Main window
Please move your pointer over the image below (and then left click it)…
Artist name (for the whole album)▲ Back to top
This is the global artist name for the entire disk. This string was readed directly from the CUE sheet file. You can edit disk values by left clicking on "Album:" or "Title:" labels, or go to main menu "Edit -> Modify disk data", or right click on the top panel to activate the pop-up menu and then select "Modify disk data"; now you can modify the artist name in the edit disk window. This field can be identified by the file mask engine using the token %A (note "A"' is UPPERCASE: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Title (for the whole album)▲ Back to top
This is the global album title for the entire disk. This string was readed directly from the CUE sheet file. You can edit disk values by left clicking on "Album:" or "Title:" labels, or go to main menu "Edit -> Modify disk data", or right click on the top panel to activate the pop-up menu and then select "Modify disk data"; now you can modify the title in the edit disk window. This field can be identified by the file mask engine using the token %T (note "T"' is UPPERCASE: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Active track (aka A)▲ Back to top
Here you can specify which track include or exclude from the split engine processing. You can select or unselect each track manually, by left-clicking over the orange checkbox, or you can choose to "Select all tracks", "Unselect all tracks" or "Invert tracks selection": these 3 options can be found on the "Edit" menu or under the pop-up menu of the grid (right-click over the grid to show it). When you open a new CUE sheet file, all tracks will be activated by default. Possible states of the "Active tracks (aka A)" field are:
- Track is selected (is active) and will be processed by the split engine;
- Track is unselected (is not active) and will be skipped by the split engine.
Track number▲ Back to top
This is the track number! In CUE Splitter each track can have an arbitrary (only positive) number, so no sequential indices are needed nor requested. You can have even two or more tracks with the same index (but a warning in log window will appear). This value was readed directly from the CUE sheet file. You can edit track values by double clicking over the desired row in the grid, or you can go to main menu "Edit -> Modify track data [##]", or right click over the grid to activate the pop-up menu and then select "Modify track data [##] "; now you can modify the track number in the edit track window. This field can be identified by the file mask engine using the token %n (note "n"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Artist name (for a single track)▲ Back to top
This field identifies the artist name for each track. If a CUE sheet has an empty artist name for all tracks, CUE Splitter automatically fill these with the artist name of the whole album. This string was readed directly from the CUE sheet file. You can edit track values by double clicking over the desired row in the grid, or you can go to main menu "Edit -> Modify track data [##]", or right click over the grid to activate the pop-up menu and then select "Modify track data [##] "; now you can modify the artist name in the edit track window. This field can be identified by the file mask engine using the token %a (note "a"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Title (for a single track)▲ Back to top
This field identifies the title for each track. This string was readed directly from the CUE sheet file. You can edit track values by double clicking over the desired row in the grid, or you can go to main menu "Edit -> Modify track data [##]", or right click over the grid to activate the pop-up menu and then select "Modify track data [##] "; now you can modify the title in the edit track window. This field can be identified by the file mask engine using the token %t (note "t"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Track length▲ Back to top
The track length in MM:SS (minutes and seconds) format. If you want display an accurate track length, you can set in configuration window, the option "Shows cents value on tracks length" and obtain a value in MM:SS.CCC (minutes, seconds and milliseconds [from 0 to 999]) format. The track length is calculated using indexes in a CUE sheet file and scanning each source file to obtain its audio length: CUE sheet format don't define directly the length of tracks. If you notice a (null) in a track length, this means that CUE Splitter can't calculate it correctly, and this can happen in the following situations:
- A source audio file is corrupted;
- A source audio file is locked by another application;
- A source audio file doesn't exists;
- A source audio file is too short compared to the timeline defined in its associated CUE sheet file.
