XLD Requested Features List, Communicate ideas about the development path of XLD Options

[macman4hire]

It has been astonishing to witness the rapid development of this incredible piece of software. The responsiveness and quickness of the developer tmkk to incorporate new features into XLD has made this a true user driven application. tmkk's obvious passion and dedication to his project is evident in the extraordinary gift he has given the Mac community in XLD. To help better organize the vast amount of information being posted I will try to maintain and update a list of new feature suggestions. If a HA member decides to suggest and post a new a feature it would make sense to post it in one location. Once again thank you tmkk for this monumental achievement in Mac software development.

After reading this thread please check the XLD Master Thread List for other important XLD threads.

Click here to view the Mac CD Ripper Comparison Chart to familiarize yourself with XLD's feature base.

Feature Suggestions

Allow album art to be automatically saved to output folder as a jpg instead of being embedded in output file(s).
I will implement this, but priority is low.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

I would love to be able to convert whole folders and nested subfolders of audio files. Currently, you have to drop the audio files themselves on the application.
I will implement this feature.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Ability save 10 ripping presets based on the selections of the four preference tabs, this feature would include different drive models used on a system. Example Preset 1 SONY DVD RW DW-D150A would recall the four preference tabs assigned to it. Preset 2 HP 7500 Plus would recall the four preference tabs assigned to it. Preset 3 HP 7500 Plus would recall the four preference tabs assigned to it. In this feature a drive should have the ability for several preset settings base what is selected in th four preference tabs for instance in our example Preset 2 may have FLAC with CDParanoia with log report. ect. while Preset 3 has selected Lame MP3 without CDParanoia with no log report ect.

Automatic detection of the "Read sample offset correction values"... Unlike Windows, Macs are built with very controled hardware and it would not be difficult to build a database of CD/DVD drive offsets for different models of Mac drives...

Add ability to READ noncompliant cue sheets... Currently they can be generated during ripping (and that's GREAT!), but it would be nice if we could read them too...
These features are added (or already in) my working list. The upper one has higher priority (or easy to implement).
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

An option to choose to rip by sector number and/or duration, à la cdparanoia III 9.8. Say you want to rip only the first 1:02 seconds of a track... That sort of thing.

Option for it to automagically query its databases for metadata, rather than having to be told to go look.
These features will be implemented (priority is low).
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Add option to automatically save a M3U file, for the folks who need them.

Add option to "Always ask" in the Output Directory preferences...
MacMelo contacted tmkk about these features and tmkk told him these will be implemented as soon as other more important ones are done.

Completed Addition of Suggestions and Development Explanations

XLD now always saves a logfile in the same directory as ripped files
Features added to XLD Version 20080925:
Previous versions of XLD didn't, but would it be possible to copy over ALL tags when transcoding from one format to another? Even non-standard ones?...Or at least the tags that iTunes can/will append to files it recognises (e.g. ALBUMSORTORDER, ITUNESCOMPILATION, etc.)
ALL is impossible, because the way to store the entry of metadata item in MP4 metadata and ID3 tag (4 bytes binary) differs from the way in ape tag and vorbiscomment (unlimited(?) length text). If you want me to do this, please list the all tags that should be supported by XLD.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Also, since the option exists to have XLD add the file to the itunes library, there's no need to have a 2nd copy of the file. This occurs when itunes copies the file when adding to its library and then the file created by XLD is left over. It would be nice to have an option to automatically delete the second copy of the file that XLD creates if you have itunes set to copy files into the library.
I think this option is a little dangerous, because adding to the library sometimes fails due to simultaneous access during multi-threaded conversion (and iTunes does not support the all formats from XLD).
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Give us an option to automatically not use CD Paranoia when there is an AccurateRip DB entry present. In other words it shoudl function how DBPA CD Ripper does... Rip in burst mode first, then if there is a mismatch switch over to secure ripping. Right now with my current drive I am seeing a rip speed of less than 2.0x
To add that option is easy, but it's complicated to implement a feature to switch automatically to another mode. I may implement, but it will take a long time. Until then, please do manually.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Eliminiate the multiple windows. Having 3 windows open just to start ripping, edit metadata and monitor progress is rather annoying.
Currently I have no plan to change the interface.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Add the ability when using simultaneous codec conversion to choose the type of output for each format selected such as how the CD is to be ripped( Include pregap, Exclude pregap or Save as a single file +cue) while having independent control of the Format of filename. An example would be to rip a CD with the 1st format as FLAC file, selecting a single file +cue, with Format of filename output as %A/%T/%f/%T. The 2nd format as an AAC file, selecting to Include pregap, with the Format of filename output as %A/%T/%f/%n %t. Both formats should have the ability to share common folders in Format of filename.
The current architecture of XLD doesn't allow to do this. If this is to be implemented, it will be the distant future.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Place all of the AccurateRip results at the bottom of the log report instead of underneath each track listing similar to EAC. This would allow quick review of AccurateRip results!
I'll consider if there are many requests about this.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Indicate the setting of the "Strength of cache defeating ability" feature in the log report

Indicate which version of CD Paranoia was used during ripping in the log report

In the application window place reminder after “Exclude pregap from the output” button that you loose the ability to compare your selected tracks to the AccurateRip data base.

