NOTE: .RDB and .DBK backup files are overwritten with each UNLOAD or UPDATE (respectively). This means that if some disaster befalls your .DTP or .DAT file (respectively), you will be able to salvage data from these files, however, the data in them will only be that last unloaded from C: or that last incorporated into the .DAT file on A:, not necessarily your entire data set.

USING DMASTR

• If you have just turned on the PC, and C:\> does not appear on the experimenter’s screen, type mode mono.
  
• Use the cd (change directory) command to move to the directory where you have your .ITM files. You can make new directories using the md (make directory) command.
  
• Once in your directory, type dmtge expt.itm to run the experiment. The message ‘EXPERIMENT READY’ will appear on the subject’s screen. Press the NEXT key on the keypad to clear this screen and bring up the instructions.
  
• Options available in DMASTR are displayed in the menu at the top of the experimenter’s screen. In some cases, you may be asked for a password - type in XX.
  
• This version of DMASTR automatically saves the data and returns you to DOS.
  
• To unload data to disk, type dmtge, then U for unload, then control C to exit DMASTR.
  
• To change to A drive, type A:, to return to C drive, type C:.
  
• The command cd.. moves you up one directory. Once you are back to C:\, type park and it is safe to turn off the PC.
  

CREATING THE ITEM FILE

• To create your item file, you will need to use EDIT - a very simple word processing package. Type in edit expt.itm and press esc to clear the initial dialogue box. The alt key activates the various menus, which you select by entering the appropriate letter. The tab key moves you around the menu dialogue boxes, and esc will clear these.
  
• While there is a vast array of item files that can be produced and run using DMASTR, the following template item files and accompanying comments should give some idea of the appropriate structure of item files for a variety of different experiments. However, the majority item files will have: i) a correct response indicator, which denotes the correct response to that item; and ii) item numbers, which are used to denote the different conditions in the experiment when using DATMAK. The program INUM produces a specified list of numbers with a specified response indicator, which can then be read into your .ITM file as item numbers, saving a lot of extra typing!
  

Example of a DISPLAY ONLY Item File

n0 m11 f140 s10
$
! studemo.itm;
! study 10 words plus 6 fillers for 2 seconds each;
e c;
0 %0 @-3 "In this experiment you will see"/
%0 @-2 "a list of words, one at a time."/
%0 "Your task is to learn the words"/
%0 @1 "as your memory of the words"/
%0 @2 "will be tested later."/
@4 "Press NEXT for demonstration.";
e c;
! Demonstration starts here (10 trials plus 3 initial and 3 final fillers);
250 "AUTHOR"/;
250 "DECK"/;
250 "DINNER"/;
$
001 "BABY"/;
002 "BRAIN"/;
003 "SPIRIT"/;
004 "FASHION"/;
005 "GRADE"/;
006 "LIBRARY"/;
007 "MEAT"/;
008 "MISSILE"/;
009 "PENNY"/;
010 "REACH"/;
$
250 "DRAMA"/;
250 "JUMP"/;
250 "KNEE"/;
L "End of demonstration.";
$

Points to Note:

• The Parameter Line:
  This is the initial line of the item file and the options specified here are intended to be the default conditions for the entire experiment.
  n0 -the number of items to which a response is expected, including practice items. As this is a display only item file, no responses are expected.
  m11 -represents "Method of Display Word". In this case, we have selected no feedback as no responses are required (m1) and continuous running to eliminate the need for the subject to press the NEXT key for each new trial (m10). Together, this yields m11.
  f 140 -stands for the frame duration in clock ticks - 1 tick=14.3ms. Thus, f140 displays each frame for 2 seconds.
  s=10 -scramble blocksize. As there is only one block of ten items, s=10.
  
• Display-control switches:
  $ -controls scrambling. The information enclosed in $s will not be scrambled.
  ! -comments switch. Everything between ! and the next semi-colon will be ignored by DMASTR, allowing you to insert comments in your item file.
  ; -item delimiter which must follow every instruction and item in the item file.
  e -erases the display area. This is the easiest way to erase multi-line displays (such as instructions) and graphics images.
  c -tells DMASTR to move on to the next "item" without waiting for a NEXT button press request. While this switch is not necessary for stimulus items when the m10 (continuous running) option is selected, it is necessary after other switches such as e.
  0 -putting 0 at the beginning of a line overrides the m10 (continuous running) option, and DMASTR will wait for a NEXT button press request before displaying the next item, allowing the instructions to remain on the screen.
  %0 -used when you wish to display more than one line per screen and wish them to appear together. Essentially, %0 makes DMASTR wait until it has assembled the next frame in that item, before displaying both frames simultaneously. Thus, %0 is not necessary in the last line of the instructions, as it is the last frame.
  @-3 -means the line will be displayed two lines above the middle of the screen, @3 two lines below.
  / -frame delimiter, which marks the boundary of each frame within an item.
  " " -double quotation marks must surround the text you wish to appear on the screen.
  L -indicates last frame of the item file. Causes a tone to sound at the end of the experiment.
  

