.. #   For CoSMoMVPA's license terms and conditions, see   #
   #   the COPYING file distributed with CoSMoMVPA         #

.. _`get started`:

===========
Get Started
===========


.. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
    :titlesonly:

    download
    matlab_experience
    cogneuro_experience
    mvpa_concepts
    cosmomvpa_concepts

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Prerequisites
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Using CoSMoMVPA_ effectively requires:

- a working installation of Matlab_ or `Octave`_.
- the CoSMoMVPA source code, available from GitHub_; see :ref:`here <download>` for instructions to get you environment ready.
- optionally the tutorial data, available :ref:`here <download>` (to run the :ref:`exercises <ex_toc>`).
- optionally some external toolboxes for AFNI, BrainVoyager, and/or FieldTrip file support; see :ref:`here <download>`.
- an :ref:`advanced beginner level <matlab_experience>` of experience in Matlab programming.
- an :ref:`advanced beginner level <cogneuro_experience>` of fMRI or MEEG data analysis.
- a basic understanding of :ref:`MVPA concepts <mvpa_concepts>`.
- familiarity with :ref:`CoSMoMVPA concepts <cosmomvpa_concepts>`, in particular the :ref:`cosmomvpa_dataset`, :ref:`cosmomvpa_targets`, :ref:`cosmomvpa_chunks`,  :ref:`cosmomvpa_dataset_operations`, :ref:`cosmomvpa_classifier`, :ref:`cosmomvpa_neighborhood`, and :ref:`cosmomvpa_measure` concepts.

Consider the :ref:`demos <contents_demo.rst>` to see how MVPA can be performed using CoSMoMVPA_.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Get your environment ready
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To get started, you need the CoSMoMVPA_ code and optionally the tutorial data; see :ref:`here <download>` for instructions. For the impatient:

.. include:: quick_download.txt

^^^^^^^^^^
Next steps
^^^^^^^^^^

Once you are ready:

- run the :ref:`demos <contents_demo.rst>`.
- look at the :ref:`runnable examples <matindex_run>` and the associated `Matlab outputs`_.
- try the :ref:`exercises <ex_toc>`.
- explore the :ref:`CoSMoMVPA functions <matindex>`.

Some examples of analyses that can be run with CoSMoMVPA_:

.. include:: _static/demo_gallery.txt

.. include:: links.txt

.. _Matlab outputs: _static/publish/index.html