Logical output folder creation based on searched metadata. Example main folder=Artist, sub folder 1=Album, sub folder 2=codec type

Simultaneous Multiple Codec Conversions Example FLAC and AAC being converted at the same time to be saved in different folders labeled by the type of codec outputted

Add the cache analysis option to run on XLD
Feature added to XLD Version 20080916

Added ability to switch between using both CD Paranoia II and III.
Feature added to XLD Version 20080914 (90.0)

Update the CD Paranoia mode to the latest stable released version of III 10.2

Added "Check all items" and "Uncheck all items" in the context menu of the trac
Feature added to XLD Version 20080913 (89.0)

A "compare WAV" feature like EAC.
I can't find a clear reason to implement this feature in XLD. XLD is an audio converter software.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Automatic album art downloading feature now can be disabled from CDDB menu

Ability to load album art work when Gracenote tags are used without changing the Gracenote tags. Just disable all Query Items under CDDB menu except Cover Art

Added option to modify a size of padding section in FLAC encoder

Added save button in Log window
Features added to XLD Version 20080912 (88.0)

Fixing the "detect pregap" hangup on CD Extra discs on G5 (and maybe G4) machines.
Problem fixed in XLD Version 20080910

CD Writer with write offset possibly using cdr tools

Edit FLAC Metadata without reconverting the whole FLAC file
XLD is not a CD writer or tag editor, but a audio converter. The priority to implement this feature is quite low.
Quote from tmkk XLD develper

Incorporate AccurateRip submissions, so that XLD users can help the AccurateRip database to grow...
It would not be possible to submit to AR without the use of AccurateRip.dll, there are many 'attacks' on the database where rouge data is submitted (sometimes even doc files mangled into AR results), deliberate attempts to pollute the database, so we will not be opening up the submission details.
Quote from Spoon accurate developer

Regarding some of the latest features (checking existing rips against AccurateRip; offset correction of existing rips), I may be missing something, but it seems to me that a cue file is needed to use both functions. If that's so, it would be nice if we could do it even without a cue, just by dragging the FLACs to a queue window, or something like that... If I misunderstood, I apologiza... I haven't fully explored these features yet...
AccurateRip querying can't be performed without the whole length of the disc, so it is not possible with a separated track file itself.
Quote from tmkk XLD developer

Newly Suggested Features

Add to log the peak level for each track (EAC log does).
Apparently CDs from different pressings, even though from the same master, can have different CRCs. They would have the same peak levels so that info in the log could aid verification.

Add the ability to search albumartexchange.com for album art. This site has higher resolution album art images that have been cleaned up. The Album Art Exchange database of album art seems to growing at a rapid pace. I think this would a great asset to add to XLD allowing the user to get retrieve more consistent quality album art.

Ability to switch to Gracenote info if you already used freedb.
Although the Gracenote feature is fairly idiot proof once you know to have iTunes open, I'm stuck with a lot of freedb tags in XLD that I can't seem to replace with the much better Gracenote offerings.

It would be nice if XLD would save downloaded/modified metadata to its OWN database for retrieval later. As it stands, if XLD hangs during a rip, and has to be shut down, any modifications made to downloaded metadata have too be re-entered... which is time-consuming.

The ability to cancel or skip the pregap detection when mounting a disc would be nice. Maybe having the option to detect the pre-gap AFTER editing metadata, etc.

When transcoding individual files have XLD respect the Format of filename structure.

Make user definable offsets part of the auto offset function. I just got a drive that isn't included, and I really miss the nice brainless quality of the auto setting.

I'd like to suggest a "total track" field among the tags, so that when importing to audio players it will detail, for example, "Track 5 of 17." i've also found that although there is a "disc total" field, the setting does not save correctly (at least in lame mp3.) if you have the time, would you please solve this?

Ability to use customized switches under a selected format(FLAC, WavPack, Lame, Ect.)

Place the format section drop down menu in XLD's main application window(the window with decode button) to help avoid the chance of having selected the wrong format from the previous encoding session.

That is confusing many people into believing that AR is "suggesting" that changes are required. Several people have written to me asking me why the log is "suggesting" they change the offsets.
I think it would be much less confusing (and much more accurate) if the log were reworded to read as 'List of alternate offset correction values'.

A good one button "cancel" option that will get out of the endless hang situation, Also just to easily cancel a rip you just started with some wrong settings.
My external drive also disappears in the hang situations, and needs to be disconnected or restarted to show up again - if that can be fixed.
Above feature suggestions are awaiting answers on status.


Latest XLD Version 20080926 (93.3)
XLD release notes

This post has been edited by macman4hire: Oct 11 2008, 15:24