Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase - User contributions [en]

Cue sheet

2021-07-20T18:46:13Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ give basic orienting info on just-added imgburn

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* mp3DirectCut: https://mpesch3.de/
* mp3splt: https://github.com/mp3splt/mp3splt
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/ - only reads .wav, .flac, .ape, .w64
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* imgburn: https://www.imgburn.com/ - (Tools menu -> Create CUE File)
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/ - only reads in .WAV files

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-20T18:42:32Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ add imgburn; alphabetize CueTools

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* mp3DirectCut: https://mpesch3.de/
* mp3splt: https://github.com/mp3splt/mp3splt
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/ - only reads .wav, .flac, .ape, .w64
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* imgburn: https://www.imgburn.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/ - only reads in .WAV files

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-20T18:39:52Z

73.167.61.121: /* Splitting */ add mp3splt and mp3DirectCut

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* mp3DirectCut: https://mpesch3.de/
* mp3splt: https://github.com/mp3splt/mp3splt
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/ - only reads .wav, .flac, .ape, .w64
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/ - only reads in .WAV files
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T16:15:30Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ note limitations of CDWave

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/ - only reads .wav, .flac, .ape, .w64
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/ - only reads in .WAV files
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T16:05:19Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ note limitations of Wave Repair

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/ - only reads in .WAV files
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

REACT:Adding Support For Monkey's Audio

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73.167.61.121: /* Piping to Mac.exe */ fix broken link for shntool

To configure [[REACT]] to use an encoder that is not supported with the original INI and CFG files you will need to make changes to both the INI and CFG file you require.

Below you will find additional text that you will need to add to your config files to use [[Monkey's Audio]] with [[REACT]]. This is meant as an example, to demonstrate what is required to add any codec that you choose. The naming schemes and meta data used are based on the examples in the initial INI and CFG files; you may want to change them to fit your methodology.

==REACT.ini==

===Settings===
Specify that we want to use [[Monkey's Audio]] as our image format.

ImageExt=ape

===UserTrackFormats===
Specify that we want to encode tracks using [[Monkey's Audio]].

Ape=1

===UserOutputNames===
Specify the directories for [[Monkey's Audio]] images and tracks.

ImageDir_Ape=@OutRoot@\APE-images\$cdartist$
TrackDir_Ape=@OutRoot@\APE\$cdartist$\[$year$] $album$

===UserSettings===
Specify any encoding options and the version used.

Opt_Ape=-c2000
Ver_Ape=4.01

==REACT-image.cfg==

===REM ** Transfer RG values from Wavgain calculations, instead of recalculation.===
Add the text below under the comment above, with the other similar lines.

SET RG_Ape=-t "replaygain_album_gain=%album_gain% dB" -t "replaygain_album_peak=%album_peak%"
SET RG_Ape_acdir=-t $qreplaygain_album_gain=%album_gain% dB$q -t $qreplaygain_album_peak=%album_peak%$q

===REM ---- Image ----===
Add the text below under the comment above, with the other similar lines.

As [[Monkey's Audio]] does not support inline tagging this section uses '''[[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]]''' to encode, and then '''[[Tag_(tagger)|tag.exe]]''' to add [[APEv2]] tags to the newly-created [[Monkey's Audio]] file. You will need to add '''[[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]]''' and '''[[Tag_(tagger)|tag.exe]]''' to your [[REACT]] '''tools''' directory.

IF NOT @ImageExt@==ape GOTO end_ape_image
SET dest="@ImageDir_Ape@"
IF NOT EXIST %dest% MKDIR %dest%
@tools@\mac.exe "@source@" "@image@" @Opt_Ape@
@tools@\tag.exe %RG_Ape% -t "%ArtistField%=@cdartist@" -t album="@album@" -t totaltracks="@numtracks@" -t year="@year@" -t genre="@genre@" -t comment="@comment@" -t encodedby="%USERNAME%" -t encodersettings="Monkey's Audio @Ver_Ape@ @Opt_Ape@" -f cuesheet="@cuesheet@" -f eaclog="@eaclog@" "@image@"
MOVE /Y "@image@" %dest%
MOVE /Y "@cuesheet@" %dest%
IF %have_cover%==1 COPY /Y "@cover@" %dest%\"@basename@.jpg"
:end_ape_image

===REM ---- Tracks ---- ===
Add the text below under the comment above, with the other similar lines.

