RE: Sending keyboard markers to another computer

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RE: Sending keyboard markers to another computer

Sending keyboard markers to another computer

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ceaaxkuc	ceaaxkuc posted 4 Years Ago HOT Topic Details Share Topic
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 9	I was hoping to have computer tasks running with Inquisit on one computer and collect fNIRS neuroimaging data on a second adjacent computer. At the moment I'm manually time stamping my fNIRS data by pressing a keyboard key when the participants start and end the task (i.e. pressing "1" start and "0" end). Alternatively I could look at the Inquisit data file and manually copy over the time stamps after but it's a bit of a chore to do repeatedly and if the clock times on the computers were ever out of sync for some unforeseeable reason that could really make a mess of things. I was wondering if it's possible to code my Inquisit script to send the markers to another computer, i.e. when participants begin and end a block to register a keyboard press on an adjacent computer. I wouldn't need millisecond accuracy, but it'd be nice. Is there any relatively simple way of coding this or setting it up that I'm overlooking in the documentation? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!
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Dave	Dave posted 4 Years Ago ANSWER Post Details Share Post
Group: Administrators Posts: 13K, Visits: 104K	+x ceaaxkuc - 3/5/2020 I was hoping to have computer tasks running with Inquisit on one computer and collect fNIRS neuroimaging data on a second adjacent computer. At the moment I'm manually time stamping my fNIRS data by pressing a keyboard key when the participants start and end the task (i.e. pressing "1" start and "0" end). Alternatively I could look at the Inquisit data file and manually copy over the time stamps after but it's a bit of a chore to do repeatedly and if the clock times on the computers were ever out of sync for some unforeseeable reason that could really make a mess of things. I was wondering if it's possible to code my Inquisit script to send the markers to another computer, i.e. when participants begin and end a block to register a keyboard press on an adjacent computer. I wouldn't need millisecond accuracy, but it'd be nice. Is there any relatively simple way of coding this or setting it up that I'm overlooking in the documentation? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated! You can send markers to external equipment via the parallel (or serial) port by setting up <port> elements. These work like any other type of stimulus element (<text>, <picture>, etc.), i.e. you can "display" (that is: send) <port> markers via a <block>'s /bgstim, a <trial>'s /stimulustimes or -frames, and -- if you want to send markers upon a response -- via a <trial>'s /responsemessage. The Auditory Oddball Task script available in the library is a good example for all of this: https://www.millisecond.com/download/library/oddball/ Also see the following topics in the documentation: https://www.millisecond.com/support/docs/v5/html/howto/howtosendport.htm https://www.millisecond.com/support/docs/v5/html/language/elements/port.htm https://www.millisecond.com/support/docs/v5/html/howto/howtoportmonitor.htm Edited 4 Years Ago by Dave
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ceaaxkuc	ceaaxkuc posted 4 Years Ago ANSWER Post Details Share Post
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 9	Hi Dave, Thanks for the awesome response, that was really helpful! You wouldn't happen to have any suggestions for adapting a parallel port to a modern laptop would you (i.e. with no expresscard slot :/ ). I think a PCIE to thunderbolt adapter with parallel port PCI card could work... but I'm hoping there might be an easier solution?
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Dave	Dave posted 4 Years Ago ANSWER Post Details Share Post
Group: Administrators Posts: 13K, Visits: 104K	+x ceaaxkuc - 3/5/2020 Hi Dave, Thanks for the awesome response, that was really helpful! You wouldn't happen to have any suggestions for adapting a parallel port to a modern laptop would you (i.e. with no expresscard slot :/ ). I think a PCIE to thunderbolt adapter with parallel port PCI card could work... but I'm hoping there might be an easier solution? I don't think there's an easier solution, I'm afraid. While there are "USB-to-parallel" adapters, these typically are not suitable because they don't implement full parallel port functionality (only a subset sufficient to drive a legacy printer).
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ceaaxkuc	ceaaxkuc posted 4 Years Ago ANSWER Post Details Share Post
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 9	Is there any chance USB to TTL-232 converters like this guy https://www.amazon.ca/WITMOTION-Multifunctional-TTL-RS232-Compatible-develeopment/dp/B07TFFCDH4/ would work? With the usb plugged into a laptop to receive the markers and the the connectors wired into the serial port of the computer running Inquisit sending the markers?
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Dave	Dave posted 4 Years Ago ANSWER Post Details Share Post
Group: Administrators Posts: 13K, Visits: 104K	+x ceaaxkuc - 3/5/2020 Is there any chance USB to TTL-232 converters like this guy https://www.amazon.ca/WITMOTION-Multifunctional-TTL-RS232-Compatible-develeopment/dp/B07TFFCDH4/ would work? With the usb plugged into a laptop to receive the markers and the the connectors wired into the serial port of the computer running Inquisit sending the markers? Theoretically that should work, but I've not tried it and thus cannot guarantee it.
	Reply Like 2