Back Away
When I end a sequence with "Back Away", that sequence is never successfully proofread even though no error is reported.

To solve your problem, just add a final line with the word(s) "Home" or "You're Home!"

Bypassing the parser

Several of the sequences I've developed and used over the years do not pass your sequence parser. Some of this, I believe, can be handled by flagging some of the words/phrases as comments. However, some of the sequences have "concepts/formations" that CSDS does not understand. When I get a handle on defining new items, I may be able to deal effectively with this. However, for the present, I would like to import a sequence, as is, and, have CSDS not parse it. I realize that will mean that the formation graphics screen will not be able to be displayed. However, it would be nice to be able to bypass parsing for given sequences. Is this possible?

1. Use 'Sequence | New Sequence [Text]' instead of 'Sequence | New Sequence [Graphics]'. When the program complains and prompts whether or not to 'Re-edit Sequence XXX-nnn?", press the 'No' button.
2. Via 'Sequence | Import', there is a checkbox entitled 'Ignore Parse Problems'. This option allows you to import sequences from a variety of different file types.

If you still have parse problems, after commenting out comments (via parentheses), send me the sequence text in a text file, and I'll see if I can modify the parse database to accept the phrases.

Call Not Found - too few dancers
Sometimes in the 'Call Not Found' screen I only have 2 or 4 dancers showing. I'm not sure how to move them without the full square being there. No problem when I get the full 8 dancers. Could you enlighten me a little?

When the 'Call Not Found in snapshot database, add it?' screen appears, the program is processing an internal list of possibilities of how to do the call. The program may or may not be trying to use enough dancers to do the call. If there are not enough dancers displayed to be able to do the call, click the 'Next' button to cause the program to display the next possibility in it's internal list. Repeatedly click the 'Next' button until the desired starting formation and number of dancers appears. Then you can add a new snapshot record.

To force the program to use 8 dancers, you must

1. exit the 'Call Not Found' screen via the 'Cancel' button,
2. then select 'Flags | Set all flags', and
3. press 'Enter' (to process the 'Edit buffer').

Cleaning up database files
I've started to clean up my sequence database files. I've imported some sequences into one larger sequence database and want to delete the old databases. Can I do this thru Windows or are there considerations due to index files etc.

You must use CSDS to import or move sequences between sequence databases since the first record in each sequence database contains database specific information.

To delete or rename a sequence database:

1. From the CSDS main menu, select 'Sequence' followed by either 'New sequence' or 'View sequence'. This brings up the 'Select Sequence Database' dialog box.
2. Highlight the desired sequence database (left-click on it)
3. Now right-click the mouse to bring up a context-sensitive menu, or click on the 'Database' menu.
4. You should now have options to 'Delete' and 'Rename' the database.

You can use DOS or WINDOWS to copy and rename sequence databases, however, the new name of the sequence database must be in DOS 8. format (i.e., 8 characters followed by ".seq").

Sequence databases do not have index files.

Sequence picture information is stored in the picture database. The picture database consists of two files in folder C:\SQDATA\PICTURES (PICTURE.DAT and PICTURE.INX). If you move sequences from one database to another, the picture is not moved. To reassociate a picture with a sequence, you must either 'Edit [Graphics]' or 'Proofread' the sequence.

Comments
When I am writing material with CSDS I can not find a way to add notes to the sequences. Is there a way to add notes that will show up when I am calling a dance from the computer?

That is,

Heads Pass the Sea (L-H 1/4 Tag),

Extend (watch it, LEFT hands!),

Swing Thru (careful!),

(Girls should now be in the middle)

...

The entire comment must be on the same line. It can not be split between 2 or more lines.

Copying sequence text
I have spent considerable time writing some choreography in CSDS but when I tried to copy the text to another program, (Word Pad) I cannot find any way of doing this as there does not appear to be an option of copying the text out of CSDS.

There are many ways to do this:

1. Use Ctrl+A (select all), then Ctrl+C (to copy) or
2. Use the 'Edit' menu

   or

3. Select the 'Print' option from either the menu or the toolbar and specify 'ASCII to File'.

If you are in 'Edit sequence [Graphics]', you can

1. Use the 'Print' option

   or

2. click within the upper sequence text section to open an 'Edit sequence [Text]' window.

