Photo orientation. Survey123 app

[Fco_JavierRomero]

I am trying to get the orientation of the photo taken in survey123 app in order to correct the direction of them. I have checked that with the device vertically the direction of the photo is correct, but if we touch the photo with the device horizontally, the direction is incorrect. This is because the direction is taken with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device. To correct it I've thought about using the imageorientation variable of the EXIF data, using the pulldata() function that returns the orientation of the mobile device, with values from 1 to 8:

Flag	Orientation	Description
1	0 degrees	the correct orientation, no adjustment is required.
2	0 degrees, mirrored	image has been flipped back-to-front.
3	180 degrees	image is upside down.
4	180 degrees, mirrored	image is upside down and flipped back-to-front.
5	90 degrees	image is on its side.
6	90 degrees, mirrored	image is on its side and flipped back-to-front.
7	270 degrees	image is on its far side.
8	270 degrees, mirrored	image is on its far side and flipped back-to-front.

but it seems that the photos taken from survey123 app do not take this value correctly, or at least that I have been able to check.

I would appreciate any indications about it. Thanks a lot.

[Anonymous User]

Hi Javier,

What version of the survey123 field app are you using, and also what types of devices? Can you confirm the make/model and OS version?

Regards,

Phil.

[Fco_JavierRomero]

Hi, I have tried with the new version of August and the behavior is the same.

I tried on a MI-A1 android one, with Android 9 an also in a Samsung J5, SM-J530F, with Android 9.

Regards,

Fran.

[Anonymous User]

Hi Fran,

I re-read your first message, so are saying the issue only occurs when the device is horizontal, versus in vertical orientation?

The Survey123 field app only supports a vertical orientation, it is not designed to work in horizontal orientation on smaller screens, only on tablets will it go into true horizontal mode. I believe this is the likely the cause of the issue, as when you turn the phone horizontal, the app is locked to a vertical orientation, so you will see that the menu bar and other parts of the application do not flip to the long edge. This is likely the cause of the orientation difference you are seeing. Whilst the photo can still be captured with the device in horizontal orientation, the app still thinks it is in a vertical orientation, and therefore the reported orientation will match that.

Regards,

Phil.

[Fco_JavierRomero]

Hello again, I am trying to do the same on a Samsung tab2 tablet and the same thing happens to me. You can think of a way to do the same in another way?.

On the other hand, is there any way to be able to use the value @[compass] that is placed with the watermarks on the photos? That is, to be able to use this value for calculations and to fill in other questions?

Regards

[Anonymous User]

Hi Fran,

The list of all supported pulldata @ EXIF tags can be found here: Media—ArcGIS Survey123 | Documentation 

Regards,

Phil.

[AaronWorthley1]

Hi Phil- just encountered this myself- is there any thought to implementing photo rotation on smaller devices? This seems kind of crazy- I routinely take photos in landscape orientation with a phone. Other phone photo apps seem to have no problem with this. When reviewing records in AGOL collected via Survey123- all landscape photos are turned vertical. Photos collected with Field Maps or Collector don't have this problem.

[HowardBeverly1]

I found photo rotation gets messed up if I move the camera too soon after taking a photo and have to rotate the photo in the app before submitting. Otherwise all photos orient correctly when viewed in AGOL or as attachments in a geodatabase.

[Marc_Graham]

Hi Phil,

I can confirm the same behaviour on a brand new iPad Pro with the latest s123 and latest iOS.

cheers,

marc

[Anonymous User]

Hi @Marc_Graham,

Can you confirm if rotation lock is enabled on the iPad. For instance, is the app locked to portrait mode, but you are trying to take a photo in landscape?

If so, when the image preview is displayed in the form preview before submitting, you would see that the orientation is the wrong way.

I have been trying to reproduce this on several devices, and this was the only way I got a portrait image when in landscape, by using rotation lock with the app in portrait.

Regards,

Phil.