InCD/DirectCD/Drag-to-Disc/... functionality through API - Club CDFreaks

Eberhard · 27-02-2004

Here's what we need to do: We develop a Windows application that has lots of legacy file writing code, including a third-party dBase-like library that we have no control over. We still want to write data and a viewer onto CDs and DVDs. These should be readable under a W2K or XP PC without any particular software installations.

Until now, we used Roxio's DirectCD, which makes the drive letter transparently "writeable", so we didn't have to change our legacy code. This works quite well, but what we don't like about this approach is that the user has to deal with both the DirectCD GUI and our application. We would like to be able to control the functionality needed with our application through an API.

Here's what I have evaluated so far (please correct me on any points that I have gotten wrong!):

What we want is probably "Packet Writing", right? Since other writing modes demand the directory/file structure to be set fixed at the start of burning.
XP's native Image Mastering API only supports CD, and it buffers all files on disk, which we don't like.
Roxio's DirectCD again doesn't offer an API, and it doesn't support DVD.
Neither Nero's InCD nor Roxio's Drag-to-Disc offers an API
NeroAPI's Packet Writing offers only raw sector writing support, not the transparent file system support we need.
As a fallback strategy, we could make our application write a part of the data onto a temp disk file at a time, and then call a burning API successively. What is very hard for us to do, though, is give the entire directory/file structure at the start -- that's why the other (non-packet) NeroAPIs are hardly an option for us, either.

Are there other APIs out there that might fulfill our requirement? Have I overlooked something?

If you need further information, I'd be only too happy to give them. There must be solution ...

*ckin2001* · 01-03-2004

http://www.ahead.de/us/631927526314911.html

not sure if it has packetwriting support. plz see our forum - http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=73

Eberhard · 02-03-2004

Thanks for your reply.

The NeroAPI, as I've written, unfortunately doesn't seem to be the answer to our problem. The Nero Packet Writing API is rather basic and doesn't offer Drive Letter Access (see also http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?threadid=72757). The other modes all require the entire directory/file structure to be set before burning (see http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?threadid=88772).

Unless I made a mistake, this doesn't solve our problem. Thanks for your input anyway.

*ckin2001* · 03-03-2004

http://www.gearsoftware.com/products/wks/index.cfm

27-02-2004	#1 (permalink)
Eberhard New on Forum Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 6	InCD/DirectCD/Drag-to-Disc/... functionality through API <a href='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a13febf7&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE' target='_blank'><img src='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=30&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a13febf7' border='0' alt='' /></a> Here's what we need to do: We develop a Windows application that has lots of legacy file writing code, including a third-party dBase-like library that we have no control over. We still want to write data and a viewer onto CDs and DVDs. These should be readable under a W2K or XP PC without any particular software installations. Until now, we used Roxio's DirectCD, which makes the drive letter transparently "writeable", so we didn't have to change our legacy code. This works quite well, but what we don't like about this approach is that the user has to deal with both the DirectCD GUI and our application. We would like to be able to control the functionality needed with our application through an API. Here's what I have evaluated so far (please correct me on any points that I have gotten wrong!): What we want is probably "Packet Writing", right? Since other writing modes demand the directory/file structure to be set fixed at the start of burning. XP's native Image Mastering API only supports CD, and it buffers all files on disk, which we don't like. Roxio's DirectCD again doesn't offer an API, and it doesn't support DVD. Neither Nero's InCD nor Roxio's Drag-to-Disc offers an API NeroAPI's Packet Writing offers only raw sector writing support, not the transparent file system support we need. As a fallback strategy, we could make our application write a part of the data onto a temp disk file at a time, and then call a burning API successively. What is very hard for us to do, though, is give the entire directory/file structure at the start -- that's why the other (non-packet) NeroAPIs are hardly an option for us, either. Are there other APIs out there that might fulfill our requirement? Have I overlooked something? If you need further information, I'd be only too happy to give them. There must be solution ...

01-03-2004	#2 (permalink)
ckin2001 CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Strongbadia Posts: 3,408	http://www.ahead.de/us/631927526314911.html not sure if it has packetwriting support. plz see our forum - http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=73 __________________ www.livingwithoutmicrosoft.org last 5 cd's Avril Lavigne - Whatever the new one is called Lucky Boys Confusion - Throwing the Game lostprophets - Start Something Story of the Year - Page Avenue Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Don't let schooling interfere with your education. -Mark Twain

03-03-2004	#4 (permalink)
ckin2001 CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Strongbadia Posts: 3,408	http://www.gearsoftware.com/products/wks/index.cfm __________________ www.livingwithoutmicrosoft.org last 5 cd's Avril Lavigne - Whatever the new one is called Lucky Boys Confusion - Throwing the Game lostprophets - Start Something Story of the Year - Page Avenue Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Don't let schooling interfere with your education. -Mark Twain

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02-03-2004	#3 (permalink)
Eberhard New on Forum Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 6	Thanks for your reply. The NeroAPI, as I've written, unfortunately doesn't seem to be the answer to our problem. The Nero Packet Writing API is rather basic and doesn't offer Drive Letter Access (see also http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?threadid=72757). The other modes all require the entire directory/file structure to be set before burning (see http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?threadid=88772). Unless I made a mistake, this doesn't solve our problem. Thanks for your input anyway.