From 'Sequence | View sequence' or 'Select Sequence Database or Index | Sequence tab': either

1. Use the 'Print' option

   or

2. Use the 'Edit sequence [Text]' window.

From 'Call from Screen',

1. Right-click on the sequence and select either 'Edit sequence [Text]' or 'Print...'.

Copying sequences to another computer
I want to write sequences on my desktop, export them to a floppy, then import them to my laptop. How should I do it?

1. The easiest way is to just copy the sequence database from one computer to the other. Sequence databases are saved in C:\SQDATA\SEQ with a file extension of .SEQ. Just copy the file(s) to the same location on your laptop.
2. To move specific sequences, do the following on the source computer:
   1. go to 'Sequence | Print sequence(s)';
   2. edit the 'Print List' field so that it contains a list of the sequences you want to move;
   3. set 'Format' to 'One text file';
   4. press the 'Print' button and give it a filename;
   5. copy that file to your laptop;
   Then, on your destination computer, do the following:
   1. go to 'Sequence | Import sequence(s);
   2. for 'Type of source files', select the second option, 'Text file (Sequences separated by an at-sign (@) in column #1';
   3. set the 'Source File' to the transferred file;
   4. set the 'Destination Database';
   5. press the 'OK' button to import the sequences.

Duplicate sequences
When we type in a sequence, and there is another just like it, does it overwrite the old one or just put in another just like it?

However, when you 'Import' sequences (from the main menu via 'Sequence | Import sequence(s)') there is an option to 'Skip duplicate sequences'. When checked, the program scans the destination database for each sequence prior to importing it, and does not import sequences that are already in the database.

Ending a sequence
Do I need to end sequences with Promenade Home?

Singing Call sequences must end with 'Swing & Promenade', 'Promenade Home' or the equivalent

Otherwise, sequences must end with one of the following:

• Right & Left Grand
• Allemande Left
• Promenade Home
• Home
• Wrong Way Promenade Home
• Single File Promenade Home

Export ALL Sequences from a database
Is there any way to export ALL sequences in a database to a flat file? This would allow the sequences to be imported into an RTF file to select a larger font and then printed. I see that you can locate sequences and print to a file. However, it only seems to allow one sequence to be selected at a time. Is there any way to capture the text for a bunch of sequences?

1. Select 'Sequence | Print...'
2. Enter the list of sequences in the 'Print List' box. (press the little yellow ? on the toolbar for the format of this list)
3. For 'Format', select 'one text file'.
4. Determine which other options you want, then press the 'Write to Disk' button.

Fixing programming error

I made an error in programming and I can't figure out how to straighten it out. I started from a static square, I did All 4 Couples Touch 1/4; all Single Wheel. I then wanted to do All 8 Pass & Roll; but I had to add it. However, I got the sides in the wrong position but didn't realize it until after I had closed the editing. The mistake I made was that I made the side boys U-Turn Back instead of the side girls, as leaders doing the Right Roll To A Wave at the end of the call. How can I straighten this out? I looked in the Parse database, the list database, and the abreviation database, but could not find this new call.

1. From the CSDS main menu, select 'Snapshot | View a Record'.
2. Press Ctrl+F12 (or select 'Navigate | Last Record in Database'. This should take you to the desired record. If not, press F11 a few times until you find the erroneous snapshot record.
3. You can then either edit the record (Edit | Data) or delete the record (Edit | Toggle Delete)'.

Frequency counts
Can I go back through a sequence database to insert a list so I can generate Frequency counts, and Lists of calls NOT used in the listed level?

1. Create a list. (from the main menu, select 'List' followed by 'New'...)
2. From the main menu, select 'Parse' followed by 'Several sequences'.
3. Select a sequence database and range of sequences to be parsed. Click the 'OK' button.
4. The 'Parse Specifications' dialog box appears. Use the default output file (since you probably won't look at it anyway), and select the 'list to be update' (use the list just created).
5. Decide if you want to zero the use counts
• if yes, the frequency counts in the list are set to 0.
• if no, the existing frequency counts in the list are used as the starting values. This allows you to use the list to generate a cummulative frequency count of sequences from several different databases.
6. Click 'OK' to start parsing the sequences.
7. After parsing is complete, a dialog box appears allowing you to view/delete/print the output file. Click the 'delete' button (you only need to view this file if you're interested in parsing errors).
8. Repeat steps 3 thru 7 (but do not zero the frequency counts) until all sequences have been processed
9. At this point, the list contains the frequency counts for the sequences.

