Previewing a Survey

In the preview version all of the response requirements are enforced, all of the response validation messages work, and all of the show-if conditions apply.

There are a few differences between what is seen while previewing and what a participant will see:

  1. The preview appears in a special preview window, rather than in a full browser window.
  2. The previewer puts a “Comments” DS_Add_Edit_Comment_Icon.gif icon next to each question.
  3. The previewer will display an additional page at the start that displays all preload/hidden variables

To preview a survey, simply click on the Preview icon DS_Preview_Survey_Icon.gif in the toolbar or use Preview -> Survey.

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The survey will appear in the preview window starting at the survey Login Page.

If the survey includes more than one language, use the language list in the lower right corner of the Previewer to choose which language to display.

NOTE: If the language is changed while part way through the survey, you will be redirected back to the login screen of the survey.

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Previewing Surveys in Default Browser

Users may preview surveys in their default browser as a way to test how the survey will render in that browser.

To preview a survey in your default browser, go to the Preview menu and select In Default Browser

Adding Comments to a Question in Preview

Click on the Comments icon DS_Add_Edit_Comment_Icon.gifnext to any question, and the comments editor will appear. The comments editor displays a description of the question and any existing comments. It provides a space to add new comments.  Simply enter comments and click OK to add them to the question. The comment icon will appear next to this question in the Survey Designer, and the comments you typed will be available for review to anyone editing the survey.

See “Attaching Comments to a Question”

Comments are unique per user per version as well. If previewing the survey and comments are added, when they are checked back in, the next user will see the comments but not be able to edit them. The same will be true if the survey is checked out at a later date and further comments have been made.

Preview Survey Options

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Show All Pages (Preview Layout)

Check this box to switch to Preview Survey Layout to display the entire survey at once as one scrolling document, complete with page breaks. Checking this box presents the same view displayed when Layout is selected from the Survey Designer’s Preview menu. This mode displays jumps and show-if conditions, along with the logic attached to each item.

Print Preview

The Print Preview button displays the current survey layout view as it would appear when printed on paper.

Print

The Print button  sends the current survey layout view directly to your printer.

View in Default Browser

The View in Default Browser button changes the preview such that it renders in the user’s default browser

Reload

Click the Reload button to go back to the first page of the survey.

Done

Click the Done button to close the Preview window.

 

Preview Survey Layout

Selecting Layout from the Preview menu provides multiple choices for displaying and printing the survey.

NOTE: This view cannot be used to test the logic and design of the survey.

Unlike the regular Survey Preview, the Layout does not apply show-if conditions or validate response requirements.  It does however display jumps and show-if conditions, along with the logic attached to each. The purpose of this preview is to display all questions in order, and to provide a means of printing out all of the questions in a single document.  This can be helpful for review boards who need documentation of how every item will display to the respondents, and how each item is coded.

As in the normal preview mode, comments can be added to questions.

Options

Clicking this button will provide the ability to remove some or all of the survey information to provide a “cleaner” layout containing only the questions and text objects as they appear on the screen, and none of the coding or logic.

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NOTE: All variables will be displayed regardless of logic.  Only objects marked Never Show will be hidden from all preview modes.

Hide Survey Item Details

Selecting this option will remove the Logic, Question Name and Jump information.

Hide Page Breaks

Removes the Page Breaks from the view

Hide Survey Item Comment Icons

Removes the Icons which allows reviewers to attach comments to the survey

 

Previewing a Non-local Survey

To preview a survey that is not in the My Surveys Window and is not checked out:

  1. Click the Survey Administration tab in the DatStat Illume Survey Manager.
  2. Right click the name of the survey and choose Preview Selected Survey from the context menu.

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This preview shows the survey in print mode, rather than in interactive mode. That is, the entire survey appears on a single scrolling page, complete with question ids and comments.  If the survey includes more than one language, use the list in the lower left corner of the previewer to choose which language to display.  As with local preview mode, you can also elect not to render survey logic in this mode.

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