-
Button is not enabled | |
The Cue Sheet button on the Music Player is not "Lit Up" so that I can use it. Do I need to do something to turn it on? |
The 'Cue Sheet' button is only turned on (i.e., enabled) when a cue sheet has been associated with an entry in the Music Database.
To associate a cue sheet with a music file,
- go into 'Music | Edit Music Database';
- highlight an entry;
- edit the 'Cue Sheet' field, preferably via the 'Browse...' button.
- save the changes made to the music database.
-
Changing style of cue sheets | |
Can I change how the cue sheet looks? |
You can change the font sizes, and colors
of different elements on the HTML cue sheets
via CSDS by going to
'System | Preferences... | Fonts | Cue Sheets'.
-
Clear the cue sheet and lyric paths | |
Is there a way to clear all the cue sheet and lyric paths so I
may simply reinstall off the web? (I found that it corrects the path situation however when I check the checkbox that says overwrite existing cue sheets, but import the latest batch from your site, it only overwrote 22 sheets...) |
The easiest way would be to
- Via the Windows File Explorer, delete the folder containing the cue sheets;
- Run CSDS, go to 'Music | Edit Music Database';
- Select 'Tools | File pathnames | Find non-existent files';
- Check the last checkbox (Clear cue sheet (or lyrics) field if the cue sheet (or lyric) file does not exist).
- Press 'OK';
-
Cue sheet comes up for PATTER record | |
Most of the music I use for patter is actually singing call music...it seems that, even though I have it marked as (P) Patter only, the main window comes up with the singing call cue sheet in the main window if a cue sheet exists. I don't know if this is what you intend the program do or not. I guess I think that it should not work this way. If I have the music marked as both singer and patter, you ask me which one I want, and if I choose patter, I would expect to not find the cue sheet in the main window. If I have it marked as Patter only, then I would never
> expect to see the cue sheet in the main window. This is not what happens. In both cases, if a cue sheet exists, it appears in the main window even though patter is what I have chosen for the music. |
To solve this problem,
- Goto 'System | Settings';
- Click the 'Call from Screen' tab;
- Check the box entitled 'Bring cue sheets to foreground only for Singing Calls (S)'.
-
cue sheet confusion #1 | |
I can't figure out how to display the cue sheets. |
For the program to display a cue sheet, the pathname of the
cue sheet file must be specified within the music database.
How to associate a cue sheet file with an entry in the music database:
- within the 'Edit Music Database' screen, highlight the desired record in the 'Grid' section.
- the 'Edit item' section now allows you to modified fields for the highlighted record. The last line in the 'Edit item' section is the 'Cue Sheet' field. There is a text box where you can type in the pathname of the cue sheet file, or you can use the 'Browse' button to the immediate left to select the file. After the file has been selected, a 'View' button allows you to display the cue sheet to verify that it is correct.
Cue sheets can be .TXT, .RTF, .HTML (or .HTM), .DOC, .PDF or
other files. Recommended formats are .TXT, .RTF, and .HTML.
-
cue sheet confusion #2 | |
I also don't understand how the cue sheets work. Right now I'm copying
the record sleeves on a scanner and saving them in a "bmp" format, and
"Windows Picture and Fax Viewer" is opening them. I've also saved some
as doc files in "Word", and they are smaller(in KB's, while the picture
viewer is in MB's), but as you told me before, they take awhile to
open. I know you say to download the cue sheets from your site, but I
don't understand how to set it up after download. Also a lot of the
songs I use aren't on it. I guess I don't understand how to link the cue
sheets to the songs(words) on your cue sheet data base. If all the songs
are in ONE file, how do I link each mp3 to only the words for that one
mp3. I would think it would bring up the words for all the songs, if
they're all in the same file. Do you understand what I'm saying? I
understand how to use a filing system pretty good, but can't figure out
how this works. |
To use cue sheets in CSDS, you should be in (call from) the
'Dance | Call from Screen' portion of the program. This part of the program allows full access (single key strokes) to the music player as well as to the cue sheet, lists of calls, and sequences.
