Lab Management

getKnownExperiments

cExperiments = getKnownExperiments()

Returns a cell array of the string values of known experiments.

Returns	Type	Values
cExperiments	cell	strings of all known experiment names

Example

Retrieve existing experiments from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

result = syn.getKnownExperiments()
if numel(result) < 1
    error('no experiments found')
end

result = syn.getKnownExperiments()
if len(result) < 1:
    raise Exception('no experiments found')

getKnownSubjects

cSubjects = getKnownSubjects()

Returns a cell array of the string values of known subjects.

Returns	Type	Values
cSubjects	cell	strings of all known subject names

Example

Retrieve existing subjects from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

result = syn.getKnownSubjects()
if numel(result) < 1
    error('no subjects found')
end

result = syn.getKnownSubjects()
if len(result) < 1:
    raise Exception('no subjects found')

getKnownUsers

cUsers = getKnownUsers()

Returns a cell array of the string values of known users.

Returns	Type	Values
cUsers	cell	strings of all known user names

Example

Retrieve existing users from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

result = syn.getKnownUsers()
if numel(result) < 1
    error('no users found')
end

result = syn.getKnownUsers()
if len(result) < 1:
    raise Exception('no users found')

getKnownTanks

cTanks = getKnownTanks()

Returns a cell array of the string values of known tanks.

Returns	Type	Values
cTanks	cell	strings of all known tank names

Example

Retrieve existing tanks from from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

result = syn.getKnownTanks()
if numel(result) < 1
    error('no tanks found')
end

result = syn.getKnownTanks()
if len(result) < 1:
    raise Exception('no tanks found')

getKnownBlocks

cBlocks = getKnownBlocks()

Returns a cell array of the string values of known blocks.

Returns	Type	Values
cBlocks	cell	strings of all known block names

Example

Retrieve existing block names from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

result = syn.getKnownBlocks()
if numel(result) < 1
    error('no blocks found')
end

result = syn.getKnownBlocks()
if len(result) < 1:
    raise Exception('no blocks found')

getCurrentExperiment

sExperiment = getCurrentExperiment()

Returns the name of the currently selected experiment.

Returns	Type	Values
sExperiment	string	current experiment name

Example

Retrieve the current experiment name.

MATLABPython

currExperiment = syn.getCurrentExperiment()

currExperiment = syn.getCurrentExperiment()

getCurrentSubject

sSubject = getCurrentSubject()

Returns the name of the currently selected subject.

Returns	Type	Values
sSubject	string	current subject name

Example

Retrieve the current subject name.

MATLABPython

currSubject = syn.getCurrentSubject()

currSubject = syn.getCurrentSubject()

getCurrentUser

sUser = getCurrentUser()

Returns the name of the currently selected user.

Returns	Type	Values
sUser	string	current user name

Example

Retrieve the current user name.

MATLABPython

currUser = syn.getCurrentUser()

currUser = syn.getCurrentUser()

getCurrentTank

sTank = getCurrentTank()

Returns the name of the currently selected tank.

Returns	Type	Values
sTank	string	current tank name

Example

Retrieve the current tank name.

MATLABPython

currTank = syn.getCurrentTank()

currTank = syn.getCurrentTank()

getCurrentBlock

sBlock = getCurrentBlock()

Returns the name of the currently recording block.

Returns	Type	Values
sBlock	string	current block name

Example

Retrieve the current block name.

MATLABPython

currBlock = syn.getCurrentBlock()

currBlock = syn.getCurrentBlock()

createSubject

bSuccess = createSubject(sName, sDesc, sIcon)

Creates a subject with the given name, description, and icon.

Inputs	Type	Values
sName	string	name of subject
sDesc	string	description of subject
sIcon	string	type of icon to represent subject. Valid icons are: 'mouse', 'rat', 'monkey', 'marmoset', 'human', 'bat', 'owl', 'bird', 'ferret', 'gerbil', 'guinea-pig', 'rabbit', 'pig', 'cat', 'dog', 'fish', 'dolphin', 'snake', 'shark', 'duck', 'cow', 'goat', 'horse'
Returns		Values
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Create a new subject, and set it as the current subject before recording.

