Millisecond Forums

If you want anyone to be able to point out what's wrong with the script, you need to provide the script.

Sorry, the script runs perfectly in Inquisit 3, so I thought this is a common problem, and there is a simple solution to fix it.

Here is the script.

Thanks!

Your /size and /position attributes are the problem:

<text sex>
/size = (500,70)
/items = sex
/position = (50, 50)
/size = (100,185)
/select = sequence
</text>

Apart from the fact that you have /size defined multiple times, Inquisit will by default assume those values are *percentages*, i.e., your text element takes up 5x the screen's width, 0.7x the screen's height (or 100 / 185 % respectively). That's why you don't see anything although the element is there. If you want to use a different unit, you need to specify so, as in

/size = (500px,70px)

to use pixels.

Thanks! But this can't be it, my first idea was to change the /size attribute, but this does not fix the problem. I tried a variety of values and combinations, but I still don't see the text :(

Also, why is it running in Inquisit 3, but suddenly in Inquisit 4 the size is wrong? This should not happen...

You also need to fix the /position for the <text> element which *collides* with the <likert>'s /position:

<item sex>
/ 1 = "Wat is uw geslacht?"
</item>

<likert sex>
/ anchors = [1="Man"; 2= "Vrouw"]
/ stimulusframes = [1 = sex]
/ mouse=true
/ numpoints = 2
/ position= (50, 50)
</likert>

<text sex>
/items = sex
/ position = (50, 50)
/select = sequence
</text>

And another issue:

<defaults>
/ screencolor = (255, 255, 255)
/ font = ("Arial", 0, 700, 0, 49)
/ txbgcolor=(255,255,255)
</defaults>

You define a font with zero size in your <defaults>. You need to fix that, too.

Thanks!

The real problem was that I had the text colour on white...which is kinda strange, since it was black in Inquisit 3...

So, I was wondering: what happened? Everything was fine in Inquisit 3, no error messages, I could see everything, the sizes were perfect. And then I opened the script in Inquisit 4, and everything changed? He also changed my size for the questions, so that they did not run on one line anymore (which I made sure previously, in Inquisit 3..). It also seemed that he changed the position, since question and answer options were above one another, which does not make sense, and this was no issue in Inquisit 3.

I'm just asking, because I have three of my own scripts, that are more complicated (and way longer) than that, and, since my university will smoothly substitute Inquisit 3 for Inquisit 4, I will have to run my experiment on Inquisit 4 as well.

I am sorry Dave to bother you, I am just concerned that I might run into more problems, and I am just not good/experienced enough to fix them on my own.

I am reasonably sure that wasn't the problem at all. The main problem was the 0-size default fontstyle.

No error messages != everything is fine. As a matter of fact, Inquisit 3 and 4 may behave somewhat differently in case of erroneous element definitions. Inquisit 3, here, will basically ignore your faulty /font attribute in <defaults> (NB: /font has been deprecated for a long time; please use /fontstyle instead), whereas Inquisit 4 will take you by your word.

While the vast majority of old scripts will work fine in Inquisit 4, there are some edge cases (mostly those where you were lucky they even worked in Inquisit 3) and you should properly test every single one in Inquisit 4 and fix any issues that come up. If you can't identify a given issue, you can always post here.

Yes, the 0-size was a problem as well, of course.

I always use copy&paste for new scripts, thus also with the defaults. I did not know that I should use /fontstyle, but as long as it runs, I'm fine with everything.

I will run and test my scripts in Inquisit 4, of course! I just don't want to keep running to you, and take up your time. I should be able to fix simple problems on my own by now, since I've written a few scripts already. That's why I asked for "common exporting problems".

As always, thank you very much Dave! I really appreciate your help which is always very fast and accurate, and also very polite.

Have a nice day!

Christine