E-Prime software: A “stimulating” introduction Caitlin M. Hudac Developmental Brain Laboratory January 2012

What is E-Prime?

• Made by Psychology Software Tools (PST) • E-Prime is an object-oriented programming language.

What is E-Prime? • E-Prime 1 – cannot display videos • E-Prime 2 – current version. Can open E-Prime 1 files and

upgrade to EP2 format. • Normally requires a dongle (license) Site license runs

without a dongle!

What is E-Prime? • Error message indicates that the license is not being read (no dongle or site license recognized).

• Possible to still work in E-Studio but only can only save a few times.

E-Studio vs. E-Run • E-Studio is the Guided User Interface (GUI or ‘gooey’) to

build scripts. •  File extension = .es (E-Prime 1) or .es2 (E-Prime 2)

• E-Run is a way to run any script without needing to open E-Studio. •  Need to have generated the script in E-Studio (see last few slides) •  Usually does NOT require any license •  File extension = .ebs (EP1) or .ebs2 (EP2)

Process of building an E-Prime experiment that interacts with NetStation 1.  Outline your experiment! 2.  Read E-Prime manual. 3.  Build script without NetStation calls. 4.  Read E-Prime Extensions for Netstation manual. 5.  Add in NetStation calls. Needs to be done at our

laboratory. 6.  Video tutorials will be available on our website.

Object vs. Attributes • Objects are things that “happen” in the script. These get

ordered into a script as part of the Structure Tree. • Attributes are defined variables. Examples:

•  Background color of a slide •  Slide states •  Trial number

• Both objects and attributes need to be established

BEFORE the script tries to call it.

Hierarchies • Session Procedure

•  Text: “Welcome to the experiment” •  Set Trial Number = 1

•  Looped procedure (x20) •  Trial Number = Trial Number + 1 •  Display Trial Number and play sound /ba/

•  Text: “Thank you, goodbye!”

1

2

3

20 times

The main stage

Objects

The Structure

Tree

Properties Box

Workspace

The main stage

New.. Open.. Save..

Run the script

Check the overall experiment properties

Generate the script

Objects to use Image (bmp format only) User-created “in-line” code

Marks a “Go To” location in the Structure Tree

The “main” structure of the Structure Tree Movie (.avi or .mp4) How E-Prime interacts with external packages, like NetStation

Any combination of other objects

A “ready-made” way to display a participants accuracy, response time, etc.

Record sounds being produced Sound file (.wav) Text A way to pause the experiment

Image object

If you enter “image.bmp” then E-Prime will look in the folder directory where the .es2 file is save. Otherwise, you can browse for the directory.

Movie object

Slide object Indicates which object is active

Objects that can be used

Slide State

Slide object – Slide states

Add new slide state

Slide state

Slide object Objects that are in the slide

Bring objects forward or backwards

Slide object – Slide properties

Slide object – Sub-object properties

Slide object – Slide states

Add, delete, or duplicate a slide state

Slide state

Slide object – Slide states

Slide state

Slide object – Slide states

The slide state can be dependent on the user response. In this example, prior to the slides DeckChosen and DeckPayoff, the slide state was set based off the deck selection (A = 1).

Sound out object

Note: Sound out objects are only the Properties menu. They do not have a window that appears in the Workspace.

Feedback

Slide State

Feedback objects are basically “ready-made” slides to display feedback, such as whether that answer was correct, the response time, ongoing accuracy, etc. These can be edited, or you can build your own slide object.

Feedback

Feedback

Feedback must be linked to an object that appeared previously in procedure.

User defines which statistics are collected

Feedback

Formatting choices

Lure and In-Line script examples

This example uses 2 attributes: Lures lastWasLure

This example uses 3 labels: Finish1 Lure1 Go1

A B C

A B

C

Procedures

Green = Start Red = Stop

E-Prime example using NetStation calls – The Oddball

Experiment properties • Recommended that you take the time to write notes in the General tab.

• Especially helpful as you make modifications to different versions.

Experiment properties • These are the prompts that are shown at start-up.

• Note: Some are required to be defined to start NetStation, although may not be necessary to display them.

