radio buttons in IWP

[Andy's]

Hello,

I have created a simple new database "SURVEY.fmp" with 4 layouts that contain a survey for my customers. One of the layouts contains 7 questions, each one can be selected by radio buttons for the category "good", "average" or "poor". Customers are supposed to go online, enter their reservation number and via buttons/scripts at the end of each page click through the survey until they reach the end and submit their survey.

While the radio buttons behave correctly on my PC they don't do the same thing in the IWP. On the host computer I can select/deselect the radio buttons throughout all three categories "good", "average" and "poor". I can select a button and if I change the category (e.g from good to poor or average) the selected button turns OFF and the other one ON. But as soon as I log into the IWP I can select each radio button only once. If I later decide to select a different category it won't let me do that. Suddenly I can select all three radio bottons, I'm not able to deselect it anymore and it all goes wrong.

Each survey question has a separate field which gives me 7 fields which each field containing the entire radio button set. My value list contains "good", "average" and "poor". What do I have to do to get the IWP behave the same way as the hosting PC?

Thanks for every reply...

Andy

[comment]

as soon as I log into the IWP I can select each radio button only once. If I later decide to select a different category it won't let me do that.

I cannot reproduce your issue. Could you post a sample file showing the problem? Also, which browser have you used for your testing?

---

BTW, I believe you should have a separate record for each question, rather than 7 similar fields in the same record.

[Andy's]

You can log on with http://192.168.1.10:80 no password required

I have one record at the moment which should be enough to test how it works.

Why do you think I should have a separate record for each question? How would I do that when my records in both databases are based on customers (= one record for each customer)?

[comment]

You can log on with http://192.168.1.10:80

That won't work, because it's an IP on your private network.

Why do you think I should have a separate record for each question?

To be more precise, we are talking about a separate record for each answer. Without this, you won't be able to summarize your results, e.g.:

Question #1:

• Good: 156

• Average: 206

• Poor: 99

Question #2:

• Good: 180

• Average: 147

• Poor: 113

...

How would I do that when my records in both databases are based on customers (= one record for each customer)?

By having more tables - see:

http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/45972-another-survey-question/

[Andy's]

Yes, I missed that one with the private network...BTW I used IE8 as bowser as well as my Ipad tp see how it works.

Wouldn't I also be able to

- search for all customers in 2011

- create an evaluation layout with fields like "TOTAL GOOD" "TOTAL AVERAGE" "TOTAL POOR"

- within the found record set apply a script that counts all "good" "average" and "poor"

I will need to rethink this whole thing after reading your earlier topic http://fmforums.com/...urvey-question/ Looks like there's more than one way to skin the cat...

Here is the file...SURVEY.zip

[comment]

AFAICT, splitting the field into 3 radio buttons cannot be handled by IWP. You must take into account that in IWP nothing happens until you submit the record. So when you toggle one instance of the field, there is yet no change in the underlying data and therefore the other instance of the field has no reason to change. It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it. Perhaps you could use your own buttons (scripted) instead.

Wouldn't I also be able to

- search for all customers in 2011

- create an evaluation layout with fields like "TOTAL GOOD" "TOTAL AVERAGE" "TOTAL POOR"

- within the found record set apply a script that counts all "good" "average" and "poor"

With 7 questions x 3 possible responses you are talking about 21 finds and 21 fields to hold the results. Whereas with a summary report, you need only one summary field (Count of ResponseID) and a script to sort the records by question and by response. What's more, it will keep on working when you add the 8th question and/or modify the allowed responses.

[Andy's]

OK, I'm sold on the record issue, especially by thinking about adding possible other questions to the survey.

As for the IWP I'm ready to get into FM Server and try my luck with PHP or XML which should offer me more flexibility. In the meantime creating my own scripted buttons for IWP is what I'll work on. Thanks so far!

[beverly]

AFAICT, splitting the field into 3 radio buttons cannot be handled by IWP.

Not quite sure what comment is saying about "split", but you can have 3 occurrences of the same field on the layout, each with a *different* value list (each with one value only of "good", "average" or "poor"). When formatted as "Radio", they should behave the same way as one field occurrence with 3 values listed. The advantage in IWP, is the ability to move each occurrence to a location that renders better (vertical or horizontal).

NOTE: works for "checkbox" formatted fields, too. And yes, it IS more work to have separate value "lists" with a single value, but it's one way to make it work in IWP.

HTH,

Beverly

[comment]

Not quite sure what comment is saying about "split"

What I meant by "split" is exactly what you described - which is also exactly what's in the file posted by Andy. It didn't work correctly in IWP for me either.