Although cue sheets may be in almost any format, for optimal use
within CSDS, cue sheets should be in RTF (Rich Text Format),
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), or TXT (Text) format. I suggest that you save your 'MS Word' cue sheet files in .rtf or .html format instead of .doc format.
Each cue sheet needs to be associated with a piece of music.
Use the 'Cue Sheet' field of the Music Database to do this.
To download cue sheets from our web site, you need to download
the file, then have CSDS process the file to create the cue sheets.
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Cue sheets don't show up | |
when I open the music from the database
or quick list, I used to get the cuesheets. Now they don't show up.
Can you please advise me to what I am doing wrong |
Let's debug the issue...
-
Are you in the 'call from screen' portion of the program?
From the main menu, select 'Dance' then select an item
such as an individual dance, 'Call from screen', or 'Empty dance'.
Cue sheets and lyrics are only automatically displayed
when the program is in the 'call from screen' section.
When you're in the 'call from screen' section, try loading
music from the quick list or music database.
-
Are program settings correct?
From the main menu, select 'System | Preferences'.
On the left-hand side, click on 'Call from Screen'.
None of the three 'cue sheet' check boxes should be checked.
-
Are there issues with the cue sheet database?
From the main menu, select 'Music | Square Dance Cue Sheet Database'.
From the Square Dance Cue Sheet Database, select 'File | Auto update from web'.
-
Are cue sheets properly linked within the music database?
From the main menu, select 'Music | Edit Music Database'.
From the Edit Music Database window, select 'Tools | Add cue sheets and lyrics from database'.
If an item in the music database has an incorrect label and label number,
the program will not be able to find the cue sheet.
-
cuesheets.css #1 | |
I seem to be missing the file cuesheet.css. Can I get it from you? |
You may download cuesheet.css from
http://www.ceder.net/csds/ftp/cuesheet.css
Place it in the same folder as your HTML cue sheets.
This file is automatically created by CSDS if it doesn't
already exist whenever you select
'Edit Music Database | Edit | Upgrade Cue Sheets from Web'.
-
cuesheets.css #2 | |
There is a file, cuesheets.css, that gets created in the destination cue sheet folder. This file contains the following:
-
.title { font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold; }
.label { font-size: 10pt; color: purple; }
.artist { font-size: 10pt; color: green; }
.hdr { font-size: 12pt; color: brown; font-weight: bold; margin-left: 25px; }
.text { font-size: 14pt; margin-left: 50px; line-height: 140%; }
.lyrics { font-size: 14pt; background-color: #FCC9C3; }
font { font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif; }
body, p, font { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Sans Serif;
font-size: 10pt; }
body { background: #FFFFFF; color: #000000; }
When I try to open the file, it brings up Microsoft FrontPage. |
The 'cuesheets.css' file is a HTML Cascading Style Sheet file.
This file specifies the font type, font sizes, and colors used when displaying a cue sheet. CSDS allows you to edit this file via 'Settings | Fonts | Cue Sheets HTML Style Sheet'.
-
DOC files (Microsoft Word) | |
I have typed in the lyrics to all my singing calls and I have converted some of them into MS Word (.DOC) files. I can attach them to the music with no problem but when I use the 'Call from Screen' option and show the cue sheet, pressing F1 brings up
the Word help menus!
Pressing C, for the cue sheet, has a slightly long delay before
appearing - can I make it quicker? |
When a cue sheet is displayed in the main frame of the 'Call from Screen' section, what is actually happening is that another program (i.e., MS Word, Internet Explorer, Adobe PDF Viewer, etc.) is imbedded into the CSDS program. When the imbedded
program has the focus (i.e., it is the main frame), it receives and processes the keystrokes. I have been unable to stop this behavior. But even if I could, it might be impossible for the
user to scroll the cue sheet.
As for the long delay after pressing 'C', for the cue sheet: Don't use MS Word. The delay occurs because CSDS must physically load a copy of MS Word. The suggested course of action is to use MS Word to create the cue sheet, but then save the file as RTF (Rich Text Format) or HTML. RTF loads very fast, HTML loads a little slower, but DOC files are really slow.
