.. _overview: Overview ======== To use *neurotic*, first organize your datasets in a *metadata file* like this (see :ref:`config-metadata`): .. code-block:: yaml my favorite dataset: description: This time it actually worked! data_dir: C:\local_dir_containing_files remote_data_dir: http://myserver/remote_dir_containing_downloadable_files # optional data_file: data.axgx video_file: video.mp4 # etc video_offset: -3.4 # seconds between start of video and data acq epoch_encoder_possible_labels: - label01 - label02 plots: - channel: I2 ylim: [-30, 30] - channel: RN ylim: [-60, 60] # etc filters: # used only if fast loading is off (lazy=False) - channel: Force lowpass: 50 # etc amplitude_discriminators: # used only if fast loading is off (lazy=False) - name: B3 neuron channel: BN2 units: uV amplitude: [50, 100] # etc another dataset: # etc Open your metadata file in *neurotic* and choose a dataset. If the data and video files aren't already on your local computer, the app can download them for you, even from a password-protected server or from Google Drive. Finally, click launch and the app will use a standard viewer layout to display your data to you using ephyviewer_. |Example screenshot| *In the screenshot above, the video frame shows a voracious sea slug* (Aplysia californica) *swallowing a strip of unbreakable seaweed attached to a force transducer. Implanted electrodes recorded from a muscle and the major nerves controlling feeding. The epoch encoder was used to mark the times when seaweed moved into the mouth. Spikes corresponding to activity of identified neurons were detected by* neurotic *using customizable parameters.* The viewers are easy and intuitive to navigate (see `User Interface`_): - Pressing the play button will scroll through your data and video in real time, or at a higher or lower rate if the speed parameter is changed. - The arrow/WASD keys allow you to step through time in variable increments. - Jump to a time by clicking on an event in the event list or a table entry in the epoch encoder. - To show more or less time at once, right-click and drag right or left to contract or expand time. - Scroll the mouse wheel in the trace viewer or video viewer to zoom. - The epoch encoder can be used to block out periods of time during which something interesting is happening for later review or further analysis (saved to a CSV file). - All panels can be hidden, undocked, stacked, or repositioned on the fly. Electrophysiologists will find this tool useful even if they don't need the video synchronization feature! **Portability is easy with neurotic!** Use relative paths in your metadata file along with a remotely accessible data store such as GIN_ or a Shared Drive on Google Drive to make your metadata file fully portable. The same metadata file can be copied to a different computer, and downloaded files will automatically be saved to the right place. Data stores can be password protected and *neurotic* will prompt you for a user name and password. This makes it easy to share the *neurotic* experience with your colleagues! 🤪 .. |Example screenshot| image:: _static/example-screenshot.png :target: _static/example-screenshot.png :alt: Screenshot .. _ephyviewer: https://ephyviewer.readthedocs.io/en/latest .. _GIN: https://gin.g-node.org .. _User Interface: https://ephyviewer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/interface.html