Millisecond Forums

Re. #1: /timeout specifies a maximum duration, i.e., being able to move on prior to reaching the timeout is the expected behavior. Note that pressing ENTER should not lead to a response being submitted. It should be CTRL+ENTER. As to the observed weirdness (not being able to move on in one run vs. another one): That's weird and not something I've seen or heard before. However, if it's not reproducible, there is no way to determine the cause.

Re. #2: /mask isn't supposed to prevent you from typing certain characters (e.g. digits), but is supposed to prevent a response containing such characters from being accepted. Again, as to the issue you describe, if you could provide the code that reliably produces this behavior, that would certainly help.

The first issue I'll have to try out on a couple of other computers. I do get it repeatedly on my work computer though.

With regard to the second issue, this is the code I used (I copy paste the entire thing so it's easy to test-run the whole thing):

<data>
/columns =[date time subject blocknum trialnum blockcode trialcode response correct latency stimulus stimulusnumber]
/format=tab
</data>

<defaults>
/screencolor = (255, 255, 255)
/ fontstyle = ("Calibri", 2.54%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/ txcolor = (0, 0, 0)
/txbgcolor=(255,255,255)
</defaults>


**************** INSTRUCTION PAGES ******************


<instruct>
/nextkey=("c")
/prevkey=("b")
/nextlabel = ("Press c to continue")
/lastlabel = ("Press c to continue")
/prevlabel = ("Press b to go back")
/font = ("Arial", -16, 400, 0, 49)
/wait = 100
</instruct>

<page intro1>
Find a third word related to all three ... ...
</page>

<page intro2>
For example ... ...
</page>

<page intro3>
There are different ways of solving these creative problems.
^^Sometimes, problems are solved with what we call STRATEGY.
^That is, you try out a word without knowing whether it is the right answer,
but after thinking about it strategically (e.g., trying to combine the word with each of the three given words)
you figure out that it is indeed the right answer.
^^Other times, problems are solved with what we call INSIGHT.
^That is, a word may come to mind and you suddenly know that it is the right answer.
It just popps into your head, and it is immediately obvious to you that it must be the answer.
^^Each time after you enter an answer to a creative problem, you will be asked to indicate
whether you found that answer through strategy or through insight.
</page>

<page open_resp>
You have one minute to type in your answer. After one minute, you will automatically go on to the next problem.
</page>

<page end>
This completes the Remote Associates Test!
</page>


*********************************** STIMULI *************************


<text RATeasy>
/items = easy
/position = (50, 35)
/size = (80%, 100)
/fontstyle = ("Arial", 3.12%, true, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/txcolor = (0, 0, 225)
/halign = center
/select = noreplace
</text>

<item easy>
/ 1 = "ATHLETES      WEB      RABBIT"
/ 2 = "SHELF      READ      END"    
/ 3 = "SEA      HOME      STOMACH"    
/ 4 = "CAR      SWIMMING      CUE"    
/ 5 = "BOARD      MAGIC      DEATH"    
/ 6 = "WALKER      MAIN      SWEEPER"    
/ 7 = "COOKIES      SIXTEEN      HEART"    
/ 8 = "CHOCOLATE      FORTUNE      TIN"    
/ 9 = "LOUNGE      HOUR      DRINK"    
/ 10 = "KEEL      SHOW      ROW"    
/ 11 = "HEAD      STREET      DARK"    
/ 12 = "STALK      TRAINER      KING"    
/ 13 = "SURPRISE      LINE      BIRTHDAY"    
/ 14 = "RED      GO      CAR"    
/ 15 = "MOUSE      SHARP      BLUE"    
</item>


<item easyanswer>
/ 1 = "foot"
/ 2 = "book"    
/ 3 = "sick"    
/ 4 = "pool"    
/ 5 = "black"    
/ 6 = "street"    
/ 7 = "sweet"    
/ 8 = "cookie"    
/ 9 = "cocktail"    
/ 10 = "boat"    
/ 11 = "light"    
/ 12 = "lion"    
/ 13 = "party"    
/ 14 = "stop"    
/ 15 = "cheese"    
</item>

<text RATdifficult>
/size = (800, 100)
/items = difficult
/position = (50, 35)
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 3.12%, true, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/ txcolor = (0, 0, 0)
/halign = center
/select = noreplace
</text>

