Survey | Adding a Text Input Area

Compose

If you'd like your users to be able to input their own text using your app, for instance if you'd like them to write in a response or fill out a form, you can do so using the text input tools: text area and text field.

The text area and text field tools are very similar. The only difference is that the text field tool only enables one line of text to be input (such as a short response, or a phrase) and the text area tool enables your user to input a more lengthy response (such as an explanation or summary). You can also store your user's responses using data. To learn learn more about how to set up and use data, visit our help pages here.

INPUT ELEMENTS TIPS

• Remember to set up a variable to capture your information. You can do so using the variable page, which can be accessed on the Compose page. More about this here. 
• Be sure to add a button to your page and connect this button with a corresponding response set (if...then). More about buttons here. 
• Make sure you include a response set condition to "Save Data" and then connect your input element to a corresponding variable. More about response sets here.

How to add a new text field in Chorus

To add a new text input field or area to your app, select "add new element" from the Compose page.

Select "Text Area" from the add new element menu. Remember: text fields will only be one-line inputs for your user's information (e.g. a name, place, or short phrase).

Once selected, you can adjust the menu items explained below to customize your field. Preview your field using the right side preview pane.

• Name: Your field's name will help you organize items if you have multiple fields.  Note, this will only be an internal reference - you users will not see this name.
• Caption: Your field's caption is what will be displayed next to your input field on your mobile app page. 
• Required: Make this field required.
• Rows: you can select the number of rows you'd like to be displayed in your text area on your mobile app. Note selecting the number of rows for your area will not limit the text a user can input, it will just adjust the size of your text area box.

Click "Add text area" to add the element to your page.

Author View	Client View

Saving Data

Now that you have created an input element for your users to add data to your app, you need a place to store it.

First, you'll need to create a variable and variable field by following our data management guide here. Next, you'll need to add a button for your users to indicate they are done adding data to the page by following our adding a button guide here.

Now we're ready to collect some data! Click to the right of your interaction to open the response sets page:

Under the "then" section, click on the orange Add another action button and select "Save data":

Choose the appropriate variable table and variable fields where you want to save data:

Click "Create" to finish:

Managing Elements

Mousing over an element will highlight the element area. Use the pencil icon to edit or remove that particular element. You can also use the arrow icons to move an element up or down on a page. Click on the orange plus sign to add a new element to a page.

Advanced

BEFORE STARTING

• Check out our data management guides to learn how to set up your variables and store data entered by your Clients.

You can use the Advanced options to set character limits or add a default response value using variables.

• Set starting value: set a default value using a variable table and variable field

Next Steps

Help users navigate between pages of your mobile app and store data by adding buttons!

Text area too big? Try adding a text field instead!