Sessions

Session Mode Controls

Session Mode Controls allow you to schedule the number of trials and blocks to run. It triggers the trial, block, and session Metrics to save, display, and plot. It also includes a Scheduler which can automatically present different phases of the experiment with minimal user interaction.

Enable Session Controls in the Controls tab.

Session Control Options

The Session Mode Controls add a run-time interface to start, stop, pause, resume the session. Scheduler controls also appear at run-time. A session counter, block counter, and trial counter are also on the interface.

Session Runtime Controls

See Slot Methods for Responding to Session Changes for an example of how these might be used in your Python code.

Flow Control

The three Flow Control methods are described below. The diagrams show the session flow based on when the python Trial Control methods (colored ovals) are called. The tables show when the Status information methods return true (black in the timeline).

Automatic

In Automatic mode, the session starts immediately when you click the 'Start' button. You only need to call p_Session.startTrial() in your Python code during an active session and the scheduler will automatically increment the trial and block counters for you, based on the number of trials that have already occurred.

Automatic with SyncDelay

In Automatic with SyncDelay mode, the phase is loaded when the current trial completes and the session starts after one full trial has finished after that. You only need to call p_Session.startTrial() in your Python code during an active session and the scheduler will automatically increment the trial and block counters for you, based on the number of trials that have already occurred.

Manual

In Manual mode, you manually call p_Session.startBlock() and p_Session.startTrial() in the Python code during an active session to advance the trial and block counters. You can use the mode controls at the top of the runtime interface or call p_Session.startSession() and p_Session.stopSession() in the Python code.

You can also optionally call p_Session.endTrial() to add a gap between trials. This call ends the trial and logs the trial metrics before starting the next trial. You can use this time to make a decision before the next trial begin.

Note

isBlockStarting and isBlockEnding turn on when the trial count is reached.

isSessionEnding turns on when the block count and trial count are reached.

Scheduler

If you are using one of the 'Automatic' flow control methods and are using Phase Presets, then a run-time Scheduler manages the experiment flow. It is programmed with a list of phases and the number of trials and blocks to run for each phase.

Session Scheduler Controls

Enter the Phase ID (e.g. P1, P2) into the input boxes to set the scheduler. When the specified number of blocks and trials for the current phase has finished, the scheduler will automatically advance to the next phase in the list.

Session Scheduler Phase List

Enter the Phase ID, number of trials, and number of blocks as a comma-separated list to override the default trial and block count.

Session Scheduler Trial and Block Specification

Click the arrow button to end the current phase and start the next phase immediately on the next trial. The arrow button will turn red. Click it again before the next trial starts to undo this operation.

Session Scheduler Override

Slot Methods for Responding to Session Changes

These control slot methods capture status information about the session. They are available as method definitions inside Pynapse states. Write a method with this name to react to the corresponding event.

Slot name	Event
s_Session_start	Start button pressed, or `p_Session.startSession()` called
s_Session_pause	Pause button pressed, or `p_Session.pauseSession()` called
s_Session_resume	Resume button pressed, or `p_Session.resumeSession()` called
s_Session_stop	Stop button pressed, or `p_Session.stopSession()` called

Important

The s_Session methods are only available if Session Mode Controls is enabled in the Controls tab.

Example

Switch to a starting state when user clicks the 'Start' button on the Pynapse tab at runtime.

class Always:    # StateID = 0
    def s_Session_start():
        p_Metric.count.write(0)
        p_State.switch(PreTrial)

    def s_Session_pause():
        p_Metric.count.write(0)
        p_State.switch(Resting)

    def s_Session_resume():
        p_State.switch(PreTrial)

    def s_Session_stop():
        print(p_Metric.ntrials.read(), 'trials completed')
        p_State.switch(EndTrials)

Methods

All state methods have the form p_Session.{METHOD}. Type p_ in the Pynapse Code Editor and let the code completion do the work for you.

Session Control

startSession

Mimics the behavior of clicking the 'Start' button.

pauseSession

p_Session.pauseSession()

Mimics the behavior of clicking the 'Pause' button.

resumeSession

p_Session.resumeSession()

Mimics the behavior of clicking the 'Resume' button.

stopSession

p_Session.stopSession()

Mimics the behavior of clicking the 'Stop' button.

disabManSessionControl

p_Session.disabManSessionControl()

Disables the Start/Stop/Pause/Resume buttons on the run-time interface.

enabManSessionControl

p_Session.enabManSessionControl()

Enables the Start/Stop/Pause/Resume buttons on the run-time interface.

Trial Control

setTrialMax

p_Session.setTrialMax(tmax)

Write a new maximum trial number. This should be an integer.

Inputs	Type	Description
tmax	integer	New value assigned to trial max

setBlockMax

p_Session.setBlockMax(bmax)

Write a new maximum block number. This should be an integer.

Inputs	Type	Description
bmax	integer	New value assigned to block max

startTrial

p_Session.startTrial()

Begin the next trial in the session.

startBlock

p_Session.startBlock()

Begin the next block in the session.

endTrial

p_Session.endTrial()

End the current trial in the session.

Status

getTrialMax

p_Session.getTrialMax()

Read the maximum trial number (integer).

getBlockMax

p_Session.getBlockMax()

Read the maximum block number (integer).

curTrial

p_Session.curTrial()

Read the current trial number (integer).

curBlock

p_Session.curBlock()

Read the current block number (integer).

curSession

p_Session.curSession()

Read the current session number (integer).