Copyright: © 2000-2002 by H+H Software GmbH
Citation: © 2000-2002 by H+H Software GmbH


Introduction to Virtual CD v4
 – Introduction to Virtual CD v4

With Virtual CD, your CD applications are faster, more portable and easier to use. Your CDs and DVDs are stored as virtual CDs on your hard disk, using highly efficient compression methods.

Why use virtual CDs?

With the Virtual CD program...

•	your CD/DVD-based applications are much faster, because the CDs run from your hard drive rather than from the CD-ROM drive

•	you don't have to bother with inserting and removing physical CDs—let alone having to look for them in the first place!

•	you can run your CDs on computers that don't even have physical CD drives

•	you can use multiple CDs simultaneously—no need for an expensive CD changer!

•	your valuable original CDs won't get lost or damaged

•	your notebook conserves precious battery power, because you don't have to run an energy-hogging CD drive

•	your workplace is quieter, because CD drive noise is eliminated

The Virtual CD program is now easier than ever to use. There are just two basic steps:

First, you create a virtual CD from a physical CD. The Virtual CD program stores it in a container (also referred to as a 'container file' or 'image file'), on your hard disk. Then you simply 'insert' the virtual CD into a virtual CD drive. Virtual drives are set up automatically when you install Virtual CD. You can add new virtual CDs to your collection at any time. You can also delete them as needed, to free up disk space.

Important Note:

If you use Virtual CD with CDs or DVDs that are under license, creating multiple virtual images from a given CD/DVD or running the Virtual CD program with a given virtual CD on more than one computer at a time may constitute a breach of the software licensing agreement you entered into with the manufacturer of the CD/DVD in question. Make sure to check your licensing agreements for detailed information.


Functions
 – Functions

Once you have installed Virtual CD v4, the following features are available on your computer. Functions that were not available in earlier versions are marked NEW!

•	Up to 22 virtual CD-ROM drives and any number of virtual CDs (limited only by your available storage space)

•	NEW! Compatible with Windows XP Professional and Home editions

•	NEW! Supports DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, Photo-CD and CD-Text formats

•	NEW! Optional password protection for individual virtual CDs

•	NEW! New data readout techniques (RAW mode, including sub-channel data) support the latest CD technologies

•	NEW! Simplified Easy Copy Mode for beginners

•	NEW! Virtual CDs can be sorted into categories and stored in different folders

•	NEW! You can import ISO-format image files (for data exchange with CD-R software)

•	NEW! Improved data compression that works even with copy-protected CDs

•	NEW! Exclusive access to virtual CDs stored on the network (Personal edition)

•	Automatic retrieval of audio CD data (artist name, album title, track titles) from the CDDB server

•	NEW! Supports up to 99 audio tracks per virtual CD

•	NEW! Full support for all CD-player functions (such as visualization and play lists)

•	Create virtual CDs with your choice of tracks using the Virtual CD v4 Editor

•	NEW! Modify existing virtual CDs with the Virtual CD v4 Editor.

•	NEW! Virtual CD v4 Drive Editor lets you change the number and designations of your virtual CD drives quickly and easily


Program Structure
 – Program Structure

Working with Virtual CD is now easier than ever, thanks to a number of improvements. Many of the program functions have been simplified and in some cases combined. For example, the Image Wizard now offers an Easy Copy Mode especially for beginners. The main VCD functions can be called from a number of different points, including a Start Selection dialog, the VCD Management program, the VCD Quick Start Utility, and the Windows Explorer. This lets you tailor your use of Virtual CD to your own preferences.

The following Virtual CD programs can be accessed directly:

•	Management program: Central program for managing virtual CDs and virtual drives and for configuring basic settings

•	Editor: Lets you compose custom virtual CDs and edit existing virtual CDs

•	Image Wizard: Helps you create 1 : 1 images of CDs or DVDs

•	Start Selection: A special start dialog for direct access to all of the main VCD functions

•	Drive Editor: Makes it easy to define the number of virtual CD drives and their drive letters

•	Quick Start Utility: Installs a quick-launch shortcut in your Windows taskbar for easy access to the main Virtual CD functions

•	Settings: For central configuration of VCD settings


System Requirements
 – System Requirements

The following system specifications are required for running Virtual CD v4:

