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NAME

       cda - Compact disc digital audio player utility

SYNOPSIS

       cda [-dev device] [-batch] [-remote | -noremote] [-debug] command

DESCRIPTION

       Cda  is  a program that allows the use of the CD-ROM or CD-R drive as a
       full-featured stereo compact-disc player from the shell  command  line.
       It  can  be used interactively in line mode or visual (screen) mode, or
       as a script-driven utility.  This is a companion  utility  to  xmcd,  a
       Motif-based  CD  audio player application for the X window system.  Cda
       uses the same configuration and support files as xmcd.

       Most of the features found on "real" CD players are available  in  cda,
       such  as  shuffle  and repeat, and track programming functions.  Multi-
       disc changers are also supported.

       A CD database feature allows the CD artist/title and track titles,  and
       other associated general purpose text to be displayed as the program is
       started or when a CD is inserted.  The CD database contents can  be  on
       your local system or queried from a remote CD database server host.  No
       capability is provided to update the CD database via cda.  You must use
       the X-based xmcd(1) utility to add or modify CD database entries.

       On   systems  with  more  than  one  CD-ROM  or  CD-R  drive,  multiple
       invocations of cda can be used to operate each drive independently.

       Cda is designed to be easy to use, with particular care taken  to  make
       all output easily parsable by other programs.

       The  internal  architecture of cda is designed to be easily portable to
       many UNIX operating system variants, and adaptable to the myriad of CD-
       ROM drives available.

OPTIONS

       Cda supports the following options:

       -dev device
              Specifies  the  path  name  to  the  raw CD-ROM device.  If this
              option is not used, the default device to be used is  the  first
              drive set up with the xmcd configuration program (See below).

       -batch Signifies  that  cda  should run in batch mode.  This suppresses
              all interaction with the user (i.e., will not prompt the user to
              type anything).  Batch mode is not meaningful in visual mode.

       -remote, -noremote
              Forces  the  cda  client to enable or disable remote CDDB server
              access.  If this option is not specified, then  the  default  is
              configured via the cddbRemoteDisable parameter in the common.cfg
              file.

       -debug Causes verbose debugging diagnostics to be  printed  on  stderr.
              Note  that  if you are running in visual mode, the stderr output
              should be redirected to a file, or the  debug  information  will
              corrupt the screen.

COMMANDS

       Cda supports the following commands:

       on     Start the cda daemon.

       off    Terminate the cda daemon.

       disc <load | eject | prev | next | disc#>
              Load or eject the CD, or change discs on a multi-disc changer.

       lock <on | off>
              Enable/disable  the CD disc lock.  When locked, the CD cannot be
              ejected using the CD-ROM front-panel eject button.

       play [track# [mm:ss]]
              Start playback.  If the track# is used, the playback starts from
              the  specified track.  The optional mm:ss argument specifies the
              minutes and seconds offset into the track from  where  to  start
              playback.

       pause  Pauses the playback.  Use cda play to resume playback.

       stop   Stop the plaback.

       track <prev | next>
              Proceed to the previous or the next track.  This command is only
              valid when playback is already in progress.

       index <prev | next>
              Proceed to the previous or the next index.  This command is only
              valid when playback is already in progress.

       program [clear | track# ...]
              If  no  argument is specified, this command displays the current
              program play sequence, if any.  The clear  argument  will  cause
              the  current  program  to  be cleared.  To define a new program,
              specify a list of track numbers separated by spaces.   To  start
              program  play,  use  the  play command.  You cannot define a new
              program while shuffle mode is enabled.

       shuffle <on | off>
              Enable/disable shuffle play mode.  When shuffle is enabled,  cda
              will  play  the  CD  tracks in a random order.  You can use this
              command only when audio playback is not in progress.  Also,  you
              must clear any program sequence before enabling shuffle.

       repeat <on | off>
              Enable/disable the repeat mode.

       volume [value#]
              If  no  argument is specified, this command displays the current
              audio volume setting.  If a value is used, then the audio volume
              level  is  set  to the specified value.  The valid range is 0 to
              100.

       balance [value#]
              If no argument is specified, this command displays  the  current
              balance  control  setting.  If a value is used, then the balance
              is set to the specified value.  The valid range  is  0  to  100,
              where 0 is full left, 50 is center and 100 is full right.

       route [stereo | reverse | mono-l | mono-r | mono | value#]
              If  no  argument is specified, this command displays the current
              channel routing setting.  Otherwise, to set the routing, use one
              of the appropriate keywords or a value as follows:

              0    Normal stereo
              1    Reverse stereo
              2    Mono-L
              3    Mono-R
              4    Mono-L+R

       status [cont [secs#]]
              Display  the  current  disc  status,  disc number, track number,
              index number, time,  modes,  and  repeat  count.   If  the  cont
              argument  is  specified,  then the display will run continuously
              until the user types the interrupt character  (typically  Delete
              or  Ctrl-C).   The  optional  secs  sub-argument  is the display
              update time interval.  The default is 1 second.

       toc [offsets]
              Display the CD Table of Contents.   The  disc  artist/title  and
              track  titles  from  the CD database associated with the current
              disc is also shown, if available.

