Auto-Complete Data Sets
Overview
The Single Line Text element has the ability to utilize auto-complete data sets. When a responder starts typing into a Single Line Text element with an auto-complete data set defined, items within the set are presented and filtered by what the user has already been entered. The user can then choose an item from the list to set as their response to the element.
Auto-complete data sets allow you to define a set of data once rather than defining the set with each use, such as when using a Dropdown or Multiple Choice element. Especially when the number of options is large, auto-complete data sets provide a performance benefit compared to a Dropdown or Multiple Choice element with the same set of choices.
When setting an auto-complete data set on a Single Line Text element, you have the option to Restrict Response to List, which requires that the value in the Single Line Text element is a value found in the data set. If this option is not selected, the auto-complete data set acts as a list of suggestions but any value can be entered by the user.
Define Data Sets
Pre-Built Data Sets
The auto-complete option currently offers the following pre-coded data sets.
Data Set | Description |
|---|---|
Country List | List of country names |
Previous Responses | The data set is comprised of all values that previous users have submitted in this field. Not recommended to use this set with the Restrict Response to List option. |
Students (Class) | List of students in class the form is shared with (teacher created form only). |
Students (School) | List of students in the current school. |
Students (District) | List of all students in the district. |
Schools (District) | List of all schools in the district. |
Student Current Schedule | For a student form, a list of the student's enrolled classes for the current year. |
Teachers (School) | List of teachers in the current school. |
Teachers (District) | List of all teachers in the district. |
Custom Data Sets
You can also create your own auto-complete data sets.
Gen Table Category
One method is to create a Gen table category. The easiest way to accomplish this is by creating a tab-delimited text file with one column for the category, another column for the label (visible text), and a third for the value that is saved when the form is submitted. Because this is a Single Line Text box, the label and value must be the same. You also have the option to store a value in the database that is different than the displayed value. To use this option, add a fourth column for ValueT. The data may look similar to this:
Under Special Functions, choose Importing & Exporting, then choose Quick Import, and select table Gen Table (code values). Map the first column to Cat, the second to Name, the third to Value, and the optional fourth to ValueT.
You can now reference bus_route in the box labeled Category in your Single Line Text element's properties.
End-User Experience
When the end-user views a form with a Single Line Text element that has been linked to an auto-complete data set, a list button is displayed at the end of the element.
When the user clicks the button, a list of all the items in the data set appears.
The user can select an item directly from the list to populate the Single Line Text element.
Alternatively, the user can type into the Single Line Text element, and options appear from the data set that match what the user is typing. The user can then choose a filtered option to populate the Single Line Text element.
