@2{Ruby CD/CDR Database
@3}by Ian Urie 

@5*2
      This  issue I'll have a look at another free piece of software.  Yep,
      free!!   Why pay money for something if there is a perfectly adequate
      program  available  that  doesn't  cost anything except for downloads
      costs.

      Again,   I   used   CNet.    The   actual   address  is,  of  course,
      http://download.cnet.com/

      And  is  one of the download sites I'll head for first when I want to
      search  for  a piece of software.  This time I thought I would like a
      database  that  would  keep track of all my files, more especially my
      mp3 files!

      As  per  usual,  there  are plenty of alternatives for this and after
      discarding  the  professional  and  shareware ones; I was left with a
      handful of freeware programs.  The one I decided to try out was Ruby.

@1
                        (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No1)
  
@5*2
      Ruby was written by Abel G.  Perez as you can see from Screenshot No1
      and  he calls his software company Warp Engine Software.  Amazing how
      many  authors  use  S.F.   terms  when it comes to programming.  If I
      remember  correctly,  doesn't  a  famous  Amiga  author  do the same?
      STRicq strike a chord anywhere?

      Let's not get diverted in other directions....

      Ruby  is  a 4mb download, so isn't that hefty for anyone to get.  The
      file comes down as an exe.  Simply double-click to install and answer
      the  usual  questions..   where to put it etc.  The software isn't ad
      aware or anything like that, so is free.

      Have a quick read at the text file that comes with it and then launch
      Ruby.

      When  it starts, Ruby has a garish red coloured background, but, fear
      not, this can be changed.
@1
                        (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No2) 

  

@5*2
      Bright, isn't it?

      Right,  go  to options.  Here are the four option screens and you can
      see  what  we  are  able  to  configure.   You can choose the various
      columns  that  Ruby  will display and can decide if it is only CD-Rom
      drives  you  wish  to  scan  from.   It also lets you get rid of that
      garish  red!!  You can password protect your database if you want and
      can  even  specify where you search inside the database.  Not bad for
      freeware.
@1  
                    (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No3 and No4)
@5
      After  this  you  can  start a new database calling it what you will.
      Just  for the Hell of it, I called mine Mp3.  Thinking up imaginative
      names  isn't  my  forte  and I prefer straightforward names that help
      identify them to me.

      Putting  a  CD  in  the  drive,  you click the scan and save and in a
      couple  of  seconds,  you  have a new entry in the database.  Do this
      with  all  your Mp3 Cd collection and that's you finished.  Lets look
      at how this turns out.

      
@5*2
      We can now view a list of Mp3 Cds. 
@1
                        (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No5)

@5
      Right  clicking  on  any  disk  list  will  allow you to see the disk
      details e.g.
@1
                       (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No6)  

@5
      The disk contents.
      Or allow you to delete the disk from the database.
@1
                        (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No7)

@5
      Clicking the search will bring up a text box and using wildcards will
      let you search all the disks loaded into the database and display the
      results.
@1
                       (Load now...Ruby Screenshot No8)  

@5*2
      Impressive, eh?

      If  you  search for a file and then put the disk it belongs to in the
      drive,  you can right click on the file and play it from the database
      or explore the disk etc.  Nice and easy!

      The  interface  is clean and fairly intuitive, I didn't find any need
      for docs for this program and a few minutes clicking on various parts
      soon  got  me going.  The database as I said earlier isn't limited to
      either  Mp3  files  or  even  one  drive, although that was all I was
      looking  for.  It doesn't have CDDB capability for audio disks, but I
      don't  have  any  problems  with that, I don't keep my audio disks in
      Ruby anyway.

      For  the  price, free, the ease of use, this is an excellent piece of
      software that does exactly what I want it to do.

      If, like me, you have an extensive Mp3 collection, give this a whirl.
      You might find it's the answer to your prayers!!