Animation and Timing
Do you have any plans to include animation and timing to the Ceder Square Dance System in the near future?

Animation is a major step, and although many parts have already been worked out (e.g., http://www.ceder.net/animation/movdan4.php). Implementing animation would involve a lot of work, and would be feasible for perhaps only the standard versions of the calls. It would be very difficult to instruct the program how to animate calls when concepts are applied.

Timing would be easier to do, but again, would only be feasible to add it to the calls.

API or source code
Do you provide an API or limited source code access or licensing for personal use. Although I haven't played with your product yet, there are a few things I like about a program that I wrote that I may want to integrate some how. Just curious. Being a programmer myself I always have to ask.

I do not supply source code at this time. In the past, for special requests, I have supplied a listing or two and definitions for file/database formats. The CSDS program does not use a 'real' database system, but instead uses random access files. One caller wrote a program to 'count beats' for a sequence.

I keep my CSDS 'to do' list at http://www.ceder.net/todo/view.php?section=1

Call from screen #1
I call only Mainstream and Plus. Could I benefit from on screen calling in these programs from your choreography data base? Is the choreography database transferrable to the screen? I am mostly a sight caller, but as you know it's nice to have notes for cute get in's and outs. But can that be done without spending alot of time during a dance?

Sequences from our web-based Choreo Database can be downloaded into CSDS via the 'Import sequences into CSDS' link.

Cue sheets and music player
How much of the screen is used when displaying singing call and round dance cue sheets? Can I select a playlist and have a pause between records? (Unlike the other players).

1. The majority of the screen can be used to display the cue sheet.
2. CSDS does not yet implement 'play lists' (it will within a few weeks). Currently, you select a piece of music via the CSDS music database, the CSDS quick list (a pre-selected subset of the CSDS music database), the CSDS music history list (the 50 most recently played selections), or browsing for a music selection from disk.

CSDS uses single key-stroke functions to hide/show the music player and to navigate to the cue sheet.

You can find a (very old) screen shot of the CSDS 'Call from Screen' window at http://www.ceder.net/csds/help/csds_callfromscreen.html

An old screen shot of the CSDS music player can be found at http://www.ceder.net/csds/help/csds_frmmusicplayer.html

Dancer positioning
The thing that I really feel would be of benefit to me that CSDS allows you to enter calls and then move the formation to whatever you feel it should be. How flexible is that feature?

This feature is very flexible and should be able to do practically anything you want.

It does have a few limitations:

• Maximum matrix size is 16 x 16.
• Although dancers may be facing at 45 degree angles, you may not have some dancers facing at 45 degree angles from other dancers (e.g., all dancers must be at 45 degree angles, or all must be at normal angles).

Displaying both a cue sheet and a sequence
I guess that you can display both a cuesheet and a sequence from a dance program (or toggle between with a key), so you have the lyrics and alternative singing choreo at your hand. Is this true??

• 10 piles of unused sequences;
• 1 pile for used (called) sequences;
• 3 documents;
• 1 cue sheet;
• 1 lyrics file.

See https://www.ceder.net/helpdb/viewsingle.php?pid=1&UniqueId=435

Displaying multiple windows
Can CSDS play music (MP3 Files) and display some Get Outs, Modules or Singing Call at the same time? How does this work out with the different windows? I have a laptop computer with a 14" TFT Display. Will I be able to open and operate all the windows (music and e.g. get outs) at the same time?

See https://www.ceder.net/helpdb/viewsingle.php?pid=1&UniqueId=435

A single keystroke brings a different frame to the foreground.

Hard disk space
How much hard drive space does CSDS use with music, cue sheets etc loaded on a notebook. What do you recommend?

Music files will eat up your hard disk space more than CSDS or more than cue sheets.

A mono MP3 file for a typical square dance tune of 3 to 4 minutes is about 2MB or so. A stereo file is twice that much.

I currently have 3648 (mostly mono) MP3 files in a folder on my laptop. These files take up 6.2 GB of space. Hence a GB will hold about 588 MP3 files.

I recommend that you get a laptop with a hardrive of at least 20 GB.

Isolated formations

Another program I have used does not find single isolated formations very easily. E.G. in assymetrical setups it won't find things like a nearside diamond however many different ways you try to explain that diamond. If there is a left handed tandem based triangle of girls you are trying to tell it to find it won't find it ( I've tried things like 'ignore the # 4 girl, the other girls triangle circulate' and other ploys to try to get it to understand, and it is still no use).