This section uses [[ACDIR]] to create [[Monkey's Audio]] track files. It is complicated by the fact that [[Monkey's Audio]] does not support piping, or inline tagging. The section uses [[ACDIR]] to first split the image [[WAV|WAVE]] into tracks [[WAV|WAVEs]], and then uses [[ACDIR]] again to execute mutiple commands for each track, these being:

# Use [[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]] to encode the relevant track [[WAV|WAVE]].
# Use [[Tag_(tagger)|tag.exe]] to add [[APEv2]] tags to the [[Monkey's Audio]] file.
# Delete the [[WAV|WAVE]] file.

IF NOT @Ape@==1 GOTO end_ape_tracks
SET dest="@TrackDir_Ape@"
IF NOT EXIST %dest% MKDIR %dest%
PUSHD %dest%
IF @various@==1 SET VA_tag=-t $qalbum artist=@VA@$q
@tools@\acdir.exe --overwrite --output "%TrackName%.wav" --extract "@sourcecuesheet@"
@tools@\acdir.exe --exec "@tools@\mac.exe $q%TrackName%.wav$q $q%TrackName%.ape$q @Opt_Ape@ && @tools@\tag.exe %RG_Ape_acdir% %VA_tag% -t artist=$#a -t album=$#T -t title=$#t -t track=$n/$N -t year=$q@year@$q -t genre=$q@genre@$q -t comment=$q@comment@$q -t encodedby=$q%USERNAME%$q -t encodersettings=$qMonkey's Audio @Ver_Ape@ @Opt_Ape@$q $q%TrackName%.ape$q && DEL $q%TrackName%.wav$q" "@sourcecuesheet@"
COPY /Y "@eaclog@" "EAClog.txt"
IF %have_cover%==1 COPY /Y "@cover@" "folder.jpg"
IF EXIST "@albumfile@.[*].cue" COPY /Y "@albumfile@.[*].cue" .
POPD
:end_ape_tracks

====Piping to Mac.exe====
The offical version of mac.exe does not support piping, but the version that can be found on the [http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/ shntool] website does. If you are using this version you can save some time, by replacing the code above with the following:

IF NOT @Ape@==1 GOTO end_ape_tracks
SET dest="@TrackDir_Ape@"
IF NOT EXIST %dest% MKDIR %dest%
PUSHD %dest%
IF @various@==1 SET VA_tag=-t $qalbum artist=@VA@$q
@tools@\acdir.exe --overwrite --output "%TrackName%.ape" --pipe "@tools@\mac.exe - $#o @Opt_Ape@ && @tools@\tag.exe %RG_Ape_acdir% %VA_tag% -t artist=$#a -t album=$#T -t title=$#t -t track=$n/$N -t year=$q@year@$q -t genre=$q@genre@$q -t comment=$q@comment@$q -t encodedby=$q%USERNAME%$q -t encodersettings=$qMonkey's Audio @Ver_Ape@ @Opt_Ape@$q $q%TrackName%.ape$q" "@sourcecuesheet@"
COPY /Y "@eaclog@" "EAClog.txt"
IF %have_cover%==1 COPY /Y "@cover@" "folder.jpg"
IF EXIST "@albumfile@.[*].cue" COPY /Y "@albumfile@.[*].cue" .
POPD
TITLE "@album@"
POPD
:end_ape_tracks

This allows [[ACDIR]] to pipe the audio data to [[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]], rather than creating temporary WAVE files.

==REACT-track.cfg==

===REM ============== Begin Main Script ================== ===
Add the text below under the comment above, with the other similar lines.

SET TrackDir_Ape="@TrackDir_Ape@"

===REM ---- Track ---- ===
Add the text below under the comment above, with the other similar lines.

As [[Monkey's Audio]] does not support inline tagging this section uses '''[[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]]''' to encode, and then '''[[Tag_(tagger)|tag.exe]]''' to add [[APEv2]] tags to the newly-created [[Monkey's Audio]] file. You will need to add '''[[Monkey's Audio|mac.exe]]''' and '''[[Tag_(tagger)|tag.exe]]''' to your [[REACT]] '''tools''' directory.

