Giving a hinting option?

So here is what I would like to do:
I have a task with a number of anagrams- For each anagram, I would like to limit the total time to 2 minutes.
However, I would also like to have an option to accept/reject a hint to appear for every 30 seconds that they go without solving the task-so at 30, 60, 90 seconds as long as the anagram remains unsolved
If they choose yes at any time, they then get a hint and the anagram reappears again for 30 sec or until solved (after 30 seconds, another hint...)
If they choose no, do not accept hint, they simply go back to the original anagram to keep working for up to 30 sec before the next hint.
Originally I thought to just use the skip to function and duration parameter, but this has posed a number of problems, most importantly that I do not know how to get it to move to the next anagram if they in fact solve it at any point. (Because of numbering in the questionnaire file?)
Is there perhaps a way to do this--how about usinging a pop up window or some other method I can't think of?

Thanks!

This turned out to be a bit trickier than I first expected. I figured a little bit of timed HTML as a background would work just like you did. Big challenge was giving them a choice to see the hints, and not offering a hint if they had the answer already entered.

I ended up approaching it with a new custom item type. It handles the choice problem via javascript. The script checks to see that the textbox does not yet contain the correct answer. If so, then it asks the subject if they want a hint.

I also added a line of code in the javascript to re-activate the text box after each hint. Often, pop-up messages like this (aka dialog boxes) will remove the focus from the text box and users will have to click on them.

I set it up so that you could use the same single html file for all your anagrams. Each time you call it as a custom item, you can pass the variable name, the anagram, the hints and the answer directly from your questionnaire (see the sample que file contained in the zip file). Currently it's set up to send 2 hints--one at 30 seconds and another at 60 seconds. You can modify it accordingly for more hints.

If you've never used custom items before, be sure to check out the section in the guide. If you've never programmed HTML or Javascript, I would suggest having someone go through it with you who knows such stuff in case you want to tweak it.

In any case, try it out and see if it approximates what you're looking for. You'll need MediaLab v2006.2 or later. I'd love to see what you come up with if you make changes.

Hope it helps,
Blair

Hi,

So I very briefly modified the sample that you created:

~There are now three hints (at 30, 60, & 90 secs)
~I put a total duration for each anagram of 120 secs
~The "anagram3" file is the modified code, but it is currently in .txt format, and so will need to be saved as an .htm file if it is to be used.

Thanks so much! As usual, you were a huge help!!

RK

Thanks, I'll copy this to the MediaLab samples area.

-Blair

[quote]
[I][I][edited from support email][/I]
Upon examine the data files for the hinting, there is no indication as to whether the participants accepted the hint (selected 'ok'), or did not (selected 'cancel").
[/I][/quote]
I hadn't set it up to write that info to the data file. See the attached revision. In the questionnaire, I've changed the filename to [I]anagram4.htm[/I]. In the parameters for each item, I've added [I]v4[/I] to indicate that 4 variables will need to be written in total (as 1 is the default). I've modified the html file to save their choice on each hint and to write those choices to the data file. The variable names are the same as the MediaLab variable name with _01, _02, _03 and _04 added.

See if it makes sense.