Software / Documentation / Notes

Notes Module

Timestamped session annotations synchronized with all other data streams.

The Notes module allows you to add timestamped annotations during experiment sessions. Notes are synchronized with other data streams and saved to a CSV file for later analysis. Use notes to mark events, observations, or participant comments during your experiments.

Getting Started

  1. Enable the Notes module — From the Modules menu
  2. Start a session — From the main logger
  3. Type your note — In the text field
  4. Press Enter or click "Post" — To save

User Interface

History Panel

Displays previously entered notes with:

Notes module showing timestamped session annotations
Element Description
Timestamp When the note was created (blue text)
Elapsed Time Time since recording started (green text)
Module Tags Which modules were recording (purple tags)
Note Content Your annotation text

New Note Field

  • Type your annotation text in the input field
  • Press Enter to submit (Shift+Enter for newline)
  • Click "Post" button to save

Recording Notes

Adding a Note

  1. Type your observation in the text field
  2. Press Enter or click "Post"
  3. Note appears in history with timestamp
  4. Data is immediately saved to file

Note Content Tips

  • Keep notes brief and descriptive
  • Use consistent terminology across sessions
  • Include relevant trial or condition info
  • Note unexpected events or errors

Auto-Recording

Notes recording starts automatically when:

  • A session is active
  • You type and submit a note

Data Output

File Location

{session_dir}/Notes/{timestamp}_NOTES_trial{NNN}.csv

Example: 20251208_143022_NOTES_trial001.csv

CSV Columns (8 fields)

Column Description
trial Trial number (integer, 1-based)
module Always "Notes"
device_id Always "notes"
label Trial label (may be empty)
record_time_unix Host Unix timestamp (seconds, 6 decimals)
record_time_mono Host monotonic time (seconds, 9 decimals)
device_time_unix Reserved (always empty for Notes)
content Your annotation text (string)

Example row:

1,Notes,notes,Trial_Label,1733649123.456789,12345.678901234,,Participant started task

Timing and Synchronization

Timestamp Precision

  • Unix timestamp with microsecond precision (6 decimal places)
  • Monotonic time with nanosecond precision (9 decimal places)
  • Recorded at the moment you press Enter/Post

Cross-Module Synchronization

Use record_time_mono to correlate notes with other modules:

  • Video frames (via camera record_time_mono)
  • Audio samples (via audio record_time_mono)
  • DRT trials (via record_time_mono)
  • Eye tracking data (via record_time_mono)
  • GPS position (via record_time_mono)

Use record_time_unix for absolute time reference across systems.

Example: Finding video frame for a note

  1. Read note record_time_mono (e.g., 12345.678901234)
  2. Search camera timing CSV for nearest record_time_mono
  3. Use frame_index to locate frame in video file

Configuration

Setting Description Default
History Limit Maximum notes displayed in history panel 200
Auto-Start Automatically begin recording when session starts Off

Best Practices

During Experiments

  • Note start/end of conditions or trials
  • Record participant comments verbatim
  • Mark equipment issues or interruptions
  • Document environmental changes

For Analysis

  • Use consistent note formats across sessions
  • Include trial/condition identifiers when relevant
  • Timestamp critical events as they happen
  • Note anything unusual for later reference

Troubleshooting

Notes not saving
  1. Verify a session is active
  2. Check the session directory is writable
  3. Start session from main logger first
  4. Review module logs for errors
History not updating
  1. Notes appear after pressing Enter/Post
  2. Check that note field is not empty
  3. Scroll to bottom of history panel
  4. Restart module if display freezes
"Session required" message
  1. Start a session from RSLogger first
  2. Use "Start Session" button before adding notes
Lost notes after crash
  • Notes are saved immediately to disk
  • Check session directory for CSV file
  • Partial data should be recoverable