MATLABPython

nextSubj = 'ABC123';

syn.createSubject(nextSub, 'Control', 'mouse')

syn.setCurrentSubject(nextSub)

syn.setMode(3)

nextSub = 'ABC123'

syn.createSubject(nextSub, 'Control', 'mouse')

syn.setCurrentSubject(nextSub)

syn.setMode(3)

createTank

bSuccess = createTank(sTankPath)

Creates a tank at the given path.

Inputs	Type	Values
sTankPath	string	path to new tank
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Create a new tank, set it as the current tank, and start recording.

MATLABPython

nextTank = 'C:\TDT\NEXTTANK'

syn.createTank(nextTank)

syn.setCurrentTank(nextTank)

syn.setMode(3)

nextTank = 'C:\\TDT\\NEXTTANK'

syn.createTank(nextTank)

syn.setCurrentTank(nextTank)

syn.setMode(3)

setCurrentExperiment

bSuccess = setCurrentExperiment(sExperiment)

Creates a tank at the given path.

Inputs	Type	Values
sExperiment	string	experiment name
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Find first known experiment and select it.

MATLABPython

result = syn.knownExperiments()

syn.setCurrentExperiment(result{1})

result = syn.knownExperiments()

syn.setCurrentExperiment(result[0])

setCurrentSubject

bSuccess = setCurrentSubject(sSubject)

Creates a tank at the given path.

Inputs	Type	Values
sSubject	string	subject name
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Find first known subject and select it.

MATLABPython

result = syn.knownSubjects()

syn.setCurrentSubject(result{1})

result = syn.knownSubjects()

syn.setCurrentSubject(result[0])

setCurrentUser

bSuccess = setCurrentUser(sUser, sPassword)

Creates a tank at the given path.

Inputs	Type	Values
sUser	string	user name
sPassword	string	(optional) user password, if set during creation
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Find first known user and select it.

MATLABPython

result = syn.knownUsers()

syn.setCurrentUser(result{1})

result = syn.knownUsers()

syn.setCurrentUser(result[0])

setCurrentTank

bSuccess = setCurrentTank(sTank)

Switches to the specified tank.

Note

The Auto Tank Naming option in the Preferences menu must be disabled for this to succeed.

Inputs	Type	Values
sTankPath	string	path to tank
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Set the tank name before the next recording.

MATLABPython

nextTank = 'C:\TDT\SYNTANK';

syn.setMode(0)

syn.setCurrentTank(nextTank)

syn.setMode(3)

disp(syn.getCurrentTank())

nextTank = 'C:\\TDT\\SYNTANK'

syn.setMode(0)

syn.setCurrentTank(nextTank)

syn.setMode(3)

print(syn.getCurrentTank())

setCurrentBlock

bSuccess = setCurrentBlock(sBlock)

Switches to the specified block.

Note

Note that the Block Naming option in the Preferences menu must be set to Prompt for this to succeed.

Inputs	Type	Values
sBlock	string	block name
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Set the block name before the next recording.

MATLABPython

nextBlock = 'MyBlockName';

syn.setMode(0)

syn.setCurrentBlock(nextBlock)

syn.setMode(3)

disp(syn.getCurrentBlock())

nextBlock = 'MyBlockName'

syn.setMode(0)

syn.setCurrentBlock(nextBlock)

syn.setMode(3)

print(syn.getCurrentBlock())

getSubjectMemos

cNotes = getSubjectMemos(sSubject)

Retrieves the log entries from the Synapse database for the specified subject. These can optionally be filtered by time using the STARTTIME and STOPTIME parameters which are formatted like %Y%m%d%H%M%S, e.g. May 22, 2020 9:53 am would be 20200522095300.

Inputs (MATLAB)	Type	Values
sSubject	string	subject name to search
STARTTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
STOPTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
Inputs (Python)
sSubject	string	subject name to search
startTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
stopTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
memoNum	number	(optional) return a single memo (1-based index)
startNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
endNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
Returns
cNotes	cell	array of filtered subject notes matching query parameters

Example

Retrieve specific notes from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

currSubject = syn.currentSubject()

allNotes = syn.getSubjectMemos(currSubject)

% get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getSubjectMemos(currSubject, 'STARTTIME',
    20190101000000, 'ENDTIME', 20191231235959)

currSubject = syn.currentSubject()

allNotes = syn.getSubjectMemos(currSubject)

# get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getSubjectMemos(currSubject,
    startTime='20190101000000', endTime='20191231235959')

getExperimentMemos

cNotes = getExperimentMemos(sExperiment)

Retrieves the log entries from the Synapse database for the specified experiment. These can optionally be filtered by time using the STARTTIME and STOPTIME parameters which are formatted like %Y%m%d%H%M%S, e.g. May 22, 2020 9:53 am would be 20200522095300.