To print the frequency counts:

• From the main menu, select 'List', then 'Print a list' then '(F4) Frequency count'.

To print the calls NOT used yet:

• From the main menu, select 'List', then 'Print a list' then press F1, F2, F3, or F5 (I suggest F3 as it is the most compact; then set the use count min to 0 and the use count max to 0.

To view the frequency counts:

• From the main menu, select 'List' then 'View a list' then 'Display/L-H side/Use-count' then 'Display/Change use count range' and set minimum to 0 and maximum to 9999.

To view the calls NOT used yet:

• From the main menu, select 'List' then 'View a list' then 'Display/Change use count range' and set minimum to 0 and maximum to 0.

Importing sequences

I'm experimenting with your "Sequence function" "Importing SD type format " in order to ...."Call From Screen". Here's my situation: I wrote tons of dances (sequences) using Bill A. "SD". Save them as... ie. E-Z_C-1.c1 I modified these Sequences, Fonts, Wording and eliminated the Page Breaks in MS Word 2000. I liked the idea of printing at least 2 S/D moves to a line (instead of one) and inserting my own Page Breaks. I save them as a .doc file. Thus printed them out. Now I would like to import (if I could) this .doc type file into your CSDS program.

A text file is required.

There are 3 kinds of text files that can be imported.

1. A text file in which sequences are delimited by an at-sign in column #1. For example...

   Heads Wheel Thru
   Swing Thru 
   RLG
   @
   Heads Pass the Ocean, Ping Pong Circulate,
   Extend, Swing Thru,
   Spin the Top, Slide Thru,
   Pass to the Center, Centers Square Thru 3
   Left Allemande
   @
   Sides Slide Thru
   Double Pass Thru
   Track 2
   all 8 Circulate
   Trade the Wave
   LA

2. A text file in which sequences are separated by a blank line. For example...

   Heads Wheel Thru
   Swing Thru 
   RLG
   
   Heads Pass the Ocean, Ping Pong Circulate,
   Extend, Swing Thru,
   Spin the Top, Slide Thru,
   Pass to the Center, Centers Square Thru 3
   Left Allemande
   
   Sides Slide Thru
   Double Pass Thru
   Track 2
   all 8 Circulate
   Trade the Wave
   LA

3. SD format

My advice is to try saving the file as text, with at-signs in column #1 between the sequences.

If you still have problems, please send me (E-mail attachment) a sample .doc file, and one of the .txt files you created. I'll have a look at them.

Importing sequences from MS Word
Is there a way to get MS Word docs (of SD sequences written and already processed) into the "import sequence" of any particular > dance? When I try to do it (and given, I haven't gone back and saved them as TXT or RTF files yet to try that)... I get a "this program has performed an illegal function and will be shut down" message, and all I can do is shut it down and try again.

The best you can do is to use MS Word to convert the document into a text file, then edit the text file to put an at-sign (@) in column 1 between the sequences.

For example, your edited text file should look similar to:

@
Heads Promenade 1/2
Heads Square Thru 4
Circle To A Line
Touch 1/4
All 8 Circulate
Centers Box Circulate
Boys Run
Centers Pass Thru
Corner Swing & Promenade Home
@
Heads Promenade 1/2,
come down the middle and Square Thru 4,
Right & Left Thru, Veer Left,
Ferris Wheel,
Centers Touch 1/4, Box Circulate - TWICE,
Swing Corner & Promenade Home
@

Then CSDS can import it easily.

Within the 'Call from Screen' portion of CSDS, you can add up to three documents (preferably TXT or RTF instead of DOC) to a dance.

Importing sequences from SD #1
Is it possible to import non-CSDS sequences into CSDS? I have some material written in SD that I would like to import into CSDS without having to retype it.

