Config class (number-to-position)

Configuration parameters for a number-to-position experiment.

All parameters can be set directly and via the constructor.

General:

Config.experiment_id (str, mandatory parameter)

A unique ID of the present experiment configuration. Will be saved as-is in the results file, to help you identify the specific configuration you were executing.

Config.save_results = True (bool)

Whether to save the results (trials and trajectory).

Targets to show

Main parameters

Config.data_source - str, mandatory parameter

The name of a CSV file with the per trial data. See (TBD) for detailed description of this file format. Alternatively, you can provide a list of numbers, each of which will be presented as a text target.

Config.shuffle_trials = True (bool)

Whether to randomize the order of trials, or to present them in the order in which they were provided in data_source.

Config.use_text_targets = True (bool)

Whether to present text targets. If True, you should have a text.target column in the CSV file.

Config.use_generic_targets = False (bool)

Whether to present generic targets. A generic target is any Expyriment (or equivalent) stimulus - e.g., image, shape, etc.

Additional parameters

Config.stimulus_distance_from_top = 5 (int)

The distance (in pixels) between top of screen and the target’s top

Config.target_onset_time = [0.0] (list of numbers)

Default onset time for the target. If more than one target is specified, one onset time per target is due. See MultiStimulus.onset_time

Config.target_duration = [1000.0] (list of numbers)

Additional parameters when config.use_text_targets = True

Config.text_target_colour = White (RGB color)

Config.text_target_font = 'Arial' (str)

Font name.

Config.text_target_height = 1.0 (number)

The height of the text target, specified as percentage of the available distance between the number line and the top of the screen (value between 0 and 1). The actual target size (in pixels) will be printed in the output file.

Config.text_target_justification = 1

0 = left, 1 = center, 2 = right

Config.text_target_last_stimulus_remains = False (boolean)

When showing multiple texts, this indicates if the last one should remain on screen or disappear after a delay (see MultiTextBox.last_stimulus_remains)

Config.text_target_width = 300 (int)

Width (in pixels) of the target’s text box

Config.text_target_x_coord = 0 (int)

The x position of the target text box

Additional parameters when config.use_generic_targets = True

Config.generic_target_x_coord = 0 (int)

The x position of the generic target

Config.generic_target_last_stimulus_remains = False (boolean)

When showing multiple texts, this indicates if the last one should remain on screen or disappear after a delay (see MultiStimulus.last_stimulus_remains)

Fixation stimulus

Config.fixation_text - str

The default fixation text to use when fixation_type = ‘text’. This value can be overriden by column fixation.text in the CSV config file.

Config.fixation_type - 'cross' (default), 'dot', 'text', 'zoom', or None

The type of fixation stimulus.

When using ‘text’ fixation, you can set the text via fixation_text or via the CSV config file.

Config.fixzoom_box_size = (40, 40) (width, height)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.box_size

Config.fixzoom_dot_colour = Grey (RGB color)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.dot_colour

Config.fixzoom_dot_radius = 3 (int)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.dot_radius

Config.fixzoom_show_event = None (trajtracker.events.Event)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.show_event

Config.fixzoom_start_zoom_event = None (trajtracker.events.Event)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.start_zoom_event

Config.fixzoom_stay_duration = 0.1 (number)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.stay_duration

Config.fixzoom_zoom_duration = 0.2 (number)

Relevant when fixation_type = ‘zoom’. See FixationZoom.zoom_duration

Config.hide_fixation_event = FINGER_STARTED_MOVING (trajtracker.events.Event)

The event on which the fixation stimulus will be hidden. None = don’t hide the fixation.

Config.log_stimulus_onset_offset = False (bool)

Whether to log (in a CSV file) the exact times when each stimulus appeared and disappeared

“Start” rectangle

Config.stimulus_then_move = False (bool)

True: The software decides when the target appears, and then the finger must start moving

False: The finger moves at will and this is what triggers the appearance of the target

Config.finger_moves_max_time = None (number)

The maximal time (in seconds) in which the finger should start moving. The time is specified relatively to the time point of touching the screen

Config.finger_moves_min_time = None (number)

The minimal time (in seconds) in which the finger should start moving. The time is specified relatively to the time point of touching the screen

Config.finger_must_start_upwards = True (boolean)

Whether the finger must leave the “start” point upwards, or can leave it in any direction (including sideways)

Config.start_point_colour = Grey (RGB color)

Colour of the “start” rectangle

Config.start_point_size = (40, 30) (tuple width, height)

The size of the “start” rectangle, in pixels.

Config.start_point_tilt = 0 (number)

Rotation of the “start” rectangle (clockwise degrees)

Config.start_point_x_coord = 0 (number)

X position the “start” rectangle

Movement restrictions (validators)

Config.grace_period = 0.3 (number)

Duration (in seconds) in the beginning of the trial during which speed is not validated. This parameter applies to both InstantaneousSpeedValidator and GlobalSpeedValidator.

Config.max_movement_time - number, mandatory parameter

Maximal valid time from leaving the “start” rectangle until reaching the number line (in seconds) This parameter also affects the speed limit per time point (via GlobalSpeedValidator)

Config.min_movement_time = 0.2 (number)

Minimal valid time from leaving the “start” rectangle until reaching the number line (in seconds)

Specific configuration for FingerLiftedValidator

Config.max_offscreen_duration = 0 (number)

The maximal duration (in seconds) that the finger can be off the screen before a “finger lifted” error is issued.

When using finger/mouse, this value should be 0 (don’t allow any finger-lift). However, the value may be increased when using inaccurate input devices that may lose the touch information for a split-second.

Specific configuration for InstantaneousSpeedValidator

Config.min_inst_speed = 10 (number)

The minimal instantaneous speed (pixels per second).

