You can import data from most (but NOT all) CDs including CD+G (karaoke) discs. This works by downloading the data from one of a number of different online song databases. This will save hours of time over entering the data manually.
We estimate about 80-90% of all music and karaoke CD+G discs can be found in one of the available databases. If your collection contains a large number of newer discs or more obscure discs, then your numbers may be lower. Any discs that can not be found in the online database can be entered manually.
Import Instructions
| 1. | On the Import tab (on the ribbon), click the From CD button. |
| 2. | You will now see the following dialog: |
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| Click to expand |
| 3. | If you have not already, insert the CD from which you wish to read into the drive shown in the Select CD/DVD Drive drop down on the ribbon. (If the disc you wish to read is in another drive, you can select that drive from the drop down). |
| 4. | Click Read from CD. (This window will also automatically read from the CD when the door for the selected CD/DVD drive is closed.) |
| 5. | When the CD data is imported the window will change to resemble the following: |
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| Click to expand |
| 6. | You can import additional CDs by clicking the Add Another Disc button on the ribbon at the top of this screen. |
| 7. | You can modify any of the imported data as you wish. |
| 8. | When you've imported all the CDs you wish to import, simply click Save & Close (found on the application menu, and the quick access toolbar). |
| • | IMPORTANT! NOT EVERY CD HAS A RECORD IN THE ONLINE DATABASE(S)! If the CD is not in the database you have selected in the Select Database drop down, try to select a different database. It is possible the CD has no record in ANY of the available databases. When this is the case, you will still be able to manually add the CD to your song book. |
| o | Newly released CDs will frequently not have a record in the online databases. |
| o | Custom (mix) CDs will almost never have a record in the online databases. |
| o | Copies of commercial CDs may or may not have a record (even when the original does have a record). This will depend on how exact the copy is. |
| • | You can choose from the following four databases: |
| o | TrackType - Contains records for most music and karaoke CDs. We recommend using this as the primary database. |
| o | FreeDB - Contains records for many music and karaoke CDs. |
| o | GnuDB - Essentially a "copy" of the data in the FreeDB (although possibly not completely current). This option may be valuable if the other databases are temporarily out of service. |
| o | Music Brainz - Contains most regular audio CDs, but not many karaoke CDs. |
| • | When this screen loads, Pilot Song Book Creator will determine which CD/DVD drives you have installed into your system and use this information to populate the Select CD Drive drop down. |
| • | This process DOES NOT rip these songs to your hard drive! If you wish to do this, you will need to use a program like Power CD+G Burner. |
| • | The year and "genre" of the CD as stored in the online database will be stored in the disc remarks field if the data is in the database. |
| • | You can configure the genre information for this disc and its songs exactly the same way it is done in the main Disc View. |