1. From the main menu, select ' Sequence | Import sequence(s)'.
2. In the 'source type' frame, click the 'SD format' option button.
3. Use the browse button to specify the location of the SD text file.
4. Select the destination sequence database.
5. Make sure that the 'Ignore parse problems' check box is checked.
6. Click on the 'OK' button to import the sequences.

Should you have some other type of text file containing square dance choreography that you'd like to import into CSDS, send me a copy as an E-mail attachment, and I see if I can easily modify the program to import it.

Importing sequences with formation pictures
Do you plan to add a function to automatically edit a sequence database so images stored will be shown after importing sequences from another database ?

The formation pictures are not stored in the sequence itself, but rather a place-marker, '(#formation#)' is saved within the sequence text.

To restore the images, you need to proofread the imported sequences. To do this,

1. From the main menu, select 'Proofread | Sequences | Specified'.
2. Select the desired sequence database.
3. Enter a single dash (hypen) in the 'Records to proofread' field.
4. Select option 'F3 - No prompts, create output file'.
5. Press the 'OK' button. The program will then process the sequences, adding the formation pictures.

Incorrect Resolve / Not Proofread
When I use the checkers and enter Heads Square Thru 4, corner swing, and promenade home I still get a "Incorrect Resolve". It then asked if I want to Re-edit Sequence XXXXXX-12 ? The final figure then has "Not Proofread" and the figure is OK. I know the documentation says it will verify Corner and Right lady progression in singing calls. Any ideas as to the problem.

Each sequence database has properties, one of which is the type of sequences contained in the database.

When you create the sequence database, you should specify what type of sequences are to be saved in the database. For example,

1. From the CSDS main menu, select 'Sequence | New sequence [graphics]'.
2. From the resultant dialog box, select 'Database | New'.
3. Enter a name for the database and press the 'OK' button.
4. The 'Sequence Database Properties' box appears. At this point, you must specify the maximum level for the sequences. If nothing else is specified, the program assumes that all sequences in the database will be 8-dancer sequences, starting from a squared set, resolving with original partners. To specify another type of sequences, modify the 'Type of Sequences' dropdown list.

To modify the properties of an existing sequence database,

1. From the CSDS main menu, select 'Sequence | Show all databases'.
2. Select (highlight) the database to be modified.
3. From the menu, select 'Database | Properties'.
4. Modify the properties and press the 'OK' button.

Merging seq databases
I have two computers running CSDS2 and I wonder if there is any way to merge two SEQ files. Please let me know if it is possible.

Copy the databases to be merged into another set of databases onto a thumb drive.

1. Run CSDS on the destination machine.
2. Select 'Sequence | Import'
3. Make sure 'Source Type' = 'Sequence database'.
4. For each database to be updated:
   1. select the 'Source' database - from the thumb drive.
   2. select the 'Destination' database.
   3. Make sure 'Skip duplicat sequences' is checked.
   4. Press the 'Import Sequences' button.

When done, copy all sequence databases from this computer to the other.

BTW, I do this in a slave/master sort of way. One machine is my master (for sequences, getouts, etc.) On the other, I create a new database each time I want to write new sequence on it. Later I import those sequences into the master computer, then delete and update all databases on the slave with those from the master.

Not Parsed | Not Proofread
What is meant by "Not Parsed" They all have that comment and also "Not Proof Read".

'Not Proofread' means that the program did not successfully proofread the choreography in the sequence.

If you wish to proofread the sequences in CSDS, from the main menu, select 'Sequence | Proofread | Specify'. Sequences will automatically be parsed as they are proofread.

If the first line of a sequence is a comment such as (ROT-31 22-Jul-2009 Not Proofread) you can edit the sequence and remove the line.

Parsing bug? #2
A minor parsing issue -- seems like either something useful should be done, or a barf should occur. Instead, no dancers change positions at all, and nothing happens. ---- Sequence ---- Heads Pair Off, Touch 1/4, Zig Zag Zig Zag It's true that the call isn't legal from this position. A gripe would be nice, though I understand that code clutter to catch cases like these won't be a priority...

CSDS allows more than one call to be given on a single line.

On line 3, it executed the call 'Zig-Zag' followed by the call 'Zig-Zag'. Executing Zig-Zag twice from a R-H Box ends all dancers in the same position!

Removing sequences
Can I remove sequences from database (what happens with the entries in dance program piles)?

