JWatcher imposes few such constraints. It is based on a 'score once, analyse many times' philosophy that we have adopted in our studies of animal behaviour. For instance, a single data file can be used to calculate time budgets over both short and long periods, or to track changes in different subsets of the behaviours seen. The number of states that can be tracked simultaneously is limited only by the number of alphanumeric keys available. Users may choose to exclude or ignore certain behaviours in analyses, and categories can be combined to generate behavioural codes that were not originally scored.
Batch mode analyses allow efficient processing.
JWatcher was designed to be used in association with common word processing, spreadsheet, and graphics software. It produces simple output files that can readily be imported by such programs. We have concentrated on developing new scoring and analysis algorithms, rather than duplicating functions in existing software. If you have questions while running JWatcher, consult the manual and list of Frequently Asked Questions . The links at the bottom of the page allow you to choose JWatcher for either Mac or Windows, with or without a supporting Java environment.