topic Re: Repeat Always Creating Record in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

Repeat Always Creating Record

ShawnRoberts1 — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 16:16:37 GMT

I'm just experiencing a weird issue that hasn't occurred in the past. Normally, for a repeat a record would only be created in some data was actually entered into the repeat( or an image added). However recently I've experienced an issue with any new surveys that no matter what a record will be created in a repeat, no matter is it is completely blank or no image has been attached ect. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before?

I created a really simple survey to test with two lines and this still seems the be happening. The main table (0 index) will be created as expected, then no matter if there is no image or not a record will be created in the related table.

This is causing alot of headaches as I run scripts/workflows against the survey results and it keeps returning blank records (or in this case records with no attachments).

Any advice/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Shawn

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

ShawnRoberts1 — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 18:48:41 GMT

To add a bit more to this. It seems to be in the repeats. For any repeat that exists within the survey, it will always create a record in each related table (even it there is no attributes filled out in the record aside from the Id's). I'm looking back at some older surveys we've published out before and this is not the case. If the information was not filled out for a repeat it did not create the record. I use some scripts to look at the surveys and pull all their data and attached files/images into a report. However, with blank records being created now its creating a lot of issues looking for data and returning results with nothing attached (ex for loop - for each related record in images grab its attached image. However now records are being created with no images attached as no one asked for it to be created).

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 21:54:32 GMT

Hi Shawn,

This is the expected behaviour for repeats if no appearance has been applied, the intial record will be created on loading survey. If you set the appearance of the begin_repeat to minimal the initial record in related table will not be created until the sign on the repeat is selected.

Note that in some cases if you add a calculation or default to one of the questions in the repeat it will also create the initial record on loading or re-calculation.

Regards,

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

AndyZeigert — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 04:07:03 GMT

I've noticed this behavior as well. It seems to have started when I tried to use a field from the repeats in a later calculated field. Basically, "calculate total x for all repeats". Now records for all repeats up to the repeat_count setting are being created, which creates a lot of empty rows in a table on our report.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 04:43:52 GMT

Yes, this is to be expected. Setting a repeat_count for the repeat will cause all the records to be created in the related table on loading the survey.

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

AndyZeigert — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 05:06:39 GMT

The calculation isn’t inside the repeat, it’s in a field later in the form. The repeats don’t have any calcs within. Still expected?

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 05:54:11 GMT

Hi Andy. Sorry I updated my reply as the calculation issue confuses the issue, yes still expected, if you use repeat_count that will set how many records are created in related table at the time that count is set, this is expected. It is not a maximum number of repeat records allowed but a number or records to be created.

To avoid the issue of blank records being created in related tables you need to use the minimal appearance on repeat and not use repeat_count.

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

AndyZeigert — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 17:10:07 GMT

That makes sense. Although I only recently added the new calculated fields. Before that, the repeats still had repeat_counts and were set to minimal, but we weren't getting those extra blanks records. I'll do some experimenting.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

ShawnRoberts1 — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 17:38:19 GMT

Hi All, I ended up using the minimal appearance to fix the issue of creating blank records. Why is it that the record is created by default unless the appearance is set to minimal. It almost seems to make sense to have the option set elsewhere to have the record created by default or not. I found myself digging through the schema's to try to find the option, before posting this question, but never would have thought the appearance would affect it It may also be useful to have something in Repeats—Survey123 for ArcGIS | ArcGIS about repeats creating records by default.

Thanks, for all your assistance!

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 23:59:26 GMT

Hi Andy/Shawn,

I believe the reason you are now both seeing different behaviour to previous versions, is due to changes that were made recently to support the Inbox and editing of repeats. As you may already, know we now treat null values in questions differently to enable editing existing features and related table records, and this why the blank rows get created if you have set a repeat count or have calculations.

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Trippetoe — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 20:24:58 GMT

Philip Wilson‌: I have a repeat with appearance set to minimal. There are no calculations within the repeat, but there is a text field that has a 'relevant' expression that depends on a field within the repeat. A new repeat record is always created - even when there isnt 'repeat' data. Is that also the expected behavior?

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 23:10:47 GMT

Hi Tom,

Can you please share a copy of your survey xlsx form so I can take a closer look.

Thanks,

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Trippetoe — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 05:22:13 GMT

Do you have an email address, dropbox, etc where I can send the survey xlsx?

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 05:33:20 GMT

I just sent you my email in PM.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 03:21:08 GMT

Hi Tom,

Having a quick look at your survey, I assume you are referring to the second repeat in the survey, not the first. The first one is using only a compact appearance and has required fields. By using compact appearance this means the initial record in related table will always be created on loading the survey (as compact is just an appearance setting), and all fields marked as required have to be completed to be able to submit the survey. Therefore this repeat is working as expected.

As for the second repeat, you have used a minimal appearance which should not create the record in related table until you select the add record button. However the reason the record is being created is that you are using a choice_filter that references a question outside of the repeat. The choice_filter is basically behaving the same as a calculation, in that it gets processed on loading the form, and hence the record gets created to honour the choice_filter.

We have open bugs and enhancement requests for repeats with minimal, relevant, calculations, choice_filters etc and plan to address all of these and implement a solution that works better for these repeat scenarios in a future release. Therefore currently the only way around this at present is to remove the choice_filter.

Regards,

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Trippetoe — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 20:26:33 GMT

Hi Philip.

Thanks for taking a look at the survey, and clarifying the situation for me. I'll hang tight until the bug fixes and enhancement requests are in place.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

SuddhaGraves — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 04:15:06 GMT

Hi Phil,

I also have the same problem with a related records always being created. I have set the repeat appearance to minimal, removed all defaults, calculations and relevants and it is still generating a new record for the repeat. Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

Anonymous User — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 01:45:53 GMT

Hi Suddha,

Can you share a copy of your xlsx form so I can take a closer look. Thanks.

Phil.

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

SuddhaGraves — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 13:06:19 GMT

Hi Phil,

What is the preferred method for sharing the xlsx file?

Suddha

Re: Repeat Always Creating Record

SuddhaGraves — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 13:29:57 GMT

Hi Phil,

I couldn’t figure out how to add a file to the thread on GeoNet so I am attaching it here in this e-mail.

If there is a preferred method for attaching the file, please let me know.

Thank you,

Suddha Graves

Weston Solutions, Inc.

303-729-6129 (office)