I am trying to have a brief break between my blocks. I have created the element and put that into the order of my experiment: 

<expt>
/blocks = [1=demographics; 2= instructions; 3=Practiceblock; 4=break; 5=naturalblock; 6=tallmanblock]
/subjects = (1 of 2)

<text Break>
/items = Break
/hjustify = Center
/size = (90%, 60%)
/position = (50%, 50%)
/valign = center
/select = Break
</text>

<item Break>
/ 1 = "Take a few moments break before beginning the next set of trials."
</item>


I have also attached my program. I want this "break" to show both after the practice block and after the naturalblock. I was testing this out just after the practice block to get it to work but I couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. 

I appreciate any help!

A <text> element isn't a <block>, i.e. you can't run or display a <text> element via an <expt>'s /blocks attribute.

- You need to set up a <trial> that displays the <text>,

<trial breaktrial>
/ stimulusframes = [1=Break]
/ validresponse = (57)
</trial>

- A <block> that runs that <trial>,

<block breakblock>
/ trials = [1=breaktrial]
</block>

- And then run that <block> via the <expt>:

<expt>
/ blocks=[1=demographics; 2= instructions; 3=Practiceblock; 4=breakblock; 5=naturalblock; 6=tallmanblock]
</expt>

Ok awesome, that worked, thank you. I just have a couple more questions (I have played with it without success)

1. What is the easiest way to show a debrief page? I tried to do this via the post instructions page but couldn't get it to work. I also tried to do this mimicking what we did for the break block. 

2. How do I ensure my survey is recording responses? It doesn't show a response mode attribute so I'm not sure if I need to add this or if the survey by function records responses. 

Thank you so much for your help thus far. 

Ashley

> 1. What is the easiest way to show a debrief page? I tried to do this via the post instructions page but couldn't get it to work.

Add a <page> element to your script containing the debriefing info and display it via the <expt> elements' /postinstructions.

<page debrief>
^your debriefing info goes here
</page>

<expt>
/ postinstructions = (debrief)
...
</expt>

> 2. How do I ensure my survey is recording responses?

No extra step is necessary and /responsemode has nothing to do with the _recording_ of responses. Either way, it is not applicable to <survey> elements.

Ok thank you. With respect to the briefing, since that is a page element how do I cue it up in my experiment lineup? The code works but it does not display. I can't put it in sequence if it isn't a block so I am a little confused. 

<page> elements are displayed via /pre- and /postinstructions attributes. They are not <block> or <trial> elements, and you don't execute them via the /blocks or /trials attributes.

<expt>
/ postinstructions = (debrief)
/ blocks = [... your block sequence is here ...]
</expt>

means <page debrief> will be displayed at the very end of the respective <expt> element, i.e. after all blocks have been run. If you have multiple <expt> elements because of between-subjects conditions, you need to specify /postinstructions in all of them.

Thank you, this was super helpful. 

I want to ensure I have my timing done properly in my experiment. If I have the following sequence, can you verify the timing for each part?  We didn't use the stimulus time but intsead used frames, which made it a little confusing. 

/stimulusframes = [1=fixation; 119=blankspace;120=daunorubicinscript; 149=blankspace; 150=mask; 269=blankspace;270=doxorubicinN]
/beginresponseframe = 270
/posttrialpause = 1500

I cannot really verify the _timing_. When you use stimulusframes, the timing will depend on the system's display refresh rate. If the given display is running at, say, 100Hz, a single refresh cycle lasts 10ms. If the display runs at a lower rate, say, 50Hz, a refresh cycle lasts 20ms. Timing will vary accordingly, i.e. you'll get different results on different systems. What your code does is display "fixation" in the 1st display frame, "blankspace" 118 frames later, and so forth. What those 118 frames mean in terms of time will vary depending on the display's refresh rate as mentioned above. Hope this clarifies.

Ok, so I have to find out what my refresh rate is on the computers I will be using. Would it be pretty simple to change this to stimulus time in order to make sure this is what I want it to be?

I see what you are saying.

This is what I want:

Fixation 3 sec, Prime word 400ms, Mask 3 sec, Target word 




Ashley

The corresponding /stimulustimes definition, then, would look like this:

/ stimulustimes = [0=fixation; 3000=prime; 3400=mask; 6400=target]

i.e. display "fixation" at t0,
display the "prime" 3000ms into the trial,
display the "mask" 400ms later, i.e. 3400ms into the trial,
display the "target" 3000ms later, i.e. at 6400ms into the trial.

