PDF Appearances

The generation of PDFs from survey data can be styled using appearances in the survey. Hence this reference section on styling PDFs is included here even though it is not related to the collection of data but the viewing of it. The online editor will guide you through setting appearances for PDFs however here is the complete reference which will be useful if you are using the spreadsheet editor.

PDF Appearances:

Appearance

Result

Comments

pdfaddto_xxxxx

replace xxxxx with the name of another question. The answer to the question that has this appearance will be appended to the answer of the specified question.

Answers from different question are comma separated. Commonly you would use this on an 'other please specify' question and you would also set the appearance 'pdfno' so that the other response appears with the select question.

pdfapp

Put the question in an appendix after all the other questions

pdfbarcode

Show the data as a barcode

pdfbs

Show a date in Bikram Sambat

Note the timezone of Bikram Sambat dates will always be Kathmandu time.

pdfcols_##_##_##....

This sets the number of columns in which to place the data.

Each ## is a column. Replace each one with a number indicating the width of the column, all of these numbers should add up to 10. Hence the maximum number of columns is 10.
For example:

pdfcols_3_4_3 3 columns

pdfcols_5_5

Two equal sized columns

pdfcols_10

Single column

The column settings apply to the question that you add the appearance to, and all subsequent questions until it is overridden by another pdfcols appearance.

pdfheight_##

Set the height of the box allowed for the question answer. This is in points.

This value only applies when exporting a blank template. If there is data in the export then the size of the data will determine the height of the box. A value of 150 would be roughly 10 rows. For example pdfheight_150

pdfhideindex

Hide the indentation and repeat index shown in sub fomrs

Use with begin repeat questions

pdfhiderepeatinglabels

In subforms only the label for the first record will be shown

Set this on each question in a subform that you want to have this behaviour

pdfhyperlink

Show a link for a picture question instead of the image

pdflabelbg_##_##_##

Sets the background color for the label. Use Hex RGB values

For example: pdflabelbg_FF_00_00 Set the background to red.

pdflabelbold

Make the label bold

pdflabelcaps

Put the label in capitals

pdflabelw_##

Set the width of the question label. Replace '##' with a number from 0 to 10.

Setting the width to 10 will make the question answer appear on the next line.

pdflocation_xxxx
Replace xxxx with the default location and zoom of your map in the format:

longitude, latitude, zoom

Use with maps

Example: pdflocation_121,14.6,16

Would create a default map of part of Manila.

pdfmap_xxxx

Replace xxxx with the id of the mapbox map that you want to show in your PDF exports

You will need to set a map box id if you are running your own server.

The Mapbox vector map style ids can be found here. https://docs.mapbox.com/api/maps/#styles

pdfmapsource_xxxx

Replace xxxx with either "google" or "mapbox" to specify the source of a static map image to include in the PDF

pdfmapsource_google pdfmapsource_mapbox

pdfmarkercolor_##_##_##

Sets the color for the marker used to show location on maps. Use Hex RGB values

For example: pdmarkercolor_00_FF_00 Set the background to blue.

pdfnewpage

Start the question on a new page

pdfno

Question will not be included in a generated PDF

pdfround_##

Set the number of decimal places.

Use with decimal questions to restrict the number of decimal places that are shown. For example pdfround_2

pdfshowimage

The choice image will be displayed instead of the choice label.

Use with select one questions that include images in the choice list. Available in v21.12

pdfspace_##

Insert a gap in the table before this question.

The spacing is in points. 1/72 of an inch.

pdfstretch

Stretch an image to fit the space it has been allocated. This only works when exporting to a pdf template.

The ratio between width and height will not be maintained. Available in v21.12.

pdfvalue

Show the value for a choice rather than its label

Use with select and select one questions

By default, when displaying data from a select question, the labels of the selected choices are shown. If this appearance is added to the select question then the values of the choice are shown.

pdfvaluebg_##_##_##

Sets the background color for the value. Use Hex RGB values

For example: pdfvaluebg _FF_00_00 Set the background of the value cell to red.

pdfzoom_xx

The longitude, latitude of the data being displayed will be combined with the specified zoom value to show the map

Use with maps

Available zoom levels will depend on the map you are showing. Often between 1 and 21.

Example pdfzoom _5