I have around 500 mp3 cd's with about 8 albums on each. Each cd has a unique hand written ID to enable me to locate it using a database or in this case, under the comment heading. The problem I am experiencing, is after having 'added directory' and selected all or even just one track and used the 'comment' section on the left to add my unique ID and hit save, it comes up with a window stating that the track is read only and asking 'if I want it to disable write protection on this and following tracks' - when I click yes, it then tells me 'ther is not enough space left on device D (CD Drive) and 'please ensure at least 3.9 Mb of drive space'. This would seem to suggest that the software will only work with music on the PC or other writable storage media. Maybe I need to go to 'Spec Savers' but I didn't notice any mention of the above in the 'GETTING STARTED' / OVERVIEW section of the help documentation. I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and would appreciate some help with this.before I lose the will to live! John
What kind of a CD medium is it?
Unless it isn't a rewritable CD or CD-RAM no data on the CD can be modified after the initial burning.
Hi ohrenkino,
Thanks for your quick reply. It sounds very much like what I suspected ie, the mp3 media has to be in an editable format - I wished that was mentioned in the intial 'help' documentation!! I thought that maybe a copy of just the data, not the song could be imported into the software and then fields could be edited . . . Don't suppose you or anyone watching knows of any software that can do that? ie auto scan cd drive - list contents in an expandable tree like structure and allow for editing descriptive info fields?? John
I doubt that there is a software anywhere that can modify a CD once it has been burnt.
Have you tried to change the filename of a file on the CD?
As this is a feature of the storage medium I doubt that every software that might be confronted with a read-only medium has to state that read-only media can only be read but not be written.
If you want to update your collection, you would have to copy the files from the CD to a storage that allows modifications, edit the files there and (if you like) burn them back onto a new CD.
Hi ohrenkino, thanks again for the quick reply! You're right, once a cd is burned, it's non editable, BUT, the point I was trying to make is similar to having a cd with, eg a ms word doc on it and right clicking to copy and paste onto eg desk top - then it could be edited. FYI ohrenkino, I used to have software that did exactly what I'm looking for ie copy file names, album names,track listing, artist etc and arrange it all in an expandable library but unfortunately the HDD got damaged and I can no longer find the software hence the reason I asked if you or anyone watching knew of similar software that might be available . . .?
There are functions in the Edit menu to move files.
But I would assume that any windows explorer function is quicker.
But as you stated quite rightly: ANY program will fail to modify files on a CD once it is burnt.
MP3tag respects the user's input and keeps the files where they are and does not move them around, perhaps causing problems with the available storage space.
It is up to the user to take care that the environment is right.
Hello JohnM,
If the end goal is to have a library catalog you can export the data.
The software you are talking about may be "WHEREISIT"
Hi ohrenkino, once again I appreciate you getting back to me - thank you. My understanding from your reply is that 'reorganising mp3 tags in MP3TAG will take up extra space if you want to also keep the original information intact and will involve importing all mp3 songs onto the PC.. Fortunately, I don't need or want to do that, as mentioned, I just want to find some software that will scan the mp3 contents of many multiple album CD's and present the information in a coherent format with a 'tree directory' structure - clearly, MP3TAG cannot do this. John
See here a reply by the developer:
This is not what a tag editor like mp3tag is designed to do. If a standard browser like Explorer doesn't do it for you, try something like Boom player. It is strictly for browsing and playing music through a more traditional folder/file window.
When it comes to audio CD or even mp3 files burned to a CD, there is no option to edit these directly. The medium just doesn't support rewriting as needed to manage tabs.
Another newer software for cataloging :
WinCatalog 2024 (https://www.wincatalog.com/)
Anything here to help you.
or CD/DVD - Catalogers - The Portable Freeware Collection
Let google be your friend!
Well, I would like to destroy your doubts. 
Packet Writing as an incremental writing on optical discs is possible for a long time. UDF as a file-system is commonly used and supported since Windows Vista under the term of Live Files System.