-
Document types | |
What kind of documents can be used to hold song lyrics? |
CSDS can display most recognized file types. For example,
- a .TXT file should bring up an application such as Notepad or Wordpad,
- a .DOC file should bring up MS Word,
- a .HTML file should bring up Internet Explorer,
- a .RTF file should bring up a RichText viewer such as MS Word,
- a .PDF file should bring up Adobe Acrobat
I use HTML to format my cue sheets.
You can download HTML-formatted cue sheets for some records from our
Record Database.
To download a single cue sheet:
- Go to the Record Database
- Click on the 'Advanced query' link
- Go to the bottom of the resultant page, click on the 'Cue Sheet' check box, then click a 'Submit Query' button.
- Click on a record title to display all data for the record.
- Next on 'full page' (in the 'Cue sheet' section) to bring up a new copy of your browser displaying the entire cue sheet
in a reasonably large font.
- From the browser menu, select 'File' followed by 'Save As' to save the cue sheet on your computer.
Records with cue sheets (shortcut for steps 1 thru 3 above)
I suggest that all cue sheets be placed in the same directory (e.g., c:sqdatacuesheet).
|
To download all available cue sheets at once:
- You must have CSDS 0.98.04 or later
- Go to https://www.ceder.net/recorddb/csds_download.php and follow the instructions
|
-
Editing a cue sheet | |
Is there anyway I can add some notes to a correct cue sheet.
I have a few records I like to add words to. |
Cue sheet files (and also lyrics files) can be edited.
Get the complete file pathname (you can get this via
the 'Edit Item' box of the music database), open an text
editor such as Wordpad or Notepad if the file extension is
TXT or HTML; or open an editor such as MS Word if the
file extension is RTF. Make the necessary changes, then
save the file (with the same name).
You can edit an HTML or TXT cue sheet via the
'Music Database - Edit Item' window. Just click on
the edit toolbar button (with the 'pencil') icon
to the right of the Cue Sheet filename.
-
How do I add a cue sheet? | |
After I have the music converted to a satisfactory MP3 and in the program, how do I add the corresponding cue or cheat sheet? |
To add a cue sheet, you basically have to do two steps:
-
Create or obtain the cue sheet for each desired piece of music;
-
You can create your own cue sheets in practically any format
that can be displayed by a web browser (i.e., text files (.txt),
HTML files (.htm or .html), rich text files (.rtf), Microsoft
Word documents (.doc), Adobe Acrobat reader files (.pdf).
I recommend using text files (.txt) and rich text files (.rtf),
as CSDS has native support for these filetypes. CSDS will be faster (and have fewer) problems if you use TXT or RTF files -- if you use a DOC file, for example, CSDS must load a browser which then loads a copy of MS Word, which then loads the file.
If you then press keys that CSDS is unable to try, MS Word
will get the command instead, and you may inadvertently modify
your cue sheet -- this can not happen with TXT or RTF files.
-
Associate the cue sheet with the piece of music.
-
From the CSDS main menu, select 'Music' followed by 'Edit Music Database'. For each piece of music to which you wish to associate a cue sheet: 1) highlight the music; 2) edit the 'Cue Sheet' field or use the 'Browse' button to the immediate right of the field to select a cue sheet; 3) Use the 'View' button to see what the cue sheet would look like when displayed by the program. (this last statement isn't quite true for TXT or RTF files).
You can also download cue sheets from our web-based 'Record Database', and import them into CSDS. See http://www.ceder.net/recorddb/csds_download.php
-
How do you make your cue sheets? | |
How do you make your cue sheets? i.e., What program you use when making up cue sheets, do you type in all the info or scan it from the record cue sheet cover, etc.
I like the way your cue sheets look and they take up less space than what I was using. I like to keep everything the same when making cue sheets and I have the ones from your site, but I need a lot more and want to make them the same. |
Our cue sheets are automatically generated from our web-based
Record Database, http://www.ceder.net/recorddb/view.php?action=ftt. The cue sheets are in HTML format.
Adding cue sheets is a common stumbling block for CSDS users.
