[Edserplo_users] Update: Edserplo can manage span dissection and some forms of sampling

[Steve Loch]

Problems with edit mode (B#471) when working with DATARING have been removed (see point 6 below). The marker dot can be removed through escape as per Edteva (B#460). Note point 4 is soliciting feedback.

I have continued to work on the OutputPage class since the last update.

1) The messaging has been changed so it no longer generates huge numbers of entries on the status bar.

2) It now tells you if you haven't selected one or more dependent channels. It would be desirable if this operated during overlap suppression but it doesn't. You only find out when actually doing the output, analysis or stats.

3) Sampling has been added (15, 30, 60min, etc.). This has required an adjustment to the recently written dissection code. Sampling is done by stringing a spline through the points and picking off the values at the stated intervals. The spline is not the NAG one - which it would be preferable to use. Other things not yet available are the associated flag mapping, filtering and the exclusion of very closely spaced points as knots in the spline (as per Edteva).

4) Edteva fails to manage the output of series where there are prominent gaps. Edserplo improves on this but, at the moment, doesn't bring it to the attention of the user. We could make it so that, in span dissection, the missing span(s) (generally  a month or months) is marked by the creation of (a) file(s) of the right name(s) but with zero bytes. Alternatively or in addition we can have messaging on the screen and on the command line - the former might get tedious. Also in this case there won't be an analysis; I need to check what would happen with the stats. Opinions on how to handle gaps in output gratefully received but some of it can be handled by specifying further options for the user to select.

5) Changes are being made (by Lise) to the file signature mechanism used for BUDS. Once these are in place you cannot use - not that I imagine anyone is using - Serplo to flag BUDS files. The result will be to corrupt the file as far as BUDS is concerned.

6) The bizarre behaviour of losing the series in flag-edit mode has been corrected. In flag-edit mode moving the mouse a little from its position on entering the mode and pressing left or possibly right arrow often resulted in the current series disappearing from view. The same thing happened with left or right mouse button clicks.

Steve