Review the afni_proc.py command. Display the command file in a terminal window. Also consider opening the file in an editor or using less. % cat s01.ap.simple --------------------------------------------- #!/bin/tcsh afni_proc.py -subj_id FT \ -dsets FT/FT_epi_r?+orig.HEAD \ -copy_anat FT/FT_anat+orig \ -tcat_remove_first_trs 2 \ -regress_stim_times FT/AV*.txt \ -regress_stim_labels Vrel Arel \ -regress_basis 'BLOCK(20,1)' \ -regress_opts_3dD \ -gltsym 'SYM: Vrel -Arel' \ -glt_label 1 V-A \ -regress_est_blur_errts --------------------------------------------- option: -subj_id FT This subject ID will be used as part of the output directory name (default is subject_ID.results), as well as part of any important file name, created by the processing script. option: -dsets FT/FT_epi_r?+orig.HEAD This lists the EPI datasets to be processed. Note that they can be listed fully as AFNI datasets: (a) -dsets FT/FT_epi_r1+orig FT/FT_epi_r2+orig FT/FT_epi_r3+orig or fully as files (e.g. with a .HEAD or .BRIK suffix): (b) -dsets FT/FT_epi_r1+orig.HEAD FT/FT_epi_r2+orig.HEAD \ FT/FT_epi_r3+orig.HEAD Since the option in the example uses the '?' wildcard character to match a single character, The -dsets option in the command is equivalent to giving the full .HEAD file names as example (b) shows. When using wildcards, the expression must expand into complete file names (so the suffix is needed). ** If there were a spelling mistake when using wildcards, the error message from the shell (not from afni_proc.py) will be "No match". ** To test whether the names are correct (when using wildcards), try to list the files using the 'ls' command, or maybe 'echo'. works: ls -l FT/FT_epi_r?+orig.HEAD error: ls -l FT/FT_epi_run?+orig.HEAD Cut and paste these commands and verify the expected output. ** Keep in mind that when using wildcards, the files will appear in alphabetical order. That must match the run order. For example, a file called epi_r9+orig.HEAD would come _after_ epi_r10+orig.HEAD, which presumably not be desired. That is why zero-padding files is important, i.e. using epi_r09+orig.HEAD, instead. option: -copy_anat FT/FT_anat+orig Specify the anatomical dataset to be copied into the results directory. option: -tcat_remove_first_trs 2 Request to remove the first 2 TRs from each run. Note that this may affect the stimulus timing files. If the scanner started at time t=0 seconds and the TR is 2.5 seconds, then removing 2 TRs means the stimulus times will be off by 5 seconds. The timing files should be adjusted, if necessary. option: -regress_stim_times FT/AV*.txt Using a wildcard expression, provide the stimulus timing file names. Keep in mind Test that 2 files are seen: % ls FT/AV*.txt option: -regress_stim_labels Vrel Arel This option is to provide labels that match the stimulus timing files given in the previous option. Be sure that if wildcards are used above, the order matches what is expected. That is why the files start with AV1 and AV2, so that the order is clear and alphabetical. So files FT/AV1_vis.txt FT/AV2_aud.txt match labels Vrel and Arel (the visual-reliable and audio-reliable stimulus classes). option: -regress_basis 'BLOCK(20,1)' This is where the fact that each stimulus lasted 20 seconds is applied. We know from file FT/AV1_vis.txt that the first visual-reliable stimulus occurred 60 seconds into run 1. Using this basis function, we are telling 3dDeconvolve that the stimulus lasted from time t=60 to time t=80, and that we want this 20 second boxcar function convolved with an incomplete gamma function to become (part of) the ideal response function lasting from t=60 to t=95 (until 15 seconds after the end of the stimulus). We will review the ideal response functions later, after they are generated by 3dDeconvolve.