<item difficult>
/ 1 = "BASS      COMPLEX      SLEEP"
/ 2 = "CHAMBER      STAFF      BOX"    
/ 3 = "DESERT      ICE      SPELL"    
/ 4 = "BASE      SNOW      DANCE"    
/ 5 = "INCH      DEAL      PEG"    
/ 6 = "SOAP      SHOE      TISSUE"    
/ 7 = "BLOOD      MUSIC      CHEESE"    
/ 8 = "SKUNK      KINGS      BOILED"    
/ 9 = "JUMP      KISS      BLISS"    
/ 10 = "SOPPING      WASHER      PICTURE"    
/ 11 = "HOT      BUTTERFLY      PUMP"    
/ 12 = "BALD      SCREECH      EMBLEM"    
/ 13 = "ROOM      SATURDAY      SALTS"    
/ 14 = "WIDOW      BITE      MONKEY"    
/ 15 = "CHERRY      TIME      SMELL"    
</item>


<item difficultanswer>
/ 1 = "DEEP"
/ 2 = "MUSIC"    
/ 3 = "DRY"    
/ 4 = "BALL"    
/ 5 = "SQUARE"    
/ 6 = "BOX"    
/ 7 = "BLUE"    
/ 8 = "CABBAGE"    
/ 9 = "JOY"    
/ 10 = "WINDOW"    
/ 11 = "STOMACH"    
/ 12 = "EAGLE"    
/ 13 = "BATH"    
/ 14 = "SPIDER"    
/ 15 = "BLOSSOM"    
</item>


<text RATinsight>
/items = insight
/position = (50, 35)
/halign = center
</text>

<item insight>
/1 = "Did you find the answer you just entered through strategy or through insight?"
</item>


<text button>
/items = enter
/position = (50, 70)
/ fontstyle = ("Calibri Light", 1.76%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/color = (198, 198, 198)
/halign = center
</text>

<item enter>
/1 = "Continue with the Return key"
</item>


*********************************** TRIALS *************************


<openended RATeasy>
/ stimulusframes = [1=RATeasy]
/ mouse=false
/ position= (50, 50)
/ charlimit = 30
/ mask = alphabetic
/ numlines = 3
/ linelength = 20
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 1.46%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/ buttonlabel = "You have one minute to type an answer"
/ timeout = 60000
/ iscorrectresponse = [openended.RATeasy.response==getitem(item.easyanswer, text.RATeasy.currentindex)]
/ branch = [if(openended.RATeasy.firstcharlatency>0) likert.insight]
</openended>

<openended RATdifficult>
/ stimulusframes = [1=RATdifficult]
/ mouse=false
/ position= (50, 50)
/ charlimit = 30
/ mask = alphabetic
/ numlines = 3
/ linelength = 20
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 1.46%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/ buttonlabel = "You have one minute to type an answer"
/ timeout = 60000
/ iscorrectresponse = [openended.RATdifficult.response==getitem(item.difficultanswer, text.RATdifficult.currentindex)]
/ branch = [if(openended.RATdifficult.firstcharlatency>0) likert.insight]
</openended>

<likert insight>
/ anchors = [1 = "strategy"; 2= "insight"]
/ stimulusframes = [1 = RATinsight; 2 = button]
/ mouse=false
/ numpoints=2
/ position= (50, 50)
/ anchorwidth = 18%
/ fontstyle = ("Calibri Light", 1.70%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
</likert>

****************************************** BLOCKS ***********************


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

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


***************************************** EXPERIMENT ***********************

<expt>
/ preinstructions = (intro1, intro2, open_resp, intro3)
/ blocks = [1-30= noreplace(RATeasy, RATdifficult)]
/ postinstructions = (end)
</expt>

By the way, whenever I restart my (windows 7) computer, without having changed anything in the script, the timeout problem (not being able to continue to the next trial with enter) re-occurs. Very strange.

Oh, and pressing ENTER, not CTRL+ENTER, definitely leads to a response being submitted, regardless which of my 3 computers I run it on. This is actually a real problem for another task I'm programming. So I'd be grateful for any help in solving that mystery too!

No mystery, this simply looks like a bug.

You mean a bug in inquisit or in my particular script? In other words, can I solve it by writing the script again from scratch?

I mean a bug in Inquisit.