Time

QuickInfo

Specifies how long the stimulus is to remain on the screen in milliseconds, OR tells DirectRT to wait for a specified input event (e.g., keypress, mouseclick, joystick event, microphone input, TTL signal).

Values

The Time column can be used to specify 1) a stimulus duration in milliseconds or 2) that a response is required (see below).

Details

Specifying a Stimulus Duration

Enter any integer value to specify the number of milliseconds for which the stimulus will be displayed. E.g., in the following example, the stimulus "stim1" would be displayed for 500 milliseconds before the next stimulus were displayed.

time1

Advanced Hint: You can create a "Compound-Screen" by using a Time value of 0 for the current stimulus and a Clear (see Loc) value of 0 for the next stimulus. Using a time value of 0 tells DirectRT that you don't want to display the stimulus alone. DirectRT will then take the next stimulus and put it on the SAME screen for display at the same time (i.e., with no delay in between). Just make sure you don't request a clear screen for the next stimulus! In fact, you can place as many stimuli on a single screen at one time as you like using this method.

Note about sound files: Sound files are always played to their completion. For sound files, the stimulus presentation time represents the number of milliseconds that DirectRT should wait after starting the sound before presenting the next stimulus. For example, if you wanted to play three sound files, each starting one second after the other, then you would use a time value of "1000" for each. To have them all play simultaneously, you would use a value of "0" for each. Note: When playing multiple sound files "simultaneously", DirectRT will start each sound sequentially with as little delay as possible given your system's processing capabilities.

Specifying that a Response is Required

In addition to specifying the duration of a stimulus, you can use the Time column to indicate that a response is expected before continuing. The kinds of responses you can request are:

KeyPresses, MouseClicks, and Discrete JoyStick Motions

Request a short open ended response

Record a voice response and reaction time via the microphone

Record continuous joystick movement for a specified duration

Wait for TTL signal from an external device (version 2002.3 and later)

Collect multiple response times per trial

Record KeyRelease time in addition to subsequent KeyPress time

Require Correct Response (e.g., IAT)

Response Feedback (display subject's response on screen)

KeyPresses, MouseClicks, and Discrete JoyStick Motions

Enter "RT:" followed by any number of valid key, mouse or joystick codes (see below). In the following example, the stimulus "Stim1" would be displayed and then DirectRT would wait for a response which in this case could be ANY key.

time2

In the next case, DirectRT would continue only if the subject hit the "Z" key (code 44) or the "/" key (code 53). See the codes table below for allowing specific responses. You can list as many codes as you like.

time3

Hint: When assessing response accuracy, the first key code defines the "correct" response. If the key pressed by the subject is any of the other keys allowed the "Correct" column in the data file will read "false".

In addition to the specific key codes, other allowable keypress events are:

•	any = any key

•	num = any number key on the regular keyboard

•	numpad = any number on the number pad

•	alpha = any character of the 26-character alphabet

•	funct = any function key

Common Key Codes

Key	Code	Key	Code	Key	Code	Key	Code	Key	Code	Key	Code
1	1	Pad1	79	F1	59	A	30	N	49	Enter	28
2	2	Pad2	80	F2	60	B	48	O	24	Space	57
3	3	Pad3	81	F3	61	C	46	P	25	lShift	42
4	4	Pad4	75	F4	62	D	32	Q	16	lCtrl	29
5	5	Pad5	76	F5	63	E	18	R	19	lAlt	56
6	6	Pad6	77	F6	64	F	33	S	31	rShift	54
7	7	Pad7	71	F7	65	G	34	T	20	rCtrl	157
8	8	Pad8	72	F8	66	H	35	U	22	rAlt	184
9	9	Pad9	73	F9	67	I	23	V	47	;	39
0	10	Pad0	82	F10	68	J	36	W	17	'	40
				F11	87	K	37	X	45	,	51
				F12	88	L	38	Y	21	.	52
						M	50	Z	44	/	53

Less Popular But Still Loved

Key	Code	Key	Code	Key	Code
-	12	Home	199	PgDn	209
[	26	Insert	210	PgUp	201
]	27	Left	203	Right	205
`	41	LWin	219	rWin	220
=	13	NumLock	69	ScrollLock	70
Apps	221	PadCom	91	SysRq	183
Backspace	14	PadDec	83	Tab	15
CapsLock	58	PadDivide	181	Up	200
Delete	211	PadEnter	156
Down	208	PadMinus	74
End	207	PadMult	55
Esc	---	Pause	116

Joystick & Mouse Codes

of_joystick_mouse

Joystick	Code	Mouse	Code
Button 1	241	Left-Click	252
Button 2	242	Right-Click	253
Button 3	243	Mid-Click	254
Up	244	Other-Click	255
Up-Right	245
Right	246
Down-Right	247
Down	248
Down-Left	249
Left	250
Up-Left	251

Note about joystick codes: You must first make sure your joystick is set up to work with Windows programs. You can set up your joystick by selecting "Gaming Options" or "Joystick" in the Windows Control Panel. You might need to "add" your joystick if you do not see it currently configured there. When you check this, it's also a good idea to calibrate your joystick using the calibration utility provided by Windows. The movement codes above (i.e., 244-251) are triggered as follows: DirectRT divides the joystick range into 8, 45 degree angles (like cutting a pizza into 8 slices). As soon as the joystick has moved more than half of it's range in any direction, DirectRT determines which of the 8 "slices" the joystick is in and takes that as the response and records the RT at that point. See also: Continuous Joystick Capture.

Note about mouse codes: You may choose to have subjects respond with mouse clicks rather than key presses. This can easily be done with the mouse codes above. Note that you will not see the mouse cursor.