html iframes in Medialab?

Hi,

For a while, I've been trying to program a task where people are asked to solve as many number matching matrices as possible out of 20. Participants get to see 20 matrices, consisting of 12 numers, of which they will need to match 2. After that they will need to see the answers they filled out on the screen again to check them (it's a cheating task). This is my first experiment ever I try program in medialab, due to a change of University. Maybe that's why I'm having trouble???

First, I tried to use 20 multiple response items with the option to go to the previous screens. However, when going to a previous screen, the matrices that were solved after that screen are not saved.

Second (html.que in attachment), I tried to use HTML, which seemed to work perfectly, but only when I click the 'submit' button when finished. However, this gives me no way to force participants to finish after 5 minutes. When I use the duration parameter, none of the answers is saved.

Third (iframe.que in attachement) I've tried to use a HTM coding with different iframes. This looks perfectly on my pcscreen when testing, but in medialab somewhow I only get to see the last iframe I programmed. Is is not possible to use iframes within medialab, or did I do something wrong??

I really hope someone can help me by telling what would be the best way to program this task.

Thanks a lot in advance,
Victoria

Thank you for your questions Victoria - I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability.

1. Unfortunately, unless you use custom items or another type of system, MediaLab has problems saving the responses that a user has input. This is a major short-coming which is being fixed in our latest versions of the software.

Here's a quote as Blair has put it:
[QUOTE]"We're working on this, but the GoBack feature was initially intended to be an option to allow subjects to return to the immediately preceding item--a useful thing when using scale responses given their automatic procession, but no so much so when designing a test like you're describing."[/QUOTE]

2. If you use the duration parameter, the data should be getting saved - it has no reason not to be. On another note, by using another system, you may be able to keep a recorded timer actively updated; however it would require much more work. See here for more information: [URL]http://www.empirisoft.com/medialab/help/expparameters.htm#duration[/URL] - [URL]http://www.empirisoft.com/medialab/help/queparameters.htm#duration[/URL] .

3. Using iframes within MediaLab is typically not a problem. There may be another reason for that. Hm. I'll look into this issue and see what I can find. Have you had the chance to resolve any of these issues yet?

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or if I can help in any way.

Hi newell,

Thanks for your response!
No, I haven't solved any of the issues yet. What I have now is the second option (html), with a popup box appearing when the time is up saying that they should press the 'continue' button. Of course, this is far from ideal, because there is no way I can actually control whether they will stop or not after the time is up....

I seems like, according to you, both my second and third option should work. However, both aren't :-(
I looked into the links you provided, but the time issue itself wasn't the real problem (in option 2). The problem was that when the time is up and the program continues none of the answers are saved. I think that in html an answer is only saved after the submit button has been clicked...

Thanks for your help! I hope you can find a way to do this, since I still haven't.....