E-STUDIO: Property Pages (Common, Sync, Frame, Logging, Duration/Input) [22715]

Each of the E-Objects includes Property pages along with a Properties window. The Property pages may be displayed by clicking the Property Pages button when the object is opened in the Workspace, or via the Properties window. The advantage of the Property pages is the user- friendly interface which groups the associated properties into common categories represented as tabs. Refer to individual E-Objects for object-specific property pages.

NOTE: The General tab will vary depending on which E-Object is selected.

Common Object Properties

The Common tab defines properties that are common between E-Objects.

Name

The Name entry field is useful for when a specific name needs to be given to an E-Object. The entry field contains the default name of the object. However, it is suggested for the default to be changed to more accurately represent what the E-Object's purpose is (see E-STUDIO: E-Objects [22697]

Tag

Tag defines a string value to be logged with the object.  This property might be used to distinguish between responses taken by multiple input masks using the same input device.

Notes

The Notes tab entry field is optional, but it is highly recommended that the Notes feature be used to more effectively communicate with a colleague, to record information specific to the Procedure, or to simply serve as a reminder. For example, if passing a program along to a colleague, the Notes tab may be used to describe a specific Procedure in detail, or explain the measures that are being collected.

Handles Conditional Exit

Earlier versions of E-Prime provided some ability to terminate an experiment early. The Ctrl+Alt+Shift key sequence provides the ability to abort an experiment, but does not close out devices and no data file is created for the session. The Ctrl+Alt+Backspace key sequence invokes a Conditional Exit, which exits the currently running object and skips remaining objects (see E-RUN: Terminating an Experiment [22675] for a discussion of both options for terminating an experiment). By unchecking the Handles Conditional Exit box, Conditional Exit will not occur on the specific E-Object.

Sync Tab

The Sync tab allows the user to control synchronization of an object’s onset and offset with specific events (e.g., the refresh of the screen).  By default, the onset of an object is set to synchronize with the refresh of the display, and no synchronization is set for the offset of the object. Onset refers to the beginning of the object’s critical action execution (e.g., drawing to the screen). Offset refers to the beginning of the object’s offset action (i.e., clean-up).

Frame
The Frame tab is used by visual display objects to define a rectangular area on the screen as the display area. The rectangular area defined by the coordinates is referred to as a “Frame.”

The Size fields set the size of the frame either in pixels, or as a percentage of the entire display area. In most cases, the display area refers to the entire screen. However, in the case of sub- objects used to compose SlideState objects on the Slide object, the display area refers to the Frame defined by the SlideState. For example, if the SlideState object sets the width of the Frame to 50%, the 50% setting refers to the screen size (e.g., in an 800x600 resolution, the 50% Frame width would translate to 400 pixels). If a sub-object on that SlideState sets the Frame width to 50%, this setting refers to the display area defined by the SlideState object, or 50% of the 400 pixels, translating to 200 pixels, or 25% of the entire screen. The values for the Width and Height fields may be chosen from the available options in the dropdown boxes, or a value may be entered directly. To indicate the value as a percentage of the entire display area, include the “%“ symbol after the value. Otherwise, the values will be assumed to be pixel coordinates.
 

The Position fields (X, Y, XAlign, YAlign) allow the positioning of the defined frame in the display area in relation to an anchor point. This allows the user to define areas on the display to aid in the placement of stimuli. The X and Y coordinates may be entered directly, or chosen from the available options in the dropdown boxes. To indicate the value as a percentage of the entire display area, include the “%” symbol after the value. Otherwise, any numeric values entered will assumed to be pixel coordinates (0,0 = the upper left corner of the screen).

The XAlign and YAlign fields then allow the positioning of the frame in relation to the X and Y coordinates. For example, the figures below display a circle drawn at the anchor position designated by the X and Y properties (in this case, both X and Y are set to “center”), and a rectangle indicating the Frame area. Setting both the XAlign and YAlign fields to “center” would position the frame so that it is centered on the anchor position (Figure 1). The “left” option in the XAlign field paired with the “top” option in the YAlign field would result in the Frame being positioned on the screen such that the top left corner of the frame was positioned on the anchor coordinates (Figure 2). The “left” and “center” options in the XAlign and YAlign fields respectively would result in the configuration illustrated by Figure 3.

The Border fields define the appearance of the border drawn around the defined display area. Border options will be available for some E-Prime Sub-Objects. The border is drawn from the outside edge inward, thus a Frame size of 100% can still display a border. The color of the border may be chosen from the available options in the dropdown box in the BorderColor field, or by specifying RGB values (e.g., 255,255,255). The BorderWidth may be set as a positive numeric value, or by using an attribute reference.
 

Duration/Input Tab
The Duration/Input tab is common to objects capable of collecting input. It is used to set the properties related to the duration of the object, the collection of input, and logging. Input is enabled for an object through the definition of Input Masks. Input Masks define the device to be used for data collection, as well as the specific properties related to that input device. Once enabled, a device maintains its own Response Option settings as a mask on the device. Selection of a device in the Device(s) field will display the options for the mask in the Response Options.

 
Within a single object, multiple masks may be defined to allow input from multiple devices, or to vary the types of allowed responses and resulting actions using a single device for input. For example, masks may be defined to allow input from both the mouse and the keyboard. Or, several different masks may be defined to use the keyboard device. Masks using a common device may differ in the keys designated as allowable input, or in the action to be taken when a response is detected.

 
Special mention is warranted by the Jump Label property. The user should take care to understand that the Jump Label is independent of any input masks enabled, and simply serves to initialize or update the current jump destination. Therefore, while set by a specific object, the Jump Label simply indicates the location to which processing will move if a jump occurs. Jump Label is not specific to the object setting Jump Label, and the jump may occur in relation to another object completely. Once initialized, the Jump Label setting remains active until updated by another object, or until the end of the Procedure. Use of the Jump Label property requires the use of a Label object within the same Procedure.
 
InputMask.TimeLimit “End of Proc” Option
When working with the Duration properties of a display object, there can be unintended side effects when the Duration property is set to “(infinite)” or the Time Limit property is set to “(same as duration)”. To avoid the side effects of choosing “same as duration” or “infinite” for the Time Limit property of an input mask, an end of procedure option is available for InputMask to terminate the input mask at the end of the current procedure.

Logging

The Logging tab allows the user to select specific attributes to log for each object. On the Logging tab, the automatic measures available within E-Prime are listed and categorized (i.e., Dependent Measures, General, Time Audit, etc.). Click the checkbox next to each attribute to set the logging status.

The following table defines the measures that may be automatically logged for an object collecting input. An entire category of measures may be selected through the Data Logging field on the Duration/Input tab.

NOTE: The following table lists SlideChoice and SlideSlider properties as beginning with Choice1 and Slider1 respectively. This is the default value for a newly created Choice or Slider objects, and the name of the property will change depending on the name of the Choice or Slider object (e.g. ChoiceABC.ACC, ExperimentSlider.RTTime, etc.).

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