Track pregap length▲ Back to top
The pregap is a chunk of audio data optionally added at the beginning of a track (track 01 always contains at least 2 seconds of pregap). A lot of CDs have tracks with 2 seconds of silence at the beginning: this is the pregap! Note that pregap can contain silence (the most common use), song introduction (for example in livesets), an hidden track, extra audio data or even binary data for PCs: so pay attention to pregap, it can contain useful data. "Track pregap length" field is in SS.CCC (seconds and milliseconds[from 0 to 999]) format, and when is 00.000 means "this track has no pregap available". If you notice a (null) in a track pregap length, this means that CUE Splitter can't calculate it correctly, and this can happen in the following situations:
- A source audio file is corrupted;
- A source audio file is locked by another application;
- A source audio file doesn't exists;
- A source audio file is too short compared to the timeline defined in its associated CUE sheet file.
Here is some good extra links with further explanations: link 1, link 2 and link 3.
Comment field▲ Back to top
This field is a comment string for the whole album. When you open a new CUE sheet file, this field is filled with the "comment tag" of the first source audio file listed. If a "comment tag" is not present or blank, this field will be cleared. You can edit this string on-the-fly without any restriction. This string will be written back into every "comment tag" for each splitted file, so all tracks will contain the same "comment tag" string given. Some tagging system, like the old ID3v1, will truncate a long comment string. You can also use this field in the file mask engine, by using the token %c (note "c"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Year field▲ Back to top
This field specify the year of the whole album. When you open a new CUE sheet file, this field is filled with the "year tag" of the first source audio file listed. If a "year tag" is not present or blank, this field will be cleared. You can edit this string on-the-fly with a length limit of 5 characters, but you can also use alphanumeric chars. This string will be written back into every "year tag" for each splitted file, so all tracks will contain the same "year tag" string given. Some tagging system, like the old ID3v1, and most players, will accept only numeric string for this field. You can also use this field in the file mask engine, by using the token %y (note "y"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Manage or choose your custom genre▲ Back to top
If you click over this label, the genres window will open and here you can manage your custom genres list or you can choose current genre string for the whole album, by double-clicking over an element in the list.
Genre field▲ Back to top
This field specify a musical genre for the whole album. When you open a new CUE sheet file, this field is filled with the "genre tag" of the first audio file listed. If a "genre tag" is not present or blank, this field will be cleared. You can choose a genre using this combobox or you can click over the nearby "Genre:" label to manage or choose your custom genre. This string will be written back into every "genre tag" for each splitted file, so all tracks will contain the same "genre tag" string given. Some tagging system, like the old ID3v1, support only the predefined genre list. You can also use this field in the file mask engine, by using the token %g (note "g"' is lowercase: the file mask engine is case sensitive!).
Enable/disable the file mask engine▲ Back to top
With this checkbox you can enable or disable the file mask engine. When the file mask engine is enabled, you need to select a current file mask from the file mask list. Please, read the file mask engine section to obtain further informations about file masks. If you disable the file mask engine, splitted files will be named using "Track_##.ext" format , where "##" is the current track number and "ext" can be mp3, wav, flac, ape and others; it depends from source audio file. NOTE - Even if you disable the file mask engine, output file name will always be processed by the case changer (for file): for example if you set "UPPERCASE" output will be "TRACK_##.EXT" or if you set "lowercase" output will be "track_##.ext".
Select a file mask (the file mask list)▲ Back to top
This combobox contains your customized file mask list. If the file mask engine is enabled, here you can select your current mask that will process splitted file names. You can manage your file mask list as you wish, but it must contain at least one valid mask. For example you can have only one file mask for all albums, or you can define a file mask for compilations, livesets, classical albums, rock albums, and whatever you want ... then you need to associate the appropriate file mask for each album loaded. Please, read the file mask engine section to obtain further informations about file masks.
Replace spaces with underscores▲ Back to top
With this option you'll convert space characters, of output file name, to underscores. It's easy, if you have a splitted file called "(02) [Blank & Jones] Desire.mp3" with this option enabled, it will be "(02)_[Blank_&_Jones]_Desire.mp3": as you can see all spaces (ASCII 0x20) have been converted to underscores (ASCII 0x5F). This option work for all output files, including M3U and CUEs.
