The CSDS program has it's own music database which contains information on each audio file. This includes the audio file pathname, the record label, the record number, flags (e.g., patter, singing call, round, line, holiday), the tempo, the length of the music, comments, the pathname of an associated cue sheet, and loop start time and loop end time.

You enter appropriate values for the loop start time and loop end time. This should be done once for each tune that you wish to be used as patter. The program assists you in doing this. Basically, you play the music, and click a button when the music reaches the desired start and end times. You may then edit each time value if necessary. The program allows you to test the loop by starting the music 5 seconds before the end loop time.

When the program plays a patter audio file, it starts at the beginning of the file. The CSDS program then continually queries the music player (either the Microsoft Windows Media Player or WinAmp), and when the music time exceeds the end loop time, the program sends a command to the music player to reset the time to the start loop time. In this manner, the CSDS program controls the looping. There is a checkbox that can be unchecked to stop (or re-start) the looping while the music is playing.