Hi Todd,
Do you need ArcGIS Desktop, no you can get by without but It is easer to work with data in desktop and publish a feature to ArcGIS Online (AGOL). For creating a feature service or two in AGOL it is easily possible, but as your projects get bigger it is easier to use ArcGIS Desktop or Pro. You can purchase a personal use copy at ArcGIS For Personal Use | Buy ArcGIS Software Online for $100 per year. This version is for personal use only.
Collector does not really have questions as such. You create a feature class, linked table or service that have attributes. As I believe we discussed previously, a “table” could be a feature class with the attributes of length, width, height, material, condition, etc. You can create another feature called “bench” with the same attributes or make it a sub type of feature class called “Fixtures” as it has they have the same attributes. In Collector you can drop point features based upon a selected feature type and populate the attributes for that feature.
Download and and install the collector app on a mobile device. Once installed open the app and select “No account - Try It” on the log in screen. Select one of the available maps such as the “Forest Activity Tracking”. Once loaded touch the blue + in the bottom corner and add a new point. You can see how you can input the attributes for this point feature and save the date to an AGOL feature service. Here is some additional info on Learn ArcGIS | ArcGIS Collector.
Another good example of using collector to collect info about assets is the “Hydrant inspection” from the “Try It” listing. This version uses a AGOL feature service to display hydrants and other info on a web map. Once you select a hydrant there is an option to collect additional information or questions about the specific hydrant. This information, for this example, I believe is stored in a secondary data table and liked to the hydrant by the Facility ID. The same process can be used to open and collect a 123 Survey.
Survey123 you create a series of questions in an excel worksheet format called XLSForm. The Survey123 Connect application takes this excel data and processes to produce a survey that asks the questions you created and collects the answers in the form of drop downs, select buttons, lists, text, etc. The XLSForm can be customized to be dynamic depending upon how you answer one question to modify subsequent questions. Once you are happy with the survey in Connect you publish the survey to AGOL and you can access it via the Survey 123 App. See Create your first survey—Survey123 for ArcGIS | ArcGIS or Survey123 for ArcGIS XLSForm Tutorial on YouTube.
As noted previously, start small and work up from there. It sounds like you may be more familiar and comfortable with Survey123. Try to work through the five part video and create a survey. Once you get that to work, customize it to collect information for a camp site with a table, add the ability to collect for a bench, add another feature. Once you get a few items working add conditional questions to show hide additional questions. Keep building from there. Try to publish it to AGOL and see how it looks in the app. Do not try and create an entire survey in one setting. Add a date field and test it in Connect, add a drop down and test it in Connect, add a text questions and test agin. If you have questions about why something is not working or how to do something, post your XLSForm and guaranteed someone on GeoNet will lend a hand for that problem. GeoNet, Google and YouTube will become your best friends.
Lance
- When you like or find a response helpful, please like or mark it as helpful -
Let’s try a garden hose this time.