•	Windows 98 (SE) with at least 64 MB RAM or

Windows ME with at least 64 MB RAM or

Windows NT4 Workstation with Service Pack 6a and at least 128 MB RAM or

Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 2 and at least 128 MB RAM or

Windows XP Home or Professional with 128 MB RAM

•	Pentium 200 MHz processor or faster

•	Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later

•	10 MB hard disk space for installation of the Virtual CD v4 software

•	Optional: sound card (for CDs with audio tracks)

•	Optional: Internet access (to retrieve audio CD data from the CDDB server)

	The amount of hard disk space required in addition to the 10 MB needed for installation of the Virtual CD program depends on the number of virtual CDs you wish to create and the amount of data on your source CDs.


Updating an Earlier Version
 – Updating an Earlier Version

Please observe the following when updating an earlier version of Virtual CD:

•	Technically, the Virtual CD v4 edition can be installed parallel to an older version of the program. We strongly recommend deinstalling the older version, however, to avoid problems with conflicting drive letter assignments.

•	The file format for virtual CDs has been changed, in order to integrate new functions in the program (such as support for DVDs). Older VCD files cannot be used directly with VCD v4, but new program has an easy-to-use function for converting your existing virtual CDs to the new format.

•	It is no longer necessary to have the Quick Start Utility running in order to activate the Hotkey Function.

•	There are no special prerequisites for working with Virtual CD. To ensure optimal functioning of all Virtual CD v4 components, however, it is important that the System Requirements are met.


Easy Copy Mode
 – Easy Copy Mode

The Image Wizard, the VCD module for composing new virtual CDs, can be operated in one of two modes: the Easy Copy Mode or the Expert Copy Mode. The simplified mode is designed for users who want to create virtual CDs as quickly and easily as possible. Most settings (see below) are configured automatically. In the expert mode, on the other hand, default settings are shown but can be overwritten.

The Easy Copy Mode performs the following automatically:

•	A 1 : 1 image is made of the entire source CD/DVD; with audio CDs, for example, you do not have the option of selecting or excluding individual tracks.

•	The container in which the virtual CD is stored on the hard drive is given a file name automatically

•	The structure of the source CD is analyzed and the settings required for the structure detected are configured automatically.

The Easy Copy Mode is definitely the fastest and least complicated method for creating virtual CDs.

	Some virtual CDs might require certain manual configuration settings in order to function correctly. To gain access to all options available in creating virtual CDs (including password protection and hotkeys, for example), you need to deactivate the Easy Copy Mode.
	The first time you start the Image Wizard, you are prompted to select one of the two modes. To switch from one mode to the other, go to the Creating Virtual CDs page of the Settings dialog. This way, you can try out both modes and use the one that best suits your needs in any given case.


Creating a Virtual CD
 – Creating a Virtual CD

You can't really use the program until you have created at least one virtual CD!

There are two options for making a virtual CD:

•	Using the Image Wizard is the fastest and easiest way to make a 1 : 1 image of a virtual CD. The Wizard guides you through the procedure step by step and prompts you for input as needed.

•	To make a customized virtual CD, as opposed to a 1 : 1 image, use the Editor. For example, you can exclude unnecessary directories that are on the original CD, or compose a virtual audio CD that contains all your favorite songs.


Inserting and Ejecting Virtual CDs
 – Inserting and Ejecting Virtual CDs

Just like any CD, a virtual CD has to be 'inserted' or loaded into a drive before it can be used.

There are a number of ways to activate the "Insert" and "Eject" commands:

•	through the Virtual CD Management program.

•	through the Virtual CD Explorer Extension.

•	through the Virtual CD Quick Start Utility.

•	through a user-defined hotkey ("Insert" only).

•	through the Virtual CD command line program.

Once you have inserted a virtual CD, you can begin working with the virtual drive.


Working with Virtual Drives
 – Working with Virtual Drives

The virtual drives created by Virtual CD look just like normal CD/DVD drives in your Windows Explorer. Once you insert a virtual CD, you can also access the virtual drive like any other drive. The main differences are: a) data access is much faster, and b) no physical CD is required.

You can change the drive letters and the number of virtual drives at any time using the Virtual CD Drive Editor. We recommend configuring 3 to 5 virtual drives, as each virtual CD drive takes up 100 KB of internal buffer memory.


