Survey 123 for ArcGIS dropdown list to csv download

[ByronLobsinger]

#Survey 123 for ArcGIS: When I go to download the data into a csv file, the original drop down menu loads into the database rather than the custom drop down selection. On screen it looks like it took the correct survey data, but when I download it as a csv, it has “choice 1” instead of the info from the custom data list, such as the “Fulton” county. 

[DerekLaw]

Hi Byron,

I'm not clear on your issue. So you've published a survey and collected some data. Now, from the Survey123 website > Data tab > you try and download the collected survey data as a CSV format ... is the right? So you can download the collected survey data correctly, but something is wrong with the data? Is that right?

Can you perhaps post some screen captures of the issue(s) you are seeing?

Can you please post a copy of your XLSForm so I can take a look?

[AmyRoust]

Here are some screen shots from our setup that are creating the same issue. There is no spatial element to ours -- we're just using Survey123 to collect table data.

Form design:

Data entered:

Excel spreadsheet download:

Edited to add: I tried downloading in Firefox 53, IE 11, and Chrome 59. Same results from all three browsers.

[DerekLaw]

Hi Amy,

Thanks for posting your survey info. Yes I was able to reproduce your error and I think you've found a known limitation.

Can you please open an Esri tech support incident as well so we can add your info (and example survey) as a repro case?

As a workaround, you could create a new survey with a select_one dropdown question using Survey123 Connect.

Apologies for this inconvenience,

[ZhifangWang]

Hi Amy, 

Thanks for the feedback.

This is currently a known limitation on our radar.

When creating a Dropdown or Single Choice question in web designer, coded value domain will be created in the behind feature service. To simplify the user experience, the choice item label input by users will be used as the names while auto-generated choice0, choice1, choice2... will be used as values. In the meantime, we're using the ArcGIS Online export operation behind the Download feature, only values of coded value domain will be used if you choose CSV format.

Workarounds:

• Using Survey123 Connect to control the underlying value of a coded value domain
• Download as File Geodatabase first,
  • Problem: Exporting a feature service with domains to a CSV file shows coded values instead of descri...
  • How To: Export a feature class to a shapefile that contains domain descriptions instead of domain co...

[AmyRoust]

Thank you for this information! I downloaded our data as a file geodatabase as suggested, which provides the coded results. Unfortunately, the field names change to field_1, field_2, field_3, etc, so we trade one problem for another one. To be fair, I totally understand why the field names have to be converted, since a geodatabase would not accept field names with spaces, special characters, etc.

Since this limitation is on your radar, do you have a timeline for when it will be fixed?

[DougWood]

I am having a similar issue using Collector app, AGOL, and Operations Dashboard. I'm trying to design an easy way for my boss (not a GIS person) to use Operations Dashboard to easily export a daily summary of the location of all of our farming equipment and their respective locations so that he can plan equipment movements in advance during our winegrape harvest.

Instead, he ends up with a table of the domain drop-down codes instead of the item descriptions (e.g. "28" instead of "Riboli Vineyard", and "14" instead of "Tractor 0263g Kubota").

I am doing my best to democratize GIS data collection, analysis, and reporting while using all of these really fantastic products, but I cannot understand why coded domains are exported instead of the descriptions, and would love to see a working solution for this known bug!

[DerekLaw]

Hi Doug,

I replied to your other similar topic post in this thread, Operations Dashboard with coded values.

However, I suggest that you also checkout Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS, specifically its new "dashboard theme" and Infographic widget that enables you to create and deploy a dashboard app.

FYI, What’s New in Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS (June 2017) | ArcGIS Blog 

This option might meet your needs.

Hope this helps,

[DougWood]

Hi Derek,

I appreciate your feedback and response!

I reached out to Tech Support earlier this morning and they were able to replicate many of the bugs and/or limitations I have been experiencing. Since then, I have redesigned my feature class so that the domains are no longer based on long integers, but text values instead. I’ve made the “Code” match the “Description” (i.e. “Tractor 0263g Kubota” is “Tractor 0263g Kubota”) and , voila – it works! I was able to use the unsupported summary report widget to generate a simple CSV file with all of the pertinent information for my boss. I just showed him the Operations Dashboard I created, and he seems interested in trying it out this harvest.

Perhaps you are able to tell me if there’s a reason why long integer is suggested as a preferred Coded Domain over text values?

Thanks again – much appreciated!

-Doug

Doug Wood

Piña Vineyard Management, LLC

Vineyard Information Manager

PO Box 373

Oakville, CA 94562

http://pinavineyardmanagement.com/

cell: (707) 312-0157

office: (707) 944-2229

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Doug,

I've been looking into this based on your (and a couple of other) issues involving domain label vs. code. 

On why integers are recommended over strings- integers are more efficient to store and search/index at the database level and so are preferred from a data design perspective.