If you wish to erase any prior stimuli in-between, you can do

/ stimulustimes = [0=fixation; 3000=blankscreen, prime; 3400=blankscreen, mask; 6400=blankscreen, target]

where "blankscreen" is a <shape> covering the previous stimuli

<shape blankscreen>
/ shape = rectangle
/ color = white
/ erase = false
/ size = (100%, 100%)
</shape>

Hope this helps.

Thank you, that did help! I have it programmed in a test experiment that is abbreviated to just a few practice trails to get it right before changing my entire program. I have ran this twice and it works, however after the two trials are complete the screen appears to "freeze"- Control Q is not working. Any idea what is causing this?


Ashley

I'd have to see the code.

I'd have to see the code.

My apologies, I meant to attach it. Here it is. 

Here's the problem:

<trial quininescript_Norbert>
/validresponse = ("E", "I")
/correctresponse = ("E")
/ stimulustimes = [0=fixation; 3000=blankscreen, quininescript; 3400=blankscreen, mask; 6400=blankscreen, Norbert]

/beginresponseframe = 6400
/posttrialpause = 1500
</trial>

You've instructed the <trial> to only start accepting responses starting in its 6400th _frame_, i.e. between 1 to 2 _minutes_ into the trial (depending on the display's refresh rate). Your two trials should read:


<trial quininescript_Norbert>
/validresponse = ("E", "I")
/correctresponse = ("E")
/ stimulustimes = [0=fixation; 3000=blankscreen, quininescript; 3400=blankscreen, mask; 6400=blankscreen, Norbert]
/beginresponsetime = 6400
/posttrialpause = 1500
</trial>

<trial NORmanTM_NORbertTM>
/validresponse = ("E", "I")
/correctresponse = ("E")
/stimulustimes = [0=fixation; 3000=blankscreen, NORmanTM; 3400=blankscreen, mask; 6400=blankscreen, NORbertTM]
/beginresponsetime = 6400
/posttrialpause = 1500
</trial>

So when should the response time begin? I chose 6400 since that was the last time I had. 

Depends on when you _want_ it to begin. If you wish to measure latency _relative_ to the appearance of the target, theb /beginresponsetime should be set to 6400ms. If you wish to measure latency relative to the appearance of the prime, then /beginresponsetime should be set to 3000ms.

I want the next trial to begin immediately following the response to the current trial. 

> I want the next trial to begin immediately following the response to the current trial.

This has nothing to do with /beginresponsetime.

If you don't want a noticeable "break" between trials, remove the /posttrialpause.

Yes. But in terms of the /beginresponseframe, in this needed? I had it before because I was using stimulus frames, now that I am using stimulus times can I remove this?

(1) You should not be using /beginresponseframe if you're working with /stimulustimes.
(2) If anything, use /beginresponsetime.

Gotcha, that makes complete since. Thank you so much for your help. 

One last question. Does text default to Arial 14 pt font? My stimuli (text items) that are not specified as Snell Roundhand font appear to be in Arial 14pt font. 


<text Normanscript>
/fontstyle = ("Snell Roundhand", 16pt, false, true, false, false, 5, 0)
/ txcolor = (0, 0, 0)/items = ("Norman")
/position = (50%, 50%)
</text>

<text NormanN>
/items = ("Norman")
/position = (50%, 50%)
</text>

IIRC, if no fontstyle is specified, the default should be 16pt Arial. You can specify a different default fontstyle for the script via the <defaults> element's /fontstyle attribute, e.g.

<defaults>
/ fontstyle = ("Verdana", 3%)
...
</defaults>

Ok awesome. I got that updated. If I am trying to check certain points of my experiment, is there a way to run it from a selected point to make sure it is correct? Currently I have to run it all the way through to look at items towards the end. It is very time consuming. 

Re. the deleted (on request) post about the amount of text on the debriefing <page>: Yes, there is too much text on that single page for it to be displayed completely. You can either decrease the fontsize (via the <instruct> element's /fontstyle) or split the debriefing info across multiple <page> elements. I.e.

<page debrief1>
some text...
</page>

<page debrief2>
some more text...
</page>

<page debrief3>
even more text...
</page>

with

<expt>
/ postinstructions = (debrief1, debrief2, debrief3)
...
</expt>

Hope this helps.