Using the Hotkey Function
 – Using the Hotkey Function

You can define a special key combination, or "hotkey", for automatic insertion of a virtual CD in a virtual drive. This lets you run your virtual CDs without starting the Virtual CD Management program.

There are two ways to define a hotkey for a given CD:

•	on the last dialog page of the Image Wizard program, when creating a virtual CD, or

•	in the Image File Properties window for the virtual CD in question, opened in the Virtual CD Management program.

Make sure you assign a given hotkey to one virtual CD only. Keep in mind that the hotkey you define here may overwrite the same key combination normally used for another purpose in another application.


Defining a Start Program
 – Defining a Start Program

You can define a program to be started automatically when a virtual CD is inserted in a virtual drive. This is especially useful for CDs that do not have an autostart function. You can also define a working directory for the start program.

For example, perhaps you'd like to have a graphics program start automatically when a ClipArt CD is inserted. In this case, you can define a path on the local hard disk for running the graphics software, and a path on the CD as the working directory, so that the ClipArt images you work with are found right away.

To enable the definition of a start program with a working directory that is independent of the drive letter used at any given point for the virtual CD in question, Virtual CD supports the environment variable %vcddrive%. The value stored here is the drive letter of the virtual drive in which the virtual CD in question is inserted.

Another example: If "explorer.exe %vcddrive%:" defines the start program and working directory for a given virtual CD, then when you insert that virtual CD, the Windows Explorer starts and opens the drive in which the virtual CD is inserted. If the Explorer is not located in the system path, you need to enter the full path name for 'explorer.exe' to call the program.

	When you use the %vcddrive% variable, keep in mind that the value stored here will be a drive letter—without a colon (":"). Make sure you enter %vcddrive%: —with a colon—as the working directory when you use this variable!

There are two ways to define a start program:

•	on the last dialog page of the Image Wizard program, when creating a virtual CD, or

•	in the Image File Properties window for the virtual CD in question, opened in the Virtual CD Management program.

	If you define a start program for a CD that has an "Autostart" feature, then two programs are started when the virtual CD is inserted.


Quick Start Utility
 – Quick Start Utility

The default settings when you install Virtual CD include the use of the Quick Start Utility. This utility installs a quick-launch symbol in the Windows taskbar which offers direct access to the main Virtual CD functions.

Use this symbol as follows:

•	Double-click on it to start the Virtual CD Management program.

•	Right-click on it to open a shortcut menu with the central program functions.

The shortcut menu of the Quick Start Utility looks like this:

CD Management	Starts the Virtual CD Management program
Create image file	Starts the Virtual CD Image Wizard
Editor	Starts the Virtual CD Editor
Settings	Starts the Virtual CD Settings program
Add/remove virtual drives	Starts the Virtual CD Drive Editor
Network mode	Activates or deactivates the function for inserting/ejecting virtual CDs centrally
Virtual CD Online	Starts the default browser and opens a page with links to other Virtual CD pages
Explorer	Opens an Explorer view of the selected virtual drive
Eject	Ejects the virtual CD from the selected virtual drive
Insert	Inserts a virtual CD in a virtual drive
About...	Shows information on the Quick Start Utility
Exit	Closes the Quick Start Utility (the symbol is no longer shown in the taskbar)
	If you do not want to use the Quick Start Utility, you can deactivate the functions that installs it in your Windows taskbar by selecting the corresponding option on the Global page of the Settings dialog.


Integration in the Explorer
 – Integration in the Explorer

Virtual CD has an extension for integration in your Windows Explorer, so you can perform the following functions directly in the Explorer:

•	Insert a virtual CD: When you right-click on a virtual drive, the shortcut menu includes a new menu item to Insert a virtual CD

•	Create a virtual CD: When you right-click on the drive letter for a physical CD-ROM drive, the shortcut menu includes a new menu item called Create a virtual CD for making a 1 : 1 image of the CD in the physical drive.

	The Create a virtual CD menu item is shown only if there is a CD in the physical drive.
	When you right-click on a virtual drive, the Create a virtual CD menu item is shown only if you have activated the option to Use virtual drives as source drives on the Creating virtual CDs page of the Settings dialog.

The following extension is installed for Virtual CD container files that have the extension .VC4:

•	Manage your virtual CDs starts the Virtual CD Management program.

