DirectRT creating copies of input files (case 15758)
DirectRT creating copies of input files (case 15758)
Sorry if there's already a thread on this that I missed.
Why does DirectRT sometimes create copies of input files? For an experiment I just programmed, there's a copy of the input file for each participant in the main experiment folder (of the format ExperimentName_1.csv, ExperimentName_2.csv). This does not happen for all of my programs, and I would prefer to stop it from happening. What have I inadvertently done to cause this, and how can I fix it?
Thanks!
If you could please upload a copy of your original .csv input file, I will be happy to look at it to figure out what is generating the other copies.
Thanks -- file attached!
If you could please upload a copy of your original .csv input file, I will be happy to look at it to figure out what is generating the other copies.
It's because of the rand(250-750) in column K. As it says in the Using Random Values seciton of the DirectRT manual (http://www.empirisoft.com/directrt/help/directrt_using_random_values.htm):
"When asked to run an input file DirectRT will first scan the file for any instances of the rand() keyword. It will generate the random value as requested and replace the request with the randomized value. DirectRT will then save the results as a new input file--it will share the same name as the origional file but will have the subject ID appended to it. So if your file is called "myfile.csv" and your subject ID is 22, then the new input file will be called "myfile_22.csv" and this is the file that DirectRT will run.In fact, this is a good way to check if you're getting the randomization values you want--after the session, you can open the revised input file and see the actual random values that DirectRT generated. The log data file will also be a good source of information on what random values were generated."
The additional files contain the actual random value chosen and used when your DirectRT input file ran for the Subject ID appended to the name of the original. The only way to stop the creation of those additional files would be to not use the random number function in the spreadsheet.
Oh!! Faulty memory -- I thought I'd read that the randomized value was entered into the _log.csv data file rather than a copy of the input file. Thank you for your prompt reply!
It's because of the rand(250-750) in column K. As it says in the Using Random Values seciton of the DirectRT manual (http://www.empirisoft.com/directrt/help/directrt_using_random_values.htm):
"When asked to run an input file DirectRT will first scan the file for any instances of the rand() keyword. It will generate the random value as requested and replace the request with the randomized value. DirectRT will then save the results as a new input file--it will share the same name as the origional file but will have the subject ID appended to it. So if your file is called "myfile.csv" and your subject ID is 22, then the new input file will be called "myfile_22.csv" and this is the file that DirectRT will run.In fact, this is a good way to check if you're getting the randomization values you want--after the session, you can open the revised input file and see the actual random values that DirectRT generated. The log data file will also be a good source of information on what random values were generated."
The additional files contain the actual random value chosen and used when your DirectRT input file ran for the Subject ID appended to the name of the original. The only way to stop the creation of those additional files would be to not use the random number function in the spreadsheet.
