Hi everyone,

You will need to use the <video> element along with /bgstim. See e.g. https://www.millisecond.com/forums/Topic3446.aspx and https://www.millisecond.com/forums/Topic3858.aspx#3858. Alternatively see the <clock> element (new to Inquisit 4).

Regards,

~Dave

Thanks so much, Dave. I'm using the Web version of Inquisit 4, but I can't seem to find info/instructions for using the <clock> element. Is there a page you could link me to for that?

You need to download and install the Desktop beta version of Inquisit 4 to access the documentation -- it is not available online yet.

I'm working with a <clock> element now--is there a way to set it to restart upon each trial? 

It should automatically reset when used in a <trial> element's /stimulusframes or /stimulustimes:

<clock timer>
/ mode = timer
/ txcolor = yellow
/ txbgcolor = black
/ timeout = 300000
/ position = (50%, 10%)
/ format = "mm:ss"
</clock>

<trial mytrial>
/ stimulusframes = [1=timer]
/ validresponse = (57)
</trial>

<block myblock>
/ trials = [1-3=mytrial]
</block>

Hi Dave,

I've been piloting this study and it seems that some PC users have been getting a glitch in the typing test--they say that they're only able to type a few letters before the textbox becomes "inactive" (as though it had been clicked out of), requiring them to click back into it every few letters. Is there a way to resolve this?

Thanks!

And by "textbox," I mean the openended element. Here's the current code for reference: 

<expt>

/ subjects = (1 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type60]

</expt>

<expt>

/ subjects = (2 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type150]

</expt>

<data>

/columns=[date, time, build, subject, trialcode, blockcode, blocknum, trialnum, latency, response, pretrialpause, 

           posttrialpause, trialtimeout, blocktimeout, correct, stimulusitem, stimulusnumber, 

          display.height, display.width, 

          script.starttime, script.elapsedtime]

/format=tab

</data>

<instruct>

/windowsize = (80%, 80%)

</instruct>

************************************************************************

blocks

***********************************************************************

<block ac.test.type60>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[2,4=ac.test.type60; 1,3=60secondtimer]

/bgstim=(60sec)

</block>

<block ac.test.type150>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[2,4=ac.test.type150; 1,3=150secondtimer]

/bgstim=(150sec)

</block>

***********************************************************************

ac.test.type

***********************************************************************

<page ac.test.type.p1>In this task, you’ll be racing the clock.^^We’ll give you two passages to retype; when you hit enter, a timer will come up in the upper left-hand corner indicating the number of seconds you have to type the passage.^^Type as much of the passage as you can before the timer runs out.^^If you finish before the timer runs out, please click the "Next" button.</page>

<openended ac.test.type60>

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type60]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=60000

/position = (50%, 80%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<openended ac.test.type150>

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type150]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=150000

/position = (50%, 80%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<text ac.test.type60>

/items=ac.test.type60

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<text ac.test.type150>

/items=ac.test.type150

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<item ac.test.type60>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<item ac.test.type150>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<trial 60secondtimer> 

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type.nexttrial; 1=60sec]

/validresponse=(28)

</trial>

<trial 150secondtimer> 

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type.nexttrial; 1=150sec]

/validresponse=(28)

</trial>

<clock 60sec>

/ mode = timer

/ txcolor = black

/ txbgcolor = white

/ timeout = 61000

/ format = "mm:ss"

</clock>

<clock 150sec>

/ mode = timer

/ txcolor = black

/ txbgcolor = white

/ timeout = 151000

/ format = "mm:ss"

</clock>

<text ac.test.type.nexttrial>

/items= ("Press [ENTER] to begin")

/position=(50%,40%)

</text>

<defaults>

/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 2.5%, false, false, false, false, 5, 0)

/ txcolor = black

/ txbgcolor = white

/ windowsize = (99%, 80%)

</defaults>

This is a known issue and will be addressed in a future update to the beta.

Thanks for getting back to me. Is there anything I could do to bypass the glitch? Like using a different element that doesn't encounter this issue? 

You could use the tried-and-tested <video> approach (see the links in my first reply to this thread), which is not only applicable to Inquisit 3 and below, but also Inquisit 4.

Sorry for all the questions -- do you mean that using a <video> element would fix the textbox glitch on PCs?

Yes, that should avoid the issue.

Last question (hopefully!) -- I'm currently working with the <video> element (as a timer), and though I've tried /stimulusframes and /stimulustimes, I can't get it to reset at the start of each trial (text passage). Here's the code:

<expt>

/ subjects = (1 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type60]

</expt>

<expt>

/ subjects = (2 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type150]

</expt>

<data>

/columns=[date, time, build, subject, trialcode, blockcode, blocknum, trialnum, latency, response, pretrialpause, 

           posttrialpause, trialtimeout, blocktimeout, correct, stimulusitem, stimulusnumber, 

          display.height, display.width, 

          script.starttime, script.elapsedtime]

/format=tab

</data>

<instruct>

/windowsize = (80%, 80%)

</instruct>

************************************************************************

blocks

***********************************************************************

<block ac.test.type60>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[1,2=ac.test.type60]

/bgstim = (60sectimer)

</block>

<block ac.test.type150>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[1,2=ac.test.type150]

/bgstim = (150sectimer)

