topic Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection) in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Tue, 24 May 2022 13:02:57 GMT

We have a collection of three surveys that we ask workers to use to create an inventory of public safety control measures at a given site. Control measures include signs, fences, gates, booms, barricades, etc. As the worker walks along, they will come upon different control measures that require them to switch between surveys. This means that they have to close the survey they are using and then load the survey they need to use. If all three surveys could be open concurrently, the worker could just switch between the surveys and a lot of time could be saved. We are using Windows tablets, but I think this issue applies to Android and iOS as well. I have tried using the Windows Sandbox to create a virtual environment so a 2nd instance of Survey123 can be opened and this scheme works but it is rather complicated. I have to copy all the Survey123 folders associated the executable and the surveys into a temporary folder that exists only a long as the virtual machine is open. It would require the worker to be very careful with the use of the copy of Survey123 running in the virtual machine to avoid losing all data collected during the session.

Are there any other ways people have come up with to streamline the use of multiple Survey123 surveys? Is there a plan to add such a capability to the product at some point?

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

ThomasHamill — Tue, 24 May 2022 13:19:08 GMT

@MarkWilkinson1, it seems like you want to use geopoint for signs and booms, then geotrace for fences, gates, barricades, is that correct? Do you have any features you need to collect with geoshape (polygon) representation?

I might suggest implementing a "featureType" or "structureType" select_one to provide an option for different features in a single Survey123 XLSForm. Then you could use relevant functionality to show/hide the questions and fields that pertain to the item selected during one survey instance.

It's possible to use two or more different geometries (geopoint, geotrace, geoshape for points, lines, polygons) in a single Survey123 XLSForm as well, with some caveats. See this tech page for more info about that.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

Chris_Anderson — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:13:27 GMT

If you need three separate surveys, what about adding them to a Dashboard or Experience Builder? You can add the surveys to multiple "frames" and dock them on each other and change via tabs at the bottom of the screen. The only negative is you have to use the Web form to enter data. But this could be a starting point.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Tue, 24 May 2022 20:48:55 GMT

Thanks for the ideas @ThomasHamill .

I should add a few details. I used Survey123 Connect to gain access to features not available with the web designer. The three surveys are based on lines (fences, booms, barricades, hand rails, roads, etc.). points (cameras, gates, buoys, boom anchors, etc.) and then the final survey is another points based survey for signs. I made a survey dedicated to signs because there are many types and many attributes we collect. The Excel survey is over 80 lines and there are over 400 lines in the choices tab.

Also, we do the data collection in isolated areas were there is no cell coverage. We rely on TPK basemaps and GNSS receivers.

I will look at the article you mentioned and check out the possibility of combining the feature types into one survey.

Something that immediately comes to mind: I wonder how the mechanics of publishing and the creation of the survey Feature Layer (hosted) on our ArcGIS Enterprise server would work. If a survey has various feature types, during the act of publishing, will the associated feature layer have point, line and polygon layers created automatically?

I will have to do some experimenting.

Thanks.

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Tue, 24 May 2022 20:57:08 GMT

Hi @Chris_Anderson,

Thanks for the idea of looking at frames and docking. However, as I mentioned to Thomas, I use Survey123 Connect and everything is set up for offline use. I will check out the Dashboard and Experience Builder options though as I might find another use for them or maybe an idea will come to mind for my current application.

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

ChristopherCounsell — Wed, 25 May 2022 02:10:47 GMT

What about using drafts? You can save the survey, complete another survey, and then return to the main one? I would say that is the capability you are looking for. Set the Instance name to make it easier to identify the survey:

https://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/desktop/create-surveys/xlsforminstancename.htm

Alternatively I'd revisit the survey design and data collection workflow.

Can the single large survey be broken into separate chunks to complete + submit + move on; consider related tables, repeats etc
Can the additional survey requirements be incorporated into the large survey and UI improved to help users navigate?

I'm not aware of other mobile apps that let users open multiple sessions concurrently, so imagine the development requirements for this on several operating platforms would be almost impossible for the Survey123 team to implement. They are generally receptive to ideas but given the draft folder exists I'm not sure what value having this functionality would bring to all users. If you can ratify this, consider placing an idea, but be open to rephrasing the requirements. i.e. "have multiple surveys open concurrently in the Survey123 app, similar to tabs/windows in Chrome" may be more achievable than running multiple app sessions.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Wed, 25 May 2022 16:47:37 GMT

Hi @ChristopherCounsell

I looked at how using Drafts might help our workflow and I think they could be used to improve the efficiency of data collection.