As such, there are future plans to allow users to create/edit the HTML-style cue sheets normally used by CSDS. But, that is in the future, so for now...
The best thing to do would be to open an existing CSDS HTML-style cue sheet and edit it with a text editor (e.g., Wordpad) to create new cue sheets.
If possible, please send us cue sheet information for all square dance records that you have that are not listed in our web-based Record Database. We will format the cue sheets, add them to the Record Database, and then you may download the cue sheets from the web. This allows everyone access cue sheets, keeps the cue sheets in a consistent format, and avoids a lot of re-inventing the wheel.
-
How to import | |
I still can't figure out how to import the cue sheets. |
To import cue sheets from our web site into CSDS, do the following:
- Go to http://www.ceder.net/recorddb/csds_download.php
- Set a file to download
- Wait for the page to finish downloading in your browser
- From the browser's menu, select File | Save As... and save the data (perhaps in file C:\CUESHEETS.TXT).
- Run CSDS
- From the CSDS menu, select Music | Edit Music Database
- From the Edit Music Database menu select Edit | Upgrade Cue Sheets from Web
- For the source file, enter (or browse to) the name of
the downloaded file
- For the destination folder, select a folder such as C:\SQDATA\CUESHEETS (you may first need to create the folder via the Windows File Explorer)
- Click the OK button, and the program should import some cue sheets (this is assuming that you've correctly set the 'Label' and 'Label #' fields for items within your music database)
-
How to submit cue sheets to the master database | |
I would love to send you the cue sheets I write but what I did was started to
edit the source codes for what you sent me and save it as a new file.
ummm, That would take awhile, so I'm thinking you have a program to write it
in HTML format. If you would send me just one of your text files in the format
you want me to type it. I'll send some cue sheets back to you and you can
convert them and add them to your database. |
Yes, I have a program to generate the HTML format.
I believe that HTML is the most versatile way to implement cue sheets, since users can modify the
cascading style sheet file (cuesheet.css) if desired to easily change the font size, font type,
color, etc. of all cue sheets at once. In the future, the program can easily be
modified to generate cue sheets in another format (RTF, PDF, ?).
Here is a sample cue sheet in the proper format:
OPENER
All four ladies promenade one time around
Get home and swing awhile with your man
Join up hands and circle to the left around the ring
Do a left allemande and weave the ring
<L>Well the stars are bright and there's a moon out tonight</L>
Why don't you do sa do and promenade her
<L>We sure make lots of waves on the water
Rock'n in Rosalie's boat.</L>
MIDDLE BREAK - CLOSER
Sides face, grand square (32 beats of drum rhythm)
Four ladies promenade one time around
Get home and swing with your man
Left allemande and promenade her
<L>We sure make lots of waves on the water
Rock'n in Rosalie's boat</L>
FIGURE
Heads roll away
Zip into the middle and back
Star thru - make a right hand star
Heads star left in the middle - travel all the way around
Square through the outside two - go 3
Trade by, swing thru, boys trade, girls turn back
Promenade the ring - go
<L>*We sure make lots of waves on the water
Rock'n in Rosalie's boat</L>
TAG
<L>Rock'n in Rosalie's boat
*Note (second time through)
We sure makes lots of waves on the water
Rock'n in Rosalie's</L>
|
This file is just a plain ASCII text file. The requirements are
- Headers (e.g., OPENER, MIDDLE, BREAK, FIGURE, TAG, etc.) must be entirely
in uppercase and on a separate line. The header may be more than one word
(e.g., OPENER - MIDDLE BREAK can be a header)
- The remainder of the text (i.e., the lyrics and figures) should be in
normal case (mixed uppercase and lowercase as appropriate).
- The actual lyrics of the song should be surrounded by <L> and </L> tags.
<L> indicates the start of a lyric phrase, and </L> indicates the end.
I will also need additional information about the record (i.e., the record label,
record number, title of record, type of record (singing call, patter, etc.), and artist(s).
-
How to write Cue Sheets and Lyrics | |
When I write a lyric for a singing call, such as Neutron Dance by Chaparral, what format should I save that document in? I believe I want to save it as a html document, yes? Or can I make it a PDF. I just need this document to open immediately.