If you insert an unused disc in your CD/DVD-writer you will be asked by Windows 10 if you want to format the disc to be used as a USB-Stick. If you confirm this the disc will be formatted and from then on you can use it for incremental writing.
Just drag files or folders in this disc using windows-explorer and they will be written.
Mp3tag is totally capable to use this disc and write tag-changes to the files.
CD-R media can only be burnt once, AFAIK.
CD-RW is/was a type of media that allowed several burns.
That is why I asked
So far we did not get a definite answer by the OP.
That is why I assumed that a CD-R medium was used esp. as the OP reported error messages like
The Life File System uses incremental writing - as I wrote. It can also be used with writable medias, not only rewritable.
This means that if you change a file this file will be marked as deleted and a new file will be written. Naturally you run out of space if you change files too often.
I think @JohnM simply has not formatted the disc with the Life File System.
Edit:
Not the complete file will be rewritten, just the references for the new written blocks get updated. The original blocks on a non-rewritable medium can't be overwritten. Therefore new blocks have to be written and the references of the filesystem get changed.
Thank you to all who have responded - your time and comments have been much appreciated. Re olivierq02, I have downloaded the 30 day trial version of Wincatalog2024 - from the website description, it does pretty much what I want - however, in practice, I find it 'a challenge' - the process for editing fields and tags is a 'nightmare'. To try and acquire info from the internet query tab eg id3 tags etc would challenge the patience of a Saint - there are other issues and althogh I would pay for this if it worked properly, I can't help feeling that this should be free of 'issues' and offered as 'freeware' until htey are resolved . . . I've sent an initial request for help regarding one issue and will wait 'to see' . . . Re The reply from the developer, I actually have a large number of cd's with around 8 mp3 albums each. As far as I'm aware, windows explorer does not 'auto scan' and compile a database like 'alternative file managers' such as wincatalog2024 is supposed to . . . Re MotleyG,
Boomplay is not really what I'm looking for - it would appear to be a website to download and play desired tracks/music. Also, please note from the Boomplay website - and I quote 'Boomplay currently does not support a PC version for Windows or Mac, you can install Boomplay website to your computer from your browser.' (I initially stated that I was using windows 7 64bit) and therefore, this is not something I would want as an option . . . So thank you once again for your help and input. Re The Developer, with the current 'state of affairs' there would seem to be a gap in the market to 'create something that is actually 'pretty good' with an option to buy or donate . . . John
Wrong player, Check out Boom Player for a simple folder based player.
Thank you for your response MotleyG. My apologies, I eventually found Boom Audio Player on Peter Pawlowski's website ( ms store installer from your link 'failed') Once installed, it immediately scanned my pc for music (I hope . . .) I stopped the scan asap and tried to uninstal but - no options and no trace of the program. Furthermore, it didn't seem to offer the option to scan a cd disc!! Hey Ho . . .
I think we have had a fly-by on what you are looking for. You suggested you wanted something that would look at your audio files in a folder tree style. But now it sounds like you have not even ripped these to your computer drive. This isn't something any of these programs including mp3tag can help you with.
Hi MotleyG, thanks for taking the time to reply. You are correct, I haven't ripped these to my pc (please see my original comment pasted here:
'It sounds very much like what I suspected ie, the mp3 media has to be in an editable format - I wished that was mentioned in the intial 'help' documentation!! I thought that maybe a copy of just the data, not the song could be imported into the software and then fields could be edited'
Re: 'This isn't something any of these programs including mp3tag can help you with.'
I am currently using Wincatalog2024 to do exactly that but not getting any help from their 'support'! The sheer volume of MP3 cd's to be ripped to aHDD or SSD means I probably wouldn't live long enough to complete it!! I just wanted to browse the database for something that might take my interest or search for a paticular song/artist.
PS Been to Canada, Toronto, Ontario, lived in Sarnia for a couple of months when I was 11 years of age, beautiful location and lovely people!