ODK Validate Error & XPath Dependency Cycle

[OscarSepulveda_III]

Ok, I have been racking my brain for the last day regarding this error shown below.  Attached are the two spreadsheets I utilize.

[JamesTedrick · Accepted solution]

Hi Oscar,

It looks like the 'dependency cycle' error is the one holding up the survey.  You have two fields that have a calculation statement that refer to themselves (start_time and end_time) - fields cannot refer to themselves in a calculation, as that might cause an endless loop.  removing the calculation (and constraint, which doesn't make sense in a date time question) allowed the form to generate successfully.

[SavannahWinstanley1]

Hi James, 

I'm running into this same problem with a pulldata calculation. The basic functionality desired is a two-way pulldata based on fields Common Name and Scientific Name. I have a csv attached with common names, scientific names, species code, and genus. The user wants to be able to type in either a common or scientific name into the select one box, and from either of those generate the dependent fields (code, common/botanical, and genus).

Is this possible to do with a workaround somehow? I have tried creating duplicate hidden fields which paste the select one answers as text, and reference those instead but am still getting the error referenced above.

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Savannah,

A two way lookup (lookup in common, get scientific; look up in scientific, get common) can't be done in Survey123 - as the error indicates, it could create a cycle of continuous lookups.  One way around would be to have a hidden field that looks up the value based on if common is present (look up scientific) or scientific (copy over) is filled in.

[AditiPanhalkar]

Hi James, 

I'm having similar problems when using an 'if' function. The functionality required is- if the current question is left blank (not answered) then replace with '0', alternately if the question was answered then return the answered value. I feel like this is a fairly simple situation but I keep getting the above mentioned error. The question is a 'Text' question so I'm using the string-length function within the if expression. 

P.S I have beginner's level knowledge of survey123 connect! 

[JeremieCote]

You could simply put 0 in the default column of your question.