Inputs (MATLAB)	Type	Values
sExperiment	string	experiment name to search
STARTTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
STOPTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
Inputs (Python)
sExperiment	string	experiment name to search
startTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
stopTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
memoNum	number	(optional) return a single memo (1-based index)
startNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
endNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
Returns
cNotes	cell	array of filtered experiment notes matching query parameters

Example

Retrieve specific notes from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

currExperiment = syn.currentExperiment()

allNotes = syn.getExperimentMemos(currExperiment)

% get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getExperimentMemos(currExperiment, 'STARTTIME',
    20190101000000, 'ENDTIME', 20191231235959)

currExperiment = syn.currentExperiment()

allNotes = syn.getExperimentMemos(currExperiment)

# get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getExperimentMemos(currExperiment,
    startTime='20190101000000', endTime='20191231235959')

getUserMemos

cNotes = getUserMemos(sUser)

Retrieves the log entries from the Synapse database for the specified user. These can optionally be filtered by time using the STARTTIME and STOPTIME parameters which are formatted like %Y%m%d%H%M%S, e.g. May 22, 2020 9:53 am would be 20200522095300.

Inputs (MATLAB)	Type	Values
sUser	string	user name to search
STARTTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
STOPTIME	double	(optional) memo timestamp filter
Inputs (Python)
sUser	string	user name to search
startTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
stopTime	string	(optional) memo timestamp filter
memoNum	number	(optional) return a single memo (1-based index)
startNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
endNum	number	(optional) memo number filter (nonnegative)
Returns
cNotes	cell	array of filtered user notes matching query parameters

Example

Retrieve specific notes from the Synapse database.

MATLABPython

currUser = syn.currentUser()

allNotes = syn.getUserMemos(currUser)

% get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getUserMemos(currUser, 'STARTTIME',
    20190101000000, 'ENDTIME', 20191231235959)

currUser = syn.currentUser()

allNotes = syn.getUserMemos(currUser)

# get notes from 2019
filteredNotes = syn.getUserMemos(currUser,
    startTime='20190101000000', endTime='20191231235959')

appendSubjectMemo

bSuccess = appendSubjectMemo(sSubject, sMemo)

Adds a database entry linked to this specified subject, just as if the user typed it in the Logs dialog.

Inputs	Type	Values
sSubject	string	name of subject
sMemo	string	memo to timestamp and add to subject
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Add memo to current subject.

MATLABPython

currSubject = syn.currentSubject()

syn.appendSubjectMemo(currSubject, 'Subject memo from MATLAB')

currSubject = syn.currentSubject()

syn.appendSubjectMemo(currSubject, 'Subject memo from Python')

appendExperimentMemo

bSuccess = appendExperimentMemo(sExperiment, sMemo)

Adds a database entry linked to this specified experiment, just as if the user typed it in the Logs dialog.

Inputs	Type	Values
sExperiment	string	name of experiment
sMemo	string	memo to timestamp and add to experiment
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Add memo to current experiment.

MATLABPython

currExperiment = syn.currentExperiment()

syn.appendExperimentMemo(currExperiment, 'Experiment memo from MATLAB')

currExperiment = syn.currentExperiment()

syn.appendExperimentMemo(currExperiment, 'Experiment memo from Python')

appendUserMemo

bSuccess = appendUserMemo(sUser, sMemo)

Adds a database entry linked to this specified user, just as if the user typed it in the Logs dialog.

Inputs	Type	Values
sUser	string	name of user
sMemo	string	memo to timestamp and add to user
Returns
bSuccess	boolean	0 (fail), 1 (success)

Example

Add memo to current user.

MATLABPython

currUser = syn.currentUser()

syn.appendUserMemo(currUser, 'User memo from MATLAB')

currUser = syn.currentUser()

syn.appendUserMemo(currUser, 'User memo from Python')