| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jim.voyvodic |
Posted - Apr 08 2003 : 3:13:33 PM
We are in the process of replacing our old Windows 98 computers used for running fMRI paradigms at the scanners, with new Windows XP systems. "Donders", the machine running Windows 98 on the 1.5T is to be retired first, so users are requested to start running their 1.5T paradigms on the new Windows XP computer at the 1.5T. The Windows XP computer is called "Mach".
In order to use "Mach" you will need to copy your stimuli and paradigm files there from "Donders". There are so many obsolete files on Donders that we encourage users to do the copying on their own, so that they may decide which files actually need to be moved. Detailed steps on doing the transfer are listed below.
==========================================================
Why move files from 'Donders' to 'Mach'
'Donders', the computer running Windows 98 in the 1.5T scanner room is to be retired soon because that computer is small, slow, and becoming decrepit, and because Windows XP is supposed to be a better operating system than Windows 98.
All of the normal stimulus presentation packages known to be used routinely at BIAC (CIGAL, Presentation, and Visual Basic) have been tested and found to work on Windows XP.
==========================================================
Which monitor is Mach?
The PC computers, as well as the DVD players, in both scanner rooms are hooked up as inputs to a big video switch (8 inputs x 4 outputs). The 2 PC video monitors, the video goggles, and video projector are hooked up as outputs to that switch. The switch allows you to connect any video input to any video output. If you are running fMRI at the scanner you would normally connect the video output from the PC that you are using to the monitor you are using and also to the video projector or goggles, whichever the subject is seeing inside the magnet.
Because of this switch arrangement, you can use either of the PC monitors (+Keyboard/mouse) to connect to either PC computer, which can be a bit confusing. On both scanners we have normally had the Windows 98 computers (i.e., 'Donders' and ‘Kulpe”) connected to the monitor on the left (the one on which almost all of you have been running all your paradigms) and the new computers (Windows XP 'Mach' on the 1.5T, or Windows NT on the 4T) to the monitor on the right. As we gradually retire Donders it may be more convenient for some people to reverse this arrangement, so don’t just assume which is which. When you log in you should see whether you are on a Windows 98 or Windows XP (or NT) computer. If you are not sure, ask the MR operator to check for you. Instructions for how to change the settings of the video switch are available next to the monitors.
==========================================================
New version of CIGAL
The new version of CIGAL (4.81.00) available on the Windows XP and NT computers has a number of new features and fixed problems compared to the previous version (4.80.36). Some of these changes were made to cope with differences between Windows 98/NT and Windows 2000/XP. This new version should be able to run all of your stimulus paradigms that ran on the older version (but obviously we have not tested it on every paradigm). The main difference that you are likely to notice is that the Dialog and Alert boxes will look different (and should never be blank). This is the first step in our implementation of a vastly improved graphical users interface for CIGAL (not completed yet). ShowPlay has also been improved in this version and reorganized to give it much greater flexibility.
The new version of CIGAL (4.81.00) has also been installed on Broca\Programs so that you can use it prior to going to the scanners.
To run it you will have to go to \\Broca\Programs\CIGAL\CIGAL4.81.00
and double click CIGAL.EXE.
This version has been tested on XP but there may be quirks. The only problem we are aware of so far is that occasionally the program seems to make mistakes on mouse events (at startup it hangs if you happen to be moving the mouse, and sometimes if you select a menu item nothing happens.) If it doesn't seem to respond when you think it should, just hit <enter> or try again. We will fix these bugs eventually, but in the meantime they are just a nuisance, not really a problem. If you discover other bugs with the new version, or in case of problems, please contact Abhijit Vijay <vijay@biac.duke.edu> or Katy Harris <harris@neuro.duke.edu>
There is also a difference in the National Instruments analog/digital input output board on Mach, compared to the board used on the older machine. The new board allows for any digital line to be selected for either reading or writing (i.e. input or output), whereas on the old board only groups of lines could be selected together. For most people this isn’t a problem because all lines are used for input (e.g. the button box). If you want to use some lines for output (i.e. to send trigger pulses to another device) the board will have to be configured and used in a slightly different way. This can be done by just inserting the appropriate CIGAL command lines, but it is slightly complicated so please check with Jim or Abhijit for help in how to do so. Previously we had 4 input lines and 4 output lines configured all the time, but now there are disadvantages in that arrangement, so by default the board is always configured for 8 input lines on the scanner computers.
==========================================================
How to move files from 'Donders' to 'Mach'
To move your stimulus paradigms from 'Donders' to 'Mach' you need to copy your files in 2 steps, because there is no direct network connection between Donders and Mach (this is to prevent people accessing either computer while somebody is trying to run a fMRI study).
