SUSE LINUX 9.3

Part IV. Multimedia / Chapter 15. K3b—The KDE Burning Application
	14.6. Webcam Operation with gqcam		15.2. Creating an Audio CD

Chapter 15. K3b—The KDE Burning Application

Table of Contents

15.1. Creating a Data CD
15.2. Creating an Audio CD
15.3. Copying a CD
15.4. Writing ISO Images
15.5. For More Information

Abstract

K3b is a comprehensive program for writing data and audio CDs and DVDs. Start the program from the main menu or by entering the command k3b. The following sections brief you on how to start a basic burning process to get your first Linux-made CD or DVD.

15.1. Creating a Data CD

To create a data CD, go to ‘File’+‘New Project’+‘New Data Project’. The project view appears in the lower part of the window, as shown in Figure 15.1, “Creating a New Data CD”. Drag the desired directories or individual files from your home directory to the project folder and drop them there. Save the project under a name of your choice with ‘File’+‘Save as’.

Figure 15.1. Creating a New Data CD

Then select ‘Burn’ from the toolbar. A dialog with five tabs offering various options for writing the CD opens. See Figure 15.2, “Customizing the Burning Process”.

Figure 15.2. Customizing the Burning Process

The ‘Writing’ tab has various settings for the burning device, the speed, and the burning options. The detected writer is displayed under ‘Burning Device’ in the burning dialog. Set the burning speed in ‘Speed’. The following options are offered here:

‘Writing Mode’: This option determines how the laser writes a CD. In DAO (disk at once) mode, the laser is not deactivated while the CD is written. This mode is recommended for the creation of audio CDs. However, it is not supported by all CD writers. In the TAO mode (track at one), a separate write process is used for each individual track. The RAW mode is not used very often, because the writer does not perform any data corrections. The best setting is ‘Auto’, because it allows K3b to use the most suitable settings.
‘Simulate’: This function can be used to check if your system supports the selected writing speed. The writing is performed with the laser deactivated to test the system.
‘On the fly’: Burns the desired data without first creating an image file (do not use this feature on low-performance machines). An image file—also known as an ISO image—is a file containing the entire CD content that is subsequently written to the CD exactly as it is.
‘Burnfree’: This option was formerly known as burn-proof. It helps to avoid buffer underruns of a CD writer. If burnfree is selected, the CD writer marks the current position and can return here in the event of a buffer underrun. However, this causes small data gaps that are audible in audio CDs. It is preferable to select a suitable burning speed that avoids buffer underruns.
‘Only create image’: This option creates an image file. Set the path for this file under ‘Temporary File’. The image file can be written to CD at a later time. To do this, use ‘Tools’+‘CD’+‘Burn CD Image’. If this option is used, all other options in this section are deactivated.
‘Remove image’: Remove the temporary image file from hard disk when finished.
‘Verify written data’: Check the integrity of the written data by comparing the MD5 sums of the original and the burned data.

The ‘Settings’ tab features options needed for the creation of CDs with multiple data or audio tracks (multisession CDs). In the ‘Volume Desc’ tab, enter some general information that can be used to identify this particular data project, its publisher and preparer, and the application and operating system used in the creation of this project. Under ‘File system’, specify settings for the file system on the CD (RockRidge, Joliet, UDF). Also determine how symbolic links, file permissions, and blanks are treated. In the ‘Advanced’ tab, experienced users can specify additional settings.

After adjusting all settings to your needs, start the actual burning process using ‘Burn’. Alternatively, save these settings for future use and adjustment with ‘Save’.