PinkRigs

Shared code for running experiments and processing data on the pink rigs

Notes on the CSVs

Python and Matlab

Notes on who does what

In this pipeline, Python is mainly used for spike sorting, IBL formatting, histology, and video processing (FaceMap and DLC). Matlab is mainly used for data management (CSVs, etc.) and data alignment and formatting. Both are used for analysis.

Standard Matlab function input format

Most scripts in Matlab use a standard input format.

Using python scripts

Install for the first time

1. After cloning the environment,open anaconda prompt.
2. Run conda env create -f environment.yml
3. Then activate the environment by conda activate PinkRigs

update after git pull

1. In Anaconda prompt, activate the environment by conda activate PinkRigs
2. Run conda env update --file environment.yml --prune

Dev

If you added new packages to the environment, overwrite the current environment.yml by running the following before you git add/commit: conda env export -f environment.yml

installing FFmpeg on Windows

the PinkRig environment is dependent FFmpeg which needs to be installed manually and added to system varaibles in Windows. Here is an installation guide that worked.

Regular automated scripts

The pipeline runs automatically, mostly at night. It deals with the data that is on the experimental computers, to produce a standardized output for each experiment.

Here is a list of the automated tasks, and when they start:

On timeline computer

• 8pm:
  • Push daily camera data to server
  • Run FaceMap

On ephys computer

• 8pm:
  • Push daily mic data to server
  • Extract the sync and compress all ephys data (older than 1h)
  • Copy compressed ephys data and associated files
  • Run FaceMap

On kilo computer

• 22pm:
  • Send update on training via email
• 22pm/1am
  • Run pyKilosort ont he queue
  • Convert to IBL format
  • If after 2am, run the alignment and extract data All of this is saved locally in a log file.

We use Windows task scheduler to set up the tasks:

1. Select Create a basic task...
2. Select the relevant timings and when prompted to select the task to schedule, select, the relevant batch file: \Github\PinkRigs\Admin\nightManager.bat

There are also other processed that are semi-automated:

Histology

• \Analysis\\+hist\Save_images_run_brainreg.ipynb automatically runs brainreg. To run, open jupyter notebook in evironment where you installed brainreg.

Manual scripts

Querying a list of experiments (queryExp)

Running sorting manually

Running alignment manually

'Manual curation' of experiments

1. If you record and experiment which, for whatever reason, is not worth keeping, please add "IgnoreExperiment.txt" to the experiment path on the server (see \zinu.cortexlab.net\Subjects\CB020\2021-11-25\1) for an example. This will mean the experiment isn't added to the .csv and so you won't have to deal with inevitable errors etc.
2. Alternatively, if an experiment is worth keeping, but you have checked the errors and you are satisfied that nothing can be done (e.g. you want to keep the behavior even though the flipper wasn't working), please add "AllErrorsValidated.txt" to the experiment folder. (see \zinu.cortexlab.net\Subjects\FT025\2021-10-06\1 for an example) In both cases, please write a few words to explain in the text file. In this way we can continue to keep our csv's tidy, with an accurate reflection of the current state of processing.

Useful functions

When planning an experiment

plt.recLocation

+imro package

When doing an experiment

changeMouseNameAndExpNum

Checking the data

Behaviour

Spikes

Videos

Mic

Debugging

plt.functionGraph

checkOrChangePinkRigsFunc

Use this function to change the name of a function in the whole repo.

Performing analysis

+natim package