EventIDE Interface

The Title Bar runs horizontally across the top of the window. It displays:

• Application name and experiment title – “EventIDE – [Experiment Name]” is centered in the bar.

• Quick Access Toolbar – Located on the left, this toolbar contains shortcut buttons for frequently used actions such as Undo, Redo, Save, and more. This toolbar can be customized.

• Window Controls – On the far right are standard controls to minimize, maximize, or close the application.

Directly below the Title Bar, you’ll find the core navigation tools Application Menu Button and Ribbon Bar. Application Menu Button is located in the top-left corner, this round button displays the EventIDE logo. Clicking it opens the Application Menu, which provides access to essential commands and settings. From here, you can:

• Create, open, and save experiments

• Browse and load demo experiments and templates

• Configure application preferences

• Enable monitor gamma correction

• Check for and install software updates

• Access help documentation and support resources

• Manage installed AddIns

• View and manage your software license and updates subscription

The Ribbon Bar is central to the interface and provides access to all of EventIDE’s main tools. It is organized into the following tabs:

• Events – Add, organize, and manage experiment events. You can also insert visual, auditory, input, or hardware elements into selected events, and configure flow routes and event layers.

• Library – Load experiment materials and manage a repository of reusable resources, such as images, sounds, and other media.

• Elements – View, sort, and group all elements used throughout the experiment.

• Experiment – Access global experiment settings, including display options, password protection, and session parameters.

• Snippets – Open the script editor to view and edit all code snippets across events. You can also select the code language and manage code structure centrally.

• Screens – Edit stimulus and status screens. Use this tab to design the visual presentation layout and configure how content is displayed during the experiment.

• Configurations – Manage different experiment configurations. For example, switch between eye tracker and mouse tracker modes for testing or deployment purposes.

• Data Report – Configure data logging and output. View recorded data and export it for analysis.

• Run – Launch, test, and debug the experiment using real-time feedback and diagnostic tools.

The Layers & Flow Editor is a key interface component used to organize the structure and flow of your experiment. It allows you to:

• Create and manage event layers and sub-layers

• Define and edit flow routes between events

• Visualize the logical structure of your experiment

You can open or close the Layers & Flow Editor by clicking the “Layers & Flow” icon, located to the right of the Event Bar in the Events Ribbon Tab.

The editor opens in a separate panel and is divided into two main areas:

• Event Layers Panel (left) – Displays all layers and their associated events in a tree structure. This is where you can add sub-layers by clicking the + icon below an event.

• Flow Routes Panel (right) – Shows all events in the current layer as numbered circles. You can create flow routes by clicking and dragging between these circles. Hovering over a circle reveals the event title.

Tip: The Flow Routes Panel provides a clear, visual representation of how your events are connected, making it easier to manage loops, branches, and conditional transitions.

The Layers & Flow Editor is essential for designing experiments with complex timing, nested trials, or parallel processes, and it complements the more linear view shown in the Event Bar.

The Navigation Bar is located to the right of the Ribbon Bar and provides tools for navigating between event layers in your experiment. It displays Layers Tabs, which allow you to switch between the root Layer and any available sub-layers.

By default, the Navigation Bar shows only the Root Layer. If the selected event contains sub-layers, these will appear as additional tabs for navigation. This makes it easier to manage complex experimental structures with nested or parallel event sequences.

Next to the Navigation Bar are two additional buttons:

• Expand/Collapse Button – Hides or reveals the Ribbon Bar to maximize your workspace.

• Help Button – Opens the built-in EventIDE documentation and support resources.

The rest of the EventIDE window is divided into four main panels: Element Panel, Event Editor, Properties Panel, and Snippet Editor.

The Element Panel, located on the left side of the workspace, provides an overview of the elements used in your experiment. It contains two tabs:

• Local – Displays all elements used in the currently selected event, such as text boxes, renderers, and response buttons.

• Global – Lists elements that function, including devices like eye trackers, signal acquisition modules, and other persistent components.

In EventIDE, elements are the core design objects that perform a wide range of functions—such as stimulus presentation, input registration, hardware interfacing, data analysis, and more. Each element is added to a specific event (or globally), where it contributes to the experimental logic or interaction.

You can use the Element Panel to manage and organize elements, select them to view or modify their settings in the Properties Panel, and reorder them as needed. Elements can also be copied and pasted within this panel—an especially useful feature for replicating setups across multiple events.

Note: New elements can be added via the Events tab on the Ribbon Bar. You also can right-click anywhere in the Element Panel to open a context menu, which provides options to add new elements, as well as enable/disable, cut, copy, paste, replace, or delete existing elements.

The Event Editor, located in the center of the workspace, displays the event surface for the currently selected event. This surface represents exactly how the content will appear on the stimulus screen during the experiment.

