Survey123 "The survey is broken cannot get source feature service info from formInfo file"

[AveryKing1]

I inherited ownership of a survey that was developed by a predecessor in my position, and at some point in the interim between him departing and me filling the position the survey became unusable. Users can no longer submit new records and I cannot access the data tab to view previously submitted records. I am attempting to revive the survey, but am more focused on retrieving and downloading all of the data that was already submitted than fixing the survey to allow new submissions. There were no backups saved of the submitted data.

The survey was created in Survey123 Connect (unknown version) and I am currently running Version 3.0.128. Below is an overview of what I've attempted and encountered: 

Every user trying to submit data from the mobile app gets stuck with a spinning wheel and the message "Getting Service Information". I enabled logs when trying to submit an entry through the mobile app and have attached the log.

When logged into Survey123 in a web browser, the survey's thumbnail is visible but when I click on the survey, I receive the message "The survey is broken" with the details "cannot get source feature service info from formInfo file" and "cannot get any feature service info (including source, fieldworker, or stakeholder views)" (see attachment 1). The editing, collaborate, analyze, and data tabs are all grayed out and cannot be selected (see attachment 2). When I select settings, Survey123 redirects me to a page that reads "The survey is not accessible or does not exist. Please ensure the signed in user can access this survey and that the survey link is correct" (see attachment 3). I have confirmed that I am signed in, and have access to the group that this survey is shared with. 

When logged in to Survey123 Connect, I can view the thumbnail and title for the survey. I downloaded the survey to my device. I can view the form preview, schema preview, and settings within Survey123 Connect. I can open the folder associated with the survey and the following files are in it: media folder (contains 2 PNG image files of the survey's thumbnail, forminfo.json, RecSigns 1.info, RecSigns 1.itemInfo, RecSigns 1.png, RecSigns 1.webform, RecSigns 1.xlsx, and RecSigns 1.xml (see attachment 4). 

When I select "Open in Survey123 web app", from connect, it redirects me to a page that reads "This survey has been depreciated and is closed. Thanks!". (see attachment 5). When I select Manage in Survey123 web app, it redirects me to a page that reads "The survey is not accessible or does not exist. Please ensure the signed in user can access this survey and that the survey link is correct."

When I select View Item Details in your ArcGIS Organization, it redirects me to an ArcGIS Online item that I'm the owner of and is shared with a group. It is a Form titled RecSigns 1. But when I try to open the survey by clicking Open in browser, it again takes me to "This survey has been depreciated and is closed. Thanks!". When I click "Manage in Survey123 website" in Connect, it again redirects me to "The survey is not accessible or does not exist. Please ensure the signed in user can access this survey and that the survey link is correct". When I select "View item details in your ArcGIS organization", I am redirected to a form in ArcGIS Online (see attachment 6). I can view the overview, usage, and settings tabs but am redirected to the "This survey has been depreciated and is closed. Thanks!" or "The survey is not accessible or does not exist. Please ensure the signed in user can access this survey and that the survey link is correct" when I attempt to Open in browser or Manage in Survey 123 website. I can go to the settings tab and have confirmed that the form is NOT marked as deprecated and have hit save to confirm that it is not marked as deprecated, under both the general and form tabs. The Data Source URL is empty under general and form tabs.

I have not attempted to re-publish the survey from Connect, since I do not want to lose the previously submitted data. When I hit publish, I get the message: "The existing data service is not compatible with the survey - (Request error)" (see attachment 7). 

It does not seem like the survey was ever marked as deprecated, so I'm not sure why it's showing as deprecated when I try to open the survey in a web browser. Is there any way to access the previously submitted data through Survey123 Connect? Like I mentioned before, it's more important at this point to access the data than to get the survey back up and running for new entries.

[MichelleWilliamsERM]

Good day to you,

I've also inherited surveys and understand your challenges. You were very thorough in your question. 

My questions for you;

Can you see your hosted feature service?

