What's New?
Recent Changes to SCRC Data Capture and Analysis Software
(From December 1989 to May 1990)

G. R. Detillieux

Spinal Cord Research Centre,
The University of Manitoba,
Winnipeg, Canada R3E 0J9

Better error recovery in digital filter, after floating point exceptions.
When viewing parameters, program pauses at every screenful. Key sequence for setting parameter is shown beside each one.
Help facility added, describing analysis methods and parameters. Current menu choice now highlighted in reverse video.
Trace amplitude graphs can now include absolute voltage readings, as well as relative ones.
Trace amplitude window for trace amplitude graphs is now calculated correctly when the trace divisor is greater than 1.
Trace amplitude X-vs-Y graph now works correctly on runs of averaged data.
Trigger signal can now be regenerated as a waveform, based on the trigger times and tags in frames.
Trace averaging based on tag value has been added.
When creating new run files, program checks file name length to prevent name truncation.
When the autoscale option is turned off, it now stays off, even when switching analysis methods.
When setting numeric parameters, you can now specify "min" or "max" to get the minimum or maximum allowed value.
Users can now set and save their preferences for default analysis parameters.
"Min./max." optimisation greatly speeds up display and plotting of large waveforms (by an order of magnitude), when interpolation is enabled. Interpolation now enabled by default.
Waveform reading is now up to 35% faster.
For trace and waveform averages, a pre- or post-trigger delay causes the X axis scale to be shifted, so "0" indicates the actual trigger time.

Added a trace "calculator" feature, which allows you to add and subtract frames, rotate, scale, integrate, differentiate and smooth them, and set up "macros" that combine several of these operations. A help facility summarises operators available in the calculator.
Program now asks before saving parameters in default.qm file.
Options added for measuring AHP duration and 1/2 decay, EPSP 1/2 width and 10-90% rise time.
Now shows only one X-axis scale, rather than one for each sweep. An option exists to get all X-axis scales displayed.
Files can be selected in sequence, using automatic file name incrementing (and decrementing) like that used by cap and cavg.

Gain selection is now separate from Edit and Calibrate selections. Gain changes affect all channels on machines equipped with an EF12M.
Default calibration pulse detection threshold doubled, to prevent false triggering on noise.
Prompts are now somewhat clearer.

New front-end for parameter setting. Parameter sets can be selected by keys or by mouse. All parameter sets are now global, and up to 12 groups of up to 12 parameter sets each can be created.
Improved error checking by dsepr/qcap/dcap.

When viewing parameters, program pauses at every screenful. Key sequence for setting parameter is shown beside each one.
Tablet handling changed to support HI-Pad Plus. Uses HIPAD mode, at 20 lines/mm resolution. Improved error handling; rejects bad records from tablet.

Inverts points only when first one is below baseline, allowing user to peel decays of either polarity.
Intercepts are now displayed, when calculating regression.
When setting range to be peeled, times are shown in ms, and difference is given.
Default pulse level is now 2 mV, when calibrating trace for the first time.

Cursor handling menus adapt to mouse-based terminals: "calibrate" option for C now appears only on joystick-based terminals; "done" option appears instead for mouse.
Programs will usually ask if it's OK to overwrite a file, when the user specifies an existing file.
User can recall and edit the last command entered for a shell escape.
Added a fixed magnification option to "frmsel".
Plotting resolution increased in "raster" program, eliminating some of the "jaggies" on plotter output during hidden line removal.