2.4. Trace View

The Trace View displays spikes on the wide-band signals. This view is available only if the wide-band data file (.dat file, see Data File) is present in the same directory as the other files.

Note

This feature requires additional information available only in the XML parameter file, and cannot be activated when using the obsolete flat text parameter files (see data format).

2.4.1. Browsing Wide-Band Data

There are several ways to navigate through the data:

Note

The shortcut keys described above will not work if the focus is in one of the text boxes below the traces. This is because in this case the shortcuts are applied to the text boxes rather than to the display (e.g. hitting the End key will move the insertion point to the end of the text). To activate the navigation shortcut keys, move the focus elsewhere, for instance by clicking on the scroll bar.

Similar to the Cluster View, the Zoom tool can be used to enlarge a selected area of the view (see Grouping and Reshaping Clusters). However, here you cannot zoom out in single steps.

2.4.2. Browsing Unit Activity

Pyramidal or granule cells typically fire at low rates. Thus, when examining their firing patterns, you may sometimes find it difficult to locate those epochs when the neurons discharge. Klusters provides a mechanism to easily 'browse' spikes, i.e. to automatically move the time window to the previous or next spike fired by one or more neurons. Now, choose Traces->Previous Spike or click on to move the time window to the previous spike fired by one of the selected clusters, or choose Traces->Next Spike or click on to move the time window to the next spike.

2.4.3. Adjusting Channel Amplitudes

Channel amplitudes can be adjusted by selecting Traces->Increase Channel Amplitudes or Traces->Decrease Channel Amplitudes.

2.4.4. Labels

Labels provide information about the traces: the ID of the corresponding channel, and the current amplitude. Labels can be showed by selecting Traces->Show Labels (selecting this menu item a second time will toggle its status and hide the labels).

Amplitudes are described as follows. By convention, 'x1' corresponds to 0.2  mV/cm. Thus, an amplitude of 'x0.38' corresponds to 0.076 mV/cm.

2.4.5. Setting the Start Time from a Cluster View

Suppose you are inspecting a cluster as a function of time in a Cluster View, and you notice that it has certain interesting characteristics (e.g. increased firing rate) at a particular point in time. You may want to look at the corresponding wide-band signals. This can be achieved by selecting Action->Select time or by clicking on and then clicking in the Cluster View at the time point you wish to inspect, as shown in the above screenshot.