Bug in /stop attribute?

AKrishna — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 11:46:52 GMT

Dear all,

I think I've stumbled on a bug: the / stop attribute (at least in expt elements) is sometimes not evaluated correctly. The following code provides an example:

[code]<values>
/ TestStop = false
/ OtherStop = false
</values>

<expt MinimalExample>
/ blocks = [1 = HelloWorld]
/ stop = [
values.TestStop; values.OtherStop
]
</expt>

<block HelloWorld>
/ trials = [1 = HelloWorld]
</block>

<trial HelloWorld>
/ stimulustimes = [0 = HelloWorld]
/ timeout = 2000
</trial>

<text HelloWorld>
/ items = ("Hello World!")
</text>[/code]

This runs as expected, the trial is displayed. The / stop attribute is expected to fire if EITHER values.TestStop OR values.OtherStop OR both are true, preventing the trial from displaying.

If only OtherStop is true or if both are true, /stop acts as expected. However, if ONLY TestStop is true, the stop condition doesn't fire and the trial displays.

For now, a workaround would be to avoid listing /stop statements with semicolons and instead connect them via || (or) operators:

[code]<expt MinimalExample>
/ blocks = [1 = HelloWorld]
/ stop = [
values.TestStop || values.OtherStop
]
</expt>
[/code]

RE: Bug in /stop attribute?

Dave — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 11:46:52 GMT

+x[quote]

[b]AKrishna - 9/13/2024[/b]
Dear all,

I think I've stumbled on a bug: the / stop attribute (at least in expt elements) is sometimes not evaluated correctly. The following code provides an example:

[code]<values>
/ TestStop = false
/ OtherStop = false
</values>

<expt MinimalExample>
/ blocks = [1 = HelloWorld]
/ stop = [
values.TestStop; values.OtherStop
]
</expt>

<block HelloWorld>
/ trials = [1 = HelloWorld]
</block>

<trial HelloWorld>
/ stimulustimes = [0 = HelloWorld]
/ timeout = 2000
</trial>

<text HelloWorld>
/ items = ("Hello World!")
</text>[/code]

This runs as expected, the trial is displayed. The / stop attribute is expected to fire if EITHER values.TestStop OR values.OtherStop OR both are true, preventing the trial from displaying.

If only OtherStop is true or if both are true, /stop acts as expected. However, if ONLY TestStop is true, the stop condition doesn't fire and the trial displays.

For now, a workaround would be to avoid listing /stop statements with semicolons and instead connect them via || (or) operators:

[code]<expt MinimalExample>
/ blocks = [1 = HelloWorld]
/ stop = [
values.TestStop || values.OtherStop
]
</expt>
[/code]

[/quote]

So, it's not a bug, but the documentation is unclear / somewhat wrong on this. Each /stop attribute is evaluated as a whole, and whatever the final result is the return value and determines whether a stop occurs or not.

With

[code]<values>
/ TestStop = true
/ OtherStop = false
</values>[/code]

and

[code]/ stop = [
    values.TestStop;
    values.OtherStop;
][/code]

the return value is false per values.OtherStop.

With

[code]/ stop = [
    return values.TestStop;
]
/ stop = [
    return values.OtherStop;
][/code]

the return value of the first /stop attribute is true per values.TestStop, so a stop occurs. The 2nd stop attribute is not evaluated.

You can have multiple expressions in a single /stop attribute to achieve the same thing, e.g.

[code]/ stop = [
    if (values.TestStop) {
        return true;
    };
    if (values.OtherStop) {
        return true
    };
][/code]

The first conditional applies and returns true, the 2nd conditional does not apply, so nothing changes.

And finally, as you noted, you can of course use a logical OR, which I would consider the clearest specification.

[code]/ stop = [
    return (values.TestStop || values.OtherStop)
][/code]

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Bug in /stop attribute?

RE: Bug in /stop attribute?