I have moved our questions into groups (several months after we created and started using the form to collect data) and didn’t realise that it created new columns and therefore removed the old data from the form. (We are using it for collecting data on plant propagation which means that we edit entries to update data from sowing date - germination date - potting on etc. As it is useful to see all the data entries in the form as we add new data, it means that we have a huge amount to copy back in, including photos. Is there any way that we can retrieve the old form with the data as it was?
@longmead.countywildl, did you mean you wanted to go back to the previous form version instead of having the latest version made to your project? e.g., you had v3 in the past. You made changes to v3 by adding/removing certain questions. You deployed the change. The form version is now v4. You feel v4 is unnecessary and wish to have the same v3 back. So is this what you are looking for?
Does the version relate simply to a new deployment after changes? If so, then yes.
The issue is that unlike eg a bird survey where you write a new form for each survey to note the new birds seen, with plant propagation we are noting changes to individual plants through time so that rather than generating masses of entries for the same plant we edit the entry in the database after the first submission on the form as it germinates, grows, gets potted on etc.
In changing the form (ie we grouped the questions under headings) and redeploying it, it has cleared the existing data. So, we have tried to re-populate it by add it again. But wierdly although we are writing it in the newly worded form, it is still place the data under the old column and therefore the new form still remains empty. So, for example, yesterday I entered data in the new form under Question Important Dates/Sowing Date but in the database it has entered it under the old column name Sowing Date which means that if I go to edit the form from the database the question looks blank (ie unanswered). See attached - the last two entries, I entered on the new form under Important Dates/Sowing Date
So, if we could get back the old form, this would be the least work. All I changed was to give group titles to individual sets of questions… I didn’t realise that this would re-title each column