Within the Event Editor, you can visually design and manage your stimulus presentation. This includes arranging and editing elements such as text, images, videos, and other visual or interactive stimuli. You can move, resize, align, and layer elements directly on the surface to control their on-screen layout.

This central editor gives you immediate visual feedback, helping to ensure that all components are positioned and functioning as intended before running the experiment.

This panel, located on the left side of the workspace, switches between Properties, Proxy Variables, and Material Library Tabs.

The Properties Panel is the first tab in the right-hand column of the workspace. It displays the adjustable settings for the currently selected event or element, allowing you to fine-tune how each component behaves and appears during the experiment.

Depending on what is selected in the Event Editor or Element Panel, the Properties Panel updates to show relevant configuration options—such as durations, colors, font sizes, input filters, image alignment, and more.

At the bottom of the panel, you’ll find a toggle button that switches between two modes:

• Show only relevant properties (default) – Displays the most commonly used and context-appropriate settings for clarity and ease of use.

• Show all properties – Reveals the full set of available properties for the selected item, including more advanced or less frequently used options.

Switching to "Show all properties" is essential when you need access to extended configuration options, such as detailed timing control, visual appearance settings, and element-specific behavior.

Tip: Many properties also support dynamic assignment using proxy variables, allowing for real-time control during the experiment.

The Proxy Variables Panel is the second tab in the right-hand column and provides an organized overview of all proxy variables used in your experiment.

Proxy variables are dynamic links between experimental parameters and the values they control. They allow you to monitor, assign, or modify values in real time—such as the position of a stimulus, the selected image index, or the status of a response.

In this panel, you can:

• View all defined proxy variables across the experiment.

• See which objects (events or elements) are linked to a selected proxy variable.

• Group and sort variables by various attributes, such as name, type, or owner object.

Tip: Selecting a proxy variable will highlight the associated object, helping you track how variables are being used throughout the design.

This panel is particularly useful for debugging, editing complex logic, or reviewing variable usage at a glance.

The Material Library is the third tab in the right-hand column and serves as the dedicated data storage system for your experiment. Every EventIDE project has its own Material Library, which stores all the media and custom data required for the experiment.

The library supports a hierarchical folder structure, similar to a standard file system, allowing you to organize your materials clearly and efficiently. You can:

• Add external files, such as images, audio, video, and custom data

• Organize materials into folders and sub-folders

• Preview and, where applicable, edit items directly within the panel

Tip: Right-click in the Library to create new folders, import materials, or rename items.

While materials are stored in the Library, they cannot be used directly to build your experiment's content. To use a material, you must first drag and drop it into a suitable element that can handle the corresponding data type.

For example:

• A Renderer element can display graphical materials (e.g. bitmap or vector images) once they’ve been added to its internal list.

• An Audio Player element can play a sound file after it has been linked to a sound item from the library.

  
  

This separation between storage and usage ensures your experiment remains flexible and modular, especially when working with large numbers of stimuli.

The Snippets Editor, located below the Event Editor, is where you write and manage user-defined code snippets that control the behavior of your experiment. Snippets allow you to extend EventIDE's visual design with precise logic and interactivity using embedded scripts.

In EventIDE, code snippets are attached to specific objects in the experiment: the experiment itself, individual events, or specific elements. Each of these objects provides a fixed list of callback slots—predefined points in time when your code can be executed during the experiment.

At runtime, these snippets are automatically executed at specific moments, such as:

• When the experiment starts or ends

• On the onset or offset of an event

• In response to input (e.g. a button press)

• Repeatedly throughout an event’s duration

Structure of the Snippets Editor

Snippets are visually organized in a timeline-like layout, helping you see how code is distributed and when it will run:

• Top row – Code snippets attached to the entire experiment (global scope)

• Second row – Snippets linked to the currently selected event

• Subsequent rows – Snippets belonging to individual elements within the selected event. (Note: only element types that support scripting will appear here.)

Each row is divided into slots, based on the timing of execution. Common slots include:

• Before Onset – Executes just before the event or element begins

• After Onset – Executes immediately after the onset

• Before Offset – Executes just before the event or element ends

• Triggered – Executes in response to a triggering condition, such as a key press

• Control Loop – Executes continuously during the event, allowing for live monitoring or updates

Note: Some slots may not appear for all elements, depending on their type and functionality.

Working with Code Snippets

Clicking any snippet slot opens a code editor tab in the central panel—just above the Snippets Editor and next to the “Event Surface” tab. Each open snippet appears as its own tab, allowing you to switch between the visual layout and multiple code views with ease.

The built-in code editor features:

• Syntax highlighting

• Auto-completion

• Error detection (with line references)

• Quick navigation between snippets

This flexible system makes it easy to write, test, and revise logic in one place—whether you’re managing stimulus timing, capturing responses, or sending event markers to external devices.