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Common functions

New in OSWeb v1.4

The following functions are available in inline_javascript items:

reset_feedback()

Resets all feedback variables to their initial state.

Example

reset_feedback()

set_subject_nr(nr)

Sets the subject number and parity (even/ odd). This function is called automatically when an experiment is started, so you only need to call it yourself if you overwrite the subject number that was specified when the experiment was launched.

Param Type Description
nr Number The subject number

Example

set_subject_nr(1)
console.log('Subject nr = ' + vars.subject_nr)
console.log('Subject parity = ' + vars.subject_parity)

sometimes([p])

Returns true with a certain probability. (For more advanced randomization, use the random-ext package, which is available as random.)

Param Type Default Description
[p] Number .5 The probability of returning true

Example

if (sometimes()) {
  console.log('Sometimes you win')
} else {
  console.log('Sometimes you lose')
}

xy_from_polar(rho, phi, [pole]) ⇒ Array.<Number>

Converts polar coordinates (distance, angle) to Cartesian coordinates (x, y).

Returns: Array.<Number> - An [x, y] array.

Param Type Default Description
rho Number The radial coordinate, also distance or eccentricity.
phi Number The angular coordinate. This reflects a clockwise rotation in degrees (i.e. not radians), where 0 is straight right.
[pole] Array.<Number> [0, 0] The reference point.

Example

// ECMA 5.1
var xy1 = xy_from_polar(100, 45)
var xy2 = xy_from_polar(100, -45)
var c = Canvas()
c.line({sx: xy1[0], sy: xy1[1], ex: -xy1[0], ey: -xy1[1]})
c.line({sx: xy2[0], sy: xy2[1], ex: -xy2[0], ey: -xy2[1]})
c.show()
// ECMA 6
let [x1, y1] = xy_from_polar(100, 45)
let [x2, y2] = xy_from_polar(100, -45)
let c = Canvas()
c.line({sx: x1, sy: y1, ex: -x1, ey: -y1})
c.line({sx: x2, sy: y2, ex: -x2, ey: -y2})
c.show()

xy_to_polar(x, y, [pole]) ⇒ Array.<Number>

Converts Cartesian coordinates (x, y) to polar coordinates (distance, angle).

Returns: Array.<Number> - An [rho, phi] array. Here, rho is the radial coordinate, also distance or eccentricity. phi is the angular coordinate in degrees (i.e. not radians), and reflects a counterclockwise rotation, where 0 is straight right.

Param Type Default Description
x Number The X coordinate.
y Number The Y coordinate
[pole] Array.<Number> [0, 0] The reference point.

Example

// ECMA 5.1 (browser + desktop)
var rho_phi = xy_to_polar(100, 100)
var rho = rho_phi[0]
var phi = rho_phi[1]
// ECMA 6 (browser only)
let [rho, phi] = xy_to_polar(100, 100)

xy_distance(x1, y1, x2, y2) ⇒ Number

Gives the distance between two points.

Returns: Number - The distance between the two points.

Param Type Description
x1 Number The x coordinate of the first point.
y1 Number The y coordinate of the first point.
x2 Number The x coordinate of the second point.
y2 Number The y coordinate of the second point.

xy_circle(n, rho, [phi0], [pole]) ⇒ Array.<Array.<Number>>

Generates a list of points (x,y coordinates) in a circle. This can be used to draw stimuli in a circular arrangement.

Returns: Array.<Array.<Number>> - An array of [x,y] coordinate arrays.

Param Type Default Description
n Number The number of x,y coordinates to generate.
rho Number The radial coordinate, also distance or eccentricity, of the first point.
[phi0] Number 0 The angular coordinate for the first coordinate. This is a counterclockwise rotation in degrees (i.e. not radians), where 0 is straight right.
[pole] Array.<Number> [0, 0] The reference point.

Example

// Draw 8 rectangles around a central fixation dot
// ECMA 5.1 (browser + desktop)
var c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
var points = xy_circle(8, 100)
for (var i in points) {
  var x = points[i][0]
  var y = points[i][1]
  c.rect({x: x - 10, y: y - 10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()
// ECMA 6 (browser only)
let c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
for (let [x, y] of xy_circle(8, 100)) {
  c.rect({x: x - 10, y: y - 10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()

xy_grid(n, spacing, [pole]) ⇒ Array.<Array.<Number>>

Generates a list of points (x,y coordinates) in a grid. This can be used to draw stimuli in a grid arrangement.

Returns: Array.<Array.<Number>> - An array of [x,y] coordinate arrays.

Param Type Default Description
n Number | Array.<Number> A number that indicates the number of columns and rows, so that n=2 indicates a 2x2 grid, or a [n_col, n_row] array, so that n=[2,3] indicates a 2x3 grid.
spacing Number | Array.<Number> A numeric value that indicates the spacing between cells, or a [col_spacing, row_spacing] array.
[pole] Array.<Number> [0, 0] The reference point.

Example

// Draw a 4x4 grid of rectangles
// ECMA 5 (desktop + browser)
var c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
var points = xy_grid(4, 100)
for (var i in points) {
  var x = points[i][0]
  var y = points[i][1]
  c.rect({x: x - 10, y: y - 10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()
// ECMA 6 (browser only)
let c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
for (let [x, y] of xy_grid(4, 100)) {
  c.rect({x: x-10, y: y-10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()

xy_random(n, width, height, [min_dist], [pole]) ⇒ Array.<Array.<Number>>

Generates a list of random points (x,y coordinates) with a minimum spacing between each pair of points. This function will throw an error when the coordinate list cannot be generated, typically because there are too many points, the min_dist is set too high, or the width or height are set too low.

Returns: Array.<Array.<Number>> - An array of [x,y] coordinate arrays.

Param Type Default Description
n Number The number of points to generate.
width Number The width of the field with random points.
height Number The height of the field with random points.
[min_dist] Number 0 The minimum distance between each point.
[pole] Array.<Number> [0, 0] The reference point.

Example

// Draw a 50 rectangles in a random grid
// ECMA 5 (desktop + browser)
var c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
var points = xy_random(50, 500, 500, 40)
for (var i in points) {
  var x = points[i][0]
  var y = points[i][1]
  c.rect({x: x - 10, y: y - 10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()   
// ECMA 6 (browser only)
let c = Canvas()
c.fixdot()
for (let [x, y] of xy_random(50, 500, 500, 40)) {
  c.rect({x: x-10, y: y-10, w: 20, h: 20})
}
c.show()
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