I would like to use k3b but have always found it to be unusable because it refuses to continue multisession CDRs. The first track burns okay (with the Start Multisession option checked) and it also imports the previous session correctly - but when I try to burn the next track (with the Continue Multisession option checked) it reports the following messages:

* Could not retrieve multisession information from disk
* The disk is either empty or not appendable

The debugging information only gives this:

System
-----------------------
K3b Version: 0.11.6cvs
KDE Version: 3.2 BRANCH >= 20040204
QT Version: 3.2.3

msinfo comand:
-----------------------
/usr/bin/cdrecord dev=/dev/ide/host0/bus1/target1/lun0/cd -msinfo

I have seen this question come up many times before in various places, but have never found an answer to it. It seems incredible to me that a program as well known as k3b could have a bug like this that could go unnoticed for so long - so it must be me that is doing something wrong!

Before I give up and go back to using X-cdroast, I would love to get some feedback on this, as k3b is the program I'd really rather be using.

TIA

i think i have now answered my own question.

i can continue a multisession cd if i don't import the previous session, but just burn the next track straight away (with the Continue Multisession option checked). this begs the question as to what the Import Session feature is for (or whether it works) - but I'll save that question for another day!

thanks to all you good linux people who took the time to read my posts

B4N

#####################################
If you cannot read multisession CD written with K3b, the reason is suggested in the cdrecord manual (see the -multi paragraph):

toghteter with the "-multi" option, k3b passes to cdrecord the "-xa1" option.
Some devices have no hardware support for "-xa1" mode and the "-data" option must be specified instead.

Here below is a simple hack that to replace "-xa1" with "-data" before cdrecord is called

Note: some of the instructions below are specific for my system, but can easily be modified.

#####################################
# step_1: Create the cdrecord-wrapper script (see below)

# step_2: find the cdrecord file used:
localhost_prompt# which cdrecord

# step_3: check permission of cdrecord binary file:
localhost_prompt# ls -la /usr/bin/cdrecord
-rwsr-sr-x 1 root cdwriter 314924 set 10 2004 /usr/bin/cdrecord*

# step_4: use chgrp and chmod to assign the file cdrecord-wrapper the same permissions as cdrecord
localhost_prompt# chmod 6755 /usr/local/bin/patch/cdrecord-wrapper
localhost_prompt# chgrp cdwriter /usr/local/bin/patch/cdrecord-wrapper

# step_5: rename the original cdrecord file
localhost_prompt# mv /usr/bin/cdrecord /usr/bin/w_cdrecord

# step_6: create a symbolic link named cdrecord that points to cdrecord-wrapper
localhost_prompt# ln -s /usr/local/bin/patch/cdrecord-wrapper /usr/bin/cdrecord

# step_7: if yau have a cleaner way to do this job please tell me


#####################################
# step_1: copy to file://usr/local/bin/patch/cdrecord-wrapper
# the 8 lines below (from "#! /bin/bash" to " ###...#" )
#! /bin/bash
# replace "-xa1" with "-data"
re_match="-xa1"
replace="-data"
parg=$(echo $* | sed -e "s/$re_match/$replace/")
#echo "$parg"
/usr/bin/w_cdrecord $parg
#####################################localhost_

Your hack has saved my... my... Lnxbox and my CDs stock. I was just a step to go back to Windoze just because I need to make many multisession backups (in Nero), and couldn't begin a new one in K3B. I've posted a "more-peasant-like English" translation of your instructions in <http://mandrivausers.org/index.php?a...=0#entry190847>, hope you like it.

About a "cleaner way" to make the hack: May it work if instead of making a "cdrecord" symlink to the script, this one is named "cdrecord" itself and saved in /usr/bin?

You could also try NeroLinux for a moment (30 days)

http://www.nero.com/en/NeroLINUX.html
(but better get k3b working)

I did, and I found that NeroLnx is all but WNero alike. Looks like the bastard son brought from misery and recognized by its father just before passing over... It's miserable, and its GTK interface is like the prodigal sons' vests after nursing pigs for years.

I didn't understand how it works, I can't control burn parameters as with WNero or K3B, and, last but not least, it doesn't want to see my burner but every other day... K3B is the most Nero-like burning frontend in Lnx, the most friendly to me, and after this patch, I devotely stick to it.