Questionnaire input

[Steve Wylie]

At work we use SNAP survey software. The software is capable of
outputting a survey as a web page, in HTML, which we can tart up with
Javascript for basic form validation if required. When the page is
put onto the web, replies are sent back to an individual as form data
and can be imported into the main package.

We have a large survey on the go which we hope to get several people
inputting into. In addition to the web survey there will be several
thousand paper forms needing to be entered. One way of doing this
would be to create an HTML file and staff can then call this up on
their PCs and input data into the web page (which would be on our
local intranet).

The bugbear about this is that with an HTML page you have to use a
mouse to click on checkboxes, radio buttons etc. In the SNAP software
itself you can use the keyboard, by pressing 1 for the radio button in
a question, 2 for the second one, etc, and using the keyboard in this
way is much faster than clicking with the mouse all the way down the
screen.

I am wondering if there is an easy Javascript routine I could employ
so that upon a keypress being made whilst focus was on a radio button
question, or checkbox question, the element corresponding to that
number would be checked. Also it would be nice if the zero key could
be used on a radio button question to blank all the radios for that
question (which is impossible just for one question using the mouse).

Also, that the enter/return key could be used to jump from one
question to the next.

I appreciate that to provide a complete answer to the above would
require a knowledge of how SNAP constructs the question and the
variables it uses, but if anyone could get me started on the right
road it would be appreciated.

If a respondent wishes me to go into detail on how SNAP does its
information handling for HTML files, I would of course be happy to do
this.

Would anyone be able to provide any advice, please?

Steve Wylie

[Fabian]

"Steve Wylie" <st*****@hotmail.com> wrote in message

The bugbear about this is that with an HTML page you have to use a
mouse to click on checkboxes, radio buttons etc.

Between the tab key and space bar, most of the controls on a html form
can be acessed by keyboard. That is with explorer. Other browsers have
keyboard shortcuts too. This should be all explained in the help file
for the browser that you have no doubt read.
--
--
Fabian
Visit my website often and for long periods!
http://www.lajzar.co.uk

[Lasse Reichstein Nielsen]

st*****@hotmail.com (Steve Wylie) writes:

The bugbear about this is that with an HTML page you have to use a
mouse to click on checkboxes, radio buttons etc. In the SNAP software
itself you can use the keyboard, by pressing 1 for the radio button in
a question, 2 for the second one, etc, and using the keyboard in this
way is much faster than clicking with the mouse all the way down the
screen.
Check out a simple version:
<URL:http://www.infimum.dk/privat/SNAPinputform.html>
Also it would be nice if the zero key could be used on a radio
button question to blank all the radios for that question (which is
impossible just for one question using the mouse).
Currently pressing "1" sets the first checkbox, it doesn't toggle it,
so it is necessary to clear it using "0". That is easily changed,
though.
Also, that the enter/return key could be used to jump from one
question to the next.
Done.
but if anyone could get me started on the right road it would be
appreciated.

I hope this is inspiration enough.

All it depends on is that form elements in the same radio/checkbox
group are consecutive.
For some, unapparent to me, reason, Mozilla FB 0.6 acts up when
clicking on a radio group or checkbox group. If anyone has an idea
why, I am most cuirous.

/L
--
Lasse Reichstein Nielsen - lr*@hotpop.com
Art D'HTML: <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/randomArtSplit.html>
'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine.'

[Steve Wylie]

The problem is that, by default, accessing the elements of an HTML form by
keyboard just means tabbing between each radio and pressing space to select
it. I was hoping for a method that would enable me to use the number keys
on each question of the form, then pressing Return to move onto the next
question.

Steve

[Steve Wylie]

>

Check out a simple version:
http://www.infimum.dk/privat/SNAPinputform.html

I cannot get this link to work on my machine. Is it correct?

Steve

[Lasse Reichstein Nielsen]

st*****@hotmail.com (Steve Wylie) writes:

Check out a simple version:
http://www.infimum.dk/privat/SNAPinputform.html

I cannot get this link to work on my machine. Is it correct?

Doh! No. It is:
<URL: http://www.infimum.dk/privat/SNAPforminput.html >

/L
--
Lasse Reichstein Nielsen - lr*@hotpop.com
Art D'HTML: <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/randomArtSplit.html>
'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine.'

[Steve Wylie]

That's excellent, Lasse, thank you very much. Now all I have to do is
figure out how the active parts work and transfer it for my SNAP HTML file!

If I run into any big difficulties, can I keep hold of your e-mail address
(lr*@hotpop.com) and e-mail you direct about it?

Thanks again

Steve

[Lasse Reichstein Nielsen]

"Steve Wylie" <st*****@nospambtinternet.com> writes:

That's excellent, Lasse, thank you very much. Now all I have to do is
figure out how the active parts work and transfer it for my SNAP HTML file!
It is all in the Javascript. I tried not to add anything to the form
itself.

It expects radiobutton groups and checkbox groups to be consequtive in
the elements collection.
If I run into any big difficulties, can I keep hold of your e-mail address
(lr*@hotpop.com) and e-mail you direct about it?

Sure. :)
/L
--
Lasse Reichstein Nielsen - lr*@hotpop.com
Art D'HTML: <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/randomArtSplit.html>
'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine.'