Detailed instructions for moving files are listed below, but in general terms the steps you should take are:
1) decide which files need to be moved (this may be a good time to tidy up your stimulus files).
2) copy your files to a folder on your Users disk (or \Broca\Public ?).
3) locate the folder with your BIAC experiment name (e.g. Realtime.01) on the Scratch disk on Mach (DO NOT COPY FILES TO THE C: DRIVE). All stimulus files should be stored in the \TASKS folder on D: (\Scratch) on Mach, organized in sub-folders named with your EXPERIMENT ID as the folder name (e.g. Realtime.01).
4) copy your files from wherever you put them in step 2, to your experiment folder in D:\Tasks on Mach.
======================================================
Detailed instructions moving files from Donders to Mach.
For instructional purposes, let us assume that I need to move all my files from the "Caution.01" project, which is on Donders at C:\Tasks\Caution.01, to the 'Mach' folder D:\Tasks\Caution.01. My user directory on 'Users on Broca' is named "vijay".
1. Right click on the "Start" button on the Desktop of 'Donders' (i.e. the monitor on the left) and select "Explore". This will open up a window which has two panels; the one on the left shows drives and directories and the one on the right shows files. Double click on the "C:\" drive of 'Donders' (you will need to double click on the left panel) and browse to the parent directory (directory which is one level higher) of the directory which has the paradigm files that you wish to move across to 'Mach'. Since all of our files to move across are in C:\Tasks\Caution.01, the parent directory is C:\Tasks.
2. Right click on the "Caution.01" directory on the right panel and choose "Copy".
3. Now double click on the drive "Users on Broca", from the left panel (You may need to scroll down on the left panel to be able to see "Users on Broca") You will be using your own home directory under the drive "Users on Broca" to move the files across to 'Mach'; therefore select your user directory, in this example "Vijay" and right click and choose "Paste".
This step completes transfer of the "Caution.01" directory to your user directory under Broca.
4. Log onto 'Mach' and again right click the "Start" button on the Desktop of 'Donders' and select "Explore". This will again open up a window which has two panels; the one on the left shows drives and directories and the one on the right shows files. Double click on your user directory under "Users on Broca" from the left panel; right click on the directory "Caution.01" and select "Cut".
5. Now choose the "D:\" drive of 'Mach' (you will need to double click on the left panel for this) and browse to the directory "Tasks". Right click and select "Paste".
6. The above step should make a directory called "Caution.01" with all your files from 'Donders' on 'Mach' too. Double click this directory and make sure that you have all your files inside.
7. If you need to move multiple studies, repeat steps 1 through 6 above.
Good Luck!
|
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| francis.favorini |
Posted - Jul 01 2003 : 7:02:46 PM
MATLAB 6.5 is installed on Mach.
-Francis
|
| francis.favorini |
Posted - Jun 27 2003 : 4:48:56 PM
E-Prime 1.1 is now installed on Mach.
MATLAB will be installed shortly.
-Francis
|
| mbudde |
Posted - May 14 2003 : 1:15:56 PM
It may be in the works, but when would you expect to have Matlab installed on the XP machine? |
| tonev |
Posted - May 08 2003 : 2:07:52 PM
Jim,
Do you know if E-Prime 1.1 will be installed on Mach as well? Version 1.0 is currently installed on Donders. Also, how long will it be until Donders is completely retired (i.e., won't be available for presenting stimuli?
Cheers,
Simon |
| charles.michelich |
Posted - Apr 10 2003 : 3:05:22 PM
Daniel,
Mach has a CD drive, but is the computer itself is located in a different room. If you would like to use the CD drive to load the stimulus files, the techs can help you.
Mach can also connect to all of the BIAC servers including your experiment account on Bristol. Each experiment has a Stimuli directory (e.g. \\Bristol\BIAC\Group\Study.01\Stimuli\) that is a convenient place to develop and store your experimental paradigms. Even though you can access your paradigm files on Bristol, it is still a good idea to copy the files to Mach's local hard drive and then use this local copy while collecting data.
Instructions for connecting to Bristol from Windows XP can be found at http://www.biac.duke.edu/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=121
Enjoy,
Chuck |
| weissman |
Posted - Apr 10 2003 : 1:34:57 PM
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the very helpful tips on transferring data from Donders to Mach. I was wondering whether Mach has a CD drive. If so, I could just place my files on a CD and put them on Mach that way. Is that feasible?
Thanks,
Daniel
|
|
|