And what would I name that file?
Next question, where do I save that document to, so when I load the music, the cue sheet will open immediately. |
Unless you don't like the format of the cue sheets provided by CSDS,
you should rarely if ever need to write a cue sheet.
There are over 16,000 cue sheets in the CSDS cue sheet database.
In addition, the display of cue sheets in CSDS is configurable as to fonts, sizes, colors, etc.
Similarly, for lyrics. There are almost 5000 lyrics in the CSDS lyrics database.
If you discover one is missing, please contact Debbie so she can add it to the database.
Both the cue sheet and lyrics databases can be auto-updated by CSDS to ensure
that they contain the latest additions and changes.
As for Chaparral 321, the cue sheet looks like this:
and the lyrics look like this:
There are no naming restrictions on cue sheet or lyrics files.
The preferred file format is RTF (rich text format), as it displays the quickest and has the fewest issues. Other than that, TXT (text) and HTML also work well. PDF and DOC (or DOCX) files can be problematic, and may require additional configuration to your computer so that they are displayed without first popping up a confirmation dialog box. Use RTF whenever possible.
To open files immediately, you need two things:
-
the cue sheet and lyrics must be linked to the music item.
The best way to do this is to properly set the Label and Label # fields.
The program uses these fields to automatically link the music to the cue sheet and lyrics.
If you didn't do this, then please go and edit each music item so that the Label and Label #
fields are set. Then, just to make sure, re-link all cue sheets and lyrics via
'Edit Music Database | Tools | Add cue sheets and lyrics from database'.
-
When calling a dance, you should be in the 'Call from screen' section of the program.
To get there from the CSDS main menu, select 'Dance | Call from screen' (if you have
configured a dance) or 'Dance | Empy dance' (if you haven't configured a dance).
In this section of the program, cue sheet and/or lyrics are automatically displayed
according to which music item is loaded into the music player.
-
HTML markup format | |
I'd be interested in marking up my lyric sheets identically (well, almost) to yours, but clearly you use some proto-markup-language that gets converted to the HTML on import (and/or by your DB system). I have about 200 .txt files for singing calls that are not in your lyrics DB. Let me know if you think this would be useful & if so, some details about your markup syntax. |
I'd be interested in getting the lyric information from you,
so I can add it to our web-based Record Database.
If you decide to give me the txt files, I will need additional information
(i.e., the record label, record number, title of record, type of record (singing call,
patter, etc.), and artist(s).
Basically, the format required is:
- Headers such as OPENER, ENDING, MIDDLE-BREAK, etc. must all be in uppercase.
- Lyrics (not the calls) must be surrounded <L> and </L> tags.
For example, here is a cue sheet:
OPENER - MIDDLE BREAK - CLOSER
Four little ladies chain, go straight across the square
You roll away, circle to the left from there
Four ladies roll away, circle to the left and then
Allemande left with the corner of the hall
Weave around my friend
<L>You are the one, you're the one in my heart
My darling, my life's greatest thrill,</L>
Promenade
<L>You are the one in my heart and I know
That I love you and I always will</L>
FIGURE
Head two couples promenade, halfway around the square
Come down the middle, right & left thru
Turn that lady there
Flutter wheel and then, sweep 1/4 more
Pass thru, square thru go walkin' round the floor
Four hands and then, partner trade and roll
Swing the corner, take her by the hand
Promenade her home
<L>You are the one in my heart and I know
That I love you and I always will</L>
TAG
<L>Yes, I love you and I always will</L>
|
-
Lost my cue sheets | |
I followed your instructions for moving CSDS to my new laptop, got it moved over and it worked.
However, for some reason I can NOT get the cue sheet, I've followed your instructions for updating, etc. and every time I click on a cue sheet I get 'path cannot be found' c:sqdata/cue sheets/Temp_ |
Do the following to reset your cue sheets:
- start CSDS;
- goto Music | Edit Music Database;
- select Tools | File pathnames | Find non-existent files;
- check the last box, 'Clear cue sheet (or lyrics)...' then press OK;
- close the 'results' box;
- select Edit | Add cue sheets and lyrics from Database...
