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Thread: Black Screen

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    11

    Black Screen

    Hi,

    Can someone please check my input file and tell me why it's not working! I've tried everything, but only a blank, black screen shows up when I try to run the file.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    3,328
    I think it may be that Excel is saving your csv files with semi-colons rather than commas. Please see if this helps:

    www.empirisoft.com/Support/showthread.php?t=51

    Blair

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    11
    Yeah, I checked the regional settings, and everything is alerady set to "United States." The file still isn't working though.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Take a look at one of the unmodified sample input files that come with DirectRT. Try to run it--does it run ok? If so, make a change to it now that you have changed the regional settings. Does it still work?

    I ask because changing the regional settings will not fix a file that has been previously saved under a different regional setting that uses semi-colons instead of commas. However once you change those semi-colons back to commas (e.g., using a search and replace in a text editor) then you should be fine from then on.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2005
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    I just revised the file you posted above so that it is now comma delimited rather than semi-colon delimited (you take a look at both files in a text editor like notepad.exe and compare differences). See if the revised versions works ok (it does here) and if any changes you make will run ok (i.e., changes made under the new regional settings).
    Attached Files Attached Files

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    11
    Hi, Thanks so much for the help! Yes, the file finally works now, but I can't see my stimuli (images) even though they are saved in a folder called "stim," which is in the same folder as the input file. Is there a specific image format (i.e. jpeg, bmp, gif) that the images need to be in?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    yes, .bmp

    see also:
    www.empirisoft.com/directrt/help/directrt_stim.htm
    www.empirisoft.com/directrt/help/directrt_notes_about_image_files.htm

    Note that the 2010 version, we expect, will allow for pretty much any image file format.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    11
    Thanks for the help. I have just two more questions:

    1.) Can you have more than two keys available for a response? After my stimulus is shown, I want the subjects to be able to respond by entering anything of the arrow keys on the keyboard. However, if I enter in rt:200,205,209,201 in my input file, only the up and right arrow key work!

    2.) How do I get rid of a random blank gray screen that's showing up in between my trials?

    I am attaching a copy of my revised input file for your reference.

    Thanks!
    Attached Files Attached Files

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    3,328
    Check your keycodes. I think the codes for left and right are 203 and 205. As far as colours go, check to make sure all the background colours match in your styles (.drt) file. You can also shorten the inter trial interval under options in the style file.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    3

    black screen revisited

    I have the same problem. Whenever I try to run an input file, I get a black screen and DirectRT refuses to run the file. Even one as simple as the one in the attachment doesn't get run. I've edited the semi-colons to commas (with and without quotation marks) in Notepad for several times, but it still doesn't work.
    I cannot change the regional functions on the computer since it is administrated by the university.

    How do I fix this?
    Attached Files Attached Files

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    401
    Quote Originally Posted by Anneke View Post
    I have the same problem. Whenever I try to run an input file, I get a black screen and DirectRT refuses to run the file. Even one as simple as the one in the attachment doesn't get run. I've edited the semi-colons to commas (with and without quotation marks) in Notepad for several times, but it still doesn't work.
    I cannot change the regional functions on the computer since it is administrated by the university.

    How do I fix this?
    Anneke,

    The issue might be caused due to the way your input files are structured. Input files are nothing more than comma-delimited data files. The data within the input file you've attached looks like this:
    Code:
    block,trial,!Condition,bgr,wgr,style,stim,loc,time,*
    "1,1,pos,0,0,2,~hi,""0,0,1"",""rt:any"",*"
    "1,2,pos,0,0,2,~bye,""0,0,1"",""rt:any"",*"
    The contents of the file should look like this:
    Code:
    block,trial,!Condition,bgr,wgr,style,stim,loc,time,*
    1,1,pos,0,0,2,~hi,"0,0,1",rt:any,*
    1,2,pos,0,0,2,~bye,"0,0,1",rt:any,*
    What program are you using to edit these files?

    Regards,
    Trevor
    Attached Files Attached Files

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    3
    Dear Trevor,

    thanks for your help. I use Excel to structure the basic input file but this program separates the colums with semi-colons (due to my regional settings, probably). Because of this, I open the csv.file in Notepad and replace all semi-colons with commas.

    However, the file you sent me doesn't seem to work either. First, it gave an error similar to "Row 2 requests style 0 which doesn't exist". I created a style 0 in the style editor, ran the input file, but it still doesn't work. Instead, it does seem to give a message like "Auto adjustment in progress. Recommended settings (1280 x 1024 - 60Hz)", but I think this stems from the monitor instead of from the program itself.
    In short, it still doesn't run. Could this have anything to do with the fact I'm using DirectRTv2006?

    Attached is the 'real' experiment I am working on which also doesn't work. Besides the black screen, I also get errors like "missing LOC value in row 3" and "row 2 requests style 0 which doesn't exist".
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Last edited by Anneke; 04-07-2009 at 09:36 AM.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    401
    Anneke,

    Have you had any trouble running the sample input files that DirectRT comes with?

    It seems strange that the input file I sent over still wasn't able to run correctly. The message you received, "Auto adjustment in progress. Recommended settings (1280 x 1024 - 60Hz)" almost seems like your computer doesn't want to change its settings when DirectRT tries to run.

    If you can't get the samples to run, we will have to do a bit more troubleshooting to see what's happening. I don't believe the issue is arising due to DirectRTv2006.

    Regards,
    Trevor

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    3
    Trevor,

    I ran a sample (http://support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=1310) and it worked fine! Must be something in my file which is messing things up then.. I suppose it could (or should) be something with the commas and quotes in my input file, then, but if so I'm completely overlooking it.

    Anneke

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    401
    Anneke,

    It's good to hear you were able to get an input file to work!

    Perhaps try denoting the differences between your input files, and another input file (that does indeed work on your system) using a text editor, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs : http://www.docs.google.com , or another method.

    Regards,
    Trevor

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