CSDS can not locate things such as left-hand tandem based triangles (this may change in the future). However, a record for the given instance of a call can always be added (e.g., if you say left-hand tandem-based triangles reshape, CSDS may say 'I do not know how to do this, show me how to do this' at which point the mouse can be used to drag the dancers to their ending positions, and the program will remember this instance of the call).

Laptop recommendation
If you were recommending a Windows laptop for Square dance calling usage, which one would you recommend, what are the criteria you regard as most important? What about Software recommendations to go with that, as for handling music and co-ordinating the music and calling? Does CSDS do that?

If you plan on creating your own MP3s from your record collection, you will need music editing software. I currently use Adobe Audition. It's pricey, but it's loaded with features. Other music editors may be found on our Digital Music page.

CSDS takes care of playing the music, keeping the selections organized, looping for patter music, etc.

The CSDS music player allows you to play, rewind, fade out, count beats per minute, change the tempo, etc.

A description of the music player can be found at http://www.ceder.net/csds/help/csds_frmmusicplayer.html

Linux / Unix
CSDS sounds wonderful and the copy I saw at a dance is very impressive. Is there any chance in the future that it may be ported to Linux / Unix or that it will run under Windows emulation on Linux? If so I could be quite interested in buying a copy.

I do not know how it might run under a Windows emulation, but my guess is that it won't run very well, especially the music portion.

I know of one caller who has successfully run CSDS on the Mac platform under an emulation package (after resolving a lot of problems). Unfortunately, the music portion didn't work well at all and had distortions and skips.

MP3 Player
Am I to assume that if I buy the CSDS program, it is the actual MP3 player?

The Microsoft Media Player is (partially) imbedded in the CSDS program. This player is probably already on your system, since it is included with Internet Explorer 4 or beyond. If not, the latest version can be downloaded for free from the Microsoft website.

The Winamp player must first be downloaded and installed before it can be used by CSDS. It is available for free from the Winamp web site. Be sure to download version 5.x. The PaceMaker 1.32 plug-in is highly recommended, especially if you would like to independently change the tempo and pitch.

Music and Cue Sheets
I noticed that if I want to have the cue sheets and music 'tied together' -- I need the record label and number entered? I ask because over the past two years I have converted my 800+ records to MP3 as back up and for mini disc use... but I never added the label or number in the file name..... Does this mean I need to dig out all the boxes???

For the computer to match up cue sheets and lyrics with the appropriate music, the title is not enough.

In fact, the title is so untrustworthy that CSDS does not even look at it.

An extra space or punctuation mark in the title could cause a mismatch. For example, Quadrille 855 is "Just Lovin' You", and TNT 274 is "Just Loving You". One has a quote, one doesn't. The computer might catch one, but not the other, or it might give the TNT cue sheet to the Quadrille version.

Also, many tunes on several different labels. For example, "Oh Lonesome Me" is on at least 10 different labels! How can the computer know by looking only at the name which cue sheet goes with the music?

Music Player - Pitch Control
I've been looking at your Square Dance System here on the Internet, and there is one thing missing I think. A reliable "pitch control" that can change Pitch without changing speed. Would it not be a relatively easy thing to put into the system???

CSDS can control either the PaceMaker 1.32 plug-in or the Chronotron II plug-in. PaceMaker is the recommended plug-in.

Patter record looping
How is the loop of the patter record generated? Do I have to set some marking externally, or do I have to "cut" the MP3 file in 3 parts? I have done that with the patter songs which I use on Mini Disc, but I have no idea how to do this with a MP3 file.... Maybe this can be done with your program?

Each song only requires one mp3 file.

Program features
I am thinking about purchasing the CSDS program. I now use musicmatch jukebox. Can you tell me what I'll gain with your program?

1. Set automatic looping for patter records.
2. Automatically display the cue sheet associated with a singing call.
3. Display sequences.
4. Write choreography.
5. Display lists of calls.

You should check out the CSDS portion of our web site: http://www.ceder.net/csds.php

You also might want to check out the HTML help index portion at http://www.ceder.net/csds/help/csds_index.html and the FAQ database at http://www.ceder.net/faqdb/view.php?section=1

Recording music
Does your media player in CSDS have recording capability? If not, what do you recommend I purchase?

You need some music editing software. CSDS is music management software (organizes and plays music).

There are 4 choices for music editing software listed on our digital music page.

I recommend Sound Forge or Goldwave

I personally have CoolEdit2000 (no longer available) and Adobe Audition (in my opinion, too pricey).

Windows XP
Will your program run on a computer with XP?

Several CSDS users have installed and are using CSDS on Windows XP, including myself. The CSDS software and installation CD are generated on my XP machine.