CSV files

User Support
1

Hi all,
Having just started using Kobo/ODK/formhubs on Friday, I have managed to create a good working form through a mixture of koboform, xls files and odk collect. These google groups have been a massive help so thanks to everyone who has answered questions on here so well!

I now have a question about the CSV files. I would like to have the option of uploading the files manually in case we cannot find a wifi connection in the field. For this I think that Kobo Post Processor is the best option. I have practiced uploading some forms. The problem is, in the CSV file, my looped section questions all come up in one column. Is there any way around this using Kobo Post Processor? I know I can use ODK aggregate and then ODK briefcase to get the looped sections in separate files with a linked key- can briefcase do this with Kobo too? I am currently using ODK collect- could this be the issue?

Thanks in advance,
Jackie

2

Jackie,
Way to go, would like to know more about your experience using
FormHub. For connected access in the field, we usually operate offline
completely using KoBoSync to generate CSVs, or we use an ODK Aggregate
server.
I believe Stephen Aloo uses a Dropbox system, though I don't know how
he gets his CSVs out of it.
To answer your questions,
KoBoSync (post processor) handles repeating sections by making more
columns in one row. In this way, you keep everything in one record.
This can be better in analysis, depending on how you are doing it.
Another way of doing this is to use ODK Briefcase, which will pull
your records from the phone or from aggregate, then generate CSVs. In
forms with repeating sections, you get 2 CSVs on output, one for the
record that is created when you complete a survey, one to hold the
repeats withing that record. THere is a key to connect the repeats to
their source record.
We use this method now in a survey of clinics where the form contains
some meta information about the clinic itself, then a repeating
section with questions for individual patients.
KoBo Collect is perfectly compatible with Briefcase and Aggregate,
since ODK is the open-source software that KoBo Collect is based upon.

Neil

···

On 6/2/13, Jackie Cook <jackie...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,
Having just started using Kobo/ODK/formhubs on Friday, I have managed to
create a good working form through a mixture of koboform, xls files and odk

collect. These google groups have been a massive help so thanks to
everyone who has answered questions on here so well!

I now have a question about the CSV files. I would like to have the option

of uploading the files manually in case we cannot find a wifi connection in

the field. For this I think that Kobo Post Processor is the best option.
I have practiced uploading some forms. The problem is, in the CSV file, my

looped section questions all come up in one column. Is there any way
around this using Kobo Post Processor? I know I can use ODK aggregate and
then ODK briefcase to get the looped sections in separate files with a
linked key- can briefcase do this with Kobo too? I am currently using ODK
collect- could this be the issue?

Thanks in advance,
Jackie

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3

Thanks Neil. I think my issue may have been I was using an older version of KoboSync. I’ve now uploaded some newer data and the looped sections are all in separate columns- perfect!

Just to give a bit more info about my experiences… I started off using KoboForm which really helped me understand the process and the question types and would have been perfect but I hit problems when I tried to change the order of my questions within the form- and then had issues re-loading my form from file. So I then switched for Formhub- which was slightly more complicated to use but much easier to switch around the questions and worked well. My final form was designed in Formhub, filled in using ODK collect and uploaded using Kobosync- so a real mixed effort!

Thanks for all your help over the last few days- the forum groups for all the programmes have been really helpful!

···

On Sun, Jun 2, 2013 at 2:20 PM, Neil Hendrick mojo...@gmail.com wrote:

Jackie,

Way to go, would like to know more about your experience using

FormHub. For connected access in the field, we usually operate offline

completely using KoBoSync to generate CSVs, or we use an ODK Aggregate

server.

I believe Stephen Aloo uses a Dropbox system, though I don’t know how

he gets his CSVs out of it.

To answer your questions,

KoBoSync (post processor) handles repeating sections by making more

columns in one row. In this way, you keep everything in one record.

This can be better in analysis, depending on how you are doing it.

Another way of doing this is to use ODK Briefcase, which will pull

your records from the phone or from aggregate, then generate CSVs. In

forms with repeating sections, you get 2 CSVs on output, one for the

record that is created when you complete a survey, one to hold the

repeats withing that record. THere is a key to connect the repeats to

their source record.

We use this method now in a survey of clinics where the form contains

some meta information about the clinic itself, then a repeating

section with questions for individual patients.

KoBo Collect is perfectly compatible with Briefcase and Aggregate,

since ODK is the open-source software that KoBo Collect is based upon.

Neil

On 6/2/13, Jackie Cook jackie...@gmail.com wrote:

Hi all,

Having just started using Kobo/ODK/formhubs on Friday, I have managed to

create a good working form through a mixture of koboform, xls files and odk

collect. These google groups have been a massive help so thanks to

everyone who has answered questions on here so well!

I now have a question about the CSV files. I would like to have the option

of uploading the files manually in case we cannot find a wifi connection in

the field. For this I think that Kobo Post Processor is the best option.

I have practiced uploading some forms. The problem is, in the CSV file, my

looped section questions all come up in one column. Is there any way

around this using Kobo Post Processor? I know I can use ODK aggregate and

then ODK briefcase to get the looped sections in separate files with a

linked key- can briefcase do this with Kobo too? I am currently using ODK

collect- could this be the issue?

Thanks in advance,

Jackie

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