Computer Info – June 14, 2000

This Week’s Program

        The topic this week will be writing a music CD with Rioport Audio Manager from MP3’s – using your rewriteable CDs for backup – and other topics dealing with writeable and rewriteable CDs.

Writing a Music CD with RioPort Audio Manager

        Place a writeable CD in your CD-RW drive. Click on the button labeled WRITE AUDIO CD. Next you have to click on SELECT TRACKS FROM DATABASE. Choose the songs that you want on the music CD and then click on OK -- you can choose MP3’s – wave files – or wma (windows media audio). The pie chart will let you know how much space is available on the CD or how many minutes of music that you are over the time (therefore, you must delete some songs from your list). When you are ready, click on the button labeled START WRITING. When it is finished, you will have your music CD.
        This program is capable of creating this music CD on a rewriteable CD (no formatting necessary) – just follow the steps above. The problem with using a rewriteable CD is that it is not compatible to all CD players or even computer CD drives – unless they are very new systems. I created one and it was recognized in my computer’s CD drive as an music CD – but our stereo system would not recognize it and the CD player in our 1998 Saturn would not recognize it. We have never had a problem with compatibility when you write the music CD to a writeable CD.

Using a Rewriteable CD for your Backup

        I use a rewriteable CD for creating a backup of my pictures and my data files before I finally get them added to a writeable CD.
        One thing to remember -- in order to use your rewriteable CD in this manner, IT MUST BE FORMATTED!!
        For my backup, I use a small batch file that I write in WordPad that looks something like this -----

cls
echo off
echo Place Backup CD in drive --- then press 'ENTER'
echo .......
echo .......
echo .......
pause
xcopy c:\mydocum~1\*.* e:\mydocum~1\ /s/e/d

What this file does is ----------
    cls (clears the screen)
    echo (show on the screen the words written after the word echo)
    pause (wait for the operator to press a key before continuing the procedure – giving you time to place your CD in the
            drive.
    xcopy (copies the files specified to your CD drive – creating the folder on your CD if the folder does
            not already exist -- and only copies files that do not exist on the CD or have a newer
            date than the one on the CD – indicating that it has been modified)

This works very well for me because I understand how to write it and then how to run it.

Using a Rewriteable CD with the Backup Utility

        One thing to remember -- in order to use your rewriteable CD in this manner, IT MUST BE FORMATTED!!
        The Backup Utility is found under PROGRAMS – ACCESSORIES – SYSTEM TOOLS – BACKUP. First you will be ask if you want to Create a New Backup – Open An Existing Backup – or Restore Backup Up Files. Since this will be your first time, you will choose CREATE A NEW BACKUP. Next you will be ask if you wish to backup My Computer (which is everything on your computer) or Backup Selected Files. You should choose BACKUP SELECTED FILES. On the next screen, you will be shown all of the drives on your computer (notice the plus sign to the left of each one). We are only interested in Drive C: - so click on the plus sign next to it and it will open up and show you your folders. Now you can determine which files that you wish to backup and place a checkmark in the box to the left of its name. By doubleclicking on a folder, it will open up and allow you to view the files that are in it.
        When you have finished selecting your files, on the next screen you will be ask if you wish to backup all the selected files or only the ones that have been added or modified since the last backup you had done. You probably wish to backup all the selected files. On the next screen, you will determine where you want to save the backup files. Let’s choose our rewriteable CD drive (normally E:). The file will be named MyBackUp.QIC – but you can give it another name. You will have to give this backup project a name (which will save all of the steps that you went through to set it up). Then press the START button (the one on the backup screen – not the START button that is on the taskbar).
        To restore these files, place your CD in your CD-RW drive and then run the backup program. This time you will choose to RESTORE BACKUP UP FILES. You can restore everything that you had backup up before – or restore only one file if you wish.

        So, what is the differences between these two types of backup systems, and why do I prefer my batch file? The Backup Utility that comes with Windows places all of the files that you are backing up into one file – therefore to see what files you did backup or to use one of the files – you must run the Backup Utility. When I backup using the batch file that I have created, then the files on the CD look exactly like the files I backed up and I can immediately know what is there and I can use (copy – delete – move) any file.

CD-Stomper – Using Their Art or Your Own

        SureThing CD Labeler is a software program for creating labels for your CDs – that is shipped with the CD Stomper. It comes with a lot of pre-designed backgrounds. To use them --- from the toolbar, choose the PICTURE TOOL – you will notice that your cursor has changed shape. Now draw a box where you want the picture or background to be. Remember, that the CD and the CD label are round, but you are drawing a square that will encompass the entire label. Since the background that are included with your program are all square, you do not have to worry about ASPECT RATIO. But if you are inserting one of your own pictures – the picture will be distorted – therefore, you must right click on the picture after it is inserted and choose OBJECT PROPERTIES. Then place a checkmark in the box for MAINTAIN ASPECT RATIO. If you then receive the error message about THE OBJECT EXCEEDS THE DESIGN BOUNDS – this is telling you that the width or height of the picture is larger than the CD label – change the height or the width to fit the CD label (the label is 4.5 inches square).