## Input
Keyboard-String Input

The Keyboard-String Input device is for use when you want the participant to type words or a sentence. SuperLab records the reaction time of the first key pressed. For USB keyboards, the timing resolution is generally about 10-14 milliseconds. On Windows, if using a PS2 keyboard, the timing resolution is about 16-36 milliseconds. If the participant needs to respond with single keystrokes, use Keyboard-Single Keys instead.

You can create as many responses as needed, where a response consists of a word or sentence of any length:

### Controlling the Edit Field

SuperLab provides an edit field where the participant can type a response and edit it. You can specify the dimensions and position of the edit field. You can also control other options:

- Number of lines: Select “Multiple Lines” if you want the participant to be able to press the Enter or Return key to start a new paragraph. If you select “Single Line”, the participant will not be able to enter more than one line but you gain the option of terminating a response by pressing the Enter/Return key (see Response Completion tab below).

- Border: The edit field can be displayed with the familiar rectangular box around it, with a single line beneath, or nothing at all:

- Font size: The recommended value is zero to let SuperLab uses the operating system’s default size, but you can change it to any value.

SuperLab provides additional options for determining when the participant has finished entering his or her response:

- Limit the maximum number of characters: If this option is turned on, the participant will not be able to enter more than the specified number of characters.

- After the maximum number of characters has been entered: If selected, SuperLab will consider the response complete as soon as the participant enters the maximum number of characters specified.

- After N seconds of inactivity: Only after the participant has pressed the first key, SuperLab will consider the response complete when the specified amount of seconds elapses without any additional keys being pressed.

- After clicking on a button: SuperLab will display a button below the edit field with the caption that you specify. The participant must click on the button before SuperLab will consider the response complete.

An additional way to have the participant terminate a response is by pressing the Enter/Return key if that option is selected.

### Additional Options

The following additional options are available:

- Wait until the key is released: When this option is turned on, SuperLab will not advance to the next event or the next trial (depending on which sub-option is selected) until the participant has released the keyboard key.

- Show String Input’s Edit Field: This option is generally useful when using more than one input device in the same experiment, and is particularly needed when that other input happens to be “Keyboard-String Input” of “Mouse or Touchscreen”. If you select the “For all events” setting, SuperLab will always display the edit field. This will cause a conflict if you also want the participant to be able to press a single key as a response or to use the mouse.

### See Also

- Keyboard-Single Keys