I am thinking it would be useful for collecting line features, a fence for example. I should note that my line survey sets the body::esri:style method to vertex. This allows the user to collect vertices associated with a line, rather than sketching a primitive shape. The drawing tools for a vertex based line allows the user to record a vertex location, move to a new location, record that vertex location and so on. I did notice that if you start a line, you need to record at least two vertices (it is a line after all 😉 before you can save it and create a draft record. However, when you reopen the draft, the line editing tools change. You can add new vertices between existing vertices, you can move existing vertices but you can’t extend the line. I think I have come up with a work-around that will allow us to do what we need to do.

The worker can record the staring point of a fence and then add a fictitious 2nd point that can be later deleted. The record can saved as a draft, and the worker can collect other features using the other survey types. The fence record can be reopened and a new fence vertex can be added between the two previously recorded vertices. The fence survey record can thus be added to and modified as needed and eventually saved as final.

If I combine my Points survey with my Signs survey then users will have to contend with only two surveys and if they make use of Drafts for the lines survey, things will be much improved.

Thanks,

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

ChristopherCounsell — Wed, 25 May 2022 23:26:44 GMT

Thanks for the additional context, helps a lot. I think drafts is the answer, but maybe you could post an idea around improvements to the line editing tools for when the geoline question is re-opened. Line and polygon capture is still relatively new and the Survey123 team has made a lot of improvements to the question type over time.

You could also be fancy and capture a series of points in the survey then post-process in ArcGIS Desktop to create the line.

You could also consider using ArcGIS FieldMaps (or QuickCapture) to capture the line and then complete any detailed surveys as required. As these are separate apps it should be fine to run simultaneously.
Though note it's not available on Windows. Technically Collector still is but it's on the old release and not actively developed. So on Windows you could use Collector, but I'd be looking to upgrade to a modern mobile platform (iOS or Android) regardless.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Thu, 26 May 2022 00:03:48 GMT

@ThomasHamill I played around with a new survey that included a geopoint and a geotrace. I might be missing a key aspect of how two feature types can be combined in a survey because I couldn't come up with a usable survey design. If I just add two straight features, a geopoint and a geotrace, when I try to publish the survey I get an error saying only one geometry field is allowed per table. If I add bind::esri:fieldType set to null as per the article, then the survey will publish but then I don't see how I can record any spatial information associated with a line. For example, I filled in a record that included a line I drew and uploaded the record. What I ended up seeing on the feature class (hosted) map was a single point sitting at Null Island (0 deg lat 0 deg long) and no line sitting anywhere. I guess you could record information for a locationless line of unknown spatial characteristics but I don't see the value in doing that.

As I mentioned above, I hope it is just a case that I am missing something.....

Thanks,

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

ThomasHamill — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:39:35 GMT

@MarkWilkinson1, take a look at this generic form (attached) showing use of multiple geometries, two geopoints and one geoshape, in a single survey. I learned how to do it from this thread. In my demo example, the geopoint named "Device_Location" is a "primary feature" of sorts, meaning the subsequent geometries (which have to be listed under repeats)—a geoshape named "Feature_Boundary_Polygon" and a geopoint named "Feature_Center"—will be related to the "Device_Location" point. One could configure the parent/child geometries differently, depending on what's needed for the survey design. For example, one could use a geoshape (for a polygon) as the primary geometry and then have a geopoint, a geotrace, and another geoshape be in the form (all related to the first geoshape). Note that there will always need to be at least one geometry outside a repeat if multiple geometries will be used in one form. Note that I put a "1" under the repeat_count (Column P) for the secondary features, because I want only one boundary polygon and boundary center point per survey device point.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

DougBrowning — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:02:11 GMT

If you launch a second form from say a URL it will keep the first open somehow in the background so I have asked the team if we could have multiple forms open at the same time and then flip among them. They said it would be very difficult to create a UI for that but they would look at it.

There are a number of bugs when saving to drafts so it would be huge for us.

thanks

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 12:51:41 GMT

Hi @ThomasHamill ,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Your idea looks quite interesting. I just created a new survey using your Excel file and will do some experimenting.

I noticed that when I tried to publish the survey, I got the error about the requirement for the field names being all lower case. Is there a setting that allows you to use mixed case as you did in your Excel file? We have Enterprise / Portal and I learned that it has a 32 character limit for field names so I had to shorten magneticVariation_DecimalDegrees before I could publish.

I will make another post after I play around with the survey.

Thanks for your help,

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

ThomasHamill — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:21:52 GMT

@MarkWilkinson1, I haven't run into that lowercase character syntax requirement for field names in Survey123 before, but the 32 character limit stands in Survey123 Connect and the XLSForm system.

