Knowing the active language in KoBoCollect

User Support Data Management
1

Hello,
is there any possibility to get the information for the currently used language in a form. We would like to use this information for example to calculate (or chose by relevant) language dependent text notes. Is there no KoBo internal variable which might be used?

@stephanealoo. Is your previous information still valid?

Kind regards

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3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Segregation Data by submitted language

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Dear @Kal_Lam,
we have a related question:

  • Is there any option (with XLSForm & KoBoCollect) to get the information, which language is currently set (by the user). For example to use this for if (or relevant) filter.
    Keep very healthy!
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Hi @wroos,

At the moment i don’t see any options being built in KoBoToolbox that supports your query (where a user could identify the total number of responses made by a particular language type without adding a parameter). However, shall get back to you if i do find one. At the moment would advise you to add a feature request that could solve the issue here.

Have a great day!

1 Like
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Hi @Kal_Lam,
thanks, but it’s not the number. It is just the information which language is active (at the moment of the question flow) The system has this information as it uses it to set the labels, messages etc.
Have a nice & healthy week-end!

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Hi @wroos
It is not possible to identify the language used in a question for analysis purposes.

Stephane

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Hi @stephanealoo,
Thanks. Did I understand well, this information is NOT at all available for XLSForm programming? For ex. to be used in a relevant or constraint or as meta variable.
Have nice and safe Easter time.

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Hi @wroos
I think you are not clear. Do you mean that you need to specify language to change when using relevant or constraints? This does not make sense since when you work with relevant, the language does not matter since it depends on the value as opposed to labels. As it is, values are independent of language and they remain the same regardless of language. As for labels, these depend on the language of display. Similarly when applying constraint messages, the language is picked based on what you define. Could you explain your issue in details so that we are able to see what exactly you are looking for.

Stephane

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Dear @stephanealoo,
Thanks, we know and use the ::language feature (EN, AR, even mixed) and you are right that most cases are covered by this. And even two different choice labels in EN, but one same AR term, i.e. duplicate AR labels for 2 ‘distinct choice ‘names’’.
The question is: Can the information which language is set/used be gotten for XLSForm prgramming? Yes (how)? No?
For example, as a rare case: It might be preferable to have 2 variants of a choice list (e.g. not just translation, but different grouping in the languages) to use depending on the language. Here a relevant if( language =. …). might filter between two language-specific questions/choices variants.
(Of course, a workaround could be to ask the enumerator with an own variable which language is used.)
Kind regards

1 Like
10

Hi @wroos,

Would you mind sharing a dummy workaround of your xlsform so that we better understand pictorially and see if it’s possible.

Have a great day!

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As I had indicated in my response, before using the language definition configurations as they are currently built would not be able to do what you really want in the above.

Your suggestion to create a language specific question would be the only way to make it work for you. I would however like to punch holes a bit to your approach, what happens when I simply choose a language in the the language variable and then switch the language midway through the survey? Would you still get your desired behavior in the question that should have different variables for different languages?

Stephane…