Glossary of Parameters used in the COM Program

adchxc1 A/D channel number for x-direction of coil 1 See A/D description.
adchxc2 A/D channel number for x-direction of coil 2
adchxc3 A/D channel number for x-direction of coil 3
adchyc1 A/D channel number for y-direction of coil 1
adchyc2 A/D channel number for y-direction of coil 2
adchyc3 A/D channel number for y-direction of coil 3
attset A series of attenuations (in dB) specified in the format: n m delt , where n is a minimum value, m is a maximum value, and delt is an increment. The program randomizes the series of values and attenuates the DSS stimulus by one of the random values, for every trial that is executed.
azwndl1 X direction window (in degrees away from position) for spotting the led1/speaker1 pair
azwndl2 X direction window (in degrees away from position) for spotting the led2/speaker2 pair
coilcode Integer code for how the eye coil is calibrated. 1 = linear, requiring 2 coil coefficients per direction. 2 = sinusoidal, requiring 3 coil coefficients per direction.
cof1xc1 First x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof1xc2 First x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof1xc3 First x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cof1yc1 First y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof1yc2 First y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof1yc3 First y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cof2xc1 Second x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof2xc2 Second x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof2xc3 Second x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cof2yc1 Second y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof2yc2 Second y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof2yc3 Second y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cof3xc1 Third x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof3xc2 Third x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof3xc3 Third x-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cof3yc1 Third y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 1
cof3yc2 Third y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 2
cof3yc3 Third y-direction calibration coefficient for coil 3
cposc1 Code for position of coil 1, in characters (max 8)
cposc2 Code for position of coil 2, in characters (max 8)
cposc3 Code for position of coil 3, in characters (max 8)
elecstrt Time of electrical stimulation, measured from the end of duration of led1, in msecs. This parameter is only used in task type 7, and can be pos or neg.
elwndl1 Y direction window (in degrees away from position) for spotting the led1/speaker1 pair
elwndl2 Y direction window (in degrees away from position) for spotting the led2/speaker2 pair
endch The UET channel number for the end-of-trial signal. Note: this channel must be the same as strtch.
endtask This parameter name must be specified at the end of the parameter list. No value is specified.
gwfil Name of file (without the .dat extension, which is assumed), containing the DSS waveform to be used. Specified as a character string (< 65 chars.)
gwid Data set ID name of the DSS waveforem to be used. Specified as a character string (< 13 chars.)
inwch The UET channel number for the in-window event signal.
isdrew Period of time, in msecs, beginning at the end of a successful trial, and during which the program waits before starting to execute a new trial.
isdnorew Period of time, in msecs, beginning at the end of a failure trial, and during which the program waits before starting to execute a new trial.
led1ch The UET channel number for the led1 onset signal.
led1dur Led1 duration, in msecs, measured from the moment the animal looks into window1. For fixation tasks (task type 1), this is specified as an array of values, with each one corresponding to one of the led1 selection values specified with the "led1sel" parameter. For task types 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8, this is specified as an array of values, with each one corresponding to one of the led2 selection values specified with the "led2sel" parameter. For other task types, this parameter is specified as a single integer. See task descriptions.
led1int Integer code for intensity of led1 (1-8)
led1sel Integer code for selection of led1 and/or speaker1 (0-15). For fixation tasks, this is specified as an array of values, to be used in a random order as trials of this parameter set type are executed. For task types other than fixation, this parameter is specified as a single integer. See task description. A value of 0 means that no led will be turned on for led1.
led1strt Starting time of led1 duration, measured from start of trial, in msecs
led1wts Integer code for random weights given to led1 selection values. For fixation tasks, this is specified as an array of values, with one value for each of the led1 selections specified with the "led1sel" parameter. For task types other than fixation, this parameter is not used. See fixation description.
led2ch The UET channel number for the led2 onset signal.
led2dur Duration, in msecs, of the led2 stimulus in task type 8. This parameter is not used in task types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
led2int Integer code for intensity of led2 (1-8)
led2sel Integer code for selection of led2/speaker2 pair (0-15), for task types 2, 3, 4, and 7. For task type 8, it is the code for selection of led2 only. It is specified as an array of values, to be used in a random order as trials of this parameter set type are executed. For other task types, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions. A value of 0 means that no led will be turned on for led2.
led2strt Starting time of stimulus2 duration, measured from end of duration of led1, in msecs (pos or neg). For task types 2, 3, 4, and 7, it controls the starting time of led2 and/or speaker2. For task type 8, it controls only the starting time of led2. For task types 5 and 6, it controls the starting time of speakera.
led2wts Integer code for random weights given to led2 selection values. For task types 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8, this is specified as an array of values, with one value for each of the led2 selections specified with the "led2sel" parameter. For other task types, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
ledposxy A series of positions, in degrees from the center of the experimental view area, of led/speaker pairs. The first value specified is the number of led/speaker pairs to be specified. After that should come 2 columns of numbers, with as many rows as the number of led/speaker pairs that are specified. In each row, the number in the 1st column is the azimuth position, and the number in the 2nd column is the elevation position of the pair.
