Cue Sheet File Format Specification

The Cue Sheet (cue) file format describes the layout of a CD.

Notes

A cue file has an (optional) global section, followed by any number of track sections.

Lines begin with a keyword, which may be followed by whitespace separated fields. Some keywords are only allowed in the global section and some only in the track section.

Format Notation

A string may be enclosed in single or double quotation marks. If the string contains whitespace, it must be enclosed in quotation marks.

<field>

a required field

[field]

an optional field

...

preceding field may be repeated any number of times

Cue Sheet Format

The standard file suffix for a cue file is ".cue".

Keywords

CATALOG

Description: Sets the catalog number of the CD.
Section(s): global
Format:

CATALOG <catalog_number>

catalog_number: an integer consisting of exactly 13 digits.

CDTEXTFILE

Description: Sets an external file for CD-TEXT data. Section(s): global
Format:
"CDTEXTFILE <filename>"

"filename"
a string.

The CD-TEXT file contains encoded CD-TEXT data. The standard extension for CD-TEXT files is ".cdt".

FILE

Description: Sets a new input file.
Section(s): track
Format:
"FILE <filename> [file_format]"

"filename"
a string.
"file_format"
one of: "BINARY", "MOTOROLA", "AIFF", "WAVE", or "MP3"

"FILE" line precedes the beginning of the track section.

FLAGS

Description: Sets track flags.
Section(s): track
Format:
"FLAGS [flag]..."

"flag"
one of: "PRE", "DCP", "4CH", or "SCMS".

INDEX

Description: Sets a track index.
Section(s): track
Format:
"INDEX <index_number> <index>"

"index_number"
an integer in the range 0-99.
"index"
time in MSF format.

Having an "INDEX 00" and an "INDEX 01" defines a pregap using data from the "FILE".

ISRC

Description: Sets track ISRC number.
Section(s): track
Format:
"ISRC <ISRC_number>"

"ISRC_number"
a string with the format CCOOOOYYSSSSS.

POSTGAP

Description: Sets track postgap.
Section(s): track
Format:
"POSTGAP <postgap>"

"postgap"
time in MSF format.

PREGAP

Description: Sets track pregap.
Section(s): track
Format:
"PREGAP <pregap>"

"pregap"
time in MSF format.

The pregap is filled with generated silence.

REM

Description: Begins a comment line.
Section(s): any
Format:
"REM [comments]"

TRACK

Description: Starts a new track.
Section(s): track
Format:
"TRACK <track_number> <track_mode>"

"track_number"
a positive integer in the range 1-99.
"track_mode"
one of: "AUDIO", "CDG", "MODE1/2048", "MODE1/2352", "MODE2/2336", "MODE2/2352", "CDI/2336", or "CDI/2352".

(CD-TEXT keywords)

Description: Sets CD-TEXT data.
Section(s): any
Format:
"<CDTEXT_keyword> <CDTEXT_field>"

"CDTEXT_keyword"
one of: (see `CD-TEXT`_ section for a list of keywords).
"CDTEXT_field"
a string.

The cue format does not have native support for binary CD-TEXT.

CD-TEXT

MMC-3 specifies 16 CD-TEXT types. Three are reserved and have no corresponding keywords. One is shared; the keyword depends on whether it is for the disc ("UPC_EAN") or a track ("ISRC"). CD-TEXT entries are either character or binary data. All descriptions taken directly from MMC-3.

Keywords	Description	Section	Format
ARRANGER	Name(s) of the arranger(s)	any	character
COMPOSER	Name(s) of the composer(s)	any	character
DISC_ID	Disc Identification information	any	binary
GENRE	Genre Identification and Genre information Genre codes are in the Enhanced CD Specification or cdrtools_ "cdtext.h" file.	any	binary
ISRC	ISRC Code of each track	track	character
MESSAGE	Message from the content provider and/or artist	any	character
PERFORMER	Name(s) of the performer(s)	any	character
SONGWRITER	Name(s) of the songwriter(s)	any	character
TITLE	Title of album name or Track Titles	any	character
TOC_INFO	Table of Content information	any	binary
TOC_INFO2	Second Table of Content information	any	binary
UPC_EAN	UPC/EAN code of the album	disc	character
SIZE_INFO	Size information of the Block	any	binary

Definitions

• MSF format: a representation of time in the form "m:s:f". "m" is minutes, "s" is seconds, and "f" is frames. Fields may be zero padded.
• frame: 1/75 of a second.

Citations

MMC-3. Bill McFerrin. 12 November 2001. CD Edge, Inc.
15 July 2006 <ftp://ftp.t10.org/t10/drafts/mmc3/mmc3r10g.pdf>.

cuetools. Svend Sorensen. 21 March 2005. BerliOS.
15 July 2006 <http://developer.berlios.de/projects/cuetools/>.