IF NOT @Ape@==1 GOTO end_ape_tracks
IF NOT EXIST %TrackDir_Ape% MKDIR %TrackDir_Ape%
PUSHD %TrackDir_Ape%
IF @various@==1 SET VA_tag=-t "album artist=@VA@"
ECHO ON
@tools@\mac.exe "@source@" "%TrackName%.ape" @Opt_Ape@
@tools@\tag.exe %VA_tag% -t artist="@artist@" -t album="@album@" -t track="@track@/@numtracks@" -t title="@title@" -t year="@year@" -t genre="@genre@" -t comment="@comment@" -t encodedby="%USERNAME%" -t encodersettings="Monkey's Audio @Ver_Ape@ @Opt_Ape@" "%TrackName%.ape"
@ECHO OFF
IF %have_cover%==1 IF NOT EXIST folder.jpg COPY "@cover@" folder.jpg
TITLE @track@/@numtracks@ - "@album@"
POPD
:end_ape_tracks

==Related Thread==
This tip is a result of a the discussion in the thread [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=62321 Using REACT 2.0 - I need help.......].

==See Also==
* [[Monkey's Audio]]
* [[Tag_(tagger)|Case's Tag]]

==External Links==
* [http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html ACDIR]

[[Category:REACT Guides|Adding Support For Monkey's Audio]]

TAK

2021-07-17T15:10:21Z

73.167.61.121: /* Windows */ fix broken link for shntool

{{Codec Infobox
| name = Tom's lossless Audio Kompressor
| logo =
| type = lossless
| purpose = (T)om's verlustfreier (A)udio(k)ompressor
| maintainer = Thomas Becker
| recommended_encoder = TAK encoder
| recommended_text = TAK v2.3.0 (2013-06-18)
| website = [http://thbeck.de/Tak/Tak.html ThBeck.de/Tak/Tak.html] ''(German)''
}}

== Description ==
'''Tom's lossless Audio Kompressor''' ('''TAK''') is a lossless audio compressor which promises compression performance similar to [[Monkey's Audio]] “High” and decompression speed similar to [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]].

=== Features ===
* High compression
* Fast compression and decompression speed
* Streaming support (necessary headers for decompressing the audio are written to the stream every 2 seconds)
* Piping support for encoding
* Error tolerance (single bit error will never affect more than 250 ms)
* Error detection (each frame protected by a 24-bit checksum (CRC))
* High-resolution (up to 24-bit/channel) audio support
* Support for up to 192 Khz Audio
* Seeking without seek table
* APEv2 tags supported at end of file

=== Pros ===
* Fast encoding speed (while providing better compression TAK encodes as fast as [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]] -8 in TAK's “Insane” and several times faster in “Turbo” mode)
* Fast decompression speed (on par with FLAC / [[WavPack]])
* Good compression levels (on par with [[Monkey's Audio]] High)
* Error Robustness
* Fast Seeking

=== Cons ===
* Closed Source
* No hardware support

== Software support ==
=== Windows ===
* [http://thbeck.de/Download/TAK_2.3.0.zip TAK 2.3.0] - Official release which consists of a CLI, a GUI, a [[Winamp]] plugin, the SDK, and the decoding library.
* [http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_tak TAK Decoder 0.4.8] - Plugin for [[foobar2000]] (supports tagging and [[ReplayGain]]).
* [http://www.liviocavallo.altervista.org/ dsfTAKSource 0.0.1.6] - DirectShow source filter which uses the official decoding library to play TAK-files in Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic - Home Cinema, Zoom Player and alike.
* [http://rwijnsma.home.xs4all.nl/dc-bsm/index.htm DC-Bass Source Mod] - DirectShow source filter which uses the official decoding library to play TAK-files, amongst many others, in any DirectShow media player (as mentioned above).
* [http://code.google.com/p/lavfilters/ LAV Filters] - Set of open-source DirectShow filters which uses [https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2012-September/131785.html FFMpeg's reverse-engineered decoder] to play TAK-files in any DirectShow media player.
* [http://www.videolan.org/vlc VLC Media Player] - Can: transcode from/play (no encoding); since at least version 2.2.0
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/ Media Player Classic - BE] - DirectShow media player with an internal TAK source filter which uses FFMpeg's reverse-engineered decoder to play TAK-files. The internal TAK source filter also supports embedded cue-sheets.
* [[Mp3tag]] – universal tag editor with support for TAK
* [http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/ shntool] (since version 3.0.6)
* [http://picard.musicbrainz.org/ MusicBrainz Picard] (since version 0.11)

