Knowledge Base

Reading the Raw Data File

• The track file export takes into account your data selection for entire tracks, but not for within tracks. So, if you make a data selection such that you only have track 1 and only zone 1, EthoVision will export track 1, but the entire track. If you want to filter out zone 1 in your track data, you should include the zone as a dependent variable and then filter on that column in Excel. The result column in the export file has values 0 and 1 dependent on the fact if the data selection criteria were met (1) or not met (0).
• Trial time is the time elapsed from the start of the trial (basically, the moment when you clicked the green Start button). Recording time is the time elapsed from the start of the track. The difference between the two time values is also shown next to the header Recording after. For more information on trials and tracks, see Important Terms in Trial Control.
• The values of the x,y coordinates and the subject size (Area) in the exported track files are expressed in calibrated units, (square) millimeters, (square) inches, etc., not in pixels.
• Areachange is the change in the pixels of the subject area from the previous sample, used to calculate Rotation. Note that this is not the same as the difference in Area between the current sample and the previous one.
• Samples that were missing (EthoVision XT could not analyze the video image) or not found (EthoVision XT could not find the subject) are indicated by "-" instead of the coordinate values. Note that sometimes the center point is found, not the nose point or the tail base (or neither of the two). To see the proportion of samples that were not found in a trial, in the Trial list click the Show/Hide button on the toolbar, choose Variables and select Subject Not Found. Check the value in the column Subject Not Found corresponding to that trial.
• Excel can import a limited number of rows and columns. For Excel 2007 and newer versions this is 16,384 rows and 1,048,576 columns. Excel will only import the maximum number of rows. If necessary, you can import the exported files to another program like SPSS.

Export External Data

Aim

To export data like physiological data that were imported into EthoVision XT, to another application for further analysis. You can export the original data or the resampled data.

To Export the Original External Data

1. Choose Analysis > Export > Raw Data.
2. Select External data log (non resampled).
3. Choose the File type and click Start Export.

Notes

• Each line in the exported data file represents one sample according to the original sample rate.
• Trial time and Recording time are the original time stamps relative to the start of the trial and the start of the track, respectively.
• For text export: each file contains the original signal combined with the current Data profile/Result container. The default file name is: External-[experiment name]-[Trial number]-[signal name]-[Data profile or Result container name]-[Arena name]-[Subject name].txt.
• For Excel export: each file contains the signal from one trial. The default file name is: Raw data-[experiment name]-[Trial number].xlsx. Within an Excel file, each sheet contains the signal combined with the current Data profile/Result container. Sheets are named in this way: [signal name]-[Data profile or Result container name]-[Arena name]-[Subject name]. This name may be truncated.
• For more information on other options, see Export the Raw Data (Track and Dependent Variables).

To Export the Resampled External Data

1. Choose Analysis > Export > Raw Data.
2. Select Track and dependent variables.
3. From the list on the toolbar, select the Analysis profile that contains the resampled signals. See External Data (Resampled).
4. Choose the File type and click Start Export.

• In the exported data file, each line is one EthoVision XT sample. Each resampled signal is written in a column. The Data profile column indicates whether a sample is included (1) or not (0) in the Data profile.
• Export files are named like Raw data files. For more information on other options, see Export the Raw Data (Track and Dependent Variables).
• To export a specific selection of resampled external data, first edit the Data profile.

To Export the Signal Statistics

Make sure that the signal is selected in the Analysis profile, with the Trial Statistics that you require. Next, choose Analysis > Export > Statistics. See Export the Statistics Result.

Export Manually-Scored Behaviors

Aim

To export the behaviors scored manually, depending on the file structure you require.

• Export as dependent variable. The behaviors are exported as 0s or 1s, depending on whether the behavior is active (1) or not (0) at a specific sample time. Note that the export file contains a header.
• As a Manual Scoring log. The behaviors are exported to a file where the start and stop events are written in sentences with the following structure: Time - Subject - Behavior - Event type (State start or State stop).

Procedures

To Export Manually-Scored Behaviors as Dependent Variables

1. Make sure that the Analysis profile includes the behaviors to export.
2. Choose Analysis > Export > Raw Data, and select Track and dependent variables. See also Export the Raw Data (Track and Dependent Variables).

To Export Manually-Scored Behaviors as a Manual Scoring Log

1. Choose Analysis > Export > Raw Data, or in the Experiment Explorer under Analysis - Export click Raw Data.
2. Select Manual scoring log. Select the export format. If you export to The Observer XT, select a Text option and select semicolon (;) as Delimiter.
3. Click Start Export.

For more options see Export the Raw Data (Track and Dependent Variables).

Notes

• See Import Manually Scored Data into The Observer XT.
• If you export to Excel, the manually scored data are stored in a separate tab of the Excel worksheet. The tab is named Manual scoring - [arena name].
• If you export to Text, data of different arenas are exported to different files.