problems with directRT input file (case 17696)

[shimrit]

Hi,
After running an input file for a year or so, we suddenly experience a problem.
The error is : This does not appear to be a directRT input file.
When I look at the input file, it seems that some path names are with upper case letters and some with lower case.
Wasn't sure this was similar before the error appeared.
Didn't find any other reason.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Shimrit

[jason_reed]

Hi Shimrit,

Is your DirectRT input file located on the same hard drive as the DirectRT program itself? That situation usually allows for DirectRT files to function normally with the actual DirectRT program.

Did you recently move the input from one location (e.g., from Dropbox or a thumb drive) to a different one so that the error occurred after moving the file? Or have you always run your DirectRT input file from the same location and the error message then popped up for no apparent reason?

Did the computer itself have any software updates or installations before the DirectRT error message?

Finally, please send me a copy of the DirectRT input file itself and an example of this pathway with mixed upper and lower-case characters. It would be helpful if you could also point out where the pathway name is different from that of the actual files on your computer that the pathway name references.

[shimrit]

Hi Jason,

Is your DirectRT input file located on the same hard drive as the DirectRT program itself? YES


I have always ran DirectRT input file from the same location and the error message then popped up for no apparent reason.

I don't think there were any software updates or installations before the DirectRT error message.

I am sending you a copy of the medialab and DirectRT input files. See lines 4 and 5 compared to line 3 in the questionnaire. "Experimens" (the right pathway) became "experiments". The same thing happened with the letter R in the csv name, but I change it back, again and again.

I hope my example is clear.
Thank you for all your help,
Shimrit

[jason_reed]

Try running the attached .que file by placing it in the same file folder as your other .bmp and DirectRT .csv files. As long as all of the external files that a MediaLab .que or .exp file refers to are in the same folder, you only have to put the name of the external files (i.e., your .bmp and .csv files) in the File Name field of your MediaLab files instead of the full patwhay names. Let's see if this will get around any issues that you may have with using the full pathway names.

[shimrit]

Hi Jason,
I keep getting the same error from executeRT: "This does not appear to be a DirectRT input file"
Any more ideas?

Regards,
Shimrit

[jason_reed]

Shimrit,

What are the full version numbers (e.g. v.20xx.x.xxx) of your copies of DirectRT and MediaLab? You can find them by opening the programs and looking at the very top left corner of the main program window or selecting Help>About DirectRT/MediaLab from the main menu bar.

Also, do you get this error message if you try running your .csv input file only in DirectRT as opposed to using a DirectRT item type in a .que MediaLab file?

[shimrit]

direct rt v2008.1.0.13
medialab v2008.1.11
Yes, directRT had a problem opening the file.
I fixed the problem, by opening the file using txt I found that the word "BLOCK" in the file disappeared. Don't understand why and how this happened.
Also, suddenly some of my txt files with the stimuli list now have an empty line, that causes black screens to appear. Not sure how this could happen after the experiment was working just fine the entire semester.
Do you think there may be a bug in the software?

Shimrit

Shimrit,

What are the full version numbers (e.g. v.20xx.x.xxx) of your copies of DirectRT and MediaLab? You can find them by opening the programs and looking at the very top left corner of the main program window or selecting Help>About DirectRT/MediaLab from the main menu bar.

Also, do you get this error message if you try running your .csv input file only in DirectRT as opposed to using a DirectRT item type in a .que MediaLab file?

[jason_reed]

Try downloading the appropriate version of DirectRT and MediaLab 2008 from here: http://www.empirisoft.com/download_old.aspx.

If you're using a computer with Windows XP, try DirectRT 2008.1.13 and MediaLab 2008.1.33.

If you're using a computer with Windows 7, try DirectRT 2008.2.103 and MediaLab 2008.1.33e.

Let me know what Windows operating system you used with your current versions of DirectRT and MediaLab and how the change in the versions of the software work.