to scan a CD and then interrogate FreeDB (I notice someone at the forum has already provided some code, that will maybe allow me to do just that). It would also be handy to incorporate an Editor with that feature, or on it's own. I may also incorporate more compatability with rarer ini keys like pic, burnt, lyrics, times, media, comments, etc. In particular, storing track times and year (if a compilation), would be a nice addition.
At some time in the future, I may even convert the program to a more modern (non ini) database.
Most of the details you need to know about the CDIni Database, can be found within the program.
Anyway, for those of you who have wanted a program like this (or find you do now), I hope you enjoy!
Edited by TheSaint, 09 March 2009 - 04:44 PM.