ncoil Number of coils used, 1 each for eye, ear, and head.
ncoilcof Number of coil coefficients per direction. If coilcode is 1 (linear calibration), then ncoilcof should be 2. If coilcode is 2 (sinusoidal), then ncoilcof should be 3.
paramset Code number of the current parameter set. It must be a unique integer -- different from the codes of all other parameter sets.
rewch The UET channel number for the reward event signal.
roomonoff Code for room light. If 0, then room light stays on. If 1, then room light goes off during each trial and is on between trials.
sp1ch The UET channel number for the neuronal spike data.
spk1flg Code for using auditory stimulus with the led1/speaker1 pair. 0 if no, 1 if yes.
spk2flg Code for using auditory stimulus with the led2/speaker2 pair. 0 if no, 1 if yes.
spk2dur Duration, in msecs, of the speaker2 stimulus in task type 8. This parameter is not used in task types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
spk2sel Integer code for selection of speaker2 (0-15), for task type 8. It is specified as an array of values, with each one corresponding to one of the led2 selection values specified with the "led2sel" parameter. For other task types, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spk2strt Starting time of speaker2 duration, measured from end of duration of led1, in msecs (pos or neg), for task type 8. This parameter is not used in task types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
spkaattn Attenuation (in dB) of speakera stimulus, used in precedence effect task types 5 and 6. The overall attenuation of the speakera stimulus is this value plus the random attenuation specified by "attset". For task types other than 5 and 6, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spkasel Integer code for selection of speakera used in precedence effect task types, with values ranging from 0-15. For task types other than 5 and 6, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spkbattn Attenuation (in dB) of speakerb stimulus, used in precedence effect task types 5 and 6. The overall attenuation of the speakerb stimulus is this value plus the random attenuation specified by "attset". For task types other than 5 and 6, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spkbdel For the precedence effect task types 5 and 6, this is the delay in microseconds of the start of the speakerb stimulus, measured from the start of the speakera stimulus. It is specified as an array of values, to be used in a random order as trials of this parameter set type are executed. For other task types, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spkbsel Integer code for selection of speakerb used in precedence effect task types, with values ranging from 0-15. For task types other than 5 and 6, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spkbwts Integer code for random weights given to speakerb delay values. For precedence task types 5 and 6, this is specified as an array of values, with one value for each of the speakerb delay specified with the "spkbdel" parameter. For other task types, this parameter is not used. See task descriptions.
spontim Period of time, in msecs, beginning as soon as the animal either succeeds or fails a trial, and during which data continues to be collected and stored. The end of this time period marks the end of the trial.
srate Sampling rate of the A/D input, in samples per second, for each channel that is used.
stay2dur The time, in msecs, during which the animal is required to keep looking in window2. For task types 2, 3, 6, and 7, this time is measured from the moment the animal looks into window2. For task type 5, the animal is not required to look into window2, but stay2dur is used to time a reward, and is measured from the onset of speakerb. For other task types 1, 4, and 8, this parameter is not used.
stim2dur Duration, in msecs, of stimulus2 (the led2/speaker2 pair stimulus). For task types 2,4,5, and 6, this is the stimulus duration. For task types 3 and 7, this represents the stimulus2 duration after the end of led1 duration. Here, if led2strt is negative, then stimulus2 starts before led1 duration has ended. The actual duration of stimulus2 is (stim2dur - led2strt), which is > stim2dur. This parameter is not used in task types 1 and 8. For task type 8, see led2dur and spk2dur.
stimtyp Code for type of DSS stimulus to use. Specified as a character string (< 13 chars.) GWR and GWS are valid codes.
strtch The UET channel number for the start event signal.
tasktyp Integer code representing the type of task this is. There are 7 possible types:
1 = fixation
2 = saccade
3 = delayed saccade
4 = sensory probe
5 = precedence effect
6 = precedence effect with stimulus2 spotting
7 = saccade with electrical stimulation
8 = sensory probe 2
termch The UET channel number for the term (failure) signal.
tfall Fall time, in msec, of DSS waveform to be used.
tgracl1 Time, in msecs, during which the animal can exit or "overshoot" the targeted window of led1 and/or speaker1 and not fail that part of the task.
tgracl2 Time, in msecs, during which the animal can exit or "overshoot" the targeted window of led2 and/or speaker2 and not fail that part of the task.
tgracs2p Time, in msecs, during which the animal can exit or "overshoot" the targeted window of speakerb and not fail that part of the task.
trise Rise time, in msec, of DSS waveform to be used.
tspotl1 Time, in msecs, before which the animal must look into the targeted window of led1 and/or speaker1, or else fail the task.
tspotl2 Time, in msecs, before which the animal must look into the targeted window of led2 and/or speaker2, or else fail the task.
tspots2p Time, in msecs, before which the animal must look into the targeted window of speakerb, or else fail the task.
uetbase Time base for UET (Unit Event Timer), specified in microseconds. All times recorded by the UET will be in units of this time base, and therefore be as precise as the time base.
w1failflg If set to 1, then trials in which the animal did not succeed in entering window 1 are not stored in the data file. If 0 or another value, then all trials are stored, regardless of window 1 entry.

Com Program Documentation -- General
"Fixed" Parameter Set (Example)
Fixation Parameter Set (Example)
Saccade Parameter Set (Example)
Task Types
Commands


If you have questions or comments about this documentation, please send email to jane@neurophys.wisc.edu
This page last modified on : June 26, 1996