Example of a NAMING Item File

n12 m11 f63 k21
! namdemo.itm;
! naming task with < > warning;
i++ c;
e c;
0 %0 "For this experiment, you will be presented with a series of letter"/
%0 @1 "strings on the screen. Your job is to read these letter strings"/
%0 @2 "aloud as quickly as you can."/
%0 @3 "If the letter string is not an English word,"/
%0 @4 "please pronounce it as if it was simply"/
%0 @5 "an English word unfamiliar to you."/
@7 "Press NEXT for more instructions.";
e c;
0 %0 "Your response will set off the voice key attached to the headset"/
%0 @1 "you are wearing, so please refrain from making a noise"/
%0 @2 "until you are ready to pronounce the letter string."/
@4 "Press NEXT for demonstration.";
e c;
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"ante";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"itlas";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"pagoont";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"scathing";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"simming";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"aces";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"slamming";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"bredol";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"hobbies";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"tasey";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"hooking";
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"nander";
L "That concludes the demonstration.";

Points to Note:

• The Parameter Line:
  k21 -determines the inputs that DMASTR will receive. In this case, we want input from the NEXT key (k1) and the VOX switch (k20) to be received, thus k=21.
  
• Display-control switches:
  i++ -invokes a smaller font for display than the usual default font. More information on changing font type and size is given in the DMASTR Manual.
  + -indicates a positive response is expected to that item. In the case of a naming task, this means any response to that item is correct.
  %63 -means display for that frame will continue for 63 ticks or 900ms.
  * -clock-on signal, which indicates the point at which to start the timer. This signal should be located in the frame to which a response is expected, however its relative position within that frame is irrelevant.
  ! -when used in this way, the ! symbol means that that frame should be overlaid onto the previous frame, and thus stops the previous frame from being erased, as it usually would be. This allows the < > signal to remain on the screen when the letter string appears.
  
• Conditional Naming
  If the above task were to be made a conditional naming task (i.e. name if a word), then exactly the same item file could be used as for the standard naming task, simply by changing the instructions and replacing the + response indicator (response expected) to the ^ response indicator (no response expected).
  
• FILE
  Both .DTP and .DAT files can be modified using the DMASTR program FILE. This is usually required in naming experiments to enter errors which can then be excluded from subsequent analyses. However, FILE is not as user friendly as most of the other DMASTR programs, so study the manual very carefully before using FILE.
  

Example of a LEXICAL DECISION Item File

n12 m14 f63 t2000 k7
! ldtdemo.itm;
! lexical decision task with < > warning;
i++ c;
e c;
mA:%63 "< >"/!*":c;
0 %0 "For this experiment, you will be presented with a series of letter"/
%0 @1 "strings on the screen. Your job is to decide whether the letter"/
%0 @2 "string presented makes up a real word or a nonsense word."/
%0 @3 "If you DO recognize the letter string as a real word,"/
%0 @4 "please press the + key as quickly as you possibly can."/
%0 @5 "If you DO NOT recognize the letter string as a real word,"/
%0 @6 "please press the - key as quickly as you possibly can."/
@8 "Press NEXT for demonstration.";
e c;
+250 %63 "< >"/*!"ante";
- 250 ~Aitlas";
- 250 ~Apagoont";
+250 ~Ascathing";
- 250 ~Asimming";
+250 ~Aaces";
+250 ~Aslamming";
- 250 ~Abredol";
+250 ~Ahobbies";
- 250 ~Atasey";
+250 ~Ahooking";
- 250 ~Anander";
L "That concludes the demonstration.";

Points to Note:

• The Parameter Line:
  m14 -selects wrong feedback only (m4) and continuous running (m10).
  t2000 -timeout period in milliseconds. This is how long DMASTR will wait for the subject to respond before moving onto the next item. If this parameter is not specified, the default timeout period of 4000 milliseconds is assumed.
  k7 -input from the NEXT key (k1), the negative response button (k2) and the positive response button (k4).
  
• Display-control switches:
  + -indicates a positive response is expected to that item. In the case of a lexical decision task, this means a positive response button press.
  - - indicates a negative response is expected, i.e. a negative response button press.
  
• MACROS
  mA:%63 "< >"/!*":c; -inserts individual frame timer, warning signal in double quotes, frame delimiter, non-erasing frame option, clock-on signal and initial double quote for the target item.
  The above bold text represents the macro used in the example lexical decision item file. The first item in the file shows what each item would look like without the macro, while for all subsequent items the information contained in mA is represented by ~A. When DMASTR encounters ~A, it inserts all the information contained in the macro between the initial and final colons (including spaces) at that point. Thus, macros are essentially a labour saving way of writing your item files - instead of repeatedly typing in the same sequence(s) of display control switches for each item, you can get DMASTR to insert them for you.
  
