Documentation
Burning CDs in Public Computing Service Areas
Documentation table of contents.
Introduction
Roxio Easy CD Creator allows you to burn data or audio files to a CD from Public Computing workstations that have the software installed. To use this software you must have a blank CD-R or a CD-RW on which to burn the files. Roxio Easy CD Creator is available on computers in the University at Buffalo's Cybraries in Capen and Lockwood.
When deciding whether to use a CD-R or a CD-RW, you should consider for what purpose you will be using your burned CD. CD-Rs usually burn at a much higher speed than CD-RWs, but cannot be erased to store other data later. CD-RWs are often not compatible with media outside of PCs, so they may not play on devices such as Audio or MP3 CD players, or DVD players.
Starting Easy CD Creator
Insert a blank CD into the CD drive. If the Easy CD Creator menu screen does not automatically start, click start, select All Programs, then Roxio Easy CD Creator 5. All accessible drives will be mapped, including drive S (your UBFS space), and drive U (your temporary drive on the computer you are currently using).
Recording Data Files to CD
Data CDs store data in much the same way as a computer's hard drive, storing files, pictures, or other transferrable items that you wish to open on another computer. Data CDs can also contain a working directory structure, so you can transfer entire folders and their contents to the project and keep their integrity intact. Data CDs are also widely used in MP3 audio players. Not to be confused with Audio CD projects compiled from MP3 files, MP3 audio CDs are meant for audio players that have MP3 decoding installed. You can add directory structures to MP3 audio CDs, and store hundreds of songs, but they will not be recognized by conventional CD players.
To begin a new Data CD project, select File, then New CD Project. Choose the Data CD option to save data files to a CD. In the Select Source Files pull-down menu, choose the drive and folder where your files are stored. Your files should appear in the Source window.
Click on the file or directory that you want to save to the CD and click Add. If there are multiple files, you can select them by holding down the Ctrl key and sequentially clicking on their filenames.
To create a directory structure from scratch on a data CD project, select New Folder from the Edit menu. This can be done from the root directory of the CD (the default view on a new data CD project) or within pre-existing folders to create subdirectories. If you would like to rename any folders within the project, right-click them and select Rename.
Note
Once you start recording on a CD-R, the information is permanent and the CD cannot be re-used.
The amount of data that can be stored on a single CD varies, depending upon its storage capacity. A 74-minute CD holds up to 650 Mb, while an 80-minute CD holds up to 700 Mb. Check the packaging of your CD-R or CD-RW to determine its capacity.
If you are attempting to burn new data to a previously used CD-RW, ensure that the disc is properly formatted before you begin. CD-RWs do not work the same way floppy disks do, you cannot simply overwrite the old data with the new. It is necessary to click Disc at the top of your screen and select Erase Disc with the CD-RW in the drive in order to format your CD-RW. Note that once you format the CD-RW, you will lose all of the information that was on it. It will behave afterwards as if it were a new CD, and you can write to it as if it were. It is not possible to format CD-Rs.
Once you have added all the files that you wish to save to the CD, click the Record button. Click Start Recording. Wait for the data CD project to be burned onto your CD-R or CD-RW and follow any on-screen instructions to complete the burn process.
Recording Music and Audio to CD
Roxio Easy CD Creator is capable of converting audio files such as .wav, .mp3, or .wma from your computer into a format recognized by most CD players. Because of the extra data needed by audio CD players to properly recognize and play audio files, the files encoded to an audio CD project will be expanded as they are added to the compilation. You should not use a CD-RW for an audio CD project, as most CD players will not recognize them. It should also be noted that not all CD players are CD-R compatible, and there is no guarantee that your CD project will play properly once you have burned it.
To begin a new audio CD project, select File, New CD Project, then Music CD.
Navigate the File Browser to the directory holding the files you wish to add, then select the desired tracks by clicking on their names. Click Add to include these files in the current CD project. Be sure to monitor the play time of your audio project as you build your compilation. Do not go over the capacity indicated on your CD-R's packaging.
Once you have added all the files that you wish to save to the CD, click the Record button. Click Start Recording. Wait for the CD project to burn onto your CD-R and follow any on-screen instructions to complete the burn process. Note that burning at low speeds (8X or below) will increase the probability that your audio CD project will play properly in a CD player.
Creating a CD Project to Edit Later
Note
Be careful saving and opening files on drive U. It is a temporary storage drive only, and its contents will be erased when you log off of the computer.
Easy CD Creator is capable of saving a CD project in progress before it is burned to a CD. This saved project can then be opened and burned at a later date with Easy CD Creator. This allows you to make additional changes to the CD project or to create a compilation of files you wish to burn to a CD before you actually have the CD media in the CD-R/RW drive.
Once you are satisfied with a CD project and would like to save it in its current state, select File, then Save Project List As. Enter a name and location for the file, then click Save. To open the project at a later time, select File, then Open CD Project. Select the name of the CD project you want to open and click Open.
It is important to note that although you saved your current CD project to an independent file, you cannot burn your CD project from any computer other than the one that contains the files in the CD project. For instance, you could not compile a CD project on a Public IT computer, save the project to removable media, open the project on your home computer, and successfully burn the project. You also cannot move or manipulate any of the files to be burned in the CD project before burning the CD.
Note
CD project files end in the extension .cl5
Upon reopening your CD project, you may want to validate the files to ensure that you have not moved any of them since you last opened the project. To do so, select File, then Validate Project.
Once your CD project is open, you can initiate recording by following the steps outlined above.
Exiting Easy CD Creator
When you are ready to exit Easy CD Creator, select File, then Exit.