how to use a T type Ca Channel written in Neuron

[MH]

Hi!
I have created a T type channel (a .mod file and a .dll file) and am wondering now how to use that with the graphical user interface. I tried loading the .dll file and when that is done, I can see in the sh terminal that it has been loaded. However, I don't know how to get the actual channel into a cell... Could you please describe how to do this?
MH

[Raj]

Your mod file should contain a line something like this:

Code: Select all

SUFFIX myName

This line specifies the name of your mechanism. It should be unique, so you can use it in only in one mod-file.

If you create a section you can put the mechanism myName into it using the insert command.

Code: Select all

create soma

soma {
     insert myName
     // Assuming your ion channel has a conductance g you
     // can set the conductance as follows:
    g_myName=0.8
}

[ted]

I have created a T type channel (a .mod file and a .dll file) and am wondering now how to use that with the graphical user interface. I tried loading the .dll file and when that is done, I can see in the sh terminal that it has been loaded. However, I don't know how to get the actual channel into a cell... Could you please describe how to do this?

Very easy. Compiled mechanisms are automatically integrated into the
GUI's tools and appear in the appropriate menus. After this

I can see in the sh terminal that it has been loaded.

happens, any new GUI tool that you bring up will know about the new
mechanism(s). For example, for distributed mechanisms,
NEURON Main Menu / Build / single compartment
will bring up a panel that offers a checkbox for the mechanism, and the
mechanism will also appear in a new CellBuilder's Biophysics Strategy page.
Likewise, a new PointProcessManager will show any new point processes in
its SelectPointProcess dropdown menu.

You can make your life easier by making a new directory for individual
projects. Put all the mod files you need in that directory, and run mknrndll
to create a dll there. Then make a plain text file called init.hoc, which
contains just this line
load_file("nrngui.hoc")
and put it in the same directory. In MSWin's file browser (they call it
Windows Explorer to deliberately confuse people), double click on init.hoc
and NEURON will start and load the dll automatically. After you have built
your custom GUI (CellBuilder, RunControl, PointProcessManagers, Graphs
etc.) save them to a session file. Then edit init.hoc and change it to
load_file("nrngui.hoc")
load_file("mysesfile.hoc")
The next time you double click on init.hoc, the dll will be loaded and your
custom user interface and model will pop up.