Image Selection in Survey123 App

[DeanSzumylo]

When a survey includes an Image field, there are two options: 1) take a picture, or 2) select an image.   I'm having problems with the second option.  

My assumption would be that when taking the survey, if I select the folder icon, the survey would open the photo gallery on my phone, allowing me to select from the photos/images already stored on my device.   Instead, I'm directed to a blank "No pictures found" screen.  At the bottom of that screen, there's a rudimentary folder selection screen.

The default folder location was not correct. I eventually found where my existing photos are stored, but it took a lot of trial and error.  With the correct folder selected, the images were stored in reverse chronological order (oldest first), so the most recent images would be at the very end of a long list of image files.

Is this the intended behavior?  I can't imagine expecting a survey user to go through this sleuthing process to add an existing photo to a survey.  What am I missing?  Why doesn't the app open the photo gallery?

My phone is a Moto X (2nd generation), Android version 5.1

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Derrick,

Can you be more specific on what you are suggesting by a 'gallery/folder viewer'?  Would you want the photo gallery to initially display the folders that Survey123 would look for photos in?

[DerrickWestoby]

Exactly.  

Thank you for the quick fix to the android/sort by date issue.  That's working well now and I think that covers most needs.  

Allowing users to navigate to other folders (mainly folders in the gallery) would see some use as well.  The main instances i've seen where people are asking for this is when they take an old photo, such as a pre-construction photo from 24 months ago, and include that in their project wrap-up report.   What they've been doing is emailing that old photo to themselves and saving it to their gallery, but then they have a tough time locating it because it's sorted by date instead of just being able to select the folder where photos from emails are saved to.  

Another reason to support this would be when people are attaching (instead of taking in-app) photos.  Everytime a picture is attached, a duplicate shows up because I assume the photo list includes the Survey123 attachments folder as well, which I believe makes a duplicate.   If they could navigate to a specific folder, they wouldn't see the duplicates in the Survey123 attachments folder.  

Hopefully that all makes sense? 

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Derrick,

Thanks for the suggestion.  We don't have any near-mid term plans to revise the photo gallery, but I've taken down your suggestion as one to consider.

[KorySteele]

Another reason to support this would be when people are attaching (instead of taking in-app) photos.  Everytime a picture is attached, a duplicate shows up because I assume the photo list includes the Survey123 attachments folder as well, which I believe makes a duplicate.   If they could navigate to a specific folder, they wouldn't see the duplicates in the Survey123 attachments folder.  

I'm a new user to Collector and S123 and this is so far my biggest issue, and I can't believe it's acceptable.  The field crews inadvertently picking the same photo they chose before because they didn't realize there were duplicates.  We do manhole inspections and we'll take a few hundred pics a day and they all look the same.  Now with these duplicates, we'll have several hundred photos to sort through!  Our work around is to periodically have all the photos upload to Google Photos and then delete them from the device.  That's a bit a risky.  I think the photo gallery needs to be upgraded to year 2020 expectations.

Mr. Tedrick, I appreciate all the hard work you put into the app and answering questions.  I realize my words here may sound terse, but it's borne out of an incredible amount of frustration.

[FayGlunt]

Hi,  We are experiencing the same issue described as being fixed above in the andriod version, in the iPadOS version now.  Could we get that fixed also?

[RamprasadR]

Hi,

Is there any way to hide/remove Folder Option and keep only Camera option. 

Thanks,

[IsmaelChivite]

Ramprasad R‌  In July 23, when Survey123 3.10 is released, we will support an option to hide the browse button. This option will be discussed in this upcoming Esri Technical Session: https://userconference2020.schedule.esri.com/schedule/2119561956  The XLSForm will look something like this:

You can try this option through the Survey123 Early Adopter Program as well.

[RamprasadR]

Thanks Ismael for your response. Will Check.

Shall I use Beta Version of Survey123 3.10.X for Operational purpose to avoid browse option.

Thanks,

[IsmaelChivite]

Ramprasad R‌  Hi. Allowed uses of Beta software from Esri are discussed in section 2.6 of the Esri Master License Agreement. My recommendation would be for you to test the Beta to make sure it works well for your case and then wait for the general release for production use.  We are just 3 weeks away from having 3.10 released.

[ReneAubut]

With Survey123 desktop version, will it be possible to set a default folder when browsing for photos ? Thanks