User manual

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9.3 Saving the Continuous Acqusition Files in Reasonable
Durations
Using the AutoRepeat feature as described in Section 9.3 can also be used to save the gap-free
Continuous Acquisition ABF file in smaller, more reasonable durations.
This is because there is one Continuous Acquisition file for each MainProtocol run. When the AutoRepeat
is set to > 1 times, this will then divide the Continuous Acquisition gap-free ABF file into more reasonably
sized chunks. By doing this you could have a new Continuous Acqusition file every hour rather than
having one Continuous Acqusition file for the whole duration of the MainProtocol run.
For example, if you are using the normal circular protocols when performing a basic LTP exeriment you
can use the AutoRepeat MainProtocol capability shown in Fig. 9.3.1.. In this case a bog standard
protocol has been chosen to produce the MainProtocol in the right of Fig. 1. The protocol is set to
produce one P0sweep every 60 sec or 1 minute. However, rather than looping for 99999 times, ie
'continuously' or almost 'forever', it only loops for 60 times, ie for 60 x 1 min or for 1hr. After this time the
MainProtocol stops or self-terminates. When the MainProtocol self-terminates, the Continuous
Acquisition file is closed.
However, since the AutoRepeat MainProtocol checkbox in the left of Fig. 1 has been checked, when the
MainProtocol self-terminates after 1 hr, the MainProtocol then restarts, ie AutoRepeats. When the
MainProtocol starts again, another Continuous Acquisition file is created to begin acquiring more data.
Since the number of times is set to 6, the 1 hr long MainProtocol will repeat 6 times, the experiment will
last for6 hrs, and 6 x1 hour long Continuous Acqusition files will be created.
At any time during the running of these MainProtocols, single or repeat sweep stimulations can be evoked
as usual. This same idea can be used when using Sequential Scripts in the Protocol Builder.
Fig. 9.3.1.. AutoRepeat MainProtocol 6 times to save another Continuous Acquisition file once every
hour for 6 hours. The Left figure shows the Protocol Linking tabsheet with the AutoRepeat MainProtocol
checked to repeat for 6 times. The right figure shows a protocol which produces a sweep every 60 sec or
1 min, and loops for 60 times to give a total duration for a single MainProtocol of 1 hr.