GetCdTimes -- Get Audio CD Timings

Bob van der Poel

14 March 2006

Version 1.2

Getcdtimes Scans an audio CD and returns the cddb ID, track offset data and track timings. It was written to return data to the Vmusic Database program.

Table of Contents

• Synopsis
• Description
• Options
• Installation
• Program Operation
• Bugs
• License

Synopsis

getcdtimes [ -i -t -f -c -s -v -h ] [ device ]

Description

Getcdtimes was written to get CD timing information and return it to the Vmusic database. It is necessary since I could not figure a way to do this in Python.

Options

-t Does not display the track timings.

-f Does not display the frame information.

-c Displays the grand total for the timing.

-s Displays time in seconds (default is MIN:SEC).

-v Displays the program name and version.

-h Displays a brief help message.

device The device to use to read from. By default, this is /dev/cdrom.

Installation

Installing this program is easier than this section might indicate. In an ideal world you would just let the ``make install'' routine copy the binary to the destination directory. The copy will work, but the program may not. Here's what you need to do (unfortunately, you'll have to be ``root'' for these steps to work).

The problem you have is that getcdtimes accesses hardware via the /dev/cdrom device. Normal Linux conventions say that a normal user shouldn't be able to do things like that.

Oh, and before we start, things are even more complicated. On most systems /dev/cdrom is a link to a real device; probably /dev/hdc or /dev/scd0. If this is the case, translate ``/dev/cdrom'' in the following discussion to the appropriate device. (For example, if it says ``chmod 666 /dev/cdrom'' you'll probably end up using ``chmod 666 /dev/scd0''.)

So, there are three ways to get it working:

• Change the permissions on /dev/cdrom so that anyone can access it. This is done with a command like ``chmod 666 /dev/cdrom''. This is not recommended due to security issues.

• Change the binary so that it runs in superuser mode. To do this you first change the owner of getcdtimes to root (chown root /usr/local/bin/getcdtimes) and then give superuser permissions to the program (chmod +s /usr/local/bin/getcdtimes). This is not recommended due to security issues.

• The recommended method is to create a group into which all permitted users are placed.

  • Examine the file /etc/group. There should be an entry which looks like:
    cdrom:x:22:bob,george

    if this line does not exist, create a ``cdrom'' group with the addgroup command. See the appropriate man page for details.

  • Add the approriate users to the group file (use a command like ``gpasswd -a bob cdrom'').

  • Set the permissions and group id on the device descriptor. This should be set, but if not something like:
    chgrp cdrom /dev/hdc
    chmod 660 /dev/hdc

    should work.

Program Operation

Insert a disk in your CD ROM drive and enter the command getcdtimes. The disc will be scanned and the following information will be displayed on stdout:

• ``ID'' followed by the unique CDDB id for this disc,
• ``TF'' followed by a list of track offsets (needed in CDDB entries),
• a digit (representing a track number) followed by the track length.

Bugs

None that I know of. Please report any problems to me: bvdpoel@kootenay.com

License

The program getcdtimes was written by Bob van der Poel in 1998-2002 and is copyright Robert van der Poel, 1998-2002.

It can be freely distributed according to the terms of the GNU General Public License (see the file ``COPYING'').

If you enjoy the program, make enhancements, find bugs, etc. send me a note:
bvdp@xplornet.com

Or a postcard (or even money) to PO Box 355, Porthill, ID 83853.

Current version maintained at: http://users.xplornet.com/~bvdp

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