=== Linux ===
* ffmpeg can demux, decode and parse TAK since commit d7a473926504e2acfa6ae3bead0938e1f4e03441:[http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git;a=commit;h=d7a473926504e2acfa6ae3bead0938e1f4e03441]. First official release that supports TAK decoding is 1.1.
* The GUI program (Tak.exe) and the command-line program (Takc.exe) work with [http://www.winehq.org/ Wine].
* <s>[http://caudec.net/ caudec]</s> is a command-line tool that can encode and decode TAK files, using the official binary (Takc.exe) with Wine (see: <s>[http://caudec.net/documentation/windowscodecs/ installation instructions]</s>). Caudec can also test file integrity and compute (and tag) Replaygain data. While it hasn't been tested at the time of writing, it is possible that TAK support in caudec works on OS X as well.
* [http://picard.musicbrainz.org/ MusicBrainz Picard] (since version 0.11)

== Hardware support ==
* None

== Recommended Settings ==
* Default compression: “-p2” (formerly ''Normal'') is the most attractive setting, providing an excellent compromise between compression and encoding speed. (At compression levels close to [[Monkey's Audio]] High (<0.4% difference), it is able to encode more quickly.)
takc -e [input file]
* Highest compression: “-pMax” (same as -p4m) (This will create files which are comparable in size to file created using [[Monkey's Audio]] High. Decompression speed is comparable to [[WavPack]] Normal.)
takc -e -pMax [input file]
* Fastest compression: “-p0” (This will create files which are comparable in size to [[Monkey's Audio]] Fast or [[WavPack]] High. Decompression speed is comparable to [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]] 0.)
takc -e -p0 [input file]

=== TAK Performance Graph ===
[[Image:TAK_performance_graph_1-0-4.png|frame|center|Graph showing encoding and decoding rate against compression, using data from Synthetic Soul's test on TAK 1.0.4<br />(see [[TAK#External Links|External Links]])]]

== Using TAK ==
=== TAK with [[foobar2000]] ===
* Copy the takc.exe to your [[foobar2000]] directory
* Go to File → Preferences → Tools → Converter
* Set it up as shown:
[[Image:Tak_foobar_converter.png|frame|center|Screenshot of foobar 0.9.5 Converter settings for TAK 1.0.3]]
'''Note:''' replace -p2 with the desired compression level.

* TAK introduced encoding from STDIN in version 1.0.3, eliminating the need for a temporary file and greatly improving overall compression time. If you are using an earlier version of TAK use the following command line instead:
-e -p2 %s %d
* Use [[APEv2 specification|APEv2]] tagging (will be used as internal tagging)

=== TAK with EAC ===
Please read the [[EAC and TAK|wiki guide]], which details how to create TAK files with [[Exact Audio Copy|EAC]].

=== Converting TAK using pipe ===
Takc.exe -d input.tak - | lame.exe -V 6 - output.mp3
Takc.exe -d input.tak - | opusenc.exe --bitrate 64 - output.opus
Takc.exe -d input.tak - | flac.exe -8 - -o output.flac
Takc.exe -d input.tak - | wavpack.exe -hhx - output.wv

flac.exe -dc input.flac | Takc.exe -e -pMax - output.tak
wvunpack.exe input.wv - | Takc.exe -e -pMax - output.tak
ffmpeg.exe -i input.xxx -f wav - | Takc.exe -e -pMax '''-ihs''' - output.tak

== Future Features ==
* Unicode support
* MD5 audio checksums for verification and identification
* A German version
* Embedded cue sheets
* Embedded cover art
* Multichannel audio

