[solved] interaction paradigm

js_1

Hi all,

I've already installed OpenSesame, tried to run and studied some of the tutorial exemplars. Up til now, I'm very enthusiastic about this alternative to commercial packages which offer gui's such as E-prime.
However, I was wondering whether there's any possibility (perhaps with the use of a plug-in) in OpenSesame to create/program interactive experimental designs? More specifically, I'm talking about experiments in which two computers are connected via a local network (one server, one client), both have OpenSesame running and the parameters for stimuli on the client computer are basically dependent on key presses on the server computer (e.g., present a target at the left- or right-hand side of the screen, depending on whether the person using the server has typed "l" or "r"). Would it be possible to implement such a basic interactive paradigm in OpenSesame?

Many thanks in advance!

sebastiaan

Hi JS,

Good to hear that OpenSesame works for you!

And yes, you can have different instances of OpenSesame communicate with each other. To do this, you could use the Python socket module. This is the standard Python module for network communications, and should work just fine in OpenSesame.

• http://docs.python.org/library/socket.html

Network programming can be a bit tricky, but there are some good examples to be found in the Python docs and around the internet.

Good luck!

Kindest regards,
Sebastiaan

js_1

Many thanks, Sebastiaan!

I'm not really familiar with Python, though I can give it a shot. I'm also wondering to what extent you think it's necessary to be already experienced in Python coding, in order to set up a s²ocket module. If someone has already done any coding in OpenSesame using the Python socket module and is willing to share scripts/files (possibly accompanied with explanatory comments; probably wishful thinking), that would be more than welcome (well, it should at least save me a huge amount of time)!

sebastiaan

Hi JS,

I would say that you need a moderate level of skill to get started with network programming. Nothing overwhelming, but it will probably take a little effort. If you are not familiar with Python at all, you could take a look at a Byte of Python:

• http://osdoc.cogsci.nl/python-inline-code/about-python-inline-code#learning_python

I doubt that anyone has used the socket module with OpenSesame. But that's ok: There is nothing specific to OpenSesame in that respect. You can pretty much copy paste the examples from the socket documentation into an inline_script item.

Good luck!

Regards,
Sebastiaan