•	Edit the virtual CD starts the Virtual CD Editor and passes the name of the selected container file to the Editor. The Editor is opened with this file ready for editing.

•	Insert the virtual CD into opens another menu from which you can select the desired virtual drive for this container.

•	The Properties dialog for the container has an additional page, with Virtual CD v4 on the tab. This page shows the Virtual CD properties of the container file.

	Thanks to the Explorer extension, the type of CD (data CD, audio CD, etc.) is indicated by the symbol next to the container file name. Thus you can tell at a glance what types of CDs are listed.


Command Line Program
 – Command Line Program

Once you have installed Virtual CD, the command line program VCDCMD.EXE can be found in the Virtual CD v4 directory. You can use this program to insert or eject  virtual CDs directly from the command line. If you start the program without command line arguments, a window opens showing the command line options:

	If a start program has been defined for the virtual CD in question, that program starts automatically when you insert the CD using the command line program. If you define a start program by entering a program call as a command line argument, this overwrites any previously defined start program, and only the program entered in the command line is opened.
	On the Global page of the Image File Properties dialog in the Virtual CD Management program, you can Create a shortcut on your Desktop. This shortcut uses the command line program to insert the virtual CD.


Local and Network Views
 – Local and Network Views

Virtual CD lets you configure two separate views of your virtual CDs:

•	Local view: Shows all of the virtual CDs that are available only on the computer you are working with.

•	Network view: Shows all of the virtual CDs that are available to all machines that use the same global configuration path. This path is configured on the Network page of the Virtual CD Settings dialog.

	These 'views' define only where the virtual CDs are visible, not where they are stored. For example, if a virtual CD stored on the network in a UNC path is assigned to a local view and not the network view, that virtual CD is available only on the computer specified. Thus you can store a virtual CD on a UNC path in the network and assign it to a local view for testing before adding it to the network view.
	The local view is always available, unless you disable the use of locally stored virtual CDs, on the Network page of the Virtual CD Settings. The network view is available only if you define a global configuration path on the Network page of the Virtual CD Settings dialog. If both Views are available, you can choose whether the CDs they contain are displayed in a single view or are shown additionally in separate 'local' and 'network' views in the Virtual CD programs.


Virtual CD in Networks
 – Virtual CD in Networks

There are two versions of Virtual CD v4: a Personal and a Network version. The differences between the two are outlined in the table below:

Personal	Network
All virtual CD programs are installed on the local hard drive.	Powerful new installation program enables: • central Client Setup in the network with user-defined parameters. • individual installation of selected program components on each workstation. This lets you define which Virtual CD functions are available for each station.
	The functions that are not available on a given station are not shown on that station. For example, if you have installed the components for the CD Management program, but not for creating virtual CDs, then the Create and Editor commands are not shown in the Virtual CD Management program on that station.

You can also control user access to various Virtual CD functions by defining specific "read" and "write" permissions for the tree structure and image configuration files (vcdtree.dat and vcdimg.dat). These permissions affect the Virtual CD v4 programs as follows:

•	The image configuration file (vcdimg.dat) contains information on all virtual CDs recognized by Virtual CD v4. If a given user does not have "write" permission in this file, then that user cannot create virtual CDs—regardless of whether the programs for creating virtual CDs are accessible to the user in question.

•	The tree structure configuration file (vcdtree.dat) contains the information for showing the tree in the Drive view of the CD Management program. If this file is set to "read only" for a given user, then that user cannot add virtual CDs or move CDs from one folder to another.

	You can configure any workstation to work exclusively with virtual CDs stored on the network. To do this, select the Block usage of locally stored CDs option on the Network page of the Virtual CD  Settings dialog, or configure this setting in your central Client Setup program.


Remote Insertion and Ejection of Virtual CDs
 – Remote Insertion and Ejection of Virtual CDs

Switch your Virtual CD program to the 'network' mode if you want to enable remote control of the virtual CDs used on client stations. You can activate the Network mode using the Quick Start Utility or from the Toolbar in the CD Management program.

	The command that activates the Network mode is available only if the respective program is installed and you have entered a Global configuration path on the Network page of the Settings dialog.

The Current mode box indicates which mode the Virtual CD program is currently in:

NORMAL – Every user can insert their own virtual CDs.

