ThoughtStream Monitor Mac Beta Software

[neuroasis]

This is the Mac version. Windows version here: http://www.mindplacesupport.com/foru...-Beta-Software

Hello all,
I am attaching the first public release of a new version of the ThoughtStream software.

This goal of this version is to better mirror the display of the ThoughtStream console and provide feedback on session progression. Used properly it should help you really to understand what the TS is displaying and what the various levels 'mean'. Also it is high time that ThoughtStream owners with Macs get some love.

Note: this is Beta software. There will be bugs and it doesn't have a great deal of 'protections' built in for various things that can fool it. By testing this software you acknowledge that it is a work in progress and agree to be forgiving of things I overlooked. Also, you must report experiences, bugs, and general feedback.

It has only been tested by me at this point and mainly on Yosemite. In Yosemite there are occasionally screen glitches. I am told this is an Apple issue that will be fixed. Note it should pass Gatekeeper. I also work on Snow Leopard but will have to make a new build for that. This compiled version requires Lion or greater.

Note you must also install the Silicon Labs driver included in the download archive.

There is a PDF Quickstart and Installation notes included in the archive.

Enjoy and speak up!
Scott

[neuroasis]

No Mac ThoughtStream users? I am the only one on the planet? Soooooo lonely

[marcia425star]

OK, I downloaded but don't have the program to open! Help please or can the link be sent to be able to use with my Mac? Much appreciated.

[neuroasis]

Open the archive that you downloaded up above. Drag the included ThoughtStream software to your Applications folder. Open the Applications folder find the ThoughtStream app and double click to open it.

[Drdanielkester]

Scott,

Thank you SO MUCH for the Mac luv.

I have not used my thought stream for a long time and do not have the cable for the USB to the Computer. Is this a Special Cable or one I can pick up anywhere? Does Mindplace sell it?

Thanks!

DrDan

[neuroasis]

If you have the ThoughtStream USB then a regular mini USB to USB A cable will work. I hope you do have the TSUSB because I didn't write in support for the serial version. The format is different. I could but there is the added variable these days of Macs making it somewhat harder to access hardware devices with Sandbox.

Best,
Scott

[dimas]

Hello,

Thank you for the software, I really appreciate the effort of building a Mac version.
I just started out with the device and the software, everything works as expected except for saving the session file.
I am running 10.11.2 El Capitan, and when I attempt to save the session, I get:
NilObjectException. SIGSEGV 11, and a crash.

The following output might help in debugging the issue:


------------- Start UI ----------------
2016-02-22 14:23:43.065 ThoughtStream Monitor[846:55983] Unable to simultaneously satisfy constraints:
(
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa604f0 V:|-(0)-[NSButton:0xa57df0] (Names: '|':XOJMovieControlsBackgroundView:0xa3c440 )>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa60550 V:[NSButton:0xa57df0(24)]>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa60590 V:[NSButton:0xa57df0]-(0)-| (Names: '|':XOJMovieControlsBackgroundView:0xa3c440 )>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa64880 V:[NSView:0xe7d4e0]-(0)-[XOJMovieControlsBackgroundView:0xa3c440]>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa64840 V:|-(0)-[NSView:0xe7d4e0] (Names: '|':XOJMovieView:0xd8bdf0 )>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa63250 V:[XOJMovieControlsBackgroundView:0xa3c440]-(0)-| (Names: '|':XOJMovieView:0xd8bdf0 )>",
"<NSAutoresizingMaskLayoutConstraint:0xe95ec0 h=--& v=&-- V:[XOJMovieView:0xd8bdf0(14)]>"
)


Will attempt to recover by breaking constraint
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xa60590 V:[NSButton:0xa57df0]-(0)-| (Names: '|':XOJMovieControlsBackgroundView:0xa3c440 )>


Set the NSUserDefault NSConstraintBasedLayoutVisualizeMutuallyExclusiveC onstraints to YES to have -[NSWindow visualizeConstraints:] automatically called when this happens. And/or, break on objc_exception_throw to catch this in the debugger.



------------------ Running Session. Stop it. Attempt to save: ----------------


Segmentation fault: 11
logout
Saving session...
...copying shared history...
...saving history...truncating history files...
...completed.
Deleting expired sessions...3 completed.


----------- END -----------


Thank you.

[neuroasis]

I'll take a look at this. Seems like it is an error with 'hidden' movie controls that are present. Hidden means that I have implemented sound playback for a future version but I haven't finished it. So it should be an easy fix. I'll post here with an update after I check it out in next couple of days.

Best,
Scott

[Neuro-Surfer]

Hi Scott,

I just purchased the ThoughtStream and am happy to feel the Mac luv :-)
I have a couple of questions though and hope you can help me out:

I'm a bit confused as the Software manual on the Mindplace page seems to refer to a different program. In the Mac version, the Y axis is labeled "% change".

1. When I started the session, the line started at 2% - not sure what that means, I would have expected it to start at 0% (baseline).

2. In the log, I find the following values:
2016-11-05 20:58:51 - Reading is 1.13802%
2016-11-05 20:59:51 - Reading is 0.9323132%
2016-11-05 21:00:51 - Reading is -1.04881%
Does that mean that during the first two intervals the conductivity increased all the time? And only decreased during the third interval when the percentage drops below 0?

3. Also would love to understand what "Start Value Recorded at x" means in the log.

4. On a more general note: The Thoughtstream manual states that the values are relative, not absolute, only comparing conductivity within that one session. Once I reached a specific level (say, 6), the device will start on that level though. Am I right in thinking that it's still about relative levels only, but the lower level means that it will take higher percentage changes to progress?

Thanks for your work on this - and please just refer me to the proper manual or sources that may answer these questions; I may just have missed those on the site :-)

Best regards
Michael

[Robert Austin]

Hello, Michael--

The brief manual we have available is for the Windows-based 'ThoughtStream USB Interface' program, rather than Scott's beta, dual-platform version. I had assumed that Scott had used a similar approach to mapping data--that is, percent changes are relative to the baseline, but as we don't have access to his source code, hard to verify what his code is doing. With our software, increasing trends do reflect increasing skin conductance, and vice-versa, so again I would assume that his software was intended to function similarly.

When we were developing and testing the ThoughtStream, we found that some users could initially only cause a change of a few percent to occur, while others could vary it by 400% or more. That's why we set the system up to default to the most sensitive setting, and then re-calibrate to lower sensitivities as the user progresses over time.

BTW, the ThoughtStream USB is compatible with, in addition to Mental Games, Transparent Corporation's Mind Workstation and NP3 software, and Laxball from Neurotronics.

Best,

Robert