2. Installation

Install FlyPad Acquisition on Windows or Linux, including the USB driver.

2. Installation

FlyPad Acquisition is one program with everything included, also the video encoder (ffmpeg). You do not need Python, MATLAB or any other software. The only exception is a camera: install its maker’s driver (for Hikrobot cameras: MVS) if you record video.

System File Notes
Windows 10/11, 64-bit FlyPad_Acquisition_Setup_<version>_x64.exe Standard installer
Linux x86_64 FlyPad_Acquisition-<version>-x86_64.AppImage Runs without installation

Download the latest version from [confirm: download link on easybehavior.com].

Windows

  1. Run the installer.
  2. On the Select Additional Tasks page, keep Install the FTDI USB driver for the FlyPad ticked. This installs the driver the basestation uses. Windows 10/11 usually has it already; installing it again is harmless.
  3. Optionally, tick Create a desktop shortcut.
  4. Finish. FlyPad Acquisition appears in the Start menu.

Without administrator rights, choose Install for me only: everything works the same, but the FTDI driver cannot be installed (Windows 10/11 usually has it already).

The Arduino boards of the OptoPad need no extra driver.

Linux

  1. Make the file executable and run it: 
    chmod +x FlyPad_Acquisition-<version>-x86_64.AppImage
./FlyPad_Acquisition-<version>-x86_64.AppImage
  2. Once per computer, give your user access to serial ports, then log out and in again: 
    sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER

First start

The window opens maximized, sized to the screen area above the taskbar. After that, it reopens at the size and position you last used.

The app has three pages, chosen at the top:

  • Acquire: connect devices, watch live data, record, stimulate, film and track
  • Review: open and browse recordings
  • Analyze: feeding analysis
Menu Items
File Open recording… (Ctrl+O) · Open settings… (Ctrl+Shift+O) · Save settings as… (Ctrl+S) · Quit
View Show or hide each card · Camera beside the traces · Camera above the traces · Large camera view · Reset layout
Analysis New analysis… (Ctrl+N) · Load analysis results… (Ctrl+L) · Export all… (Ctrl+E) · Sip detection · Preferences… · About · Behaviour analysis (tracking + FlyPad + OptoPad)…
Tools Program FlyPad firmware… · OptoPad firmware…

Every card of the Acquire page can be moved: drag it by its title bar to another place, or out of the window. View → Reset layout puts everything back.

Tip: hover the mouse over any control to see a short explanation of what it does.

Settings files. File → Save settings as… stores every setting in one file: device, gain, recording folder, conditions, labels, display and the full OptoPad protocol. File → Open settings… restores them, which is useful for repeating an experiment exactly or moving it to another PC. A copy of the settings is also saved automatically next to every recording.