Did you try a Google search of the exact phrasing of the error message you received? I wouldn't be surprised if that lowercase requirement is coming from an Enterprise/Portal configuration.

I publish my Survey123 Forms exclusively through Survey123 Connect (into ArcGIS Online) and haven't seen that before—field names that use camelCase and underscores are acceptable and forms that use them aren't prevented from being published/deployed to ArcGIS Online, in my experience.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:03:42 GMT

Hi @DougBrowning ,

I opened a survey in the S123 app and then in my browser I entered the URL for a second survey (e.g. arcgis-survey123://?itemID=<32characterGUID>). I got the request to launch S123 and when I clicked on Allow, the context flipped to the already open S123 app and the 2nd survey appeared in the app. Now, strangely, if I entered data in a few fields and saved the survey as a draft and closed it, the original survey I opened appeared as if it was sitting in the background but was not accessible until the 2nd survey was gone.

This was an exciting prospect because a worker could open my lines survey, begin collecting data for a fence, come to a sign or a gate, open the signs or points survey using the URL, collect the data, save it to the outbox and then return to the lines survey and continue on.

However, when I disconnected from the network, I found the URL method would no longer ask to launch the S123 app. I just got the usual 'you are not connected to the network' type message.

As mentioned previously, our surveys are being collected on tablets that do not have network access.

Is there any way to launch the app with a 2nd survey with no network access?

Thanks,
Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

DougBrowning — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:21:06 GMT

Yes that is what I meant it is somehow still open in the back. This works from say field maps also. You can launch then launch again and it keeps the first one in the background.

I am guessing you cant use a URL in a browser if you are offline which makes sense. Not sure why you are using a browser offline? I only launch URLs from Field Maps so not sure what your workflow is here.

Sorry kind of lost me here.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:40:12 GMT

@DougBrowning:

The only reason I mentioned using a browser and a URL was because of your suggestion.

We have tablets that do not have any network access (we use Enterprise and it is in the company protected network and IT do not allow mobile devices to penetrate the firewall). Users download the three surveys and a selection of TPK files I made while they are in the office then they head out with the tablets and GNSS receivers. They collect data, come into the office and upload the data to the server. My original post describes the problem associated with survey flipping.

I wonder if I can install a portable web server on each tablet and somehow fool the browser/app into thinking it has a network connection.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

DougBrowning — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:49:42 GMT

So you just need something to launch links from? What about just a word doc or pdf or something? May be able to put links in Avenza and use GeoPDFs.

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:17:11 GMT

@DougBrowning

I downloaded a portable web server and just let it run on the tablet in the background. I disconnected from the network, ran the S123 app and opened my first survey. Then I entered the URL of the 2nd survey in a browser and I got the 'do you want to launch S123?' prompt. I said yes, it flipped over to the running instance of S123 and popped open the 2nd survey.

I am going to get some of my users to vet this idea but I think I might have something here.

Thanks for letting me know about "survey stacking". Reminds me of Reverse Polish Notation that HP Calculators and several languages use/used.

Mark

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

DougBrowning — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:13:21 GMT

I would also test just launching the links from a text doc. I do not see any reason you need to paste into a web browser here. The tablet should see its an app and just launch it. Like from Field Maps no browser needed.

You could also put the link in the first form and launch it right from there.

Good luck

Re: Run multiple instances of Survey123 (to speed up data collection)

MarkWilkinson1 — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:44:25 GMT

@DougBrowning

Hopefully this will be the last time I bother you. If I put a link in the form of arcgis-survey123://?itemID=<32characterGUID> in a text doc, when the doc is opened, there will be nothing to click. But, if I put it in a Word hoc I can create a hyperlink and that will work.

I like your idea of including a link in a survey but I can't seem to get it to work. If I add a new line with type= note and a label=arcgis-survey123://?itemID=(32characterGUID), the text appears in the survey as straight (unclickable) text. If I insert a hyperlink in the Excel survey file, I can click on the link in Excel and, like Word, it works. However the link turns into straight text in the survey itself.

I tried using <a href=arcgis-survey123://?itemID=(32characterGUID)>Survey </a> and I get a link that, when clicked, will launch the S123 app but the survey does not open. I tried <a href=https://survey123.arcgis.app?itemID=(32characterGUID)>Survey</a> and that just launched my browser. I referred to https://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/reference/integratewithotherapps.htm for this

The Word doc method works but it bugs me that I can't get it to work in Survey123.

Any suggestions?

Mark