CENTRAL – Virtual CDs are inserted and ejected remotely from this workstation.

	Only one of the workstations, of all the stations that use a given global configuration path, can be used for remote control of virtual CDs.

In addition to showing the current mode, this box contains three buttons, with the following functions:

•	Toggle between normal and 'central' (network) mode. A password must be entered to activate the central mode.

•	Define a new password. The old password must be entered first, and then the new password is entered twice.

•	Exit the Network Mode dialog.

	The password field is blank when the program is first installed, and when you change the global configuration path.

Configurations for remote control of virtual CDs are stored in the vcdadm.dat file, which is always found in the global configuration path. Make sure that only you, as administrator, have "read" and "write" permissions in this path. All other users require "read" permission only.

	To use the remote-control function for inserting and ejecting virtual CDs, all stations must have the same drive letters configured for virtual drives. The easiest way to do this is to create a single Client Setup program for installing Virtual CD on your client stations.


Settings for Audio Tracks
 – Settings for Audio Tracks

With Virtual CD v4, you can create audio tracks as either

•	individual audio tracks (sound files), or

•	data tracks.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these methods, and each has its limitations.

If you choose to store your audio tracks as sound files, audio data is converted to sound files and compressed accordingly.

If you choose to store them as data files, the audio data is transferred 1-to-1 to your hard disk. In this case, the data retains its original format, but the tracks can be played only using a program that can read digital data (such as Media Player 7, for example.)

	In any case, you do need to choose one method or the other, as virtual CDs containing a mix of both types can be difficult to work with (see Troubleshooting: Virtual Audio CDs).

As mentioned above, both methods have advantages and disadvantages, so we can't really recommend one method over the other. The table below lists the pros and cons to help you decide which is best for you in each case:

Write audio tracks as...	Advantages	Disadvantages
...individual sound files	• Saves hard disk space, for example when using MP3 compression • Files can be opened by music programs individually for editing • Can be created using any physical CD-ROM drive	• Audio compression might take more CPU time  • Takes longer to make the virtual CD • Virtual CD cannot be used as source for virtual CD, CD-R or audio-CD 'ripping' software
...data files	• Full support for music player functions (such as  visualization in Media Player) • Virtual CD can be used as source for virtual CD,  CD-R and audio-CD 'ripping' software  • More flexible, as it can be used later to create a virtual CD with individual sound files	• Takes up more hard disk space • Only works with certain system configurations


Using Data Compression
 – Using Data Compression

Virtual CD comes with extensive support for data compression so you can store your virtual CDs as efficiently as possible. You can configure settings for compression on the Compression Defaults page of the Settings dialog.

The table below lists the advantages and disadvantages of the different compression options to help you decide which is best for you:

Compression	Advantages	Disadvantages
None	• Quickest method for creating a virtual CD • No added load on the CPU	• Takes up the most space on the hard disk. The size of the container corresponds to the data volume on the CD
Level 1 (Normal)	• Good compromise between CPU load and storage space taken	• Low added CPU load
Level 2 (Medium)	• Especially suited for use with sectors copied using the RAW mode	• Higher added CPU load
Level 3 (Maximum)	• Lowest disk space requirement	• For use only with processors of at least 700MHz  • Takes longest to create the virtual CD

The extent to which data can actually be compressed in each case depends on the content of the CD or DVD in question. With text files, for example, a high degree of compression can be obtained, while the size of MPEG1 or MPEG2 video files cannot be reduced by much.


What is CDDB?
 – What is CDDB?

Virtual CD v4 gives you the option of using the Disc Recognition Services (DRS) from CDDB, Inc., to retrieve information about audio CDs from the Internet, including artist name and album and track titles. This service is free of charge and runs automatically.

The first time you use the CDDB service, you need to log on to the CDDB server.


Using CDDB
 – Using CDDB2

	The CDDB function is available only if your computer has Internet access.

The first time you use a VCD program function that accesses CDDB (for example, when you create an audio CD), the login routine for the CDDB service starts automatically. After the login prompt, select "New Registration" and enter a name and password.

	This login procedure runs only once. Every time you use the CDDB service after this, you are automatically logged on with the name and password entered the first time.

To change the name or password used for CDDB login, open the CDDB menu in the Virtual CD Management program.

