Changing question numbers

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claudia
Posts: 57
Joined: May 9th, 2017, 6:23 am

Changing question numbers

Post by claudia »

Hi,

I have revised my questionnaire and would like to make some changes in the data entry application to the question numbers I originally had. I have tried changing some of the question numbers in the dictionary of the data entry application (item labels & item names) but some of the questions get deleted. Do you have some advice on whether it is at all possible (or a good idea in fact) to change the question numbering, and if yes what the best way to procede is?

Many thanks,
Claudia
Gregory Martin
Posts: 1777
Joined: December 5th, 2011, 11:27 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by Gregory Martin »

The most important thing is to change your names while your data entry application is open. That is, don't open the dictionary by itself. When you make the changes, I suggest that you move from the dictionary view to the form view every time you make a change. That should ensure that CSPro properly associates your new dictionary name with the old field name. If you make too many changes, that "reconcile" may not work properly.

You must also be sure to change the names of any variables in logic.

If your question numbers are not stable, you might consider not including them in your variable name. That is, instead of using something like P3 or P3_RELATIONSHIP, your variable name could simply be RELATIONSHIP, in which case it doesn't matter what the question number is.
claudia
Posts: 57
Joined: May 9th, 2017, 6:23 am

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by claudia »

Hi,

thanks for youyr advice. I did what you said, changing after every change from dictionary to form view but it doesn't solve two problems:
-1.there is a question with subitems. I manage to change the question number in the dictionary but not the overall number that appears once I change to form view (see what's marke in blue "Q0060000" in the picture). The result is that CsPro automatically deletes that question.
photo_2018-12-11_14-29-13.jpg
photo_2018-12-11_14-29-13.jpg (260.72 KiB) Viewed 4072 times
-2. AFter I change the question numbers, the item questions don't correspond to the correct item anymore

In order to avoid these two problems, could you mayvbe tell me step by step how I should change the question numbers?

Many thanks!
claudia
Posts: 57
Joined: May 9th, 2017, 6:23 am

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by claudia »

... I'll add one more piece of information regarding point 2. I mentioned in my previous message:

The question item appears correctly when I click on the item in the form view ("Quel âge avez-vous for Q004)- see picture:
photo_2018-12-11_14-45-17.jpg
photo_2018-12-11_14-45-17.jpg (304.79 KiB) Viewed 4072 times
but it doesn't appear correctly in CAPI Questions view- see picture:
photo_2018-12-11_14-45-20.jpg
photo_2018-12-11_14-45-20.jpg (297.36 KiB) Viewed 4072 times
Kind regards,
Claudia
Gregory Martin
Posts: 1777
Joined: December 5th, 2011, 11:27 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by Gregory Martin »

CSPro attempts to intelligently reconcile the changes, but there are scenarios where it can fail. You will definitely have a problem with repeating items/subitems, and in those cases I would just drag them back onto the form to recreate them.

To give an example, let's say you have two variables:

Q1, Q2

If you rename both Q1->Q2 and Q2->Q3, you will have a problem because the question text and field for the old Q2 will remain linked to the new Q2.

However, if you go do Q2->Q3, then go to the form, the values should update to Q3, and then you can do the same change for Q1->Q2. Regarding your question text, you might consider actually viewing the question text for the field after each change. That should ensure that the question text is adjusted.

Another option might be to temporary add a character in the name. For example, rename Q1->Q2A, and Q2->Q3A. In that way, CSPro won't be confused about whether something is the old Q2 or the new Q2. You can make all those changes, save, close your application, open it again, and then remove all the As from the item names.
claudia
Posts: 57
Joined: May 9th, 2017, 6:23 am

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by claudia »

Ok, thanks for your detailed answer.
And how do I go about moving items from one form to another? I am basically changing the order of some questions (which is why I also need to change the numbering). I manage to drag items up and down within one same form, but I can't seem to move items between forms. I can probably delete the items I don't want in a form and create them again in the correct form, but some of them are quite complex so it would take me a while to create them again so I'm trying to find a way round that.

Many thanks,
Claudia
Gregory Martin
Posts: 1777
Joined: December 5th, 2011, 11:27 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Changing question numbers

Post by Gregory Martin »

You can't move items from one form to another directly. What you can do is Cut the items from one form and then Paste them on another.
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