If the sequence was in a dance, then that sequence is either displayed as empty when shown via a dance (when the sequence was not the last sequence in the database), or the sequence is displayed with an error message saying that the sequence was not found.

A dance is just a set of links to sequences. Therefore, if the sequence is deleted, the links point to an empty or non-existent sequence.

Share selected sequences with another caller

I want to provide some sequences to another caller. E.g. sequences 55-90 from database PLUS-PAT.SEQ, which contains 435 sequences. Is there an opportunity to do so? The export of selected sequences of a database, or the import of selected sequences into a database? As I understand CSDS does only import whole databases. I tried to open a database with word and delete the sequences I dont want to provide. But it failed, because I deleted important characters of the file accidently.

Do this:

1. Run CSDS;

First, create a text file with all the sequences:

2. From the main menu, select 'Sequence | Print';
3. Clear the print list (click the 'eraser' button, or 'Edit | Clear list';
4. Enter the sequence range into the print list:

       E.g.,    PLUS-PAT
                        55-90
       (make sure the line with the numbers is indented)

5. Select 'Format = One text file'.
6. Press the 'Print' button.
7. Select an Output File pathname then press the 'Save' button.
8. The sequences are written to the file, and a confirmation message box appears. Close it.
9. Close the 'Print Sequence(s)' window.

Next, import the sequences into a new database:

10. From the CSDS main menu, select 'Sequence | Import':
11. For the 'Source type' (right-side), select 'Text file' (separated by at-sign (@))'
12. For the 'Source file', select the output file created above.
13. For the destination database, press the 'yellow sun' button to create a new database.
14. Press the 'OK' button at bottom of "Import Sequences" window to populate the new database with the sequences from the file.

Done!

Transferring sequences from one computer to another
Can you write sequences on one computer (laptop) and transfer them to another (desktop)?

Use the Windows file explorer to copy the desired sequence database(s) to a floppy/zip-disk/etc to be transferred to the other computer.

If you've just written a few sequences in a temporary database, you can copy the database to the other computer, then use the 'Sequence | Import Sequence(s)' function to import the sequences into an existing database.

I use several computers. One of them I designate as the 'master' computer. It contains the current version of all my sequence databases. Whenever I write sequences on a different computer, I make sure that I copy the sequences to the 'master' computer. Then, periodicially, I copy all sequence databases to the other computers to make sure that they are up-to-date.

Wording it correctly #1
Is there a way to tell if something I want to do is just not in the snapshot database or if I'm just not wording it in the "correct" way?

To check the snapshot database:

First, you need to 'View a snapshot record'. This can be done from the sequence writing screen via the menu option 'View | Last snapshot record used', or via the main menu option 'Snapshot | View a record'. Next, from the 'View snapshot' screen, select menu option 'Find | Find a record'. Click on the 'partial match' flag, and enter a call name or concept name into the 'Search string' field. For example, type in 'Percolate' then click the 'OK' button. The program searches the snapshot database and displays the first occurrence of 'Percolate'. Press the 'F3' button to display the next occurrence.

The 'search string' could contain several tokens (e.g., 'anything Percolate But' is a valid search string).

To check 'how to say it':

The parse database is supposed to translate how you say it into how the computer understands it. There is no 'correct' way to say anything. There may be several ways to say something. If you have problems, send me the 'phrase' and I'll tell you why you're having trouble.

Wording it correctly #2
How do I find a given call within the program? I want to use a call but I don't know how the call is listed. i.e., I tried to do an 'offset wave alter and circulate turn the diamond 3/4' as a way to get out of triple waves. I feel the call is there but I just can't get the program to find it.

Two comments:

1. Use 'offset waves' instead of 'offset wave', since the latter is a 4-dancer formation. If you have trouble getting the program to do 8-dancer 'offset wave' calls, this is the reason.
2. If you want to use 'offset waves alter & circulate turn the diamond 3/4', you must add it as a snapshot record.

This is a parsing difference. Both ways of saying the call should work. The parse database translates both ways of saying the aforementioned call into the same 'list of handles', so that internally the two phrases are identical.

You can edit the parse database to customize the program to allow it to understand how you say the call.

The demo version of CSDS does not allow the parse database to be modified.