	If you do not have Internet access, you should disable the CDDB function. To do this, open the Global page of the Settings dialog and deselect the CDDB option.


CDDB Proprietary Information
 – CDDB Proprietary Information

CD-related data through the Internet from the CDDB™ Music CD Database, Copyright 1999, 2000 CDDB, Inc.  CDDB Client Software, Copyright 1999, 2000 CDDB, Inc.

CDDB-Enabled, CDDB, CDDB2 and the CDDB Logo are trademarks of CDDB, Inc.  Disc Recognition Service and DRS are service marks of CDDB, Inc.


Structure of a CD-ROM
 – Structure of a CD-ROM

Unlike hard disks and floppy diskettes, the data you access on a CD is read-only. Nevertheless, CD-ROMs are gradually replacing diskettes as the medium of choice for external data transport. This is mainly due to the following developments:

•	The manufacture of CD-ROMs has become relatively inexpensive

•	CD-ROMs can hold far more data than diskettes (up to 700 MB)

•	Devices for writing data on CD-ROMs, called CD writers or CD burners, are becoming fairly widespread, even in the private sector

Data is stored in CD-ROMs in sectors and the sectors are divided into tracks. The number of tracks on a CD-ROM depends on the CD format. Data CDs usually use a "single data track" format, while the number of tracks on a music CD depends on the number of titles on the album in question. Every CD-ROM contains at least one track where information is stored.

Some CDs use an additional unit of organization, called a session. Multisession CDs are created in a series of steps, and each session is again divided into tracks. This type of CD format is used for example to create CDs with both data and audio tracks. An example of this CD type is the "CD-Extra" format. Here, the first session contains data and the second contains audio tracks. When the CD is placed in a computer, the program contained in the data track is run—most often this is some type of animation. When the same CD is placed in a CD player, the data sector is ignored and the CD is treated as a normal music CD.

In addition to these common types of CD formats, a number of other format types have been developed for special functions, such as recording video or photo images on CD.


CD Formats
 – CD Formats

In addition to standard types of CD format, there are a number of other formats for both data and music CDs; some are more widely used than others. The table below gives an overview of the most commonly used CD formats and indicates their compatibility with the Virtual CD v4 program.

Format	Description	VCD v4
DVD-ROM	Digital Versatile Disc. The main difference between this and a CD-ROM is that the DVD can hold considerably more data than a CD.
DVD Video	Usually contains movies in MPEG2 format.
Audio CD (CDDA)	CD digital audio; music CD
CD-Extra	Multisession CD. One session contains data for the computer, the other contains music tracks.
Video CD	Predecessor to DVDs. Movies are stored using MPEG1 format. Data has to be more highly compressed to fit a movie onto a CD-ROM, which has a negative affect on playback quality.
CDI	CD format for interactive content.
CD-Text	Similar to the format of audio CDs, with additional information on album title, artist name and track titles. This information is available only when using a CD drive that supports text and that accesses a CD player with support for text information.
Mixed-mode CD (data/audio)	This type of CD contains data in the first track and music in all other tracks. This format is mainly used for games.
Photo CD	Format for storing digital pictures. The pictures from one "roll" of film are stored on the CD in a session, which makes it possible to use the CD for more than one roll.
CD-ROM	Data CD
	Some DVDs use more than one format; for example, a video-DVD might also have a DVD-ROM section.


Structure of a Virtual CD Container
 – Structure of a Virtual CD Container

The structure of the virtual CD container depends on the format of the source CD. A Virtual CD container can consist of the following files:

File	Description	Included in the container...
<file>.VC4	This is the actual container file, or 'image file', containing the CD structure and any tracks.	...always
<file>.ICO	Symbol file for the container.	...if a symbol exists for the source CD. Usually applies only to data CDs.
<file>.<no.>	Data tracks are numbered sequentially.	...if data tracks are included in the virtual CD.
<file>.WAV	Audio file, containing an audio track as a sound file. There is one audio file for each audio track.	...if music tracks are included in the virtual CD.
<file>.SZQ	File containing sub-channel data.	...if the container includes sub-channel data.

When you delete a Virtual CD in the Virtual CD v4 Management program, all files that form part of the container for that virtual CD are deleted from the hard disk.

	Sound files are stored in "wave" format (*.wav) and can be played with other programs as well, without using Virtual CD.