BESA files extensions
From BESA® Wiki
| Module information | |
| Modules | BESA Research Basic or higher |
| Version | 5.2 or higher |
One of the most important rules in BESA software is that the original data will never be changed during data processing (unless user explicitly want to do it by himself). All the changes (i.e. signal processing like filtering) performed in BESA are kept in PC memory and not saved to the file. Such approach has a drawback, that all the settings have to be regenerated whenever the data file is reopened. Therefore to keep all the settings and reload them whenever file is opened BESA saves the additional files beside original one (with the same name, but with different file extension). Note that Such approach has one additional advantage: whenever user want to start his analysis from a scratch he or she just need to delete file responsible for particular setting (or all files to get completely initial state). Therefore good understating of BESA file nomenclature might be useful for advanced BESA users.
Besa Research file extensions
| Application | File extension | File function | When generated/changed | Wiki page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main | .atf | artifact coefficients | After setting up artifact correction (right mouse click, "Define artifact topography" menu) | Handling Artifacts in BESA |
| Main | .bad | bad channels | Whenever any of the electrode is marked as bad or is interpolated | Review |
| Main | .cot | Head center coordinate | external file loaded to BESA. Information about file localization saved in .fst file | Working With Additional Files |
| Main | .ela, .elp, .eps | additional electrode configuration files | When electrodes configuration was loaded (File menu, Load Channel Configuration). *.elp file can be manually saved in "File → Head Surface Points and Sensors → Save Electrode File for Current Montatage" | Electrodes and Surface Locations |
| Main | .evt | Events | external text file. Can be loaded by selecting "ERP → open event file…" (and saved by "ERP → save event file…"). After loading information is copied to .ftg and .fst file is updated. | Event File Format |
| Main | .fst | File general setup | File opened for first time, updated whenever various settings changed (i.e. filtration parameters, surface point file localization) | |
| Main | .ftg | Triggers | On file close | |
| Main | .ica | ICA topography | Can be saved after ICA analysis by clicking with right mouse button on selected component and selecting "Save Topography" | BESA Research ICA |
| Main | .mtg | Montages | If montage was changed, just .fst file updated. Mtg files are kept in "C:\Users\Public\Documents\BESA\Research_6_1\Montages" | BESA Research Montage Editor |
| Main | .pdg | paradigm | after loading or creating the paradigm | Paradigm File Format in BESA |
| Main | .pmg | MEG magnetometer sensors coordinates | external file loaded to BESA. Information about file localization saved in .fst file | MEG Sensor Coordinate Files |
| Main | .pos | MEG gradiometer sensors coordinates | external file loaded to BESA. Information about file localization saved in .fst file | MEG Sensor Coordinate Files |
| Main | .sfh | coregistration info | created when coregistration with MRI is started ("File → MRI Coregistration.."). Can be loaded externally, then information about file localization is saved in .fst file | Integration with MRI and fMRI |
| Main | .sfn | labels assigned to electrode configuration .eps | external file loaded to BESA. Information about file localization saved in .fst file | Electrodes and Surface Locations |
| Main | .sfp | digitalized head surface points coordinates | external file loaded to BESA. Information about file localization saved in .fst file | Electrodes and Surface Locations |
| Export | .avr | ASCII vectorized data file | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .dat | simple binary matrix with data | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .edf | EDF+ (European data format) data file | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .foc | BESA continuous native data file | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .fsg | BESA averaged native data file | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .generic | Additional header file for binary data (.dat) | file automatically created when binary data file was exported. | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | .mul | ASCII multiplexed data file | Can be generated by "File → Export…" | Working With Additional Files |
| Export | 0.001, 0.002 … | ASCII vectorized or multiplexed epochs around triggers | Can be generated by "File → Export…" File extension indicates epoch number | Working With Additional Files |
| Top Viewer | .bmp | bitmap file | Save of current state of Top Viewer (File menu, Save as Bitmap...) | Advanced Top Viewer Features |
| Top Viewer | .eps | EPS graphic file | Save of current state of Top Viewer (File menu, Save as eps file...) | Advanced Top Viewer Features |
| Top Viewer | .tva | Top viewer arrangement | On Top Viewer close, if settings or electrode position was changed | Advanced Top Viewer Features |
| Top Viewer | .tvs | Top Viewer settings | On Top Viewer close, if settings or electrode position was changed | Advanced Top Viewer Features |
| Time Frequency Analysis | .tfc | Averaged time-frequency data | Can be created when Time-Frequency Analysis is used ("ERP → coherence tab") | Source Coherence Introduction and Concepts |
| Time Frequency Analysis | .tfcs | Single trial time-frequency data | Can be created when Time-Frequency Analysis is used ("ERP → coherence tab") | Source Coherence Introduction and Concepts |
| Source Analysis | .bmp | bitmap file | Save of current state of 3D window ("File → Save 3D window as a bitmap...") | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .bsa | Source analysis solution (i.e. dipoles) | can be loaded or saved in menu of source analysis window ("File → Save Solution..") | Source Analysis Introduction |
| Source Analysis | .dat | 3D Image ASCII file or voxel values for each dipole orientation | Can be exported in 3D window of Source Analysis ("Image → Export Image as…") if sources for more than one latency was computed you can select option to save voxel values for each dipole orientation | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .hdr | 3D Image ANALYZE file | Can be exported in 3D window of Source Analysis ("Image → Export Image as…") if sources for more than one latency was computed you can also choose option for all latencies | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .laura | result file of LAURA | After compiling computation of LAURA in Source Analysis | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .loreta | result file of LORETA | After compiling computation of LORETA in Source Analysis | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .swf | Source waveforms | can be saved in file menu of source analysis window ("File → Save Source Waveforms...") | Export Dipole Moments of Fitted Sources |
| Source Analysis | .vmp | 3D Image BrainVoyager File (can be written with current resolution or with 1 mm) | Can be exported in 3D window of Source Analysis ("Image → Export Image as…") | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .vtc | BrainVoyager VTC File for all latencies | Can be exported in 3D window of Source Analysis ("Image → Export Image as…") if sources for more than one latency was computed | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| Source Analysis | .vts | Image ASCII voxel time series | Can be exported in 3D window of Source Analysis ("Image → Export Image as…") if sources for more than one latency was computed | Source Analysis 3D Imaging |
| FFT | .faa, .fap, .far, .fai | Exported amplitude (fma), power (fmp), real (fmr) and imaginary part(fmi) of spectrum for average reference (Interpolated-81) montage | One of export options in FFT window "File → Export FFT data menu" with "Interpolated-81" menu item selected (in the same menu) | BESA Research Spectral Analysis |
| FFT | .fba | Exported Amplitude in Bands | In FFT window menu "File → Export Amplitude in Bands" | BESA Research Spectral Analysis |
| FFT | .fbp | Exported Power in Bands | In FFT window menu "File → Export Power in Bands" | BESA Research Spectral Analysis |
| FFT | .fft | result of FFT | In FFT window "File → save…" | BESA Research Spectral Analysis |
| FFT | .fma, .fmp, .fmr, .fmi | Exported amplitude (fma), power (fmp), real (fmr) and imaginary part(fmi) of spectrum for current montage | One of export options in FFT window "File → Export FFT data" menu with "Current montage" menu item selected (in the same menu) | BESA Research Spectral Analysis |
