topic Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

Survey123 - Location capture when editing

Hope_M — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:02:49 GMT

I know a location is captured on Survey123 when the survey is first opened, but I want to know whether that location changes if the survey is either edited out of the inbox or sent, edited and resent.

For example, if I arrive at a location, collect/open a survey, fill it out, save it to my inbox, drive to another location, reopen and edit the saved survey, and send it at the new location, would the location associated with the survey response be the first or second location? If I were to send the survey at the first location, drive over to the second location, then edit and resend the survey, would the location be captured any differently than the first scenario?

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

IsmaelChivite — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:12:54 GMT

Hi! Have a look at the attached XLSForm. Note that the form is meant to be used with the Inbox enabled:

Import the XLSForm into Survey123 Connect
Enable the Inbox
Go back to the Form preview and Publish
In the Mobile app:
- Collect one point and submit
- Move a few hundred feet away from the original location
- Go into the Inbox and open the form your submitted to change it
- Note how the form will automatically tell you the distance between the original point you collected and your current location

The key here is the use of the position keyword in the default column of the geopoint question. When the position keyword is used, Survey123 recalculates the geopoint location, even if the record comes from the Inbox. I like to use position this way when I want to know the exact location from which a field user is resinspecting an asset.

Also note that I am setting the esriFieldType XLSForm column to null for the second geopoint because in ArcGIS, it is not possible to have a single table with more than one geometry field.

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

Hope_M — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:26:00 GMT

Thanks. So would the geopoint location remain the same if the position keyword is not used? I would like the location associated with each survey completed to be the location of the survey when it was first opened, and for the location not to change if it is edited in any way.

Also, right now I do not think there is not a geopoint question, but the location captured by Survey123 is used to display on a map the location where the survey was collected.

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

abureaux — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:03:49 GMT

A geopoint with no other parameters set will collect a location and then that location will not change unless the user manually forces the update (either by clearing the geopoint and then recapturing, or by manually moving the point on the geopoint's map). For your purposes, don't use the position keyword.

EDIT: @IsmaelChivite I didn't know about this keyword, and will be using in a survey! Thank you.

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

IsmaelChivite — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:48:56 GMT

Agreed with @abureaux After reading the original question a second time, I realize I misinterpreted @Hope_M 's question. Glad that @abureaux found the position discussion useful but as Alexander indicates, the correct answer to the question is:

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

WarrenMedernach — Fri, 09 May 2025 16:25:17 GMT

So based on this response@IsmaelChivite, is it safe to say there is no way to 'calculate' the geopoint location?

I'm trying to build a form for the following scenarios:

User captures a survey and takes a photo 'at' the survey location, the geopoint will be at said location
User captures a survey but uploads a photo. In this case I want to use the exif data of the uploaded photo to populate the geopoint.

Every variation I have tried to accomplish this with pulldata for the exif details fails on validation.

Thanks for any guidance/confirmation/help on this.

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

WarrenMedernach — Fri, 09 May 2025 17:36:04 GMT

Please disregard, I think I finally figured this out and was able to accomplish it with some calculated fields and proper relevant fields.

Re: Survey123 - Location capture when editing

Sharouff — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:26:01 GMT

Hello I have a similar need for requiring an update to a map question before being able to submit. We have a public form for assistance requests where the public identifies a county for the requests that places a point in the center of the county. Staff assigned to the county get a webhook notice to answer the request via inbox link and as part of the workflow update the location. I want to implement this position keyword workflow but is there also a way to make this edit required before staff can submit so the location is correctly updated?