              If an exact CD database match is not found, but the CD  database
              server provides a list of inexact matches, then the user will be
              prompted to select from that list.   If  batch  mode  is  active
              (i.e.,  the  -batch  option  is  used), then no such prompt will
              occur.

              If the offsets argument is used, then the track  times  are  the
              absolute offsets from the start of the CD.  Otherwise, the times
              shown are the track lengths.

       extinfo [track#]
              Display the disc extended information text associated  with  the
              current  CD,  if  available  from the CD database.  If the CD is
              currently  playing,  then   the   track   extended   information
              associated with the playing track is also displayed.  If a track
              number  is  used  in  the  argument,  then  the  track  extended
              information text of the specified track is shown instead.

       on-load [autolock | noautolock | none | spindown | autoplay]
              Display,  enable  or  disable  options when a CD is loaded.  The
              autolock  option  causes  the  caddy  or   disc   tray   to   be
              automatically  locked,  The spindown option will cause the CD to
              stop after  loading  to  conserve  the  laser  and  motor.   The
              autoplay option will cause the CD to automatically start playing
              after loading.  The none,  spindown  and  autoplay  options  are
              mutually-exclusive.   If  no  argument is used, then the current
              settings are displayed.

       on-exit [none | autostop | autoeject]
              Display, enable or disable options when the  cda  daemon  exits.
              The  autostop  option  will  cause cda to stop playback, and the
              autoeject option will cause cda to eject the CD.   Use  none  to
              cancel  these  options.  If no argument is used, then te current
              settings are displayed.

       on-done [autoeject | noautoeject | autoexit | noautoexit]
              Display, enable  or  disable  options  when  cda  is  done  with
              playback.   The  autoeject option causes the cda daemon to eject
              the CD.  The autoexit option will cause the cda daemon to  exit.
              If no argument is used, then the current settings are displayed.

       on-eject [autoexit | noautoexit]
              Display, enable or disable options when cda ejects  a  CD.   The
              autoexit option will cause the cda daemon to exit after ejecting
              the CD.  If no argument is used, then the current  settings  are
              displayed.

       changer [multiplay | nomultiplay | reverse | noreverse]
              Display,  enable  or  disable  multi-disc  changer options.  The
              multiplay option specifies that cda plays all discs in sequence.
              The  nomultiplay option will cause cda to stop after the current
              disc is done.  The reverse option implies multiplay, except that
              the  disc  order  is reversed.  If no argument is used, then the
              current settings are displayed.

       device Displays the CD-ROM and device information.

       version
              Displays the cda version and copyright information.

       debug [on | off]
              Show, set or unset the debug mode.  If  set,  verbose  debugging
              diagnostics  will  be printed on stderr of the terminal that the
              cda daemon is started from.  If this is the same  terminal  that
              is  running  cda  in  visual  mode,  the  debug information will
              corrupt the screen.

       visual Enter an interactive, screen-oriented visual  mode.   All  other
              cda commands can also be invoked within this mode.

DEVICE CONFIGURATION

       See xmcd(1) for a description of the device configuration requirements.

       WARNING: If cda is not correctly  configured,  you  may  cause  cda  to
       deliver  commands  that  are not supported by your CD-ROM drive.  Under
       some environments this may lead to system hang or crash.

USING CDA

       Start the cda daemon with the cda on command (or the F1 (o) function in
       visual  mode).   This  reserves  the  CD-ROM device and initializes the
       program for further commands.  All other cda functions  will  not  work
       unless  the  cda  daemon  is running.  The other cda commands should be
       self explanatory.

       The off command (or the F1 (o) function in visual mode) can be used  to
       terminate  the cda daemon and release the CD-ROM drive for use by other
       software.

VISUAL MODE

       If the cda visual command is used, it enters a  screen-oriented  visual
       mode.   In  this  mode,  the  status and other information available is
       continuously displayed and updated on the  screen,  and  virtually  all
       functions are available via a single key stroke.

       A  minimum  screen size of 80 columns by 24 rows is recommended for the
       visual mode.

       Visual mode uses the curses screen library to control the  screen.   It
       is  essential  that  the  TERM environment variable reflect the current
       terminal type, which ideally should have 8  (or  more)  function  keys.
       Since  function  key  definitions  in  terminfo  descriptions are often
       unreliable, alphabetic key alternatives are also available.

       The screen is divided into two windows: an  information  window  and  a
       status window.  According to context, the information window displays a
       help screen, device and version information, disc information and table
       of  contents, or track extended information.  This window is scrollable
       if it overflows its allotted screen area.  The status  window  consists
       of the last few lines of the screen, enclosed in a box.  The first line
       contains the program list, or track number  and  offset  together  with
       volume,  balance  and  stereo/mono  information.   The  remaining lines
       contain the function keys (with their  alphabetic  synonymns)  and  the
       functions  they  invoke.  These functions are highlighted when they are
       on, making it easy to see the current state.

