[solved] Ubuntu/Windows7 compatibility: last item (of a sequence) duration problem
Hi, I'm new to OpenSesame but it seems to be a very good tool, as compared with others.
Thanks a lot for your job!
I'm having some problems regarding Ubuntu/Windows7 compatibility, and I hope to be able to solve them and keep supporting this software.
When I run the experiment on Ubuntu everything seems fine, but when I switch to Windows7 the whole software is very slow and some variables does not work properly.
For example, a sketchpad whose duration is set to 500ms lasts more (while on Ubuntu, with the same experiment file is lasts 500ms). I don't know if this is just a slowness problem or something else. Also, for example, if I change the duration time of that same sketchpad to 0ms it is visualized for about 1sec. It seems that it lasts it's duration + an unspecified amount of time (not set anywhere).
Generally it also crushes many times...
Just working on Ubuntu could solve the problem, but I need to be able to use it on both OS. What can I do?
Is it because I have created the experiment in Ubuntu and, then, I run it in windows?
If so, what if I do the opposite?
also, If I create the experiment in windows7 is it compatible with other windows versions or I might find the same problems?
Thank you very much,
Sara
Comments
changing several things, what I can understand is that if I'm running the esperiment in windows7 (either if i create the experiment under windows7 or another OS) the last item of a sequence (either a sketchpad or a fixation_dot, or whatelese) lasts an unpecified amount of time, regardless of my duration settings (for that item).
Again, if I run the same experiment file in Ubuntu the last item of the sequence is shown for the duration that I have set!
Does it takes time to go back to the top of the sequnce?
It really makes non sense to me, Please Help!
Hi Sara,
In general, the last item of a sequence might be visible slightly longer, as this is when the next cycle is prepared. Exactly how long this is, depends on what you do in that sequence (preparing 200 images will take longer that two circles and a fixation dot, for example). An easy work around, is to add a blank sketchpad to the end of your sequence, with a duration of 0 milliseconds.
That being said: it is quite unusual for any sequence to require over a second. OpenSesame runs in pretty much the same fashion on Ubuntu and Windows, and the underlying code should normally not give you performance issues with the magnitude that you are talking of. Are you running the experiment on a dual-boot for Windows and Ubuntu? Is your installation of Windows cluttered with all sorts of programmes running in the background? This could dreadfully decrease performance, so it's important to check this. It might also be a good idea to test you experiment on a different Windows machine.
If it turns out there are no processes running in the background, hogging resources, and your experiment runs slow on a different PC as well, please do report back. We'll have to figure out if it's something OpenSesame related, then.
Good luck!
Hi Edwin,
thank you very mutch for your support.
I'm running the experiment on a dual-boot for Windows and Ubuntu. I don't think I have so many programmes running in the background (I usally thake care of this problem), but maybe my laptop is still not enough fast. Indeed, this delay is quite imperceptible when I run the experiment in another computer (windows), as you suggested.
Probably I'll have to choose more carefully the kind of computer I use, but my laptop hardware charachteristics are not so old. I hope I won't have problems on other devices.
Also, in each sequence it has to load 8 .jpg picture. Is it to much effort required?
Moreover, is it normal that all the time I open the experiment I have to load again pictures from a folder on my computer?Shouln't that be automatic?
If you agree I can add [solved] at the beginning of the topic!
Thank you again,
Sara
Hi Sara,
If you save your experiment as a .opensesame file, the contents of the file pool isn't saved. To solve this problem, save your experiment as a .opensesame.tar.gz file. To do so, go to File -> Save As -> change OpenSesame files to OpenSesame script and file pool
The fact that the experiment does run normally on another PC, and on your own laptop running Ubuntu as well, seems to indicate that there is quite a bit of stuff running in the background of your own Windows installation. I'll leave it up to you to check that out, as I'm not a Windows expert
Loading eight pictures isn't too much to ask, as you see in the trial loading times on Ubuntu on your computer and the second PC. It might still be a good idea to add the blank sketchpad with the duration of 0 ms to the end of your trial sequence, just to be completely sure the timing is as you want it to be.
Good luck!
Edwin
Hi Edwin,
I forgot to tell you that I did added a final sketchpad with the duration of 0, thak you for the tip.
I also just saved the experiment as .opensesame.tar.gz and stimuli are present at opening.
Thank you so much!
Sara