Identifying application type
The first step is te decide what category the application falls into. Different techniques are needed depending on the characteristics of the application. The two main distinctions are:
What protocol is used?
Does the application allow the user to choose a server?
If we put all these possibilities into a grid, we see that there are 6 kinds of applications:
| can choose server | can't choose server | |
| freedb | Perfect! Nothing needs to be done. | Works with freedb, but only with whatever server is hardcoded. |
| CDDB1 | Just specify a freedb server instead of a CDDB1 server (usually in Preferences). Or use a 'hosts file'. | Use a 'hosts file' to redirect all requests to CDDB1 to freedb instead. |
| CDDB2 | Can't use freedb. | Can't use freedb. |
List of applications & solutions
The following table shows all CDDB/freedb Mac applications that I am aware of, and which of the 6 categories (above) they fall into.
| Application | Version(s) | Application Web Page | Default Protocol | Allows server to be specified? | Supports Submit? | Solution |
| Aladdin Tuner | 3.1.1 | Aladdin Tuner Web Site | CDDB1 | No | No | use 'hosts file' |
| Audiofile Internet Companion (for Audiofile 4) | 1.2b1 | Audiofile Web Site | CDDB1 | Yes | No | change server |
| Audion | 1.5 and 2.1 | Audion Web Page | CDDB1 | Yes | ? | change server |
| Audion | 2.5 and 2.6.x | Audion Web Page | freedb | Yes | Yes | none needed |
| CDFinder | 3.5 | CDFinder Web Page | freedb | no | No | none needed |
| iCDc | 2.0 | iCDc Web Site | freedb | Yes | Yes | none needed |
| InCDius GH | 1.1.2b1 | InCDius Web Site | freedb | Yes | Yes | none needed |
| iTunes | 1.x and 2.0.x | iTunes Web Page | CDDB2 | No | ? | none available |
| MP3 Rage | 3.3 | MP3 Rage Web Site | CDDB2 | No | ? | none available |
| mp3voodoo | ? | mp3voodoo Web Page | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| MusicMatch Jukebox | 1.01.8000, 1.0.2, and 2.0.1 | MusicMatch Jukebox Web Page | CDDB1 | Yes | ? | change server |
| MyMusic Personal Music Librarian | ? | MyMusic Web Site | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| N2MP3 | 1.0.3 | N2MP3 Web Page | CDDB1 | Yes | ? | change server |
| N2MP3 | 2.x | N2MP3 Web Page | CDDB2 | ? | ? | none available |
| NMP3 | 0.5.3 | NMP3 Web Page | freedb | Yes | ? | none needed |
| NetCD | 1.2 | NetCD Web Page | CDDB1 | No | ? | use 'hosts file' |
| NetCD | 1.6.7 and 2.0.2 | NetCD Web Page | CDDB1 | Yes | ? | change server |
| SoundApp | 2.7.2 and 2.7.3 | SoundApp Web Page | CDDB1, but broken! | No | No | use 'hosts file' |
| SoundJam | 1.5 | SoundJam Web Page | CDDB1 | No | ? | use 'hosts file' |
| SoundJam | 2.5.x | SoundJam Web Page | CDDB1 | No | ? | hosts & change server |
| TitleTrack Jukebox | 2.0 and 2.2 | TitleTrack Web Page | CDDB1 | No | No | use 'hosts file' |
| Toast Deluxe | 4.1.2 | Toast Web Page | CDDB1 | No | No | use 'hosts file' |
| Toast Deluxe | 4.1.3 | Toast Web Page | freedb | ? | No | none needed |
| Toast Deluxe | 5.0.x | Toast Web Page | freedb | Yes | No | none needed |
| Toast Deluxe | 5.1 | Toast Web Page | CDDB1 | Yes | No | change server |
Creating a Hosts File
I have created several hosts files for your convienence. The only difference between them is which freedb server they use (see the list of freedb mirrors). Please use the one closest to you geographically (or use the random server) to help evenly distribute the load:
(After following one of the above links, if a window with text appears, just copy and paste it into a text file and save it. Or you may control-click the above links and choose something like "Save As...")
If you already have a hosts file, just append the info from these hosts file into your existing one.
