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User‑Defined Variables in Task Configuration

AutocleanEEG lets you add your own variables to a task’s config dictionary. The Task base class loads these into self.settings, so you can reference them anywhere in your pipeline—without changing core code.

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Overview

  • Add custom keys to the task‑local config dictionary
  • Access values with self.settings.get("key", default)
  • No extra setup; available since v2.0.0

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Basic Usage

  1. Define variables in config:
config = {
    # Standard EEG settings
    "resample_step": {"enabled": True, "value": 250},
    "filtering": {"enabled": True, "value": {"l_freq": 1, "h_freq": 100}},

    # Your custom variables
    "stimulus_duration": 500,
    "trial_count": 120,
    "custom_threshold": 75.0,
    "experiment_conditions": ["condition_A", "condition_B", "control"],
}
  1. Access variables in your Task:
class MyTask(Task):
    def run(self):
        duration = self.settings.get("stimulus_duration", 250)
        count = self.settings.get("trial_count", 100)
        conditions = self.settings.get("experiment_conditions", ["default"]) 
        self._configure_epochs(duration=duration, count=count)

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Variable Types

Simple values: 
config = {
    "stimulus_duration": 500,       # int
    "response_threshold": 75.5,     # float
    "participant_group": "adults", # str
    "use_custom_filter": True,      # bool
}
Collections: 
config = {
    "target_frequencies": [10, 20, 40],                  # list
    "condition_names": ["baseline", "task", "rest"],   # list
    "channel_mapping": {"Fz": 1, "Cz": 2, "Pz": 3},   # dict
}
Nested structures: 
config = {
    "analysis_parameters": {
        "window_size": 100,
        "overlap": 50,
        "method": "custom_algorithm",
        "advanced_settings": {
            "tolerance": 0.001,
            "iterations": 1000,
        },
    }
}

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Complete Example

"""Custom task with user-defined variables."""
from autoclean.core.task import Task

config = {
    # Standard EEG processing settings
    "resample_step": {"enabled": True, "value": 250},
    "filtering": {"enabled": True, "value": {"l_freq": 1, "h_freq": 100}},
    "montage": {"enabled": True, "value": "GSN-HydroCel-129"},

    # Custom experiment variables
    "stimulus_duration": 500,
    "trial_count": 120,
    "response_window": 1000,
    "baseline_period": [-200, 0],
    "experiment_conditions": ["condition_A", "condition_B"],
    "custom_analysis": {
        "method": "custom_algorithm",
        "threshold": 2.5,
        "window_size": 50,
    },
}

class MyExperiment(Task):
    def run(self):
        self.import_raw()

        duration = self.settings.get("stimulus_duration", 250)
        conditions = self.settings.get("experiment_conditions", [])
        analysis = self.settings.get("custom_analysis", {})

        print(f"Processing {len(conditions)} conditions")
        print(f"Stimulus duration: {duration}ms")
        print(f"Analysis method: {analysis.get('method', 'standard')}")

        self._apply_custom_processing(duration, conditions, analysis)

        # Continue with standard pipeline
        self.resample_data()
        self.filter_data()
        self.run_ica()
        self.create_regular_epochs()

    def _apply_custom_processing(self, duration, conditions, analysis):
        threshold = analysis.get("threshold", 1.0)
        method = analysis.get("method", "standard")
        print(f"Applying {method} with threshold {threshold}")
        # ... your custom processing code ...

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Best Practices

Use descriptive names: 
# Good
"stimulus_duration_ms": 500
"response_window_ms": 1000
"artifact_rejection_threshold": 75.0

# Avoid
"dur": 500
"win": 1000
"thresh": 75.0
Provide defaults with get: 
duration = self.settings.get("stimulus_duration", 250)  # safe
# duration = self.settings["stimulus_duration"]          # risky if missing
Group related variables: 
config = {
    "epoch_parameters": {
        "tmin": -0.5,
        "tmax": 1.0,
        "baseline": [-0.2, 0],
        "reject_criteria": {"eeg": 100e-6},
    },
    "analysis_settings": {
        "method": "custom",
        "window_size": 100,
        "overlap": 50,
    },
}
Document intent with comments: 
config = {
    # Custom experiment parameters
    "stimulus_duration": 500,      # ms per stimulus
    "trial_count": 120,            # trials per condition
    "response_window": 1000,       # ms for response detection
    "baseline_period": [-200, 0],  # ms baseline correction window
}

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Integrating With Your Pipeline

Custom filtering: 
def run(self):
    self.filter_data()
    custom_freq = self.settings.get("custom_notch_frequency", 50)
    if custom_freq:
        self._apply_custom_notch_filter(custom_freq)
Custom epoching: 
def run(self):
    epoch_params = self.settings.get("custom_epochs", {})
    tmin = epoch_params.get("tmin", -0.5)
    tmax = epoch_params.get("tmax", 1.0)
    self._create_custom_epochs(tmin=tmin, tmax=tmax)
Conditional analysis: 
def run(self):
    analysis_method = self.settings.get("analysis_method", "standard")
    if analysis_method == "custom":
        self._run_custom_analysis()
    else:
        self._run_standard_analysis()

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Validation & Error Handling

Validate presence and ranges: 
def run(self):
    required = ["stimulus_duration", "trial_count"]
    for key in required:
        if key not in self.settings:
            raise ValueError(f"Missing required variable: {key}")

    duration = self.settings.get("stimulus_duration", 0)
    if duration <= 0:
        raise ValueError(f"stimulus_duration must be positive, got {duration}")
Handle optional flags: 
def run(self):
    use_advanced = self.settings.get("use_advanced_processing", False)
    if use_advanced:
        self._run_advanced_analysis()
    else:
        self._run_standard_analysis()

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Advanced Patterns

Dynamic configuration: 
def run(self):
    age = self.settings.get("participant_age", 25)
    filt = self.settings.get("pediatric_filter" if age < 18 else "adult_filter", {})
    self._apply_age_appropriate_filtering(filt)
Conditional pipelines: 
def run(self):
    etype = self.settings.get("experiment_type", "standard")
    if etype == "resting_state":
        self._process_resting_state()
    elif etype == "task_based":
        self._process_task_based()
    else:
        self._process_standard()

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Summary

  • Simple: add variables to config
  • Accessible: use self.settings.get("name", default) anywhere
  • Flexible: numbers, strings, lists, dicts, nested structures
  • Safe: encourage defaults and validation
  • Integrated: works with all AutocleanEEG steps