Single or multiple questions requiring more than one field to be entered can be created using the Multi-Control Object. Learn more about multi-control question types and how best to use them.
Note: Multi-Control Objects are only available in the Classic rendering.
Note: This object is only available in Classic/Default Template surveys.
Single Questions that require multiple fields (controls) can be created using the Multi-Control Question Object. Multi-control questions are different than standard Illume questions in that with standard questions, you build how the question will look using the question editor, and doing so automatically creates the columns in the database into which the responses will be stored. In contrast, with multi-control objects, you must follow a two step process:
1. Define how the question will look using the Multi-Control Question Editor
2. Define the variables into which the data from that question will be saved. These variables are Preload/Hidden variables.
Both steps must be completed for the multi-control to work.
Types of Single Multi-Control Questions:
The following steps will describe how to create the following example Question:
Steps:
NOTE: If the box is not checked and no size is specified the browser will create a default size field. This only sets the actual size of the visible field. The number of allowed characters will be set in the Validation tab.
These steps will be used to create the following question:
Steps:
While a single check box type question can be added as a Multi-Control type object, they are easily created as one of the Standard Question types.
To add a Check Box to a question follow these steps:
A Multi-Control Question can be any combination of the three control types (Text Field, Pop List, Check Box). Create a Multi-Control Object then follow the steps for each type in the cell you are working with.
To achieve a smooth looking prompt it is possible to Span the prompt across multiple Cells.
To achieve this, follow these steps:
Steps:
Multi-Control Question tables allow for any number and variety of controls within the same table. Like the Multi-Control question, building a Multi-Control table is a two step process of defining how the table will look through the Multi-Control Question Table Editor, and then defining the Preload/Hidden variables that will store the responses captured in each cell of the table.
Steps
The Configure Tab for the Multi-Control Question Table editor contains three sub-tabs to set up the specifics of the table. They are:
Depending on the Control Type selected there will be different tabs and configuration choices. See Control Types in Multi-Control Question Tables for configuration details
Each column will have a single Control Type with corresponding Preload/Hidden Variables to store the data. Therefore if you have a 3 X 3 question table (3 columns, 3 rows), then you will need to create 9 Preload/Hidden variables to store the values in each of the 9 cells.
There are three types of Rows available in a Multi-Control Question Table:
Run-If logic for a Multi-Control Question Table follows the same principles as the Show-If logic for Standard Questions and Question Tables.
The section describes how to include syntax in your multicontrol table to control the conditions under which the table rows are shown. It is NOT possible to insert show-if logic on question table columns. Show-if is only supported on rows of a question table.
The syntax below can be entered while on the Rows tab of the multicontrol editor, in the show-if field. Example: GENDER _eq_ 1. This syntax would cause the row to show if Gender equals 1.
Row Elements
Attribute Name | Required | Values |
showIf | No | This is a simple ShowIf expression of the form:”variable” “op” “value”, where “variable” is the name of a survey variable, “op” is an operator as listed below, and “value” is the value of the variable”op” is any of the following operators:‘_eq_’ is equals‘_ne_’ is not equals
‘_lt_’ is less than ‘_gt_’ is greater than ‘_lteq_’ is less than or equals ‘_gteq_’ is greater than or equals ‘_ans_’ is answered ‘_nans_’ is not answered “value” is a required value except if the _ans_ or _nans_ operators are used. |
NOTE: For show-if logic based on check box items, the appropriate format is GENDER_eq_True rather than GENDER_eq_1
If the show-if conditions for a row are based on more than one variable, it is not possible to concatenate this syntax for two variables. Rather, you must create a calculation that outputs to true under your conditions, and then use that calculation in your show-if logic.
For example, let’s say a row is to show if Gender = 1 and if Age=18. You need to create a calculation (we’ll name that calculation “GENAGE_CALC”) such as
(({Value:GENDER}=1)&&({Value:AGE}==18))?1:0
This calculation will output a “1” if the two conditions are met. Next, in the show-if field of the multicontrol table editor, you would insert:
GENAGE_CALC_eq_1
There are six different controls types that can be used in a Multi-Control Question Tables. Five of the Controls are used to define a question field and one is used to insert a space between columns.
The Control Types are:
After following the beginning steps to create a Multi-Control Question Table the Survey Programmer will select the Control Types for the Columns within the table.
Example Table: In this table, the first two columns are Text Fields. In between the first two columns and the 3rd is an Empty control type. The next 5 columns are part of a Radio Group, with a Column Header of “Guardian Type”. The 8th column is a Pop List, the 9th column is a Check Box, and the final 3 columns are Check All That Apply with a Column Header of “Previous Childhood Illnesses”.
NOTE: For all Column Headings Piping can be used
Steps
Steps
The Pop List Control Type follows the same steps as the Radio Group Control Type, except that the control type of Pop List is chosen instead of Radio Group.
A Preload/Hidden variable must be created to capture the value for each cell in the multi-control table. For control type of poplist and radio button, if you did not check “Define local response options”, you will need to define the scale on the Scale tab of the Preload/Hidden variable editor. For larger tables, it is most efficient to create a single preload variable with the correct scale defined, and then using cntrl+c to Copy the Preload/Hidden variable, and then cntrol+ V to paste, and then just edit the name and the description.
The names of your Preload/Hidden variables need to match the prefixes you defined in the table editor. Thus if column one’s prefix is CFN_, and the table has 5 rows, you will need to create 5 Preload/Hidden variables named CFN_1, CFN_2, CFN_3, CFN_4, and CFN_5.
Steps
Steps
To Define Local Responses
Steps
There are three Row types that can be used in a Multi-Control Question Table.
Row Types
Example: In the example below, “Child 1, Child 2, Child 3” are Row Prompts, “Not living int he Home but counted” is a Row Header, and “Location of Child” is a Row Prompt with Text Field
A row header creates a row in the table that is purely for labeling the rows below it, but does not actually collect any data.
Steps
A row prompt is used to label a row that will collect data.
Steps
Steps
Multi-control questions and question tables are unique from standard questions in that users must not only define the display through the question editor, but must also define Preload/Hidden variables for each field within the multi-control object.
If a Check All Question is being used then Click on the Scale tab and Name and Display Text for each response.
The Multi-control Object uses a Run-if statement to determine whether the multi-control object should be shown, and under what conditions. This functions in the same manner as show-if logic as applied to standard questions. If the object should only run under certain conditions, the “Only run if” option is selected. You must then select the variable or variables that determine whether the object should be shown, and the conditions under which it should be shown.