topic Re: Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list

RalphPlummer — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 15:47:52 GMT

Hello

I am running into a very strange occurrence where questions using a choice_filter are showing the same choice list over and over. All users on Android, Apple and Windows field apps are experiencing this problem. We do not utilize the web app. Here are some screenshots showing what is being experienced.

Top of list in Picture #1

Start of same list a second time in Picture #2. Notice "Open hole" appears again.
In this instance, the entire list repeats 4x.

Screenshot of spreadsheet

Screenshot of choice list

In this case, the choice_filter "type" used was balance.

From what I can tell based on my experience and others, the list replicates each time a survey is submitted. The problem goes away when deleting the survey off the device and re-downloading it. Does anyone have any idea what would cause this and has anyone else ever experienced it? I have searched for days and have had no luck. I will add, this is the only survey that experiences this problem, so I am sure it has to do with how I have things setup.

This is a unique survey where I had to be creative, possibly too creative, causing said replication. If anyone needs additional information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for your time.

Bill

Re: Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list

ZacharySutherby — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 02:01:12 GMT

Hello @RalphPlummer,

This behavior has been logged as BUG-000144684, one workaround would be to migrate choice lists that have over 250 choices to external CSV's and use select_x_from_file.

Re: Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list

RalphPlummer — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 14:52:36 GMT

Hello @ZacharySutherby

I will go the external csv route to see if it addresses the issue and report back. Thank you for the response.

Bill

Re: Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list

RalphPlummer — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 13:56:54 GMT

Hello @ZacharySutherby

I used the select_x_from_file method and it has solved the issue. I will keep this in mind for my other surveys. I do have one question regarding the 250 choices in a choice list. Is that 250 choices total for the choices tab or 250 choices for one list of choices for a question? I ask because none of the question lists were over 250, just the entire list of choices, as are most surveys I make. The workaround fixed the problem, but doesn't make sense why if none of the question lists were over 250 items.

I am wondering if having blank rows between choice lists makes a difference. I did not have them between lists, but do now for the remaining choice lists on the choices tab. As it stands, minus blank rows, I have 260 different items on the choices tab. None of them are numbers like I had before. Maybe that's the difference? Each of my number choice lists did have one text entry too.

I apologize for the extra questions, I am just trying to wrap my head around this so I do not do it again, as well as help others who may be having the same question in the future. Thank you.

Re: Questions using choice_filter having double/triple/quadruple of same choice list

ZacharySutherby — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 01:43:07 GMT

Hello @RalphPlummer,

The report that I've seen is over 250 choices for a single choice list not so much all the choices combined. I don't think the issue would stem from spaces between choice lists. When you save your XLSForm Survey123 converts it into a format that it then reads from, Survey123 doesn't read from the XLSForm directly. During that conversion process those extra spaces are removed and don't show up in the converted format.