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Support   SuperLab    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These FAQs apply to SuperLab version 4.5.2 or later. If you are using an earlier 4.x version, please upgrade to the latest 4.5.x version; it’s free.

Audio

Can I play MP3 sound files?

Yes. However, this needs to be done via the Movie stimulus type. This odd behavior is due to patent issues surrounding the MP3 file format: the audio playing library that SuperLab uses is open source and cannot license the patents.

On the Mac, there is sometimes a brief delay before a sound plays.

Many Mac computers have a built-in power save feature that puts the sound system to sleep after several seconds of silence. This results in a delay when playing a sound file after the sound system has been put to sleep. We have not found a way to disable this Mac OS feature. One workaround is to have SuperLab play a “silent” sound file to prevent the sound system from sleeping. Another approach is to install a utility program called Antipop that was developed specifically to help users affected by this.

Sometimes I hear Windows’ default beep.

You need to go the Control Panel and change the “default beep” to None.

Keyboard

I want to use keyboard string input and keyboard single keys input in the same experiment but I’m having some difficulties.

Please see this tech support note.

A key press (or string input) is not being acknowledged by SuperLab as being correct, even though I am sure that it is.

Make sure that the Caps Lock key is not pressed; responses are case sensitive. On the Mac in particular, having Caps Lock pressed can mess with string input.

Mouse

Clicking the mouse twice quickly does not always work on Windows.

Two clicks that happen quickly but were intended as two separate single clicks will be recorded by SuperLab as a single click. A possible workaround is change the double-click “speed”; see this web page.

My Microsoft Serial Mouse is not being recognized by Windows.

When Windows starts up, it scans all the available ports on your computers. If it “sees” the Microsoft Serial Mouse, it assumes that you are intending to use it as a general purpose mouse, e.g. to click on buttons or select from menus. It then “reserves” the mouse for its own use, so SuperLab and other applications can no longer access the mouse directly. The only workaround is to make sure that the Microsoft Serial Mouse is unplugged when Windows is starting up.

Movies

SuperLab for Mac sometimes freezes when I use present more than one movie simultaneously.

On the Mac, the only known issue with presenting multiple movies simultaneously is when they overlap. The workaround is to make sure the movies do not overlap. This is a QuickTime issue and beyond our control.

Can I play animated GIF files?

Yes. On the Mac, the animated GIF plays once and then it stops. On Windows, it keeps repeating.

Miscellaneous

Can I move my experiment between Mac and Windows computers?

Yes. This is described in a separate tech note.

How can I improve the presentation on Windows 7 (and Vista)?

We highly recommend that you disable the Aero features and animations. Please search the web to find out how.

How can I share an experiment or move it from one computer to another?

Click on the File menu and chose Create an Experiment Package. SuperLab will then copy your experiment file and all the stimulus files being used, compress them, and put them in a single .ZIP file that you can move.

Is a printed manual available?

Yes. If you need one, please send us an email. The manual is also available for download.

Can SuperLab 4 or 5 import SuperLab 1 and 2 experiments?

Unfortunately not. But you will find experiments easy to recreate in SuperLab 5 when taking advantage of the stimulus lists feature.

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