       Screen annotation and online help make operation self explanatory,  but
       for  reference, a list of commands follows. Alphabetic key alternatives
       to function keys are given in parenthesis.

       ?      Display help screen. Dismiss this screen by pressing  the  space
              bar.

       F1 (o) On/Off. Start or stop the cda daemon.

       F2 (j) Load or eject the CD.

       F3 (p) Play, pause or unpause.

       F4 (s) Stop.

       F5 (k) Enable/disable  the CD caddy lock. When locked, the CD cannot be
              ejected using the CD-ROM front-panel eject button.

       F6 (u) Shuffle/Program.  Pressing this key cycles through three states:
              normal,  shuffle and program. In shuffle mode, the tracks of the
              CD will be played in random order.  On  entering  program  mode,
              cda  will  prompt  for  a space or comma separated list of track
              numbers, representing a desired playing order. The  list  should
              be  terminated by carriage return.  An empty list returns cda to
              normal mode.  Shuffle and program mode cannot be engaged  unless
              a CD is loaded but not playing or paused.

       F7 (e) Enable/disable repeat mode.

       F8 (q) Terminate  the  visual  mode.   If  the cda daemon is running, a
              reminder of the fact is given and it  is  allowed  to  continue.
              The CD-ROM drive will continue operating in the same state.  Cda
              may be  invoked  again  in  either  visual  or  line  mode  when
              required.

       D/d    Change to the previous/next disc on multi-disc changes.

       Cursor left/right (C/c)
              Previous/next  track.  This is only valid if playback is already
              in progress.

       </>    Proceed to the previous/next index mark. This is only  valid  if
              playback is already in progress.

       Cursor up/down (^/v)
              Scroll  the information portion of the screen up or down. It may
              be scrolled up only until the last line is on the  top  line  of
              the  screen,  and  may  not  be scrolled down beyond the initial
              position. The initial scroll position is restored when different
              information  is  displayed, (e.g., when switching to or from the
              help information).

       +/-    Increase or decrease volume by 5%.

       l/r    Move balance 5% to left or right.

       Tab    Successive depressions of this key change the mode  from  stereo
              to  mono,  mono  right,  mono  left, reverse stereo, and back to
              normal stereo.

       <n> [mins secs]
              Proceed to track n at mins minutes and  secs  seconds  from  the
              start.  If  mins  secs  is  not given, start at the beginning of
              track n.

       ^l/^r  Control-l or control-r repaints the screen.  This is  useful  if
              the  screen  has been corrupted (e.g., by operator messages sent
              by the wall(1M) command).

CD DATABASE

       The CD Database feature of xmcd is supported by cda, which  allows  you
       to   display   the  disc  artists/title,  track  titles,  and  extended
       information about the CD or tracks via the toc or extinfo  commands  of
       cda.   In  visual  mode, this information is displayed automatically if
       available.  You cannot update the CD database via cda.   Xmcd  must  be
       used for that purpose.

ENVIRONMENT

       Several  environment variables are currently recognized by cda, and are
       described as follows:

       XMCD_LIBDIR
              This parameter which specifies the directory  path  under  which
              cdas configuration files and CD database files are located.  On
              most systems this is /usr/lib/X11/xmcd.

       XMCD_CDDBPATH
              This is used  to  override  the  cddbPath  common  configuration
              parameter,  which  is a list of CD database category directories
              to be used under XMCDLIB/cddb.  See xmcd(1) for details.

NOTES

       Not all CD-ROM drives support all features that  appear  on  cda.   For
       example,  some  drives do not support a software-driven volume control.
       On these drives the cda volume and balance commands may have no effect,
       or  may  simply  change  the  volume  between  full  mute  and maximum.
       Similarly, the lock, disc, index, and route commands  of  cda  may  not
       have  any  effect  on  drives  that  do  not  support  the  appropriate
       functionality.

FILES

       $HOME/.xmcdcfg/∗
       XMCDLIB/cddb/∗
       XMCDLIB/config/config.sh
       XMCDLIB/config/common.cfg
       XMCDLIB/config/device.cfg
       XMCDLIB/config/.tbl/∗
       XMCDLIB/config/∗
       XMCDLIB/help/∗
       BINDIR/cda
       MANDIR/cda.1
       /tmp/.cdaudio/∗

RELATED WEB SITES

       Xmcd/cda home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/xmcd/
       CD database server page: http://www.cddb.com/
       FreeDB server page: http://www.freedb.org/
       Xmmix home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/xmmix/

SEE ALSO

       xmcd(1), cddbcmd(1), wm2xmcd(1), X(1),
       Xmcd’s README and INSTALL files
       Xmcd web site: http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/xmcd/
       CDDB web site: http://www.cddb.com/

AUTHOR

       Ti Kan (ti@amb.org)
       AMB Research Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA, U.S.A.

       Cda also contains code contributed by  several  dedicated  individuals.
       See the README file in the cda distribution for information.

       Comments, suggestions, and bug reports are always welcome.