I know there is a project to avoid pauses between tracks by extending the MP3 format with additional tags. But I don't understand why this is necessary and AFAIS the handling is a little bit difficult. Proposal: Input/Output file name pairs. A missing output file name is substituted by the input name with a new suffix. lame [options] [input] lame [options] [input] [output] lame [options] [input1] [output1] [input2] lame [options] [input1] [output1] [input2] [output2] ... Input file names. Output file name are the input name with a new suffix. lame [options] --input [input] lame [options] --input [input1] [input2] lame [options] --input [input1] [input2] [input3] ... What happens when lame is called with a collection of files? CODING: _________________________________________________________________ | PCM File 1 | PCM File 2 _________________________________|_______________________________ | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 MP3 frames | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 1-2 coded normally and written to the MP3 File 1. 3 coded to MP3 File 1 and clears the bit reservoir CBR: Use all bits of the bit reservoir and the current frame VBR: Code normally, determine frame size, round up frame size, code again for this frame size 4 overlaps with PCM File 2. So the PCM data is taken from PCM File 1 and 2, coded and written to MP3 file 2. The only handicap for CBR is the cleared bit reservoir. 5 ist also taken from PCM File 1 and 2. 6+ ist coded in the normal manner and written to MP3 File 2. Coding can also be done from one big PCM File with Cue sheet or from a pipe/socket. DECODING: Two successive MP3 files with the same sample frequency will be decoded in the normal way and overlapped by a half MP3 frame without additional weights. short file1 [...]; short file2 [...]; ... for ( i = 0; i < sizeofA (file1) - overlap; i++ ) send ( file1 [i] ); for ( i = 0; i < overlap; i++ ) send ( file1 [sizeofA (file1) - overlap + i] + file2 [i] ); for ( i = overlap; i < sizeofA (file2) - overlap; i++ ) send ( file2 [i] ); ... CODING USAGE: cdparanoia -B /dev/hdd lame -b 192 --input *.cdda.wav No big changes so the chance is >1% that normal people will use it. If you need a FAQ then >90% of the album MP3 files out there are gappy. DECODING: A small change in every decoder and the user have nothing to do at all. -- Mit freundlichen Grüßen Frank Klemm eMail | [EMAIL PROTECTED] home: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone | +49 (3641) 64-2721 home: +49 (3641) 390545 sMail | R.-Breitscheid-Str. 43, 07747 Jena, Germany -- MP3 ENCODER mailing list ( http://geek.rcc.se/mp3encoder/ )