In the digital age, we often download some file combinations with ".bin" and ".cue" as suffixes. For many users who are not familiar with this kind of situation, it is like getting a key without a manual.
The nature of CUE files
In essence, the CUE file is an index file in text format. It does not store specific music or program data, but is like an extremely accurate construction blueprint. This blueprint records the structural information of the accompanying BIN image file in the form of plain text.
This information covers the beginning and end of the data, the division of the audio tracks, the title of the track, and even the creator information. When you use virtual optical drive software to load a CUE file, the software will accurately extract and organize the complete content from the huge BIN data block based on this blueprint.
How to view using Notepad
You do not need special software to open a CUE file. In Windows systems, you can directly right-click the CUE file and select "Open with Notepad." If another program is associated by default when you double-click, you can open Notepad first, and then drag the CUE file into the window.
After opening it, you will see that it contains FILE, TRACK, INDEX and other commands, followed by the detailed file name, time encoding and format parameters. Although it looks like code, that's all it needs to tell other software to do its job.
Partnership with BIN files
The BIN file is an actual data loader. It completely copies and reproduces the sector information of the original optical disc. Its size is huge but its structure is very monotonous and consistent. A single BIN file is like a thick book without a table of contents, and it is extremely difficult for software to directly determine specific chapters.
The directory of this book is exactly CUE files. They often appear in pairs, like "game.bin" and "game.cue". From the 1990s to the early 2010s, this combination was the standard format for distributing CD images on the Internet, and was widely used in the backup of software, games, and music CDs.
Core role: guidance and description
The CUE file has two core functions. The first is boot loading, which is to instruct the virtual optical drive or burning software how to read the BIN file. The second is to describe the content in detail, which is particularly critical in the music field.
For a music CD image with many tracks, the CUE file can accurately record the start and end of each song, so that accurate song selection and track separation can be achieved during playback, instead of just being able to play an entire audio segment that lasts for tens of minutes.
Load using virtual optical drive
With CUE files and BIN files, the easiest way at this time is to use virtual optical drive software, such as free tools such as DAEMON Tools Lite, Alcohol 52% or WinCDEmu.
All you have to do is run the software, select the "Load Image" option, and then select the CUE file. In this way, the software will automatically identify and associate the BIN file with the same name, and then simulate a CD-ROM drive in the system, and the contents of the CD-ROM drive can be accessed or installed as if a physical CD was actually used.
Manual editing and application
For advanced users, there are sometimes situations where you need to manually edit CUE files. For example, if you only have a single BIN file or audio file, you can use a tool like Exact Audio Copy to generate a CUE file. The process involves analyzing the audio file and removing erroneous index points.
Next, use Notepad to open the generated CUE file, and then modify the "FILE" line so that it points to the correct audio file name, such as .ape or .flac. Make sure that the CUE file and the audio file are placed in the same folder, and the encoding is saved correctly, usually ANSI encoding, so that it can be accurately recognized by the player and tracked.
When you back up your collection of old records or old game discs, have you ever encountered problems caused by image formats? Welcome to share your experience and practical skills in the comment area. If you think this article is helpful, please like it to support it.
