DirectX, Authorware and Timing Accuracy

Hi,

 Does anybody know if Authorware?s default Response Times (ResponseTime) use 
DirectX?

 If not can anyone point to ways Authorware can use DirectX to support response

registration and graphics presentation with high timing accuracy (temporal 
resolution)? And also use DirectX to interact with the output (e.g., video and 
sound) and input interfaces (e.g., keyboard, mouse)?

 Cheers,

 Miles.

I know of no way that Authorware can address DirectX function calls 
directly, and am fairly certain it does not by default. Best bet is to 
perhaps find an ActiveX component which can do this, then hope that 
control can be loaded into Authorware.
Erik

m1lesr1969 wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>  Does anybody know if Authorware?s default Response Times (ResponseTime)
use 
> DirectX?
> 
>  If not can anyone point to ways Authorware can use DirectX to support
response 
> registration and graphics presentation with high timing accuracy (temporal

> resolution)? And also use DirectX to interact with the output (e.g., video
and 
> sound) and input interfaces (e.g., keyboard, mouse)?
> 
>  Cheers,
> 
>  Miles.
> 
> 

-- 
Erik Lord
http://www.capemedia.net
Adobe Community Expert - eLearning
http://www.adobe.com/communities/experts/
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Erik. I presume Authorware uses the system clock for its response times 
then?

 The reason I ask (in case you wondered) is that I use Authorware for 
experimental purposes (stimulus and response recording). There are bespoke 
packages designed to do this (all use DirectX for millisecond accuracy), but 
Authorware is a much more powerful package in terms of conditional branching, 
feedback, random conditions etc. It can also run of the web and exe's can be 
used on machines without a licence - making it more flexible and cheaper too! 
Only downiside is the timing accuracy, which is good, but not the best....

I am indeed fairly certain Authorware uses the system clock for such 
timings. I was not aware you could use DirectX in such a fashion... Very 
happy to hear you recognize Authorware's flexibility and power! It's a 
shame it hasn't kept up with technology. However, if it's within your 
skillset, Authorware can be extended through use of custom DLLs created 
as 'Xtras' or 'U32' files. I believe the Authorware CD contains examples 
of how to create your own (using tools like Delphi). So perhaps the 
functionality you seek is still possible...
Best of luck!
Erik

m1lesr1969 wrote:
> Thanks Erik. I presume Authorware uses the system clock for its response
times 
> then?
> 
>  The reason I ask (in case you wondered) is that I use Authorware for 
> experimental purposes (stimulus and response recording). There are bespoke

> packages designed to do this (all use DirectX for millisecond accuracy),
but 
> Authorware is a much more powerful package in terms of conditional
branching, 
> feedback, random conditions etc. It can also run of the web and exe's can
be 
> used on machines without a licence - making it more flexible and cheaper
too! 
> Only downiside is the timing accuracy, which is good, but not the best....
> 
> 

-- 
Erik Lord
http://www.capemedia.net
Adobe Community Expert - eLearning
http://www.adobe.com/communities/experts/
------------------------------------------------------------------------

m1lesr1969 wrote:
> Thanks Erik. I presume Authorware uses the system clock for its response
times 
> then?
> 
>  The reason I ask (in case you wondered) is that I use Authorware for 
> experimental purposes (stimulus and response recording). There are bespoke

> packages designed to do this (all use DirectX for millisecond accuracy),
but 
> Authorware is a much more powerful package in terms of conditional
branching, 
> feedback, random conditions etc. It can also run of the web and exe's can
be 
> used on machines without a licence - making it more flexible and cheaper
too! 
> Only downiside is the timing accuracy, which is good, but not the best....
> 
> 

Mail me off list.  I think I have a solution for you.

mark at authorwarextras dot co dot uk

I just timed an event in Authorware using both SystemSeconds and then a 
U32 I wrote:

SystemSeconds gives:  4.567  Seconds  (finish time - start time using 
system seconds)

My U32 gives: 4.56827222454  Seconds  (finish time - start time using 
high-resolution performance counter)

Would that level of accuracy be of use to you?

Mark