Experiment properties

Options include Numeric, Choice, String

Attribute name

Experiment properties • Make sure these are checked if you need to use them.

• The SRBOX is the response pad.

Experiment properties

Experiment properties • Any 3rd party communication (like with NetStation) should be an approved package.

• Often when you are working with tech support they will need to know the version of the package.

Object properties Object properties

Object properties • Text object: You can type in the general box, change the alignment, colors, etc.

Attributes

Object properties • Most objects also have frames. You can use % or pixels.

• To create a border around the object, change the width from 0 to a different number (e.g. 20 for a thick border).

Object properties • Font options

Object properties

Any devices needed during the display of that object

should be listed here

Terminate or Jump to

EEG testing should be run in Event mode.

Allowable: Any character that can be used during the object. Correct: What the correct answer should be. This is important if you are basing any of the script off of user response or marking the EEG file with correct/incorrect response. Tip – use [CorrectAns] here that calls back to an attribute in the List.

Object properties • You can custom select any options you’d like or use a pre-set on the Duration/Input tab.

• Anything selected will be printed and saved for THAT OBJECT onto the E-Data file (.edat)

Lists List

New procedure

Practice List Add multiple rows (cases) or columns

(Attributes)

Attributes: The name and case are important. These

become OBJECTS.

You can double-click and rename if needed.

Practice List

Step 1: Since it is sequential, start with ID=1. Run PracProc using FrequentTone as Stimulus.

Step 2: TrialBegin object through Pause object.

Step 3: ID=2. Run PracProc using TargetTone as Stimulus.

Step 4: TrialBegin object through Pause object.

Step 5: etc.

Once an ID has been selected, all attributes will be assigned to the value in

that row.

Practice List

Text surrounded by “[ ]” indicates an attribute (e.g. OBJECT) as well!

Attributes must be defined prior to

using in the text! Where were these defined?

Lists

List properties

List properties

Block List

Block Procedure

Trial List Weights: How many times you repeat a row.

In this example, ID=1 will

be run 70 times.

Trial procedure

Trial procedure

Trial procedure

Trial procedure Calls to the attribute

Stimulus (retrieves from the PracticeList).

Trial procedure Interstimulus interval was previously defined in ISI object.

Trial procedure

Trial procedure

Because we have this in-line script, anytime an ID is run, if you press CTRL-

SHIFT during the PracProc, it will pause the stimulus until CTRL-SHIFT is pressed

again.

Trial procedure The last object of BlockProc

Generating the script

This is another way to define attributes. These are defined even before script is

run.

Generating the script

This is the full script. If you see this, the script hasn’t been generated yet –

meaning, no .ebs2 file has been created and the stimuli cannot be run.

To generate the script

Generating the script

Clicking the running man will automatically

generate the script and start the script.

Start Recording

Stop Recording

Trial Begin

Trial End

Trial Begin

Trial End

Pra

ctic

e Tr

ials

NS Calls: Big mouth, little sandwiches

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Adding NetStation calls

Deleting objects

Deleting objects These objects STILL EXIST! Be careful or they will come into conflict with other

aspects of the script.

You can delete them again from this Unreferenced section and then they will

be gone forever.

Deleting Objects

Organization .edat2 = Data file with response times, accuracy, etc.

.ebs2 = E-Run file. Will automatically run script.

.es2 = E-Studio file. Open and edit

.txt = Can be used to recover edat’s if the program stops before the script is completed.

Organization Tip: Much easier to open files from within E-Studio itself!

Organization – E-Recovery

Use the .txt file in E-Recovery to recover edat’s if the program stops before the script is completed.

Organization – E-Recovery

Organization – E-Recovery

ESSENTIAL LESSONS •  Look for help

•  Read the user manual! •  Pull open other people’s scripts

•  Examples should be posted on every Center system •  Online forums (PST net, google forums): Probably need to create

an account •  http://www.pstnet.com/forum/ •  http://groups.google.com/group/e-prime/

• Ask for help •  David office hours for E-Prime =

•  Spring 2012: Thursdays, 10am-12pm •  Otherwise, check website for office hours

Questions??