Knowledge Base

Using a Coder License in a Multiple Coding Station Configuration

A multiple coding station configuration is a way to collect and manage data from a number of coding stations. You define a project on a computer with a full license. Each coding station with a Coder License receives the Project Setup, Coding Scheme, and Independent Variable List and scores the behaviors. After coding is completed, all data is transferred back into the main project for analysis.

File Formats Used

• *.vop – Project file: used for opening and saving a project.
• *.otb – Project Template: template to export Project Setup to Coding Stations.
• *.odx – Observational data: file containing one or more observations to import into the main project on the full license computer.

Creating a Multiple Coding Station Project

On the Full License Computer

1. On the computer with a full license, create a project and define a Coding Scheme and the other setup options (Project Setup, Independent Variables, etc.).
2. Choose File > Save Project as Template.
3. Type in the name of the template project or use the current name.
4. Click the Save Options button to open the Save Template Options window:
   • Include Independent Variables – When you select this option, the Independent Variables are included in the template project.
   • Include Hardware and Software Devices – When you select this option, external commands in the Devices list are contained in the template project.
   • Template Information – Optionally, you can type in additional information about the template project.
5. Click OK twice to save the template project. The template has the extension *.otb.

In the template, Project Setup, Coding Scheme, and Independent Variable List are locked. If you need to make changes to your project setup:

• On the computer with a full license, either change the original project, or create a new project with the template and then unlock it (Setup > Unlock Configuration).
• Make the required changes.
• Repeat the steps above and make sure that the Coding Stations receive the right copy.

On the Coding Stations

1. Copy the *.otb file, or *.otx file for templates made with The Observer XT, to the Coding Station computers. It is recommended to copy it to the folder: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Noldus\The Observer XT\Templates. The Observer XT will then automatically open the correct folder.
2. If you use video or audio files in your project, make sure that these files are also accessible from the Coding Stations.
3. On a coding station, start The Observer XT and choose File > New Project From Template. If the *.otb or *.otx file is stored in the default templates folder, the correct location is selected automatically. Otherwise, browse to the correct location.
4. Click the Select button and open the template project (*.otb, or *.otx if you made the template with a previous version of The Observer XT):
   • If you open a template project in the Coder License version of The Observer XT, the suggested name for the new project is the name of the template project followed by "sub".
   • If you open the template project in a Full License version of The Observer XT, you can type in a name for the new project.
5. Click OK. The new project opens. Repeat steps 1–4 for all coding stations.
6. You can now create a new observation and score the behaviors.

Retrieving Data for Analysis

On the Coding Stations

1. After coding is completed, export the observations from the coding stations as *.odx files: choose File > Export Observational Data > The Observer XT. By default, all observations are selected. If you only want to export some of the observations, adjust the selection. Click Next.
2. A new window appears. By default, all selected observations will be exported into one *.odx file. If you do not want this, select Create Separate File Per Observation. Choose a name and location for the export file, and click Export.
3. Copy the *.odx files to the computer with the full license. Repeat steps 1–3 for every Coding Station.

Note: Because the *.odx file contains a link to the video or audio file used, it is useful to either work with a media file located on a shared server, or to work with a media file that is in the exact same location on both local computers (for example, the default folders C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Noldus\The Observer XT\Video Files or C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Noldus\The Observer XT\Audio Files). This way, The Observer XT automatically opens the right media file. If the locations are different, a window will open when importing the *.odx file so you can browse to the correct location.

On the Full License Computer

1. On the computer with a full license, open the main project (the *.vop file).
2. Import the observational data as new observations: choose File > Import Observational Data. The Select Observational Data Files window appears. In the Look In box, browse to the folder in which the *.odx files are located, select the file you want to import, and click Open. You can only import one *.odx file at a time; however, this file can contain multiple observations. If the name of an imported observation matches an existing observation or event log in the project, the file name automatically changes to [filename]_imported. If that name is also taken, the program will automatically number the file by adding [1], [2], etc.
3. Perform your data selection and analysis.

Visualizing Data with a Coder License

Choose Analyze > Visualize Data to visualize the observations on the coding station.

The data are visualized according to the data profile that was active on the full license computer when exporting the project (*.otb). If this data profile filtered some events out, these will not be shown on the Coder License computer.

Data is shown together with the video files, audio data, and external data, if the corresponding add-on modules are present.