</block>

***********************************************************************

ac.test.type

***********************************************************************

<page ac.test.type.p1>In this task, you’ll be racing the clock.^^We’ll give you passages to retype; when you hit enter, a timer will come up indicating how many seconds you have to type the passage.^^Type as much of the passage as you can before the timer runs out.^^If you finish before the timer runs out, please click the "Next" button.</page>

<openended ac.test.type60>

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type60]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=60000

/position = (50%, 75%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<openended ac.test.type150>

/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type150]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=150000

/position = (50%, 75%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<text ac.test.type60>

/items=ac.test.type60

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<text ac.test.type150>

/items=ac.test.type150

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<item ac.test.type60>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<item ac.test.type150>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<trial 60secondtimer> 

/stimulustimes=[0=60sectimer]

/validresponse=(57)

</trial>

<trial 150secondtimer> 

/stimulustimes=[0=150sectimer]

/validresponse=(57)

</trial>

<video 60sectimer>

/ items = ("60sectimer.mp4")

/ position = (50%, 0%)

/ valign = top

</video>

<video 150sectimer>

/ items = ("150sectimer.mp4")

/ position = (50%, 0%)

/ valign = top

</video>

<defaults>

/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 2.5%, false, false, false, false, 5, 0)

/ txcolor = black

/ txbgcolor = white

/ windowsize = (99%, 99%)

</defaults>

To get it to "reset" for each trial, you have to display the <video> via the respective <openended> element's /stimulusframes. You don't want to use /bgstim and the various <trial> elements a la <trial 60secondtimer> are completely unnecessary (you aren't using them anywhere).

Regards,

~Dave

Thanks so much for your patience -- I apologize for the newbie questions. The <video> is restarting now, but the text prompt is gone--

<expt>

/ subjects = (1 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type60]

</expt>

<expt>

/ subjects = (2 of 2)

/ blocks = [1=ac.test.type150]

</expt>

<data>

/columns=[date, time, build, subject, trialcode, blockcode, blocknum, trialnum, latency, response, pretrialpause, 

           posttrialpause, trialtimeout, blocktimeout, correct, stimulusitem, stimulusnumber, 

          display.height, display.width, 

          script.starttime, script.elapsedtime]

/format=tab

</data>

<instruct>

/windowsize = (80%, 80%)

</instruct>

************************************************************************

blocks

***********************************************************************

<block ac.test.type60>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[1,2=ac.test.type60]

</block>

<block ac.test.type150>

/preinstructions = (ac.test.type.p1)

/trials=[1,2=ac.test.type150]

</block>

***********************************************************************

ac.test.type

***********************************************************************

<page ac.test.type.p1>In this task, you’ll be racing the clock.^^We’ll give you passages to retype; when you hit enter, a timer will come up indicating how many seconds you have to type the passage.^^Type as much of the passage as you can before the timer runs out.^^If you finish before the timer runs out, please click the "Next" button.</page>

<openended ac.test.type60>

/stimulusframes=[1=60sectimer]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=60000

/position = (50%, 75%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<openended ac.test.type150>

/stimulusframes=[1=150sectimer]

/charlimit=2000

/linelength = 80

/timeout=150000

/position = (50%, 75%)

/size = (70%, 40%)

/multiline=true

</openended>

<text ac.test.type60>

/items=ac.test.type60

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<text ac.test.type150>

/items=ac.test.type150

/position=(50%,20%)

/select=sequence

/size=(69%,10%)

/fontstyle = ("sans-serif", 12pt, false)

/hjustify=left

</text>

<item ac.test.type60>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<item ac.test.type150>

/1="All the sound reasons ever given for conserving other natural resources apply to the conservation of wildlife, and with three-fold power. When a spendthrift squanders his capital it is lost to him and his heirs; yet it goes somewhere else. When a nation allows any one kind of natural resource to be squandered it must suffer a real, positive loss; yet substitutes of another kind can generally be found. But when wildlife is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute, dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."

/2="The autobiographer has two qualifications of supreme importance in all literary work. He is writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested, and about a topic upon which he is the highest living authority. It may be reckoned, too, that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be more valuable in proportion to the amount of misrepresentation which it contains. We do not wonder when a man gives a false character to his neighbor, but it is always curious to see how a man contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is pleasant to be admitted behind the scenes and trace the growth of that singular phantom which is the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory."

</item>

<video 60sectimer>

/ items = ("60sectimer.mp4")

/ position = (50%, 0%)

/ valign = top

</video>

<video 150sectimer>

/ items = ("150sectimer.mp4")

/ position = (50%, 0%)

/ valign = top

</video>

<defaults>

/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 2.5%, false, false, false, false, 5, 0)

/ txcolor = black

/ txbgcolor = white

/ windowsize = (99%, 80%)

</defaults>

That's because you removed it from your /stimulustimes or /stimulusframes respectively.

Before:

<openended ac.test.type60>
/stimulustimes=[0=ac.test.type60]
[...]
</openended>

After:

<openended ac.test.type60>
/stimulusframes=[1=60sectimer]
[...]
</openended>

Correct:

<openended ac.test.type60>

/stimulusframes=[1=60sectimer, ac.test.type60]

[...]

</openended>

You will find basics such as displaying multiple stimuli in a given trial, stimulus timings, etc. covered in the various tutorials included in the Inquisit documentation.

Regards,

~Dave