# Customize the track colors

Aim

To plot data in colors depending on the subject, the treatment level, or other variables of interest.

To access these options

Choose Analysis > Results > Plot Tracks or Plot Integrated Data. In the Track Plot Settings pane, and click the Colors tab.

Specify how colors should vary, for example between arenas, or within tracks.

Subject

Under Level, select Subject. To change the color for a subject and a body point, click the corresponding cell under Settings.

▪If you tracked more than one subject per arena, choose this option to have the tracks of different subjects displayed in different colors. By default, different subjects have different colors for the center-point, and the same color for the nose- and tail-base points.

▪If you tracked subjects in multiple arenas, the track of Subject 1 in Arena 1 is displayed in the same color as that of Subject 1 in Arena 2, Arena 3, etc.

Track

Under Level, select Track to have tracks in colors based on the value of an independent variable, for example to show subjects in colors based on the treatment level.

1.Select an independent variable from the Variable list.

2.Click the buttons next to Color Range and select the colors that you want at the ends of the range. Next, click Apply to assign colors automatically.

Alternatively, for each value of the variable selected, click the color cell and choose the color you want to assign to the tracks with that value.

3.Do the same for each subject in the arena.

Sample

Under Level, select Sample to have the samples within tracks displayed in a color depending on the value of a dependent variable, for example velocity. This way you can see where changes in behavior took place.

1.Select a dependent variable from the Variable list.

The list shows the dependent variables selected in the currently active Analysis profile. If you do not see the variable you want, open the Analysis profile and include that variable, or from the list on the toolbar select the analysis profile that contains the variable.

2.Click the cell under From/To and choose a color for the lowest/highest value of the dependent variable, respectively. EthoVision calculates the spectrum of colors in between and shows it in the middle cell.

The lowest and highest values are shown under From and To. For State variables, those are false and true. For continuous variables, those are the minimum and maximum value measured for that variable in the trial. For example, 0 to 33.37 for Distance moved.

3.If you tracked more than one subject per arena, repeat step 2 for each subject.

Below: Example of a track plot where Sample is selected under Level. Samples are displayed in red when the subject was in any of the closed arms of the Elevated plus maze. In the Analysis profile, a dependent variable In zone is defined for the Center-point in any of the closed arm (the When in any of the selected zones option is selected in the In zone settings dialog). When plotting the tracks, samples in any of the open arms are displayed in the color selected for the true value of the In zone variable. Other samples are displayed in the color under false.

Customize the color of missing samples

Missing sample points are always visualized in the track plot. You can change the color of missing samples to distinguish them more easily from the actual data. The current color for missing samples is indicated next to Missing Sample Color. To change the color for missing samples, click the button and select a new color in the Color window.