Converting from Presentation Experiment to E-Prime format

[Dilip Kumar]

Hi,

1) Can someone tell met if it is possible to convert Presentation experiment into E-prime format? If yes then it would be highly appreciable if you can tell me the procedure. I have googled it and realized it is not possible, the only thing I can do here is to re-design the experiments in E-prime. Kindly correct me if I am wrong.

2) I am using E-prime trial version to explore the tool. I have to purchase a licensed version but I am confused whether to but E-prime Standard or Professional version. The hospital where experiments would be conducted already have E-prime setup for fMRI. I only have to use it for designing experiments and practice for subjects before conducting experiments.

Any suggestions...???

Thanks.

Best Regards,

DIlip

[Paul Groot]

Hi Dilip,

1) You're right. There is no (semi) automated procedure to convert Presentation scripts to E-Prime, or vise- versa. Both programs significantly differ in the way scripts are structured, so you will have to re-create from scratch. (Although stimuli and trial tables etc. can be re-used!)

2) From the PST-site: "E-Prime 2.0 Professional experiments can be run with E-Run 2.0 but cannot be opened in E-Prime 2.0 Standard." So, you're free to use either the standard or the pro-version. However, if the MRI-lab has the standard version installed, then you will not be able to edit PRO-scripts at the MRI site. Note that the PRO-version also allows you to start with a standard scripts when you create a new script (though, with limited features.)

The mixture of versions is really annoying for labs that collaborate with other sites. Best practice (in my opinion), is to purchase the PRO-version for your own use, but stick with the standard file format when portability is important and no PRO-features are required. Also keep in mind that the program version can also be critical when moving files from one computer to another. When possible you should install the same version as the MRI lab.

Best,

Paul

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[David McFarlane]

DIlip,

1) I have never tried this, but I did dabble a bit with Presentation
some time ago and did not see any automated way to make a conversion
to E-Prime. Also, we had a researcher who started here several years
ago come with Presentation, he switched to E-Prime and his lab just
wrote whatever they needed from scratch in E-Prime, so that might
give you a clue.

2) Definitely, beyond a doubt, spend the extra money for the
Professional edition! PST has misnamed these: "Standard" is really
the "Base" model, like the base model of a car that almost no
customers actually buy -- get "Standard" only if you intend to never
do any extensive work with E-Prime, and will never, ever, collaborate
with any other lab, ever! -- E.g., possibly suitable for some
teaching labs that cannot afford the extra $200/license. By
contrast, "Professional" is the true Standard -- ALL research labs
should spend the extra money for the Professional edition, and
furthermore should make all their programs using the Professional
file format in order to take advantage of a wealth of features &
programming niceties that then become available (e.g., Experiment
Advisor, speed testing mode with Auto Response, multiple correct
responses, Task Events). Note that your Professional .es2 files may
create problems for colloborators who did not spend the extra money
for Professional (see warning above about using the "base" model),
but we must not lower our standards just to suit a few potential cheapskates.

-----
David McFarlane
E-Prime training
online: http://psychology.msu.edu/Workshops_Courses/eprime.aspx
Twitter: @EPrimeMaster (https://twitter.com/EPrimeMaster )

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