13.2 Output Devices

Output devices need an `evnt' resource, which describes how objects of that event type look in the Design and Template windows, as well as the content of the Stimulus Attributes dialog for that event type.

An `evnt' resource should contain the following data. Strings are pascal strings. Some strings can be defaulted by specifying a zero-length string (""). Integers need not be word-aligned.

Prompt - This is the name of the device which the user will see. It defaults to the real name of the device.
Direct Attrib - For many event types the content of some attribute, usually the stimulus, appears above the timebar for that event in the template window (e.g. if you have a Text event with "dog" as the stimulus, the word "dog" will appear in the template window above that event's timebar). This specifies the (prompt) name of the attribute which should be shown in the template window with the timeline. (See also Type Flags, below.)
Icon Name - There should be a small icon family (`ics#', `ics4', and/or `ics8' - only the `ics#' is required) for the output device. This field specifies the name given to the icon (in the `ics#'). the name defaults to the event type name.
Default Duration - This should be a single expression for the default duration of the experiment. (A quirk in the scripting language allows multiple expressions to be transformed into a single expression with parenthesis.)
Color - The next three fields are integers for the red, green, and blue components of the color used in the template window to show linkages and other graphic effects.
Type Flags - This string is used to notify the graphic interface of special characteristics for the event type. If the string starts with "!", no direct attribute is shown in the template window. It may also be used to list possible sub-stimuli types, for PasteBoard-style event types which can contain multiple individual stimuli, by using "+(<type-list>)", where the list of sub-types replaces <type-list> .
Next is an integer, n, specifying the number of attributes required for the output type. Then, there should be n of these sub-records, one for each attribute:
Attribute Descriptor - The name of the `attr' resource which describes this attribute type. The description contains such information as the DCOD which handles the attribute, the default value, etc. (See also below, about the `attr' resource.)
Attribute Name - The name of the attribute as it should be instantiated in the script; it defaults to the descriptor name.
Prompt - The name of the attribute as seen by the user; it defaults to the attribute name.
Additional Message - A message string which should be appended to the one specified in the `attr' description.
Default Value - A string to be used as the default value for the attribute, overriding the default specified in the `attr'. A backslash (\) specifies that no value should be written for the default.

PSYX Programmer's Manual - 24 AUG 95

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