== Frequently Asked Questions ==
; Is the codec safe for use/definitely lossless?
: Yes, TAK is verified as being lossless, as determined through rigorous testing by the author and satisfied users. To check, convert a WAV to TAK and back and compare the two, for instance using [[Foobar2000:Foobar2000|foobar2000]]'s [[Foobar2000:Components/Binary Comparator (foo_bitcompare)|Binary Comparator]].
; Why should I use TAK?
: TAK offers high ratios of compression but also great decoding speeds.
; What can I compress with TAK?
: TAK 1.0 can compress any integer-format (up to 24 bits per channel) PCM RIFF WAVE file (.WAV). Piping support is implemented as of v1.0.3, so converting lossless files to WAV first is not necessary: users can simply pipe the decompressed output from their decoder of choice directly into TAK's encoder.
; What about hardware support?
: There is none at the moment. However, ''-p0'', ''-p1'' and ''-p2'' are the candidates for most suitable settings for hardware.
; Will the source be opened?
: The official encoder and decoder are currently closed-source. Thomas has expressed an intention to open the source of the decoder at some point in time, stipulating preconditions of its first being further refined, ported to C or C++, and documented. This may or may not lead to releases of other code. However, as of June of 2013, he feels that “a lot of (not very exciting) work is required” until the decoding source would be ready to be published, and that may or may not happen in the foreseeable future. Such questions generally generate more noise than fruitful discussion, so it is best to wait and see what happens. In any case, there is an independently implemented open source decoder available, bundled with ffmpeg.

== External Links ==
* [http://thbeck.de/Tak/Tak.html thbeck.de/Tak/Tak.html] – Official Website ''(german)''
* [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=101386 TAK 2.3.0 Discussion Thread on HA] ''(english)''
* [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=89610 TAK 2.2.0 Discussion Thread on HA] ''(english)''
* <s>[http://synthetic-soul.co.uk/comparison/lossless/ synthetic-soul.co.uk/comparison/lossless] – Comparison with Other Codecs (by Synthetic Soul) </s>
* [http://flac.sourceforge.net/comparison.html flac.sourceforge.net/comparison.html] – An Updated Comparison (from FLAC Homepage)

[[Category:Lossless]]
[[Category:Encoder/Decoder]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T15:08:14Z

73.167.61.121: /* Useful applications */ fix broken links for shntool

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://shnutils.freeshell.org/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T15:01:38Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ fix last edit - CUEgenerator is the online web app; Wave Repair was a broken link (fixed now)

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* Wave Repair: https://www.delback.co.uk/wavrep/
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/ (online web app)

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T14:52:48Z

73.167.61.121: /* Creating */ add note that Wave Repair is an online tool

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* Wave Repair: http://www.waverepair.com/ (online web app)
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]

Cue sheet

2021-07-17T14:44:17Z

73.167.61.121: /* Splitting */ add potential alternate source for CueProc

A '''cue sheet''' (or '''CUE file''', '''.cue''', '''CUE sheet''', etc.) is a formatted text file which provides index and other supplemental information for one or more audio files. A cue sheet is generally used in conjunction with either extracting from or burning to [[Compact Disc|CD]]. For example, when a CD's complete audio content has been ripped to a single file, a cue sheet contains information about the track boundaries, and CD-R burning software can use it to make a copy of the original CD with the same track layout as the original. Cue sheets can also be used when writing data CDs.

Increasingly, cue sheets are being used as playlists: you load the cue sheet in a media player, and it can play an "image" (single-file) rip as if it were separate files, one for each track. Cue sheets can be used for file-per-track rips as well, but many such rips require that the cue sheet not adhere strictly to the original specification's rules.

==Cue sheet contents==
All cue sheets contain the following info:
* The name & type of at least one file being indexed (an audio file, normally);
* A numbered list of tracks each file corresponds to or contains;
* The start point (index 01) for each track, time-wise (MM:SS:FF format).