Survey123 Connect is at version 3.15 (updating gets tricky, but if you can see the hosted service, we can rebuild your survey linking to the hosted service)

Survey123 on all devices should be updated too. ArcGIS Survey123 Resources | Downloads, Training, Videos & Documentation (esri.com) the apps can be downloaded here, and in the app stores.

It sounds like there is a disconnect because of the software mismatch. 

I'd love to help your through this process if you need help.

[AveryKing1]

Thank you for your response! 

I believe I am able to see the hosted feature layer associated with the survey. In My Content in ArcGIS Online, I found a webmap and a feature layer (hosted) with the same name as the survey (RecSigns 1). The fields in this RecSigns 1 feature layer seem to correspond with the name/labels in the Survey123 XLS Form for the survey. 

However, when I opened the RecSigns 1 webmap, the feature layer RecSigns 1 gave the warning "an eroor occurred loading this layer" and I was unable to look at its properties or attributes. I added the RecSigns 1 feature layer from My Content to the webmap hoping it would fix a broken link or something similar and allow the layer to load, but instead a second feature layer was added (which does load on the map) while the original is still showing the error. So while I believe that I can see and access the hosted feature layer (RecSigns 1), the error in the web map causes me to have some uncertainty in whether it is the correct feature layer.

All of the Survey123 mobile apps are the most recent version, as I just had all our users go through and update the app. As for Connect, I would be able to download version 3.12.232 of Survey123 Connect (that's the most recent version that has been approved for download by IT - 3.15 has not yet been approved for installation). Based on this, should I go ahead and request version 3.12.232 and try to rebuild the survey linking to the hosted feature service?

[MichelleWilliamsERM]

Let me share what I've learned linking to the hosted layer.

Once the survey is linked and built,

Delete the fields in the survey tab (leave the headers) 

Go into the OLD version and copy the fields (including the headers, BUT don't copy the whole spreadsheet with all the blanks)  

Paste Values into the new version with the headers under each other.

Make sure the headers match and move data to match the top header if needed (top headers are KING).

Delete the row with the OLD headers.

You'll need to change the settings and try to publish; it shouldn't give you any errors, but if it does, let me know, and we'll walk through it together.

[AveryKing1]

Hi Michelle, 

I was able to update to Survey123 Connect Version 3.12.232. A few clarification questions before I move forward with the process you've described: 

1) It seems like the steps you've outlined will essentially create a new survey based on the non-functional survey, which will allow new data to be collected with this survey but won't retrieve previously collected data. Am I understanding that correctly? 

2) When you say "once the survey is linked and built", are you referring to creating a new survey from the old one by selecting Save As and then linking it to the same hosted feature layer? 

3) If so, how do I link the new survey to the hosted feature layer? My understanding is that once you publish the survey, it creates a new feature layer in ArcGIS Online, and I am unsure of how to link it to a different feature layer than the one it automatically created. 

Thanks again for the help!

[MichelleWilliamsERM]

1. You will create a new survey (which your team will need to download and have them delete the old one if it's on their device.)
BUT the new survey is linked to your OLD hosted service, and it WILL retrieve your OLD data. (Not the OLD survey itself, these are two different items: the hosted service & the survey form)
2. You want to create a new survey linked to your old data here. Don't SaveAs because you'll bring over the broken STUFF. (See image below)
- When you link to the OLD hosted service, it downloads the fields exactly as they appear in AGOL
-Here's a trick --- copy the content of your OLD survey (tab) into the NEW survey (tab)
When you are ready to publish, and you get the UGLY error about deleting the data, then stop because something else is wrong with your data.

If you need help, send me a DM, and I'll get on a call with you.

[migforst6]

Greetings Michelle,

I am having the same issue but I cannot see the Feature Services related to the Survey123 Form on AGOL. As you can see in the attached picture it appears that the survey is broken and cannot get any feature service. What should I do in this case?

Thanks in advance,