Guides
CWR error: Extra text before the file starts
What it means
There is text before the first real CWR line — often an email header, BOM, or export banner that got saved into the file.
How to fix it
Delete everything above the line starting with HDR.
Find it in your file
Upload your CWR file and CWR Check points at every line where this happens, along with the rest of the format, song and writer checks. Free, and nothing you upload is stored.
Upload a CWR file → See it on a sample file →
Rather not fix it yourself? Kane Tech Group, the team behind CWR Check, does it as a managed service. Have us handle it →
Two free checks for your CWR file. Is the file correct? Every record, share and control total against the spec, each problem on its exact line. Do its writers match their registrations? Every writer cross-checked against public registration data, including works registered under another spelling or IPI. Nothing stored: check a file at cwrcheck.com.