CD Info.cidb?
Hi - here's hoping...
Does anyone know how to make sense of the CD info.cidb?
Specifically I'd like to be able to get a print copy of the cd's that my computer recognises (as opposed to the ones in my library) Most of my cd collection I have retrieved cddb info for, though not all of it is on my hard drive. iTunes accesses this info when I play an unimported cd, So I thought someone must have figured out how - it opens in text edit but its complexity makes me hope someone else has figured it out!
As an add on, I'd also like to be able to merge two .cidb files from different computers, thereby saving me hours on the internet, but I suspect that I can;'t just paste them together! Any ideas?
Thanks ( and welcome back from your days off, Doug!)
Stuart
[822 byte] By [
cStu] at [2007-11-9 12:56:25]
# 1 Re: CD Info.cidb?
I've never been able to do much with the cidb file either. Back in OS 9 and earlier there was an app that would let you manipulate the stuff in it. I found the shareware iCDc (http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12568) at Version Tracker (which actually may be a reincarnated version of the app I remember) and it does some cool stuff, but doesn't combine. Give it a shot and let us know how it works at your house.
# 2 Re: CD Info.cidb?
thanks Doug that does the trick, and it did have an os9 incarnation
the author suggests merging by locating the albums I want to move and then copying and pasting so when I've got time ...
Stuart
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:26:12 >
# 3 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Hi, my question is this. I see hundreds of these files in mu user/library/preferences window. What are these, and can I get rid of these? Why do i need these. A real pain as i need to scromm down for ever... Are they needed for future use? If the album, cd infor is already in iTunes, i don't see why.
Thanks
M
# 4 Re: CD Info.cidb?
mixmastermateo
I suggest you download iCDC (mentioned earlier) and check through the bigger versions of the files to decide which one to keep. (One is normal).
I have no idea why you might be getting multiple versions. Does it create a new one every time you download disc info from the Advanced menu
Stuart
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:28:15 >
# 5 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Stu,
Hi, in fact there are 218 of these files. CD Info 1.cidb, CD Info 2.cidb, etc. Do i need these? I would imagine that the info on these was already imported to ITunes when I imported the cd. Also, it could always look up the info again through the internet data base. I also don't understand if these files are created when I burn a CD or import one. Do you know? I'd like to get rid of them if i don't need them.
Thanks
M
# 6 Re: CD Info.cidb?
mixmastermateo
without beig overly dramatic "there should be only one!"
look at them in list view and see which are the biggest and keep that/them.
the .cidb stores the info for a cd you've inserted and then "Got CD track names" for.
I imagine that somehow you are getting a new one each time you insert a CD and use Advanced menu>"Get CD Track Names" Do you have another app that might interfere with that procedure or try to automate it, perhaps?
Do you have a file called simply CD Info.cidb without the numerical? Perhaps that is locked (check Get Info from Finders File menu). Do you ever Repair Permissions using Disk Utility? That might help if you haven't before (and if it were a permissions issue),
... or perhaps it is corrupted so that can't write to it (create a folder in your Prefs folder called CD Info and put all the files in there, then get CD track info for a few CDs and see if it is creating separate files or wriing to one file - you can always put the others back, new pref files are created whenever they aren't found)
Stuart
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:30:18 >
# 7 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Hi, and thanks. No, do not have a file "simply called" CD Info.cidb. I think you are right. Yes, I usually hit(if it does not do it automaticallly) Get track names... that may be the problem. As for other apps that might interefere? No idea what that could be..yes, repair permissions all the time using Cocltail.
So, can i get rid of them without losing the info it stored in iTunes?
thanks;
M
# 8 Re: CD Info.cidb?
stu,
My bad. yes; do have a file labeled CDInfo.cidb with no number. But, it is not locked... It is actually found after number 218. Weird. I would think it would be the first entry.
M
# 9 Re: CD Info.cidb?
M
if you trash and empty trash you will lose whatever info (CD track listings etc) is in each file
If you move them into a different folder in the prefs folder (or anywhere else other than at the top level of that prefs folder) iTunes won't be able to find that info. Which means you can find out what it does when you start from scratch. I think with iCDC you can open different .cidb files and drag cd info from one window to another, which is a workaround.
I'd want to know why it's doing it though!
try moving them all out and see if iTunes starts to create a single .cidb file or if it continues to make new ones for each new cd
you can always move your old .cidb files back!
Stuart
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:33:21 >
# 10 Re: CD Info.cidb?
What size are these files anyways?? ;~)
Stuart
PS there is a similar occurence here:
< http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?128@@.689cae46>
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:34:24 >
# 11 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Hi, 508, 512, 520 KB etc. Small. What difference will that make? And, back to the original questions, above, do you think I can get rid of them?
Thanks
# 12 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Stu, yeah, that was my thread-Matthew. No answers there.
# 13 Re: CD Info.cidb?
M
yes you can get rid of them, you'll have to go to the internet again for track listings etc though for any CDs you insert.
What difference about the size? I was just wondering if a particular file contained more CD info than any other ( maybe you could try opening some in iCDC to see what is in them - it depends on whether you want to try and salvage any of them, or just download the info again, or just carry on as things are.)
iCDC has an option to queue CDs for checking against the online database - I haven't used that option but it looks like you could put all your CDs in one at a time select them in iCDC and then later, download the info for them all at once
500 KB looks like a lot more than one CD info - have you looked at it in Text Edit?
Stuart
PS I have no association with the application known as iCDC !!
cStu at 2007-11-15 17:37:27 >
# 14 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Hi, it looks like a list of all cds I've ever burned...
# 15 Re: CD Info.cidb?
Oh yeah, each one is exactly the same, weird.
# 16 Re: CD Info.cidb?
For some reason iTunes creates a copy of the CD Info file and adds a counter after the name. You can use iCDc (www.waehlby.com/icdc) to edit the files. The Finder will use the CD Info.cidb file to read track names for inserted Audio CDs.
iTunes writes the track and artist information to this file when burning a CD and when downloading CD information from CDDB/Gracenote. iCDc uses freedb to download the information and has several other features.
