Mark areas, called Fragments, are added to the segment using the checkbox tool. Response Data marked into the checkboxes is captured using Optical Mark Recognition.
Mark Areas must be set up properly in the Mark Area Properties dialog, so that the captured response data is reconciled and exported properly.
Important Information:
For your checkbox Response data to be Captured, reconciled and stored in the correct place, it is imperative that each mark area added to your segment has a:
- Unique Captured Data Fieldname.
- Unique Score_Fieldname. (Applies to when the Aggregation Rule is set to obtain a score for the correctly marked checkbox)
Note: Captured response Data for each question Mark Area or Key Field on the segment, is stored with the Captured Data field name (column heading) or Score Fieldname you give it. If you have any two fieldnames exactly the same as each other, it will cause the software to store the data in either of the columns.
Fragments
Opening the Mark Area Properties Dialog
Mark Area Properties
Fragments
Any Mark Area or Key Field added to the segment is called a fragment. All are used for capturing response or identifying information using Optical Mark Recognition:
- Question Mark areas are added to the segment for capturing response marks in answer to a question or statement.
- ID Grids added to the segment for capturing respondent ID numbers as form identification, are called Key Fields. The captured number from the grid will reconcile the captured response data the form, with the data table record which has the matching ID number.
- Barcode Areas added to the segment are called Key Fields. A barcode area is used
for affixing a barcode label of your own to the printed forms. The barcode label is used for either; reconciling the captured responses with a record in your source data table; or identifying the form with a particular thing about the respondent such as Male / Female etc.
This is how Mark Areas appear when they are detected in the Recognition Preview. The whole checkbox area is called a Fragment. The white area between the checkbox borders and the red fragment border is called the fragment padding.
Fragment Padding
The fragment padding is the white area in the fragment between the checkbox borders and the red fragment border. It is used by the Recognition Settings of FormReturn when determining the marked box.
Opening the Mark Area Properties Dialog.
Select a mark area by clicking on it.
- Double click on the mark area to open the Mark Area Properties dialog box
- Or click the Set Properties button in the Mark Area panel.
Mark Area Panel
When you have added a number of mark areas to a segment and you want to change the Preset Style: or the Aggregation Rule: for all of them at once:
- Select all the mark areas at one time.
- Click the Preset Styles button and select the preset style you want to use.
- Type the Aggregation Rule you want to use.
- Click Apply Rule.
Each Mark area for each segment that will be added to the form, must have a:
- Unique Captured Data Field Name
- Unique Mark Value (ABC or 123 etc.)in each checkbox in the mark area.
- Unique Score Field Name if the Aggregation rule is being used to give a score.
The Mark Area Properties dialog box is where you can set:
Captured Data Field Name*.
Score Field Name
Column Order
Mark Area Settings
Checkbox Elements
Mark Value Editor*
Aggregation Rule
Preset Styles
Key Field - OMR ID Grid: Settings for Mark Area Properties
Key Field - Barcode Area: Settings for Barcode Reader Area Properties
Note: Essential Mark Area properties for reconciling response data are marked with *
The Mark Area Properties Dialog Box.
Captured Data Field Name
The Captured Data fieldname is a uniqe name for each Mark area and is used to reconcile the Captured response data for each question or Key Field.
A 'Captured Data Field Name' is automatically generated when the mark area is added to the segment but it can be changed in the Mark Area Properties Dialog.
Every Captured Data fieldname must be unique (Eg: Question1, Question2 etc.) Note: This includes the captured data fieldnames contained in any other segments which might be added to the same form template.
Important: The Captured Data Field Name won't be accepted if it contains any spaces or symbols.
Score Field Name
The automatically generated Score field name is the name given to the score column when a score is given because an aggregation rule was used.
A unique Score Field Name is used to store the score with the question it belongs to.
Important: The Score field name cannot contain any spaces or symbols.
Column Ordering
Column Ordering is used for sorting the export order of columns of captured data.
The processed data stored in Captured data is randomly ordered but you can choose to have the data exported to a spreadsheet in a certain order.
Choose the export order of your source data fieldnames and Captured Data fieldnames.
