Creating a Mark All That Apply Field

The ScanTools application module supports creation of Mark All That Apply fields. These fields enable you to provide the form user with a response grid containing a list of choices and the instruction to "Mark all that apply" or "Mark <number> from the list." This could be candidates on a ballot, favorite recreational activities, professional associations, or some similar list. Each response position in the grid must be defined as a string in a translate table. Any number of responses can be marked. The string associated with each marked response position in the grid is included in the output field. Spaces are included in the output field for response positions not marked.

Mark All That Apply Requirements and Characteristics

• The field Type you select must be Alphanumeric or Numeric.
• You can associate the Mark All That Apply field with multiple grids, although use of a single grid is more typical. The grid(s) can be a linked, if necessary.
• Mark All That Apply, Mark All That Apply (Left Justify), and Summation resolution are mutually exclusive.
• The grid(s) you associate with a Mark All That Apply field must use translate table(s) that contain a character string entry for each response position.
• The field length can be determined dynamically by ScanTools or you can define it. Either way, maximum field length is 1,000 bytes.

See Output Field Entry dialog for additional information about Mark All That Apply and Mark All That Apply (Left Justify).

Example Mark All That Apply Field Creation

Use the following procedure to create a Mark All That Apply field for a grid that can capture selections of favorite recreational activities from a list 10 possible choices. Any number of the choices can be marked. This example is generalized to show the basic steps required to implement a Mark All That Apply field. Mark All That Apply (Left Justify) field creation is similar. Your implementation may not be exactly the same.

1. The grid on the form can be formatted in several ways but the response positions are Golf, Tennis, Biking, Walking, Running, Skating, Swimming, Softball, Kayaking, and Volleyball in all cases. For example:

2. In the ScanToolsapplication module, use the Translate Tool to create a custom translate table named "Activity" with entries of Golf, Tennis, Biking, Walking, Running, Skating, Swimming, Softball, Kayaking, and Volleyball to correspond to the response positions.

3. Select New in the lower left corner of the application module to open the Output Field Entry dialog.
4. Enter a name for your field such as "MATAexample."
5. Select Alphanumeric Type.
6. Check Mark All That Apply.

7. Click OK.
8. Click on the OMR button in the upper left corner to open the OMR Tool dialog if it isn’t already open.
9. In the OMR Tool dialog, select Activity for your grid Type. This is the custom translate table you created earlier.
10. Use the default settings for Mark Style, Cell, and TM. Change the Orientation arrow to point down.
11. Go to the grid definition area on the right side of the application module and define the data area. The first character of each entry from the Activity translate table appears: "G" for Golf, "T" for Tennis, and so on.

See Defining Grids for additional information about this process.

12. Click on Append in the lower left corner of the application module. The MATAexample field and the grid associated with it are added to your application.

The Grids area indicates the field length is 100 characters. This is determined dynamically by ScanTools by multiplying the number of entries in your translate table (10) by the largest number of characters in one entry (10).

See Output Field Entry dialog for additional information about Mark All That Apply and Mark All That Apply (Left Justify).