Cue sheets may contain the following additional info:
* CD-Text [[metadata]] such as performer, title, songwriter for the disc and/or each track;
* ISRCs (sound recording IDs to burn)
* Special flags for CD burning (e.g. for pre-emphasis)
* Gap info (how much silence to insert before or after each track)
* Comments (which are used by some programs to store nonstandard metadata like genre, freeDB disc ID, etc.)

A cue sheet isn't necessary to make an exact copy of the audio portion of a CD; ripping & burning software will get you the audio wave data and can figure out where each track starts. However, a cue sheet ''can'' be used to specify the location of the first track (if it deviates from the standard), as well as certain subcode information, such as non-01 index points, CD-TEXT (which may not exist on the original CD), UPC/ISRC data, and [[pre-emphasis]] information.

A cue sheet ''is'' required to burn "hidden track one audio" ([[HTOA]]), which is audio that can only be played after scanning backwards from the beginning of track 1. A cue sheet may be needed when silent frames have been omitted from the beginning or end of files to be burned; the cue sheet can be used to reconstruct the pauses by telling the burner or player where to insert silence. A cue sheet may also be needed when there is a mix of audio and data tracks to be burned (unless the burning software is told which tracks are which).

== History ==
The cue sheet format was invented by Jeff Arnold of [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ GoldenHawk Technology] for use with his [[DAO]] ('''D'''isc '''A'''t '''O'''nce) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ CDRWIN] applications. The format has since been adopted as the ''de facto'' standard, and is used by various other applications, including the audio player [[foobar2000]]. The official cue sheet specification is widely accepted to be Appendix A of the CDRWIN User's Guide.

The name is taken from the '''SEND CUE SHEET''' command (as defined in the ''SCSI-3 Multimedia Commands'' specification), used for sending a binary-format cue sheet describing the disc layout to the drive before writing starts in SAO (Session-At-Once) write mode. The drive writes to the disc, using the cue sheet information to generate the P and Q subchannel data, and to retrieve the format and block size of the data transferred with the '''WRITE''' command.<ref>Text adapted from [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=42485&view=findpost&p=374579 a post by Martin H].</ref>

The DAO and CDRWIN software was developed for use on MS-DOS and early Windows systems, when it was common to refer to types of files by their file name extensions, in all-caps: TXT for text, DOC for Word document, and so on. Early references to cue sheets likewise referred to ''CUE files''. This convention continues to the present day, but the ''cue'' in the term ''cue sheet'' is not an acronym and need not be capitalized.

== Cue sheet commands ==
The following commands are detailed in the Appendix A of the [http://web.archive.org/web/20070221154246/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN User's Guide]:
* CATALOG – A 13-digit UPC/EAN code, also referred to as the Media Catolog Number (MCN). 12-digit UPC codes should be prefixed with a "0".
* CDTEXTFILE – A path to a file containing CD-Text info.
* FILE – A path to a file containing audio data, and to which subsequent commands apply.
* FLAGS – Per-track subcode flag(s):
** DCP - Digital copy permitted.
** 4CH - Four channel audio.
** PRE - Pre-emphasis enabled (audio tracks only).
** SCMS - Serial Copy Management System (not supported by all recorders).
* INDEX – Per-track index(es).
* ISRC – Per-track ISRC(s).
* PERFORMER – Per-disc or per-track performer name for CD-Text data.
* POSTGAP – Amount of post-track silence to add.
* PREGAP – Amount of pre-track silence to add.
* REM – A remark/comment to be ignored.
* SONGWRITER – Per-disc or per-track songwriter name for CD-Text data.
* TITLE – Per-disc or per-track title for CD-Text data.
* TRACK – Type of track to create, and to which subsequent commands apply.