The order index of your Source Data fieldnames (firstname; lastname etc.) is set up, when you add the fieldnames to the data table or they can be edited in source data.
The order index of your Captured Data fieldnames and Score fieldnames (for each question) is automatically generated when a mark area is added to the segment but they can be re-set in the Mark Area Properties dialog.
View a Screencast on Ordering and naming the columns of your exported data.
The top Column Order: number is 1, so it will place the Captured Data Field name (Ques1) in the first position after 0.
The bottom Column Order: number is 2, so it will place the Score Field Name (Ques1_score) in the second position after 0.
Mark Area Settings
The Mark Area Settings - for reconciling Key Field Mark Areas ( OMR ID grid and Barcode Area ) with records in your source data table .
This Mark Area is a Reconciliation Key: Selecting this box will let FormReturn know that a grid is present and the ID number needs to be captured and reconciled with a source data record.
Combine Checkbox Column Characters: Select this box so that the number captured from the ID Grid will read as a string instead of separate numbers. (Eg: 1234 instead of Marked1;Marked2;Marked3;Marked4)
Checkbox Elements
#Rows and #Columns depicts the number of checkboxes, vertically or horizontally in the mark area.
Vertical Space spacing between each checkbox.
Horizontal Space spcing between each row of checkboxes.
Box Width chooses the checkbox width in pixels.
Box Height controls the checkbox height in pixels.
Box Weight controls the checkbox border's thickness.
Box Roundness controls the shape of the checkbox.
Font Size chooses the size in pixels of the font in the Mark area values.
Font Brightness chooses how dark the font appears in the Mark Area values within checkboxes.
Visible Checkbox Text box:
Choose for the Mark Values (ABCD) within the Checkboxes to be visible or not. When this box is unchecked, the mark values will be hidden on the form.
Mark Values
Each checkbox must be given a Mark Value for FormReturn to use when processing the forms.
A preview of the checkbox style with the mark values
is shown so you can see how the Checkboxes will appear on the
form.
Mark Values are used to name each Checkbox such as ABCD or 123.
To choose or rename the Mark Values:
Click on each column which denotes a checkbox to change or add the Mark Value.
Use the keyboard arrow keys or tab to move along to the next column or use your mouse.
The Aggregation rule is optional and is used to give a score to any given checkbox in the mark area.
Example 1:
If A?+1 is typed into the Aggregation Rule, this
means the examinee would receive a one point score if they marked A as
their answer.
Example 2:
If A?+1:-1 is typed into the Aggregation Rule any checkbox other than A that was marked by the examinee would
receive a negative score. (Eg: If checkbox A is the correct answer it would receive a score of 1, all other marked checkboxes would
receive a negative score of 1). The placement of a :(colon) denotes a Ternary Operation which
means what is typed after the colon: applies to all other checkboxes in
the question. If checkbox C is the correct answer, the Mark
Aggregration rule would
be C?+1:-1 , which would mean if C was marked it would get a score of 1
and any other marked checkboxes would attract a negative -1.
Example 3:
To give a separate score for each checkbox, type in the Mark Aggregation rule for each box separated by a colon:
Test the Aggregation Rule
Test the rule and then Save it.
In this case the Mark Aggregation Rule is B?+1
Click the Test button.
In the Test Aggregation Rule dialog box type any one of the mark values in the Marked Response(s): field to test the rule.
Click Test Rule button
The Result field contains the score which will be given if checkbox B is marked. In this case if checkbox B is marked it will receive a score of 1.
In this image the Marked Response is D and the Calculated score is zero.
When you are satisfied the rule tests OK, Click Save Rule.
Preset Styles
Saving new Mark Area Settings as a Preset Style:
If you have spent time setting up a Mark Area that you would like to use again, you can save it as a Preset Style. This applies to question Mark Areas and OMR ID grid Key Fields.
- Click the Save Current Settings As New Preset Style button.
- A New Mark Area Preset Style dialog will open.
- In the Style Name field, type a name for the preset style
- Click OK.
The Preset Style will be saved in the Preset Styles drop down list.
