User Guide

From Emergent

This user guide is just a master index into a set of individual pages describing all of the key elements of the software. The software is object oriented, and this documentation is organized around the objects involved. See the guide to using emergent for other ways of accessing this information.

Major Objects

These are the main entities you will interact with in constructing a simulation:

• Project -- overall container for everything associated with a given simulation, including the Project window graphical interface.
• DataTable -- multi-purpose container of all manner of data, including input patterns to present to a network, output recorded from the network, analysis, statistics, etc.
  • Grid View -- graphical view of data using text and colored squares in rows and columns
  • Graph View -- graphical view of data as lines or bars
• Network -- the neural network itself
  • Network View -- 3D graphical display of the network
  • Specs -- parameters for controlling network function
  • Layer -- contains Unit objects
  • Projection -- specifies connectivity between layers]
  • NetMonitor and Monitor Data -- record data from the network to a DataTable
• Program -- controls all aspects of the simulation

Other Objects and Functions

• Preferences -- configure things just the way you want.
• SelectEdit -- create a custom control panel for your simulation including all the main parameters and functions. Also can show a "diff" comparison of different objects.
• Docs -- create project-specific documentation so others can take advantage of all your hard work!
• DataProc -- specialized data processing functions, including data base, data analysis & statistics, data generation, image processing, and basic math operations.
• Keyboard shortcuts -- become more efficient at using Emergent by studying these
• Virtual Environment -- uses ODE library http://ode.org/ to provide realistic physics simulation of a virtual world with which your network can interact.
• Nogui run -- running your model in the background without the GUI active (e.g., for clusters or other "batch jobs")
• Command line switches -- control the program from the command line
• Network Algorithm Guide -- detailed info on the neural network algorithms
• CSS -- the "C Super Script" scripting language that runs Programs and can be used directly at the Console or in user scripts.