Add a new customized file mask▲ Back to top
With this button you can add a new customized file mask to the file mask list. Please, read the file mask engine section to obtain further informations about file masks. When you press this button, a dialog window appear like the screenshot below. The operation is straightforward, write a file mask name in "Mask name:" field and a file mask value in "Mask value:" field; then press "Accept" button to add your customized file mask, "Cancel" button to cancel this operation or "Help" to view an image containing informations about tokens. A short help can also be noticed in middle of dialog.
Delete a customized file mask▲ Back to top
With this button you can delete the selected file mask from the file mask list. When you press this button, a confirmation dialog appear like the screenshot below. If you press YES the mask will be deleted, NO otherwise.
Modify a customized file mask▲ Back to top
With this button you can edit the selected file mask from the file mask list. Please, read the file mask engine section to obtain further informations about file masks. When you press this button, a dialog window appear like the screenshot below. The operation is straightforward, modify the file mask name in "Mask name:" field, modify the file mask value in "Mask value:" field, and then press "Accept" button to confirm the edited mask, "Cancel" button to rollback to original mask or "Help" to view an image containing informations about tokens. A short help can also be noticed in middle of dialog.
Case changer (for file)▲ Back to top
In this combobox you can select a case changer for all output file names. This means that all output file names, including M3U and CUEs, can change its case by selecting the appropriate item. There are 5 available entries: "(Do not change)", "Title Case", "UPPERCASE", "lowecase" and "Sentence case". Ok, to make things easier, let's see an example with the file name "ThIs Is A tEsT.wAvE":
- (Do not change) -> "ThIs Is A tEsT.wAvE"
- Title Case -> "This Is A Test.wave"
- UPPERCASE -> "THIS IS A TEST.WAVE"
- lowercase -> "this is a test.wave"
- Sentence case -> "This is a test.wave"
Case changer (for tags)▲ Back to top
In this combobox you can select a case changer for all output tags. This means that all output tags can change its case by selecting the appropriate item. There are 5 available entries: "(Do not change)", "Title Case", "UPPERCASE", "lowecase" and "Sentence case". Ok, to make things easier, let's see an example with the tag "ThIs Is A tEsT TaG":
- (Do not change) -> "ThIs Is A tEsT TaG"
- Title Case -> "This Is A Test Tag"
- UPPERCASE -> "THIS IS A TEST TAG"
- lowercase -> "this is a test tag"
- Sentence case -> "This is a test tag"
Start/stop split process▲ Back to top
With this button you can start (or stop) a split process! When you press "Split!", a browse for folder dialog appear and the initial directory selected, is based on your settings of the configuration window. If you set the option "Same directory as source" then the initial directory will be the source CUE sheet directory, if you set "Remember last directory used" then it will be the last directory chosen else if you set "Output files should go into one directory:" then it will be your specified directory. NOTE - If you have set the option "Output files should go into one directory:" and you uncheck "Popup for path validation", then no browse for folder dialog appear and split process automatically starts. After split process begin, "Split!" button changes to "Stop" button, as you can see in the screenshot below. Obviously, if you press "Stop" button, the split process terminate immediately.
Include pregap in splitted file▲ Back to top
If you check this option, track pregap will be added at the beginning of splitted files. If you uncheck this option, no track pregap will be added on splitted files. I remember that track pregap can contain silence or important audio data, so take care about this. For example, track pregap of a liveset, can contain the song introduction while a classical album can contain pure silence.
Invert pregap direction▲ Back to top
If you check this option, track pregap will be added at the end of previous splitted file, instead of at beggining of current. This option is enabled only if include pregap in splitted file is checked. NOTE - Track pregap of first track will be lost. You can decide, for example, to put song introduction of a liveset at the end of each track: music start immediately and the introduction of next song will be stored towards the end of track, when the real music is over.