* To be run automatically and swiftly from a shell script and automatically generate a frontcard and a traycard for a cd---usually data archive cd's. The traycard (which goes behind the CD itself) is U-shaped and the ends of the CD case bear the label of what the CD is.
* To have a minimum of dependencies---cdlabelgen only requires perl.
cdlabelgen was designed to simplify the process of generating labels
for CD's. It originated as a program to allow auto generation of
frontcards and traycards for CD's burned via an automated mechanism
(specifically for archiving data), but has now become popular for
labelling CD compilations of mp3's, and copies of CDs. Note that
cdlabelgen does not actually print anything---it just spits out
postscript, which you can then do with as you please.
Thanks to some really hairy postscript from GNUPlot, cdlabelgen now
supports arbitrary ISOLatin font characters. This means that you can
print out characters like æøåÆØÅ (ASCII \230, \248, \229, \198, \216
and \197)
cdlabelgen comes with several eps images for you to use on your
labels. These images can be found in /usr/local/lib/cdlabelgen or
/usr/share/cdlabelgen or
/usr/local/share/cdlabelgen, depending on your installation. Included
are a Recycling icon, an mp3 icon, the Compact Disc icon (with and
without 'Digital' on it), Tux the penguin, and the new Debian 'swirl'
logo. Two color background images called Music Notes are also
available.
Note that cdlabelgen now prints a 'tongue' as part of the
traycard. This folds around and is viewable from the front in jewel
boxes that are entirely clear (CD holder piece is not opaque). If you
do not have a clear CD holder in your jewel box, you may find it
easier to just cut the 'tongue' off---it's a bit easier to fold without
it.
cdlabelgen requires Perl Version 5.003 or greater. Ghostscript is not
required, but is recommended so that you can test out your labels
without wasting paper.
SWITCHES
-c category
Set the category (title) for the CD
-s subcategory
Set the subcategory (subtitle) for the CD
-i items
'items' should be a '%' separated list of items to print on the
traycard of the CD. Note that if the number of items are too many
to fit on the tray card, cdlabelgen will leave out some items at the end.
cdlabelgen automatically flows the items into 2, 3, 4, or 5 columns
and scales the fontsize accordingly, unless the "-P" option is used.
You can insert blank lines by
inserting 2 percent signs in a row into the items list.
-f filename
Get item names from file named filename. Each item should be on its
own line separated by carriage returns.
cdlabelgen automatically flows the items into 2, 3, 4, or 5
columns and scales the fontsize or clips the items as needed.
You can insert blank
lines by placing blank lines between items in this file
-v number_of_items_for_cover
Normally, all the items are printed on the tray card.
But if you have a large number of items, you may wish to print some items
on the cover, and rest on the tray card.
This option provides a way of specifying how many items should be printed
on the cover. Default is 0 (i.e., print no item on the cover, print all
items on the tray). The items to be printed on the cover are taken from
the list of items, from the top of the list.
Note that if the number of items is too many to fit on the cover,
it will result in items being dropped. As of Jan 2002, around
250-300 items can be fitted on the cover or the tray, depending on
whether a title/subtitle/date is used or not.
-d date
Set the date to be used as 'date' if not set or not overridden with
the -D flag, today's date will be used (default is today's
date). Use this option if you don't like cdlabelgen's default format of
YYCC-MM-YY, for example.
-D
Do not print any date (overrides -d as well)
-e cover_epsfile
Filename of eps file to print on cover. Note that cdlabelgen requires
that the eps file contain a proper '%%BoundingBox LLx LLy URx URy'
declaration according to the PostScript Document Structuring
Conventions. cdlabelgen uses this line to determine the dimensions of
the eps graphic so that it can position it appropriately on the
cover. Note that cdlabelgen first looks for this file in your working
directory. If it doesn't find it there, it will look in the list of
directories where the default eps files are stored (see
@where_is_the_template). This makes it easy to use the images shipped
with cdlabgelgen without typing miles of pathnames.
-S cover_eps_scaleratio
The ratio by which you want to scale the epsfile that appears on the
cover. If you omit this flag, cdlabelgen assumes a scaleratio of
1.0. This flag allows you to squeeze larger graphics into the cover or
expand smaller graphics to fill the cover. Scaleratio must be a number
(int or float).
If the value passed is 0.0 (note: not 0, but 0.0), then the
logo is used as a background image - it will be scaled as required
to fit the entire cover.
-E tray_epsfile
Filename of eps file to print on traycard. Note that cdlabelgen
requires that the eps file contain a proper '%%BoundingBox LLx LLy URx
URy' declaration according to the PostScript Document Structuring
Conventions. cdlabelgen uses this line to determine the dimensions of
the eps graphic so that it can position it appropriately on the
cover. Note that cdlabelgen first looks for this file in your working
directory. If it doesn't find it there, it will look in the list of
directories where the default eps files are stored (see
@where_is_the_template). This makes it easy to use the images shipped
with cdlabgelgen without typing miles of pathnames.
-T tray_eps_scaleratio
The ratio by which you want to scale the epsfile that appears on the
traycard. If you omit this flag, cdlabelgen assumes a scaleratio of
1. This flag allows you to squeeze larger graphics into the traycard or
expand smaller graphics to fill the traycard. Scaleratio must be a
positive number (int or float) specifying the scale.
If the value passed is the word fill1, then the image is used as a
background - it is scaled so that it completely fills the interior tray
card region. The value 0.0 (note: not 0, but 0.0) works same as the
fill1 argument.
If the value passed is the word fill2, then the image is used as a
background - it is scaled so that it completely fills the tray card region,
including the 'tongue' end-caps.
-o outputfile
If the -o flag is used, cdlabelgen prints to outputfile instead of STDOUT.
-t template
Specify explicitly which template to use. This is useful if you need
to debug the PostScript code in the
template, use a different template, or if you have created
your own template to use in lieu of the one provided with
cdlabelgen.
-b
Suppresses printing of the Plaque on the traycard, thus allowing you
to either fit even more items on the traycard, or to use a slightly
larger font size for the items.
-h
print out the usage message
-w
Enables word wrapping of the items that print on the traycard. Note
that this is *not* extensively tested and may be buggy! Make sure that
you preview your label before printing it if you use this flag.
If there is a problem with "-w", the best option right now is to split
lines in the input itself, and to omit the "-w" option.
-m
Creates covers suitable for use in slim cd-cases, this means
no tray card (the tray card is now the inside front cover).
This creates a two page, folding cover insert. This could also be
used in normal cd cases.
-M
Creates covers suitable for use as envelopes for a CD. Guide lines
are printed, to aid in folding the printout correctly.
-p
Enables clipping of items; uses fixed font size for all items.
Normally, the template.ps used by cdlabelgen will try to fit an
item in a given column by reducing the font size if needed. This is
ok if done for one or two items, but if done too often, it makes the
tray card look ugly, with text of varying font sizes.
Use this option to use a fixed width font for all items. If the item
is too large to fit in a column, the text will be clipped instead.
EXAMPLES
./cdlabelgen -c "My Filesystem" -s "/usr/local/foo" -e postscript/recycle.eps > foo.ps
./cdlabelgen -c "title of cd" -s "subtitle" -i "Item 1%and Item 2%a third item here perhaps" -e postscript/recycle.eps > bar.ps
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