=== Most often used ===
;FILE
:The FILE command specifies the file that the cue sheet is currently referencing. Valid file types are WAVE, MP3, AIFF, BINARY and MOTOROLA. Other formats, such as the lossless formats [[WavPack]] or [[FLAC]], can also be used under the WAVE file type.
;INDEX
:A number between 00 and 99. Index points are specified in MM:SS:FF format, and are relative to the start of the file currently referenced. MM is the number of minutes, SS the number of seconds, and FF the number of frames (there are seventy five frames to one second). INDEX 01 commands specify the beginning of a new track. INDEX 00 commands specify the pre-gap of a track; you may notice your [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player count up from a negative value before beginning a new track - this is the period between INDEX 00 and INDEX 01.
;PERFORMER
:At top-level this will specify the CD artist, while at track-level it specifies the track artist.
;PREGAP
:Used to specify the length of a track pre-gap, in MM:SS:FF format. Although the SCSI specs reserve the term ''pre-gap'' for the pause before a data track, in a cue sheet the PREGAP command can be used to create a pause before any kind of track, data or audio.
;REM
:Used to record comments in a cue sheet. This command is often used to store additional meta data to TITLE and PERFORMER, e.g.: the date or genre of the disc.
:The following REM comments can be written to a disc's CD-Text section and read by an application such as [[cdrdao]] or ImgBurn:
:* REM UPC
:: The "UPC" is not necessarily the same as "CATALOG".
:* REM DISCID
;TITLE
:At top-level this will specify the album name, while at track-level it specifies the track name.
;TRACK
:A number between 01 and 99, indicating the track number.

=== Whitespace ===
Line breaks must be used between commands. Spaces or tabs can be used to indent; they're ignored but can make the file easier to understand when viewing or manually editing. Customarily, for audio CDs, all the commands which apply to a particular file are indented under the FILE command, and those which apply to a specific track are further indented under the TRACK command.

=== Examples ===
'''A standard single file cue sheet'''
<pre>
REM GENRE Alternative
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID 860B640B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
TITLE "Loveless"
FILE "My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Only Shallow"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Loomer"
PERFORMER "My Bloody Valentine"
INDEX 01 04:17:52
</pre>
The cue sheet above, created by [[EAC]], shows the first two tracks of a standard single file cue sheet. Note the use of REM commands to record additional [[metadata]], in the format '''REM <TAG> "<value>"'''. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at the top of the cue sheet detail the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD]] artist and album name respectively. The '''PERFORMER''' and '''TITLE''' commands at track-level specify the track artist and title.

TRACK 02's INDEX 01 entry does not state that the track is 4m 17.693s long, but that the beginning of the track is 4m 17.693s into the file (so TRACK 01 was in fact 4m 17.693s long). If TRACK 02 was 3m long exactly, TRACK 03's INDEX 01 value would be 07:17:52.

Also note the file reference specifying a relative path to the file (references can also be absolute) and the file type: [[WAV|WAVE]].

==== A single-file cue sheet with a TRACK 01 INDEX 00 hidden track ====
<pre>
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
TITLE "Silent Alarm"
FILE "Bloc Party - Silent Alarm.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Like Eating Glass"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 03:22:70
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Helicopter"
PERFORMER "Bloc Party"
INDEX 00 07:42:69
INDEX 01 07:44:69
</pre>

The cue sheet above shows the first two tracks of a single file cue sheet for a disc with a hidden track at the start. Note that TRACK 01 INDEX 01 starts at 03:22:70 (3m 22.933s) instead of 00:00:00 as in the first example, and most cue sheets. The INDEX 00 index on TRACK 02 displays the more usual behaviour, being two seconds before INDEX 01.

As the INDEX 00 is on TRACK 01 you will not normally see the usual countdown from a negative value that you might see from an INDEX 00 command on a subsequent track. To listen to this track on a [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|Audio CD]] player you will need to start the disc playing and press rewind, to rewind, essentially, from 3m 22s into the disc back to the true beginning.

Also note that the file referenced is [[FLAC]], but the [[WAV|WAVE]] files type is used. For [[MP3]] files the file type "'''[[MP3]]'''" should be used, for [[AIFF]] you should use "'''[[AIFF]]'''", but for all other types "'''[[WAV|WAVE]]'''" is used.

==== Multiple files with corrected gaps ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:00:28
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps prepended to the next track. This method allows users to retain gaps, but by prepending the gap to the next track each track may begin with silence, which makes playback less satisfactory. This is a very uncommon way to rip CDs, even though it is more in line with the disc's actual track layout.

==== Multiple files with gaps left out ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
PREGAP 00:00:28
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has removed the gaps, but artificially recreates silence between tracks using the PREGAP command. This is fine if the gap was silence, but unsatisfactory if it contained audio.