- close the 'results' box;
- close the 'Edit Music Datbase' window, saving changes.
-
Missing from download file | |
Some cue sheets that appear in your database are not in the download file. Is this because the download file has to be updated on your end? |
There are two reasons why a cue sheet is missing:
-
Not all records in our web-based database have had their cue sheets added yet. It's a never-ending job, and Debbie works on it when she can. And, of course, I keep purchasing new records too...
-
In order for CSDS to automatically add a cue sheet to an entry in
the Music Database, the 'Label' and 'Label #' field of the entry must match the corresponding fields in the web-based Record Database.
If you find that our Record Database is missing specific cue sheets, or the record simply isn't listed, please supply the information so that I can add it to the database. This
enables others in the future to download those cue sheets. I've had a couple of other callers supply me this information.
If you would like to assist, I need the following for each record:
- Label
- Label Number
- Type (singing call, patter, two-sided patter, round, etc.)
- Artist(s)
- Cue Sheet information
If the cue sheet information is supplied in the appropriate format (i.e., the same format as the downloaded file), it is an easy task for me to use cut and paste to add the new information to the database.
-
Missing lyrics | |
My issue concerns Silver Sounds 222 ("I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me"). I own this, and for some reason, CSDS recognizes the label and correctly brings up the Cue Sheet, but not the Lyrics. Both are available online at ceder.net, so I think some adjustment must be made. |
Geesh! The lyrics were just added yesterday.
If you want the absolute latest and greatest cue sheets and lyrics,
use 'File | Auto update from web' (in both the Cue Sheet and Lyrics database)
instead of 'File | Update from web file'.
The former does a realtime query of our web site, to get the most recent changes.
The latter makes you download then import files that are generated about every week or so,
so they don't necessarily have the most recent changes. There is a date associated with the
web file (e.g., " A thru M -- 953 lyrics (24-December-2007) [1.11 MB]") that tells when the file
was last generated.
-
Only one cue sheet per music file? | |
I'm entering cue sheets for various dances. It appears to me that only one cue sheet can be associated with a music file. I have quite a number of records for which there are multiple dances. For example, some of the records have one or more line dances and/or one or more round dances. I can also envision creating more than one square dance cue sheets for various levels (i.e. teaching, basic,
mainstream, plus, etc.).
What do you recommend to deal with this? |
You could add the same music more than once to the music database.
Each entry could then have a different cue sheet. You could rename
the entry to be "song-name (MS)", and another "song-name (Plus)", etc.
The music database also has a 'Lyrics' field, which behaves the same
as the 'Cue Sheet' field. In this manner, two windows will pop-up
when you load the music within the 'Call from Screen' portion of the
program.
Or, you could just create a big cue sheet with everything in it,
and scroll down to the part you wanted.
-
Resetting cue sheets | |
Cue sheets messed up after recent update |
The following should fix the issue
- From the CSDS main menu, select 'System | Upgrade data files from web'.
- Select 'Square Dance Cue Sheet database' and press the 'Download' button.
- Upon completion, Restart CSDS.
- From the CSDS menu, select 'Music | Edit Music Database'.
- From the Edit Music Database window menu, select 'Tools | Add cue sheets, lyrics, and more'..
- Upon completion, close the Edit Music Database window, saving changes
See also https://www.ceder.net/helpdb/viewsingle.php?UniqueId=595
-
Unable to bring back music player | |
When I go to 'call from screen' with a word cue sheet, the cue sheet and the player
are displayed on the screen. If I hit "p" for play and then hit "M" to get rid of the player,
I can't get the player back by hitting "M" again. Is that normal
or have I got a setting in the wrong place? |
If your cue sheet is a ".doc" file, it is displayed within
CSDS in an imbedded copy of MS Word. When this is the case,
MS Word grabs keystokes that may have been intended for CSDS.
The cure is to not to use ".doc" files. Try using ".rtf"
(the preferred format for CSDS) or ".html" files instead.