  

Example of an INCREMENTAL SENTENCE DISPLAY/LEXICAL DECISION Item File
n10 m11 f21 k7
! incdemo.itm;
! lexical decision task with incremental sentence context;
i++ c;
e c;
mA:P15 ":c;
mB: <:c;
mC:>"*:c;
0 %0 @-3 "In this experiment you will see a series of sentences"/
%0 @-2 "presented one word at a time."/
%0 @-1 "The last word will be presented together"/
%0 "with a word or nonsense word in brackets (< >)."/
%0 @2 "Your task is to decide as quickly as possible"/
%0 @3 "whether the item in < > is a"/
%0 @4 "word (+) or a nonsense word (-) and"/
%0 @5 "press the button accordingly."/
@7 "Press next when ready for demonstration.";
e c;
+250 P15 "The "/!"man "/!"used "/!"to "/!"work "/! "at "/!"the "/!"theatre. <ACTOR>"*;
+250 ~AThe "/!"child "/!"refused "/!"to "/!"eat "/!"his "/!"broccoli.~BPAGE~C;
- 250 ~AThe "/!woman "/!"walked "/!"through "/!"the "/!"field, "/!"picking "/!"the " /!"daisies.~BPODAL~C;
+250 ~AThe "/!"woman "/!"went "/!"to "/!"the "/!"market "/!"to "/!"buy "/!"some "/!"oysters.~BSELDOM~C;
- 250 ~AThe "/!"woman "/!"bent "/!"down "/!"to "/!"tie "/!"up "/!"her " /!"shoe.~BNABBLE~C;
+250 ~AThe "/!"flesh "/!"of "/!"the "/!"dead "/!"animal "/!"was "/!"torn "/!"off " /!"by "/!"the "/!"vulture.~BBEAK~C;
- 250 ~AThe "/!"woman "/!"decided "/!"to "/!"fry "/!"the "/!"salmon.~BTORRY~C;
+250 ~AThe "/!"woman "/!"could "/!"not "/!"resist "/!"browsing "/!"through " /!"her "/!"daughter's "/!"diary.~BREAD~C;
- 250 ~AMark "/!"decided "/!"to "/!"buy "/!"himself "/!"a "/!"new " /!"suit.~BSTOLT~C;
+250 ~AThe "/!"young "/!"woman "/!"was "/!"absolutely "/!"delighted "/!"when " /!"her "/!"grandfather "/!"bought "/
@1 P15"her "/@1!"a "/@1!"stallion.~BANGER~C;
e c;
L "End of demonstration.";

Points to Note:

• Display-control switches:
  P15 -this option allows incremental display. The number 15 represents the number of spaces from the left of the screen before the text is to begin. The rate of the display is the frame duration specified in the parameter line - in the above example the rate is 21 ticks or 300ms. Note that when an incremental display is greater than one line, the P switch must be included at the beginning of each new line.
  @1 -when an incremental display is greater than one line, the line control switch must be included in every frame.
  
• Macros
  mA -inserts the fixed position/incremental display switch P15 and the initial double quotation mark for the first frame.
  mB -inserts two spaces and the initial bracket in front of the target.
  mC -inserts the final bracket after the target and the clock-on signal.
  
  

Example of an GRAPHIC STIMULI/LEXICAL DECISION Item File

n5 m14 t2000
! japdemo.itm;
! lexical decision to kana words;
FW=!= FT== c;
0 "Press NEXT for demonstration";
e c;
+250 %0 x264 g"to"/%0 ! x304 g"i"/ ! x344 g"re"*;
e c;
- 250 %0 x264 g"a"/%0 ! x304 g"pu"/%0 ! x344 g"long"/ ! x384 g"ki"*;
e c;
- 250 %0 x264 g"ka"/%0 ! x304 g"mu"/ ! x344 g"a"*;
e c;
- 250 %0 x264 g"ki"/%0 ! x304 g"bo"/ ! x344 g"u"*;
e c;
+250 %0 x264 g"i"/%0 ! x304 g"ta"/%0 ! x344 g"ri"/! x384 g"a"*;
e c;
L "End of demonstration.";

Points to Note:

• Display-control switches:
  FW=!= -the F switch denotes that you are specifying the feedback message to be given. In this case, when an incorrect response is made, ! will be displayed instead of the "Wrong" feedback message given by selecting m14. FC is used to specify feedback for correct responses. The feedback message is enclosed in = signs.
  FT== -suppresses the "No response" feedback message given by selecting m14 by entering a pair of = signs.
  x -determines the pixel position of a graphics image from the left of the screen. The x coordinates are required to be a multiple of 8 in order to speed up the display. The y switch determines graphics image position from the top of the screen. This parameter is not required here, as all graphics images are to be displayed across the middle of the screen.
  g"to" -the g switch alerts DMASTR to the fact that the frame to be displayed is a graphics image. It is followed by the name of the .IMG file in which the graphics image is stored, enclosed in double quotes.
  
• .IMG Files
  Important: Due to the extra processing requirements involved in presenting graphics, both your item files and accompanying .IMG files should be stored in the same directory on C:.
  

CONCLUSION
The information presented in this handout is only a small sample of the wide variety of options available when using DMASTR. A more complete treatment is given in the DMASTR MANUAL, which is available on bunyip and highly recommended.