Using a saved Preset Style:
To use the saved mark area preset style.
- Select it from the Preset Styles dropdown list.
- Click the Restore button.
- A Restore Preset Style dialog will open.
- De-select any of the attributes you don't want to include again, such as the aggregation rule.
- Click the Restore button again.
Remove a Preset Style from the dropdown list.
- Select the Preset Style from the list and click the Remove button.
Reset to Defaults.
This will restore any changes made to the mark area settings, back to the original settings.
Key Field - OMR ID Grid: Settings.
An OMR ID Grid is used to capture ID numbers filled in by respondents.
Screenshot: An ID Grid added to a segment, shown in Recognition Preview with Fragment detected and Marks detected.
The captured ID numbers will read as a string (not 2;4;1;2) and must reconcile with a selected data table, which will be chosen when you publish the form template. The data table can either contain the Student's ID numbers, or new records can be automatically generated in your data table, which can be edited later on.
Double click on the added ID grid to open Mark area properties. Set up the Grid properties for reconciling the captured ID numbers with a fieldname in your data table.
- The parts of Mark Area Properties that have to be set up for the Grid are: Captured Data Field Name and Mark Area Settings
Captured Data Fieldname
- The Captured Data Field Name must be typed exactly the same as the fieldname used in your Source Data Table for the ID numbers.
Example:
Make sure the fieldname typed into the Captured Data Field Name: field, matches exactly to the one added to your Source data table.
Mark Area Settings for an ID Grid.
If you are using an ID grid to reconcile the
captured response data from the form, with records in your source data
table, you must let FormReturn know.
- This Mark Area Is A Reconciliation key: Checking this box tells FormReturn this is a Key Field and the captured ID will reconcile with a record from the data table.
- Combine Checkbox Column Characters: Checking this box tells Form Return this is a Key Field and the captured number from an ID grid must read as a string instead of separate numbers.
The captured ID Number reads as 1285 not Marked 1, Marked 2, Marked 8, Marked 5.
Key Field - Barcode Area: Settings.
Barcode Reader - Mark Area Properties.
Barcode Reader Area Properties.
A Key Field - Barcode Area is added to the segment when you want to affix your own barcode labels.
Your affixed barcode labels can be used for:
- Reconciling the captured response data with respondent's records in your data table.
- Denoting one particular thing against a record in your data table. Eg: In healthcare; a symptom or a disease.
To get your barcode label to capture and reconcile data the way you want, it must be set up in the Barcode Reader Mark Area Dialog.
Barcode Reader Area Properties
Data Export Settings (Captured Data)
Barcode Capture Settings
Barcode Area Design
Data Export Settings:
- Captured Data Field Name: Used as a column heading and to reconcile the captured response information from each form, to a record in your data table, such as a patient record. Type the data table fieldname where your respondent's barcode ID records are stored, it must be typed exactly as it appears in your data table.
If you are using the barcode purely to denote something particular about the respondent, the Captured Data Field Name (which is basically a data column heading ) can be any name you choose.
- Column Order: The Column Order is 1, which means when the captured data from your forms is exported to a spreadsheet, the barcode information will appear in the first column position, before the response information captured from forms.
Barcode Capture Settings:
- This barcode is a Reconciliation key: Check this box if you want to use the barcode information to reconcile the captured response information with records stored in your data table.
- Detect barcode type: Auto detect your barcode type or choose your barcode type.
Barcode Area Design:
- Show Barcode Area Corners: Click this box to show or hide the barcode area corners.
-
Corner Length Divisor: The length of the corners of the barcode area can be made larger or smaller. Use them as a guide for getting the barcode label straight when affixing it to the form. Important Information: the barcode label must fit neatly within the barcode area borders.
- Show Barcode Area Text: Show or hide the text that appears in the Barcode Area.( Eg: Affix Barcode Here)
- Barcode Area Text: Edit the text that appears in the Barcode Area by typing in this field.
- Click OK: to save your changed settings.
- Reset to Defaults: will change the settings back to the original Barcode Reader settings.
- Cancel: Exit Barcode Reader Settings without changes taking effect.