What you need to run this model

   a. Unix or Macintosh platform

      This model does not run in Windows, yet.  This may change soon if Garnet is successfully ported to the Windows environment.

   b. Lisp interpreter

      I use CMUCL 18c on Solaris and Mac Common Lisp 4.3 on Macintosh.  The only limiting factor on what Lisp you can use (that I am aware of) is that it must be able to interface with Garnet.

   c. Garnet graphics library

      Go to http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/Groups/garnet/ for instructions related to obtaining and setting up Garnet.

   d. ACT-R 4.0

      Available from http://act.psy.cmu.edu/ACT-R_4.0/

   e. The model files

      Here is a list of the ACT-R/A/C files, avaliable from acs.ist.psu.edu/ACT-R_AC:

      sub-model.lisp
      sub-functions.lisp
      script-functions.lisp
      overlay.lisp
      sub-gui.lisp
      sub-loader.lisp

      The archives ACT-R_AC.tar.gz (for Unix) and ACT-R_AC.sit (for Mac) contain all the necessary files.
 

Configuring the model for your environment

   Before running the model, you must first edit the paths in the sub-loader.lisp file. Set the ACT-R 4.0, Garnet, and model directory paths to the appropriate values.
 

To Load

   Load the file sub-loader.lisp from the Lisp listener.  This will load all of the necessary files and bring up the interface.

   If you are using MCL, load the file using file->load file... from the menu or the paddle-y keyboard shortcut.  If you are using Unix, start lisp from the model directory and type '(load "sub-loader.lisp")' at the listener prompt.
 

   The performance of this program varies greatly depending on the Lisp used.  As the program is configured primarily for use within Solaris/CMUCL, when the model is run within Mac Common Lisp the speed of execution drastically reduces the usefulness of the chunk matrix.  If this is a problem, simply set the check-delay global variable at the top of the sub-functions.lisp file to an appropriate value, in seconds and reload the model.
   This is also handy for scripting the model (more on how to do that in Using the Interface).  The check-delay variable not only affects the chunk matrix selection delay time, but also the check marks that indicate whether the model has made a correct or incorrect response.  If the model is to be scripted over many iterations, setting check-delay to nil will drastically speed up the script.
 

If you experience any problems loading the model, please
contact Isaac Councill for assistance.
 
 

Last modified January 20, 2002