bxs2edf ver. 1.0
BioExplorer™ software by CyberEvolution, Inc. stores recorded signals in native session files (BXS). They are not read by other applications. Our free tool bxs2edf enables professional users to convert BXS files to EDF standard files. They can be read in many software for biosignal processing and review, such as:
The converter is a console application (run in command line window) for Microsoft Windows™.
bxs2edf infile [outfile] [/h=headfile] [/u] [/o] | /?
Used metacharacters:
[] - delimit optional component;
| - separates alternative components.
infile - input BioExplorer session file (with the "bxs" name extension).
outfile - output EDF file. If not specified, the resulting file has the same main name as the input file, appended with "edf" extension.
/u - unified sampling option. It can be useful for sessions including signals with different sample rates. With /u option all signals in output file are sampled with unified rate, equal to the highest rate in the input file. Simple linear interpolation is used for resampling.
Without /u option original sample rates are preserved.
/o - enables to overwrite existing files. By default (without /o) error message occurs, if a file with given output name already exists.
/? - shows short command syntax info.
/h - specifies a text file with additional information to be included in the header of output EDF file. It enables to add some session/signal info not available in original BXS file (such as physical units for signals) and/or replace some original info. See details below.
bxs2edf CESample1.bxs
It converts CESample1.bxs file from current folder to CESample1.edf.
"c:\Program files\BioExplorer\bxs2edf\bxs2edf" CESample1.bxs
Path to the application file (bxs2edf.exe) has to be specified, if the file is not contained in current folder and the application folder is not added to system PATH variable.
bxs2edf CESample1.bxs export\test.edf /o
It converts CESample1.bxs to the explicitly specified test.edf file in "export" folder. If such file already exists, it will be overwritten.
Console commands, such as for loop, enable to automate conversion of many session files. Examples:
for %f in (*.bxs) do bxs2edf %f /o
It converts all BXS files in current folder (overwriting possible existing files).
for %f in (*.bxs) do bxs2edf %f /o >> conversion.log
It works similarly as in previous example, but text messages accompanying the conversion are redirected from the screen to conversion.log file for further review. It helps to check possible error messages (starting with exclamation mark) for bulk conversions.
More capabilities of for loop can be seen with "for /?" command.
The converter was mainly tested for signals measured with Neurobit Optima™ equipment. Nevertheless, it should also work for other devices supported by BioExplorer.
The converter was tested for session files recorded with BioExplorer versions up to 1.6 (1.6.3.650).
Up to 16 signals in a session file are supported.
EDF files include 16-bit samples (plus an arbitrary offset). For this reason care must be taken for devices sampling with higher resolution (e.g. 24-bit). Nevertheless, if measured signal consists of a small variable component of interest and relatively stable offset (as often occurs in DC including measurements of EEG and other electrophysiological data), sufficient precision may be still achieved.
For better assessment of the situation, output quantization steps are displayed for signals, for which they are higher than original quantization steps.
Possible errors are signaled with a beep and a message starting with the exclamation mark. (Beeps do not appear, if messages are redirected to log file.)
Even after conversion of your data to EDF, still keep original BXS files: there is no reverse conversion (recreating BXS file from EDF).
For long session files the conversion may take significant time, depending on computer performance. Anyway, it is many times shorter, than session duration.
[session {80}]
[subject {80}]
[label0 {16}] <tab> [sensor0 {80}] <tab> [unit0 {7}] <tab> [prefilter0 {80}]
[label1 {16}] <tab> [sensor1 {80}] <tab> [unit1 {7}] <tab> [prefilter1 {80}]
...
Designation:
{} - delimit maximum length of a component; end characters over this limit will be ignored;
<tab> - tab character.
The two first lines can include session data. Subsequent lines can contain info for individual signals (one line for each signal, order of lines significant).
All fields are optional: any line or column can be empty; however it should not be deleted, if there is any info after it.
The file should not include diacritical characters or other extended ASCII codes.
session - information about measurement session. If appears (is not empty), it replaces information given in the Notes field of BioExplorer Session Info window.
subject - subject name. If appears, it replaces information given in the Subject Name fields of BioExplorer Session Info window.
label - label of a signal. If appears, it replaces measurement device name and channel designation submitted by BioExplorer.
sensor - description of a sensor. BioExplorer does not deliver such information.
unit - physical unit of signal values (such as "V" for Volt). BioExplorer does not deliver this information. However, do not include multiplication prefix (such as "m" for mili or "k" for kilo) here, because it is suitably set by converter.
prefilter - information about filters (or frequency band) of a measurement channel. BioExplorer does not deliver such information.
Tests of EEG synchronization between C3 and C4 John Brown C3 Ag/AgCl electrode V HP 0.3Hz, LP 50 Hz C4 Ag/AgCl electrode V HP 0.3Hz, LP 50 Hz
© Copyright by Neurobit Systems 2014