Simple VI-5 schedule

[Med_Support]

AlcoholLab

Hello All,

We’re from a small undergraduate research lab and we recently wrote our first program ever. Below is our slightly faulty VI-5 program. Any help would be appreciated. Our operant chambers are functioning correctly as we were able to run other programs (i.e. FRs), but we can’t seem to get the post-interval response to bring in the bottles. Any suggestions?

\ This program is called LongTrainLeftVI.MPC

 

\Outputs
^Houselight=7
^LeftLever=2
^LeftBottle=6

\Inputs
^LeftLeverResp=1
^LeftLick=4

\Define Variables
\A=Responses
\B=Reinforcers
\C=Data array variables
\.1=LeftLever
\.2=LeftReinforcer
\.3=LeftLick
\D=Licks
\E=Left VI value (output array)
\F=Time since first press
\G=total number of events
\L Through P= Dummy
\T=timer, incremented in hundredths of seconds

 

\Dimensions of arrays
DIM C =10000
LIST E = 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 \these are possible
interval variables

 

S.S. 1, \instructions
and operant chamber start
S1,
1": SHOW 1, LOAD, L ; SHOW 2, RAT, M ; SHOW 3, AND, N ; SHOW 4, ISSUE, O ; SHOW 5,
START, P ---> S2
S2,
#START: CLEAR 1, 60 ;
ON ^Houselight ;
ON ^LeftLever ---> SX

S.S.2, \begin session and main VI logic
S1,
#START: ---> S2
S2,
.01": RANDD X = E ; SHOW 1, VI=, X ; SET X = X*1" ---> S3
S3,

X#T: ---> S4
S4,
#R^LeftLeverResp: ON ^LeftBottle; Z1; Z2 ---> S5
S5,
10": OFF ^LeftBottle ---> S2

S.S.3, \ Response count and display
S1,
#START: SHOW 2, RESP, A ---> S2
S2,
#R^Left Lever: ADD A; SHOW 2, RESP, A ---> SX

S.S.4, \Reward counter and display
S1,
#START: SHOW 3, REINF, B ---> S2
S2,
#Z1: ADD B; SHOW 3, REINF, B ---> SX

S.S.5, \Lick Counter
S1,
#START : SHOW 4, LICKS, D ---> S2
S2,
#R ^LeftLick : ADD D ; SHOW 4, LICKS, D --->SX

S.S. 6,
\Data array control
S1,
#START : ---> S2
S2,
#R^LeftLever : ADD G; SET C (G+100)=T+.1 ; SET C (G+101)= -987.987 --->S2
#R^LeftLick : ADD G; SET C (G+100)=T+.3 ; SET C (G+101)= -987.987 --->S2
#Z2: ADD G; SET C (G+100)=T+.2 ; SET C (G+101)= -987.987 --->S2

S.S. 7, \Time increment in 0.1 second intervals
S1,
#START : ---> S2
S2,
.1" : SET T = T+.1 ---> SX

S.S. 8, \IRT array
S1,
#START : ---> S2
S2,
#R^LeftLever : SET C(I) = T, T=0 ; ADD I ;
SET C(I) = -987.987 ---> SX

 

S.S. 9, \Session timer
S1,
#START : ---> S2
S2,
300' : PRINT ---> STOPABORTFLUSH

[Med_Support]

Dave Hughes

AlcoholLab,

The program seems to be working fine when I tested it. The only issue I saw was that your response counter in S.S.3 was counting ^LeftLever, which is defined as an output in your program. Since it was still defined as 2, a response on the second input would increase this counter in MED-PC IV.

I do not have your specific hardware here in my office, and I only have the SmartCTL card to rely on when checking to make sure a program is working properly. Check to make sure that output 6 is turning on (in the Interface Cabinet) when a post-interval response is made.
– If the light comes on then the program is working fine, and I would check to make sure the hardware is working properly.
– If the light does not come on then there could be a proplem with a bad output.

Make this quick check and let me know what you get when trying this out.

Dave

[Author]

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