add support for NIRStar 14.2 files

[mlrocca]

Describe the new feature or enhancement

Please provide a clear and concise description of what you want to add or
change.

I am trying to import my fNIRS data with
mne.io.read_raw_nirx("/Users/name/Downloads/PROTOCOLLO_TDCS_FILE_GREZZI/SHAM/CONTROLLI/2018-11-27_002/")
but I have this error message

Loading /Users/name/Downloads/PROTOCOLLO_TDCS_FILE_GREZZI/SHAM/CONTROLLI/2018-11-27_002/
:1: RuntimeWarning: Only import of data from NIRScout devices have been thoroughly tested. You are using a "NIRSport 8x8" device.
mne.io.read_raw_nirx("/Users/name/Downloads/PROTOCOLLO_TDCS_FILE_GREZZI/SHAM/CONTROLLI/2018-11-27_002/")
:1: RuntimeWarning: Extraction of measurement date from NIRX file failed. This can be caused by files saved in certain locales. Please report this as a github issue. The date is being set to January 1st, 2000, instead of "mar 27 nov 2018""18:13:22.559"
mne.io.read_raw_nirx("/Users/name/Downloads/PROTOCOLLO_TDCS_FILE_GREZZI/SHAM/CONTROLLI/2018-11-27_002/")
Out[8]: <RawNIRX | 2018-11-27_002, 40 x 1934 (247.4 s), ~54 kB, data not loaded>

We used a continuous wave NIRS system (NIRSport 8X8, Nirx Medical Technologies LLC, Berlin, Germany). The fNIRS data acquisition software was the NIRStar 14.2 (Version 14, Revision 2, Release Build, 2016-04-15 NIRx Medizintechnik GmbH, Berlin, Germany; www.nirx.net).

Describe your proposed implementation

Describe how you think the feature or improvement should be implemented (e.g.,
as a new method on an existing class? as new capability added to an existing
method?) If you're not sure, please delete this section and the next section.

Please, could you help me to implement a function that can import my data?

Describe possible alternatives

If you've suggested an implementation above, list here any alternative
implementations you can think of, and brief comments explaining why the chosen
implementation is better.

Additional comments

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[welcome]

Hello! 👋 Thanks for opening your first issue here! ❤️ We will try to get back to you soon. 🚴🏽‍♂️

[larsoner]

Can you share the problematic file? Or even better, any chance you could record a little 1 sec data file from this system and share that so we could add it to our tests?

[larsoner]

cc @rob-luke

[mlrocca]

Sure,

Please find enclosed an example of data that gives me that issue
2020-01-24_SHAM_CTRL_0050.zip

I am looking forward to hearing from you
.

[rob-luke]

Hi @mlrocca,

Thanks for this very clear report. MNE currently only supports reading NIRx data from NIRStar version 15.0 and above. Whereas, you are trying to read data acquired with NIRStar version 14.2. I don't think the file format changed very much, so adding support might not be too much effort. Could you open a PR to add support for older NIRx files?

[rob-luke]

This might also be related to #7891 where we had issues handling dates with formats other than Australian English.

[mlrocca]

Thank you,

I opened a new issue to add support for older NIRx versions.

If there is also the issue of the dates, is it possible to fix that too?

Best,

[mlrocca]

Ok thank you,

how long do you think you will take to implement that feature?

Are you going to advice me when it will be implemented?