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The tables or hierarchies can be used in single questions in the Survey. In a single question's Properties page, go to the Answers drop-down list and choose between Normal answer list, Table lookup and Hierarchy lookup - .
Figure 1 - Selecting the desired Answers property
If you select Normal answer list, the answer list is inserted as usual in the “Answers” tab. This option is selected by default for the answer list, and results in a "standard" list of answers from which the respondent can make the desired selection(s).
Note: If Hierarchy Lookup is selected, the order in which answers are displayed in the hierarchy will adhere to the Answer List Display Order property. If "Alphabetically sorted" is selected, the answers will be sorted alphabetically. However by default the answers will be displayed in the order in which they appear in the Database Designer.
If you select Hierarchy lookup, the “Answers” tab will include an interface for selecting a database schema and a hierarchy from that schema (go to Hierarchies Overview for more information) - .
Figure 2 - Selecting the Hierarchy for a "Hierarchy lookup" question type
The "Hierarchy Lookup" question type provides a choice of User Interface modes for the respondent.
By default the answers are presented as a Dropdown list. As the respondent makes a selection on the top level, any "sub-options" available for that selection are displayed, enabling the respondent to choose further - . The texts that are displayed, in the examples below "- Select -" and "- Optional -", can be edited (go to Survey Messages in Hierarchies for more information).
Note: If Hierarchy Lookup is selected, the order in which the answers are displayed in the hierarchy will adhere to the Answer List Display Order property. If "Alphabetically sorted" is selected, the answers will be sorted alphabetically. However by default the answers will be displayed in the order in which they appear in the Database Designer.
Figure 3 - Example of selecting from a top-level hierarchy drop-down
Figure 4 - In this case the drop-down has a second level...
Figure 5 - And a third
Note: Dropdown mode is supported in touch rendering, drilldown mode is not. Therefore for touch rendering, hierarchy questions will always appear in dropdown mode. Also, there are no search capabilities in dropdown mode; searching is available for drilldown mode.
In Drilldown mode, the respondent clicks down through the various levels until they reach the lowest level wherein they select the desired option.The "path" to the currently selected answer is displayed above the list, enabling the respondent to keep track of his/her current position in the hierarchy. The answers in all levels of the hierarchy are sorted alphabetically - .
Note: This functionality requires that the respondent has a JavaScript-enabled browser. Recommended browsers are IE5, Netscape 6, Opera 7 or Mozilla.
Figure 6 - Example of the Respondent interface for a hierarchical question in Drilldown mode
Figure 7 - An item is selected
When the respondent has selected his/her answer, the text of that answer will appear in the text box below the question and the "path" to that answer is displayed above:
When you select Hierarchy Lookup, a further option appears in the Properties list - Force lowest level selection(go to General for more information). When this is selected, the respondent can move down through the hierarchy but can only actually select an answer from the lowest level. For example, if the hierarchy comprises Continents and Countries and the question asks the respondent to select his/her country of residence, then the respondent can click on a continent to "open" it such that he/she can view the countries, but he/she will only be able to actually select a country.
Note: When the answer option tables are created for a balanced hierarchy, any items in the top level that do not have items in the lowest level will not be displayed. For example, Antarctica is missing from the list of continents above (although it was included when the table was created, because the continent Antarctica does not have separate countries registered in the lower level. If you wish in this case to include Antarctica as an option, then you will also need to include Antarctica as a country in the Countries table, and register Antarctica as its continent.
Note: The Hierarchy question type is not supported in the CAPI/Kiosk console. Surveys that include hierarchy questions can be run on a CAPI/Kiosk console, but without the dynamic functionality.