trouble shoot: WaveRefIndexed

NOTE: I changed the name of the GetWaveListFromTable to GetWaveRefsFromTable to be more accurate.

The first parameter to WaveRefIndexed is documented as windowNameStr. The "Str" suffix indicates that the parameter is a string, not a name. $ converts a string to a name but we want a string here, not a name, so $ is not needed.

To get a list of all wave references for all waves in the table you will need a loop.

Here is a lightly-tested solution:

The GetWaveRefsFromTable function returns a free wave containing wave references. For details on free waves, execute:

DisplayHelpTopic "Free Waves"

For details on wave reference waves, execute:

DisplayHelpTopic "Wave Reference Waves"

Thank you for helping with the WaveRefIndexed function. After I obtain the wave references for all waves in the table, I need to average the waves using: 

       fWaveAverage(waveReferences, "", 0,0,"AveWave","")

I am having trouble finding the "fWaveAverage" function in the manual book. Looks like the first part in the parenthesis should be "refs". What do the other elements in the parenthesis stand for? 

Also, when I manually averaged waves within a table using "Analysis-Package-Average Waves," the function outputted 2 parameters: W-WaveAverage and W_WaveAveError. How do I accomplish the same with "fWaveAverage"?

Thanks,

Judy

NOTE: I changed the name of the GetWaveListFromTable (above) to GetWaveRefsFromTable to be more accurate.

fWaveAverage is a function added by the "Waves Average.ipf" WaveMetrics procedure file. To use it you need to add this to your procedure file:

The first parameter to fWaveAverage is a string list of wave names or paths to waves, not a wave reference wave.

Here is a function that illustrates using fWaveAverage. As noted in a comment, it works only if all of the waves are in the same data folder:

Here is a function that works with fWaveAverage even if the waves are not in the same data folder. It uses the GetWaveRefsFromTable function above:

Thank you, hrodstein! I updated my script by including "fWaveAverage" (script attached). The program is able to return the average and standard deviation. However, there are a couple of glitches as below. 

(1) When I ran the script, looks like "newdatafolder" did not pass, leading to the following error message. (The glitch in the script bolded.) The outputted strings, "newdatafolderName" and "path" look appropriate since I can use them in Command window to create the desired new datafolder and setdatafolder to the newly created folder. 

(2) Also, "Analysis-Package-Average Waves" returns standard error whereas the "fWaveAverage" returns standard deviation. Is there another errorType that can return standard error? 

=============================================================

menu "Macros"

       "average FFTs", createAverageFFTsDialog()

End

Function createAverageFFTsDialog()

        variable age_min, age_max, sexNum1, sexNum2

        string PCAstatus

        prompt age_min, "Enter minimum age"

        prompt age_max, "Enter maximum age"

        prompt sexNum1, "Enter sex1"

        prompt sexNum2, "Enter sex2"

        prompt PCAstatus, "Enter PCA status", popup, "Aging;noAging;all"     //aging is PCA<-1, noAging is PCA>=-1    

        DoPrompt "Enter group specs", age_min, age_max, sexNum1, sexNum2, PCAstatus

        //create new data folder

        string newdatafolderName = "'avgFFTs_artRatio15Perc_"+num2str(age_min)+"-"+num2str(age_max)+"_"+num2str(sexNum1)+"-"+num2str(sexNum2)+"_"+PCAstatus+"'"

        string path = "root:" + newdatafolderName

        newdatafolder path

        setdatafolder path

        //create "numWavesAverage" to summarize the number of waves averaged in each table

        make/T/FREE outputNameList = {"PDmm", "R1", "R2", "B1", "B2", "postR", "postB"}

        make/WAVE/N=0/FREE FFTWaveList        //create a wave to hold the list of wave references from each table

        string list            //list is the string list of all waves in the table

        string pathName        //pathName is the full path including wave name for each waves in the table

        variable trialNumber, c, i

        Int index, numWaves

        string FFTavgName, FFTavgErrorName

        string tableName              

        for (trialNumber=1; trialNumber<=2; trialNumber+=1)

               for (c=0; c<7; c+=1)

                       tableName = "FFT_"+outputNameList[c]+"_trial"+num2str(trialNumber)

                       //obtaining wave references of all waves in the table

                       index = 0

                       Do            

                               WAVE/Z w = WaveRefIndexed(tableName, index, 1)

                               if(!WaveExists(w))

                                      break

                               endif

                               redimension/N=(index+1) FFTWaveList

                               FFTWaveList[index] = w

                               index += 1            

                       while(1)

                       //obtaining string list of all waves in the table

                       list = ""

                       numWaves = numpnts(FFTWaveList)

                       for (i=0; i<numWaves; i+=1)

                               WAVE w=FFTWAVEList[i]

                               pathName = getwavesdataFolder(w, 2)

                               list += pathName + ";"

                       endfor

                       //averaging waves in the table

                       FFTavgName = "W_WaveAverage_"+outputNameList[c]+"_T"+num2str(trialNumber)

                       FFTavgErrorName = "W_WaveAveError_"+outputNameList[c]+"_T"+num2str(trialNumber)

                       fWaveAverage(list, "", 1, 1, FFTavgName, FFTavgErrorName)

               endfor 

        endfor

end

==========================================================================================

Many thanks,

Judy

To insert Igor code in a post, click "Insert Code Snippet". This will format the code properly. For details, see https://www.wavemetrics.com/forum/general/formatting-code-forum-posts

When I ran the script, looks like "newdatafolder" did not pass

NewDataFolder and SetDataFolder take a path as a parameter, not a string, so you need to use $path instead of path as the parameter.

"Analysis-Package-Average Waves" returns standard error whereas the "fWaveAverage" returns standard deviation. Is there another errorType that can return standard error?

Change the third parameter of the fWaveAverage call from 1 to 3. I discovered this by right-clicking "fWaveAverage" and reading the comments for the parameters.

Haaa - I wondered how to make the pasted code look original. Thank you for the tips!

Where do you right-click? I tried within the Procedure window and at the bottom of the Data Browser window, and I had trouble seeing the comments. 

Thanks,

Judy

Where do you right-click?

You can right-click the word "fWaveAverage" in your procedure file and choose "Go to fWaveAverage". This opens the "Waves Average" procedure file and displays the code for fWaveAverage.