# Mworks Monkey name

**URL:** <https://mworks.discourse.group/t/mworks-monkey-name/831>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [October 3, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/mworks-monkey-name/831 "2022-10-03T16:14:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 6

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**Author:** ![cstawarz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/mworks.discourse.group/cstawarz/32/3_2.png) [@cstawarz](https://mworks.discourse.group/u/cstawarz)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/mworks-monkey-name/831/6 "2022-10-03T19:28:11Z")

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Hi Sarah,

> [@sgouldin](#):
>
> I’m wondering if it’s possible to add a field to an mworks experiment file for recording the name of the monkey that is running.

Sure. The best way to do this is by adding a [data file device](https://mworks.github.io/documentation/latest/components/data_file.html) to your experiment.

First, create a variable with the monkey’s name:

```
var animal_name = 'pico'

```

Then, use that variable in the [filename](https://mworks.github.io/documentation/latest/components/data_file.html#filename) parameter of the data file:

```auto
data_file ("${animal_name}-normalizers-$(date('%Y%m%d-%H%M%S'))")

```

If you’re using the same protocol with multiple animals, then you could declare the variable and data file in the same MWEL file as the protocol:

```auto
var animal_name = 'UNKNOWN'
data_file ("${animal_name}-...")

```

and then have a separate file for each animal that [includes](https://mworks.github.io/documentation/latest/mwel/index.html#includes) the protocol and assigns the correct name:

```auto
%include 'shared_protocol.mwel'
animal_name = 'pico'

```

For a bit more info on data file devices, see [this post](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/how-to-change-default-save-directory/235/7). If you have any questions, please let me know.

Cheers,  
Chris

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