Subsections

• Data format
• XCAA menus
• Changing the parameters
  • Windows
  • Printing
• Files
• Known problems

   
The network activity analysis tool

The name of the network activity analysis tool is xcaa. Xcaa is a tool devoted to the analysis of cluster activity analysis XCAA stands for Cluster Activity Analysis of XNBC data XCAA (Cluster Activity Analysis) allows to analyze the XNBC output behavior.

Data format

File has the extension .sim and is a simple ascii text file that can be produced by any text editor or spreadsheet.

The input file format is:

		"Total Act.
		0	0	0
		1	0	0
		2	0	0
		3	0	0
		4	0	0
		5	0	0
		6	0	0
		7	0	0
		...
		97	0	0
		98	0	0
		99	0	0
		100	0	0
		101	1	0
		102	2	0
		103	5	0
		104	1	0
		105	1	0
		106	0	0
		107	0	0
		108	0	0
		109	1	0
		110	0	0
		...
		3593	0	0
		3594	0	0
		3595	0	0
		3596	0	0
		3597	0	0
		3598	0	0
		3599	0	0
		3600	0	0

		"1 Nucleus_1
		0	0	0
		1	0	0
		2	0	0
		3	0	0
		4	0	0
		5	0	0
		6	0	0
		7	0	0

The first value is the time, that is an integer. It is supposed to be given in ms.

The second is the number of units that have discharged at this time. The third is the value of a supplemental input (here null).

The first set of data is the total activity of the network.

The second is the first cluster (or nucleus), etc...

The limit between the series of data is diven by the blanck line and the line beginning with a double quote (") followed by the name of the cluster.

XCAA menus

XCAA is X menu driven. XCAA has been implemented with the same main menu as xtms. So the user knows how to use both programs by using one. The main menu contains the items : 'File', 'Edit', 'Operations' and 'Options' (Fig. 11.1).

  

Figure: The network activity analysis tool interface

• The 'File' menu is a standard and let open and close a source file, save or print a postscript file. This sub-menu contains the items : 'Open...', 'Close', 'Save Postcript File','Print' , 'Print on... 'and 'Exit'.

  'Print On...' : allow the user to select another printer instead of the default one.

  'Open...' : ask the user to enter a file source name and a postscript file name for its work. The user can change of source file by openning a new file.

• The 'Edit' menu allows the user to add restrictions to the data analysis by acting on filters and on the axis caracteristics. This sub-menu contains the items : 'Filters...' and 'Axis lenght...'

  'Filters...' : display a window where the user can select for wich data he wants a filter and each filter caracteristics.

  'Axis lenght...': display a window that let the user select the axis lenght...

• The 'Operations' menu allows the user to select the data and to execute the calculs functions. This sub-menu contains the items 'Parameters...', and the groups of calculs functions.

  'Parameters...': open the parameters window The calculs functions groups correspond to the list of calculs groups in the old version main menu (from the 4th item to last one). For each group corespond a sub-menu as for the old version (menu A, B, C,... H) excepted the 'Quit' item.

  As there are only 8 functions a simple menu is used to call all functions. There is no groups of functions.

  The `Operation' menu propose some general actions and the following submenus:

  		
  	    A Fast Fourier Transform: amplitude spectrum
  	    B Fast Fourier Transform: phase spectrum
  	    C State space of a cluster.
  	    D State at t, (t+1) (Poincare map)
  	    E Amplitude as a function of time
  	    F Amplitude autocorrelation function
  	    G Amplitude cross-correlation function
  

• The 'Options' menu allows the user to select an automatic spooling (automatic printing) or not and to write an *.isi file or not for special calculs functions.

• The 'Help' menu gives an "Browse manual' and an 'Help on topic'. This use a dynamic help library to allow new topics to be included.

Changing the parameters

The calculs functions need some parameters to design the drawings. Some parameters are in common or generally used. Those parameters have been implemented in the 'Parameters' window (Fig. 11.2). This window is used to select and display the data to study and its caracteristics (asked before the first menu in the old versions).

  

Figure: The network activity analysis tool parameter pane

The axis lenght is accessible in the 'Axis options' window.

The next part of the interface is functions oriented is not the same in xtms and xcaa. For each functions the parameters that are not used are greyed and insensitive in the next windows . For each analysis, specific question are asked. All questions admit a default answer indicated at the prompt.

As for xtms, there is a window called by the selection of any function. This window takes the current function's name and is organized in 3 parts.

The first part identifies the only data selected and is not editable. The second part is only used for 3D graph parameters and the last part concerns the correlations parameters. As for xtms an 'Apply' button compute the default values and the 'Compute' button do the same thing and create the graph.

For each analysis, specific question are asked. All questions admit a default answer indicated at the prompt.

Windows

As for xtms, there is a window called by the selection of any function. This window takes the current function's name and is organized in 3 parts.

The first part identifies the only data selected and is not editable. The second part is only used for 3D graph parameters and the last part concerns the correlations parameters.

As for xtms an 'Apply' button compute the default values and the 'Compute' button do the same thing and create the graph.

Printing

Results are given as PostScript graphics, displayed on the X window, and/or automatically spooled (or if asked from the menu area).

The 'Options' menu allows the user to select an automatic spooling (automatic printing).

Results of XCAA are given as PostScript graphics, displayed on the X window, and/or automatically spooled (or if asked from the menu area).

The PRINT_PLOT_PS environment variable should be positionned with the right print command and printer indicated.

For example in csh:

setenv PRINT_PLOT_PS "lpr -Plaser "

Files

Input: file_in.tms .caarc

Output: file_in.ps .caarc

Known problems

No known problems