Parameters

•	ID, session, comment. Specify the subject ID, session number (which will auto-advance across successive sessions with the same configuration file) and any comment.

•	Set data file. The task records to (1) a database, via ODBC, and (2) a text file. You may specify the text file manually, or the program will pick a sensible default.

•	Pick database. To pick an ODBC database in advance of finishing, click Pick and you will be offered the ODBC Data Source picker (below). Your choice will be recorded and will apply to this subject from now on (or until you specify a different source).

If you don't specify an ODBC data source now, or you delete the value in the "ODBC data source name" box, you'll be asked to choose when the task ends (and that choice will only apply to the session in progress).

•	Session time limit. Specify the overall maximum time limit (in minutes).

•

Enable hole 0/1/2/3/4. The five holes are numbered 0-4. By default, all are used in the task (all enabled). You can restrict the task to a subset of holes by disabling some. (Responding to a disabled hole is scored in the same way as responding to a non-illuminated hole, i.e. the holes are disabled for the purposes of presenting stimuli but remain active as inputs.)

•	Pre-stimulus pause. The pre-stimulus pause duration (in seconds) is chosen from a list. Specify this list by clicking Set pauses. If you only want one value for the delay, create a list with only one entry. The dialogue box for entering durations looks like this:

In addition, the list you entered is "multiplied" up using a draw-without-replacement (DWOR) multiplier. This is described in detail here. In brief, suppose your list contains values A and B, like this: {A, B}. If you use a DWOR multiplier of 1, then the task will draw values at random and without replacement from the set {A, B} until it's empty, and then start again. If you use a DWOR multiplier of 3, the task will draw values at random (etc.) from the set {A, A, A, B, B, B} before starting again. Basically, low values (e.g. 1) give pseudorandomness - in a list of length n, each value in the list will occur once every n trials, but in random order within those n trials. As the DWOR multiplier approaches infinity, the behaviour of the task approaches true randomness.

•	Stimulus duration. Specify the phase 1 stimulus duration list, and DWOR multiplier, likewise.

•	Limited hold. Specify the limited hold allowed for responding, timed from the start of the phase 1 stimulus.

•	Training mode (give reward). If this is ticked, then correct phase 1 responding will be rewarded (and you can specify the number of food pellets to be given).

•	Punish premature responding. If this is ticked, then premature responding (responding at one of the front holes before the phase 1 stimulus has been given) is punished by termination of the trial.

•	Delay options. To specify values for the delay, click "Set possible values for the delay":

Every time you click "Enter another value", your previous value is added to the list (shown near the top) and you can enter another. A DWOR multiplier is also specified just as described above.

•	Flash houselight in delay. If ticked, the houselight is flashed on and off during the delay, as a distractor. It's flashed with 250 ms on, then 250 ms off, repeated, for a 2 Hz cycle.

•	Number of distractors. Specify the minimum and maximum number of distractors to be given. On any given trial the actual number is picked at random from within this range.

•	Stimulus duration. Specify the Phase 2 stimulus duration options, and DWOR multiplier, as above.

•	Matching or non-matching? Choose whether the matching or non-matching version of the task should be used, as described above (see Task Details).

•	Limited hold. Specify the phase 2 limited hold period, timed from the start of the phase 2 stimuli.

•	Number of pellets. Specify the number of pellets to give as a reward if the subject succeeds.

•	Eating time. Specify the "eating time", from the time the subject collects the reward (nosepokes at the rear food magazine following reward) to entering darkness and an ITI.

•	Darkness duration. How long should the ITI (which is spent in darkness) be?

•	Pellet pulse duration. What length of pulse should be sent to the pellet dispenser to dispense a single pellet? It's usually an electronic, not a mechanical, thing; if you're not sure, try 40 ms.

•	Interpellet gap. What gap should be left between dispensing separate pellets? This is usually a mechanical, not an electronic thing (too fast and pellets whizz into each other and jam the dispenser); if unsure, try 150 ms or longer.