CDOWN(1)

💿 CDOWN(1) — the cdown era 💿

okay bestie, welcome to the User Commands section, it's giving very much "let me ask the internet about your CD" energy 🎀

---

✨ NAME ✨

cdown — like, the whole vibe is: query the cddb database for info on a disc. that's it, that's the girl 💅

---

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

cdown
cdown [-[0..9]|-d device] [-H H] [-P P] [-V|-?|-h]

literally just run it, or run it with flair (aka flags). both are valid. both slay ✨

---

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so. cdown is a command that goes and queries your CD-ROM for track information, takes that info, and uses it to fetch the tea on that CD-ROM from the CDDB databases (freedb.freedb.org). then it outputs all of it in a form that's suitable for cdir(1). it's giving "middle girl energy" but make it useful 💖

cdown prints the information it downloads on stdout, in a format suitable for appending to .cdtooldb. no cap, it's literally built for that.

now — if there's any uncertainty as to which CD-ROM information it should download, it prints a list of alternatives to stderr and prompts the user to select one. so it will ask you to pick, it's very "bestie choose for me" about it 🙈

⚠️ heads up: a network connection is required for this to operate properly. no wifi, no tea. periodt.

---

👑 OPTIONS 👑

• -d device — specify the cdrom device. you tell it which one, it listens 💅
• -H host — get database using HOST (def=freedb.freedb.org). the default is truly iconic and it knows it.
• -P port — get database using PORT (def=888). three eights, lucky girl ✨
• -l — list available cddb hosts. window shopping, but for servers 🛍️
• -[1..9] — specify /dev/cdromN (def=/dev/cdrom). pick your fave number, they're all valid 🎀
• -r — output raw answer of the CDDB server. no filter, no editing, just the raw unfiltered reply, we respect it 🫶
• -v — verbose output. it will yap. and honestly? let it 💬
• -D — enable runtime debugging. for when you need to know everything 😭
• -V — print version, exit. quick lil self-introduction then she's gone 👋
• -[?|h] — print help, exit. she'll explain herself and then dip 💀

---

🍓 FILES 🍓

• ~/.cdtooldb — default database file. that's her home, that's where she lives 💜

---

🌈 ENVIRONMENT 🌈

• CDTOOLDBPATH — colon delimited path of database files to search. it is not necessary to specify ~/.cdtooldb, as this is automatically added to the end of the search path. so like, don't bother, she's already there, she pulled up uninvited but she's welcome 🧚
• CDTOOLDEV — device file for cd-rom, overrides compile-time defaults. main character energy, overrides everything ⭐
• CDDBHOST — host to query, overrides compile-time default. same deal, she's in charge now 💅

---

💖 SEE ALSO 💖

• cdir(1) — the bestie, the duo, the it-girls together 🫶

---

🎀 AUTHORS 🎀

Main code:

• Bryon Ellacott <rodent@homer.humbug.org.au>

Enhancements:

• Wade Hampton <whampton@staffnet.com>

---

and that's the whole page, bestie! this one's from the CDTOOL crew, dated 29-July-2004 — yes queen, vintage, retro, lowkey a time capsule 📼✨ mwah 💋