WMPCDText - CD-Text plug-in for Windows Media Player Options

[AlanV]

This is a GREAT plugin; thanks for making it available! I am using Windows Media Player 12.0.7601.17514 and WMPCDText 1.4.

I am also using CDBurnerXP to create CD's from some old audio cassettes and burning my own CD's. While the track information appears in WMP, the album information from my CUE sheet does not. (This information does display in VLC Media Player.) I would like to request this as a future feature for WMPCDText. Thanks!

Examples of my CUE sheet and related screen shots are at:
CDBurnerXP CUE Sheet Header Data for Audio CD's

[Tim De Baets]

If the album name and artist have been written correctly to the CD, then these should appear in WMP. Have you tried letting WMPCDText re-read the CD-Text? Or does restarting WMP help?

If you use CDex to read the CD-Text, does that show the album name and artist?

It seems that CDBurnerXP isn't capable of writing genre to CD-Text. The only way I know of to do this, is to use CDRDAO and a self-written TOC file.

[AlanV]

If the album name and artist have been written correctly to the CD, then these should appear in WMP. Have you tried letting WMPCDText re-read the CD-Text? Or does restarting WMP help?

Restarting WMP does not help, and I am not able to see the "Read CD-Text" option on the context menu when right-click on a CD track in WMP's Now Playing mode while my CD is playing. I am using Windows Media Player 12.0.7601.17514 with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 and WMPCDText 1.4. (I also tried this on my work computer with a slightly older build of WMP 12 with Windows 7 Professional (no SP) and WMPCDText 1.4).

If you use CDex to read the CD-Text, does that show the album name and artist?

It seems that CDBurnerXP isn't capable of writing genre to CD-Text. The only way I know of to do this, is to use CDRDAO and a self-written TOC file.

I will check out these other programs; thanks for the tips!

[Tim De Baets]

... and I am not able to see the "Read CD-Text" option on the context menu when right-click on a CD track in WMP's Now Playing mode while my CD is playing. I am using Windows Media Player 12.0.7601.17514 with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 and WMPCDText 1.4. (I also tried this on my work computer with a slightly older build of WMP 12 with Windows 7 Professional (no SP) and WMPCDText 1.4).

Please check if WMPCDText is loaded in WMP - it should be listed in WMP's Tools - Plug-ins menu, and should have a checkmark next to it (press Ctrl+M if you don't see the Tools menu).

Also, are you sure that it's an actual audio CD (and not, for example, a data CD containing MP3 files)?

Are you using the English version of WMP on both computers, or is it in another language?

[AlanV]

Please check if WMPCDText is loaded in WMP - it should be listed in WMP's Tools - Plug-ins menu, and should have a checkmark next to it (press Ctrl+M if you don't see the Tools menu).

Yes, it is checmarked on the Plug-ins menu.

Also, are you sure that it's an actual audio CD (and not, for example, a data CD containing MP3 files)?

Yes, it is a CD I burned from WAV files.

Are you using the English version of WMP on both computers, or is it in another language?

I have the English version of WMP on both computers. The work version is 12.0.7600.16667. (I will check Windows Updates from home tonight when I'm not behind a company firewall.)

[Tim De Baets]

In that case, the missing "Read CD-Text" option looks like a bug in WMPCDText. I can't reproduce it on any of my systems, so is it OK if I send you a special debug version of WMPCDText for you to try? If so, I'll PM you the download link and instructions tomorrow. Or if you prefer e-mail, PM me your e-mail address first. Thanks!

[AlanV]

In that case, the missing "Read CD-Text" option looks like a bug in WMPCDText. I can't reproduce it on any of my systems, so is it OK if I send you a special debug version of WMPCDText for you to try? If so, I'll PM you the download link and instructions tomorrow. Or if you prefer e-mail, PM me your e-mail address first. Thanks!

Sorry for your trouble, no need for a debug version. When the CD triggers WMP via Auto-Play, it is a minimal window with a generic background and no track listing. I discovered that right-clicking on the background gives a list of options, including "Show List" at the very top. When I select that, my track listing appears. From there I am able to see the "Read CD-Text" option for WMPCDText, as advertised. Thanks for your concern and your quick replies; keep up the good work!

[Tim De Baets]

Okay, no problem The minimal window you're referring to is called the Now Playing mode. For what it's worth, you should also get the Read CD-Text option in Library mode when right-clicking a CD track in the Play pane (on the right).

Now, does re-reading the CD-Text help to get the album name and artist to appear?

[AlanV]

For what it's worth, you should also get the Read CD-Text option in Library mode when right-clicking a CD track in the Play pane (on the right).

I don't see that option when in Library mode with the CD selected in the left pane and right-clicking a CD track in the Play pane.

Now, does re-reading the CD-Text help to get the album name and artist to appear?

In Now Playing mode, yes, re-reading the CD gets the album name and artist for me. I edited both, as well as a track name, and re-reading refreshed everything as I expected.

[Tim De Baets]

I don't see that option when in Library mode with the CD selected in the left pane and right-clicking a CD track in the Play pane.

Just to be sure, are you really right-clicking in the Play pane (and not in the centered Library pane)? See this screen shot:



If the Read CD-Text option doesn't appear there, then this is a bug in WMPCDText. But I won't be able to fix it because I can't reproduce it myself.

[AlanV]

Just to be sure, are you really right-clicking in the Play pane (and not in the centered Library pane)?

Once again, a picture is worth a thousand words. My WMP always defaulted to the Sync pane, not the Play pane, so I never saw a track list on the right side of the screen. Thanks for all of your help, patience and advice.

[Tim De Baets]

No problem, good to hear that it's not a bug in WMPCDText after all