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Form Export + Form and Response deletes + Form Import = Missing Column Headers

Jul 31, 2012 12:29 PM

Categories: Bug / Error Tags: #missing #after #import #headers #titles #column

As part of a recovery test here are the steps performed.

 

1) Build Form

2) Form Export (save to local laptop)

3) Delete View Responses

4) Delete Form also

5) Environment is now completely clean

6) Import Form (backup is on local laptop)

7) Use the Form (works perfectly)

8) Check View Response results (oops . . . Column Headers are missing)

9) All the expected data is completely there

10) But the View Response Column Header (titles) are gone.

11) History is meaningless because of Step 4

Summary:

========

The form is completely and totally restored and correctly operational and all expected data is complete and exists, but the View Response Column Headers (titles) are not restored from Step 6 nor re-added from Step 7.

Problem:

=======

So, how do I reload Column Headers after an Import???

548 Views   9 Replies   Latest reply: Roman Dolgov, Aug 1, 2012 4:30 PM
 
Replies
  • Roman Dolgov
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    1. Roman Dolgov,
    Jul 31, 2012 1:13 PM   in reply to DBAmann
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    Hi,

     

    Sorry about the problem, to help better understand the issue, couple questions:

     

    - in step "2) Form Export", do you use File->Export Design File... ?

    - in step "9) All the expected data is completely there", you don't expect to see row data, only columns, right? (when using Design File export we only preserve information about fields, but not response data)

    - can you send me in private your exported file, so I can test it more

     

    Thanks

    Roman

     
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  • DBAmann
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    2. DBAmann,
    Jul 31, 2012 4:27 PM   in reply to Roman Dolgov
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    Yes, in Step 2 I did a "File > Export Design File..."

    ========================================

    In Step 9 all expected rows are there and all expected columns are there so basically all my data is there correctly (but only the Column Headers are gone). So, sure, I can manually edit the Columns and re-add each Column Header one at a time, but surely there is some sort of refresh that should do this (i.e. I expected that the "File > Import Design File..." would have automatically done that Column Header refresh --- NOPE. After all, the Design Form works 100% correctly when tested and deployed. Everything is working as expected except these missing Column Headers.

    ========================================

     
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  • DBAmann
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    3. DBAmann,
    Jul 31, 2012 4:32 PM   in reply to Roman Dolgov
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    Hello,

     

    Attached.

     

    Thanks,

    Steve

     
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  • Roman Dolgov
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    4. Roman Dolgov,
    Jul 31, 2012 4:57 PM   in reply to DBAmann
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    Just to clarify, when you use File->Export Design File...  we would NOT save any response data, for example, if you have the following data:

     

    before.PNG

    where we have two responses: John:123 and Dave:456.

     

    Now if you export this form, delete it and reimport again, the response data would be gone, so you will see:

     

    after.PNG

     

    Basically File->Export Design File... would only save form's fields but not actual responses.

     

    I could not reproduce the issue with columns, I can see column headers after import (in above picture: Name/Phone still there)

     

    Can you please send the design file directly to my email: rdolgov@adobe.com , so I can try to reproduce the problem.

     

    Thanks

    Roman

     
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  • DBAmann
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    5. DBAmann,
    Jul 31, 2012 8:24 PM   in reply to Roman Dolgov
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    Hello,

    I am not expecting any data to be restored (zero, none). I am only expecting Form structure and the associated Column Headers to be restored. I expected Column Headers to be part of the Design File Form structure. Why? So when data is added later, when the Form is deployed, then the Column Header will bring clarity to which data column is which.

     
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  • DBAmann
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    6. DBAmann,
    Jul 31, 2012 9:15 PM   in reply to DBAmann
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    1) Basically, when the Form is exported (file saved to a laptop) via "Export Design File..." the format of the Form information is placed in an XML file. i.e. the XML file contains what questions did you ask and what answers were permitted in a common interchange format. i.e. you can email your XML file to your friend and your friend can import it

    2) When the original Form is deleted (all Forms were deleted) and when that same XML file is reloaded (restored from laptop) via "Import Design File..." the real test is whether the restored Form really works (i.e. it was completely deleted and completely restored via the XML file).

    3) Note that I already know that the restored Form works after a restore. This proves the XML is valid.

    4) I also already know that the Column Headers could have been restored from the XML for the reporting side, above the future data, because the questions themselves are the Column Headers (think about that detail for a moment).

    5) So since the questions are in the XML, the Form was restored from the XML, the Form is completely operational from the restored XML, so also are the Column Headers available from the XML.

    Summary:

    =======

    There is a code bug somewhere that allows the questions for the Form to be reimported from the XML, but does not carry those questions (Column Headers) over to the reporting side when data arrives later. i.e. I have no problem getting data, but the Column Headers (a.k.a. titles at the top of the columns above the data) are completely missing. So, there is a code section on the reporting side, that under certain conditions, forgets to carry the Column Headers from the Form side to the reporting side. Hint: It happens when all Forms have been deleted and all data and all data Column Headers are deleted. i.e. start from scratch

     
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  • Roman Dolgov
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    7. Roman Dolgov,
    Jul 31, 2012 9:19 PM   in reply to DBAmann
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    Thanks for clarification, we should restore column headers information during design file import, but looks like due some issues it's not working in this case. Can you please send me your .fcdt file to my email: rdolgov@adobe.com so we can debug the problem.

     

    Thanks

    Roman

     
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  • DBAmann
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    8. DBAmann,
    Jul 31, 2012 10:27 PM   in reply to Roman Dolgov
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  • Roman Dolgov
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    9. Roman Dolgov,
    Aug 1, 2012 4:30 PM   in reply to DBAmann
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    Just a note, that if you cleared column headers (in the response table) before the export, we would not restore headers text in the response table. For example if you selected all rows (including header row) and pressed DELETE we would erase all headers text from the response table (but not from the design tab, where all fields still would keep header labels)

     

    Generally, we keep syncing text from the design tab/field label to the responses table/column header only if the column header (in the responses table) wasn't directly modified.

     

    Not sure if this what happened in this case, but I can try to verify if you can send me the .fcdt file.

     

    thanks

    Roman

     
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