Specific configuration for GlobalSpeedValidator

Config.global_speed_validator_milestones = [(.5, .33), (.5, .67)]

See GlobalSpeedValidator.milestones

Config.speed_guide_enabled = False (bool)

If True, the speed limit will be visualized as a moving line.

Specific configuration for MovementAngleValidator

Config.dir_validator_calc_angle_interval = 20 (int)

See MovementAngleValidator.calc_angle_interval

Config.dir_validator_max_angle = 90 (number)

See MovementAngleValidator.max_angle

Config.dir_validator_min_angle = -90 (number)

See MovementAngleValidator.min_angle

Specific configuration for NCurvesValidator

Config.max_zigzags = 8 (int)

Maximal number of left-right deviations allowed per trial.

Config.zigzag_validator_min_angle_change_per_curve = 10 (int)

See NCurvesValidator.min_angle_change_per_curve

Finger trajectory tracking

Config.max_post_response_record_duration = 0.3 seconds (Number)

Defines how long to keep recording the finger trajectory after a response was made.

By default, any of the following will stop trajectory recording:

• A response was made: keep recording for max_post_response_record_duration seconds.
• The finger was lifted from screen
• An error occurred in the trial

Note: Changing TrajectoryTracker.disable_events will override this default behavior. The max_post_response_record_duration parameter will be ignored in this case.

Subjective confidence rating

This feature will show, after each trial, a slider with which the subjects will rate their confidence.

Config.confidence_rating = False (bool)

Whether to ask for such confidence rating after each trial

Config.confidence_slider_height = 0.7 in num2pos paradigm, or 0.8 in discrete-choice paradigm

The slider’s height. Either height in pixels (int) or percentage of the screen height (a value between 0 and 1)

Config.confidence_slider_y = -0.05 in num2pos paradigm, or 0 in discrete-choice paradigm

The slider’s vertical position (horizontal position = middle). Either position in pixels (int) or percentage of the screen height (a value between -0.5 and 0.5)

Error-message text box

Config.errmsg_textbox_coords = (0, 0) (tuple x, y)

Config.errmsg_textbox_size = (290, 180) (tuple width, height)

Config.errmsg_textbox_font_size = 16 (int)

Config.errmsg_textbox_font_name = 'Arial' (str)

Config.errmsg_textbox_font_colour = Red (RGB color)

Number line

Config.max_numberline_value - number, mandatory parameter

The value at the right end of the number line.

Config.max_response_excess = None (number)

Determines how far it’s valid to go beyond the end of the number line on each side. Responses farther than this will result in an an error. The value is specified as percentage of the number line’s length (e.g., 0.1 = allow exceeding the ends of the number line by 10% its length to either direction).

Config.min_numberline_value = 0 (number)

The value at the left end of the number line.

Config.nl_labels_visible = True (bool)

Whether to show labels at the end of the number line (with min/max values)

Config.nl_length = 0.9 (number)

The length of the number line. The length is specified either in pixels (an int value larger than 1) or as percentage of the screen width (a number between 0 and 1).

Config.nl_offset_event = None (trajtracker.events.Event)

Defines when the number line should be hidden.

Config.nl_onset_event = None (trajtracker.events.Event)

Defines when the number line should be displayed. If False, the number line will be displayed from the start of the experiement.

Config.show_feedback = True (bool)

Whether to show a feedback arrow (where the finger landed on the number line)

Config.feedback_accuracy_levels = None (list of numbers)

Use this to show the feedback arrow in different colors, depending on the response accuracy. Define a list of numbers between 0 and 1 (percentages of the number line length). Configure the corresponding colors in feedback_arrow_colors.

Config.feedback_arrow_colors = [Green] (list of RGB colors)

Color of the feedback arrow (or a list of colors, in case you defined feedback_accuracy_levels; in this case, the first color corresponds with best accuracy)

Config.post_response_target = False (bool)

Whether to show the correct target location, as a downward-pointing arrow along the number line, after the response was made

Config.nl_line_width = 2 (int)

Width (in pixels) of the number line

Config.nl_end_tick_height = 5 (int)

height (in pixels) of the ticks at the end of the line

Config.nl_line_colour = White (RGB)

The line colour

Config.nl_labels_box_size - (width, height)

Size (in pixels) of the end-of-line labels’ text box

Config.nl_labels_font_name = 'Arial' (str)

Config.nl_labels_colour = Grey (RGB color)

Config.nl_labels_offset = (0, 0) (tuple x, y)

Offset to move labels (relatively to their default position)

Config.nl_distance_from_top = 80 (int)

Distance of the numberline’s main line from top-of-screen (in pixels)

Sounds

Config.sound_by_accuracy = None

Use this in order to play a different sound depending on the subject’s accuracy. The parameter should be a list/tuple with several elements, each of which is a (endpoint_error, sound) tuple. “endpoint_error” indicates a top error (as ratio of the number line length), and “sound” is a sound file name.

The worst accuracy is ignored (e.g., if you specify [(0.05, ‘good.wav’), (0.5, ‘bad.wav’)] the program will play good.wav for endpoint errors up to 5% of the line length, and bad.wav for any larger error.

If you only use a single sound for good trials, don’t use this parameter; use sound_ok instead

Config.sounds_dir = "./sounds" (str)

The name of the directory where the sound files are located

Config.sound_err = 'error.wav' (str)

Name of a WAV file (in sounds_dir) - sound to play in case of error (i.e. failed trial).

Config.sound_ok = 'click.wav' (str)

Name of a WAV file (in sounds_dir) - sound to play when the trial ended successfully.

No need for this if sound_by_accuracy was specified.