==== Multiple files with gaps (Noncompliant) ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 01 - Gangsters.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
FILE "The Specials - Singles - 02 - Rudi, A Message To You.wav" WAVE
INDEX 01 00:00:00
</pre>
This multiple-file cue sheet, created by [[EAC]], has gaps appended to the previous track, and is a favourite among users who rip to track files but wish to retain gap information. This format allows the user to retain gaps, but in a position in the track file that does not hinder playback. Unfortunately, this format is non-compliant; this type of rip, despite its popularity, was not supported by the original DAO and CDRWIN software for which cue sheets were designed. Applications that adhere to the cue sheet specification, like [[foobar2000]], will not be able to read it. Of course, [[EAC]] will read these cue sheets, as will the [[Compact Disc|CD]] burning application [[Burrrn]].

Note that INDEX 00 of TRACK 02 is set while still referencing the first FILE.

==== Single file version of the cue sheet used above ====
<pre>
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
</pre>
For reference, the cue sheet used in the examples above is in single file format.

== Example cue sheet ==
<pre>
REM GENRE Ska
REM DATE 1991
REM DISCID D00DA810
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.95b4"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
TITLE "Singles"
FILE "The Specials - Singles.wav" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Gangsters"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Rudi, A Message To You"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 02:47:74
INDEX 01 02:48:27
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "Nite Klub"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 05:41:50
INDEX 01 05:42:27
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Too Much Too Young"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 08:53:47
INDEX 01 08:54:37
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Guns Of Navarone"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 10:59:20
INDEX 01 11:00:17
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "Rat Race"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 13:20:55
INDEX 01 13:20:67
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "Stereotype"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 16:29:67
INDEX 01 16:30:30
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "International Jet Set"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 20:19:27
INDEX 01 20:20:20
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Do Nothing"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 24:30:70
INDEX 01 24:32:27
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Ghost Town"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 28:23:30
INDEX 01 28:23:42
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Why?"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 34:21:37
INDEX 01 34:21:47
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 38:16:50
INDEX 01 38:16:55
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "War Crimes"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 41:50:07
INDEX 01 41:51:00
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "Racist Friend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 45:50:55
INDEX 01 45:51:72
TRACK 15 AUDIO
TITLE "Nelson Mandela"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 49:35:55
INDEX 01 49:38:22
TRACK 16 AUDIO
TITLE "(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend"
PERFORMER "The Specials"
INDEX 00 54:11:00
INDEX 01 54:12:40
</pre>

== Useful applications ==
=== Playing ===
* [[foobar2000]]

=== Splitting ===
* [[ACDIR]]: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_2.html
* CUE Splitter: http://www.enfis.it/downloads.php?cat_id=1
* CueProc: http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/modules/mysoftwares/tc_6.html (that domain appears to be lost, but https://github.com/rinrinne/cueproc-alternative looks like a derivative)
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* pcutmp3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35654
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* WavSplit: http://tangerine.uw.hu/prog/

=== Joining ===
* CueMake: http://www.synthetic-soul.co.uk/files/cuemake/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* [[XRECODE]]: https://xrecode.com/

=== Creating ===
* CD Wave: http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/
* CueMaster: http://cuemaster.org/
* [[CueTools]]: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=41476
* [[foobar2000]]: http://www.foobar2000.org/
* [[Goldwave]]: http://www.goldwave.com/
* [[shntool]]: http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shntool/
* Wave Repair: http://www.waverepair.com/
* CUEgenerator: http://cuegenerator.net/

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[Gap settings]]
* [[EAC CUE Sheets]]

== External links ==
* [https://github.com/libyal/libodraw/blob/main/documentation/CUE%20sheet%20format.asciidoc libodraw cue sheet documentation]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070614044112/http://www.goldenhawk.com/download/cdrwin.pdf CDRWIN 3.8 Users Manual.book - cdrwin.pdf] via archive.org - Cue sheet commands are listed under Appendix A.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070217191217/http://www.goldenhawk.com/ goldenhawk.com] via archive.org
* {{wikipedia|Cue sheet (computing)}}

[[Category:CD ripping]]