Using Your Hosts File in Mac OS 9.x
Using Your Hosts File in Mac OS X
Editing the hosts file can be done from the command line or one can use a shareware program called Hostal. A reader provided these instructions, which worked for him in Mac OS X 10.3.5: "Open Hostal, it gives you a screen with tabs for "Mapped Hosts / Blocked Hosts / Ad Filters" and starts with the Mapped Hosts selected. That's what you want. It showed me only my localhost. At the bottom is a panel with blanks for "Host:, IP Address: TTL (Days)". You type in either a name or IP address. I typed in cddb.org, it searched and gave me the IP number. I typed in freedb.org, it searched and gave me that IP number. I selected and copied the freedb IP number. I typed in cddb.org, Hostal found it, and I hilighted its IP number and pasted. That substituted the new IP number. Hostal asked me if I was sure I wanted to do that, I did. I closed Hostal, opened Toast 5, put in a CD and told Toast to go find it with the only option available on its screens (cddb), it went to freedb and gave me the info."Testing Your Hosts File
You can test the changes by pointing your web browser to http://cddb.cddb.com/. The freedb (or mirror) web page should appear! :) If it doesn't, try clearing your web browser's cache. If it still doesn't work, try restarting your Mac.
How It Works
Whenever an application tries to access one of the machines on the left column (such as cddb.cddb.com), it is automatically redirected to the machine on the right column. See here for more on how this works.
NetCD 1.6.7 and 2.0.2 Instructions:
This has worked successfully with versions 1.6.7 and 2.0.2. It may or may not work with others too. It does not work with version 1.2.
1. Launch NetCD and select "Preferences..." from the Edit menu.
2. While holding down the option key, click "Select New Server".
3. In the dialog box that appears, enter the following information:
CDDB Server Name: freedb
CDDB Server Address: freedb.freedb.org:80
CDDB Server Pathname: /~cddb/cddb.cgi
This has worked successfully with version 1.5 and 2.1. It may or may not work with others too.
1. Launch Audion and go to the Preferences.
2. Under the Network tab where it says "CD Info Server" enter "freedb.freedb.org:80".
Musicmatch Jukebox 1.01.8000, 1.0.2, and 2.0.1 Instructions:
This has worked successfully with versions 1.01.8000 ,1.02, and 2.0.1. It may or may not work with others too.
1. Launch "Musicmatch Jukebox".
2. Choose 'Preferences' from the 'Edit' menu. Choose the 'CDDB' tab in the dialog that appears. For the "CDDB Server" enter "freedb.freedb.org" in place of "cddb.cddb.com". Other settings remain the same.
This has worked successfully with N2MP3 1.0.3. It may or may not work with others too. I have not been able to try with 2.0.2 because the demo version does not support CDDB, but it probably won't work since version 2.x uses CDDB2.
1. Open "N2MP3 Settings" (the control panel) and in the "CD Info" tab change the "CDDB Server" field to "freedb.freedb.org".
Audiofile Internet Companion (for Audiofile 4):
This has worked successfully with Audiofile Internet Companion 1.2b1 (for Audiofile 4). It may or may not work with others too.
1. Open AIC's Preferences and in the CDDB tab enter a server address. Be sure to use the form "cddbp://severname". For example, "cddbp://uk.freedb.org".
This has worked successfully with SoundJam MP Plus 2.5.3. It may or may not work with others too.
1. Use the hosts file as per the instructions above.
2. Open the Preferences window, and select the CD Lookup option in the left-hand column.
3. Select "cddb.cddb.com" from the CDDB Server list, and push the "Update Server List" button.
4. SoundJam now will show a listing of the freedb servers in the drop-down menu. Select an appropriate server other than "cddb.cddb.com", and hit the "Ok" button.,
5. If you wish, you can now remove the Hosts file; it is no longer necessary as long as you don't use the "cddb.cddb.com" host. (Note: The "cddb.cddb.com" host cannot be removed from the list.) Most applications that use CDDB can be coaxed into using freedb instead. This page explains how/if it can be done for several applications. Most applications that use CDDB can be coaxed into using freedb instead. This page shows how/if it can be done for many applications.first
This has worked successfully with Toast 5.1.
1. Open the Preferences dialog ("Edit" menu in OS 9, "Toast" menu in OS X).
2. Change "CD Info Server" to "freedb.freedb.org" (or your favourite mirror). (If it is already set to freedb this is because you probably upgraded from Toast 5.0.x, and 5.1 stills honours your old preferences.)
