HELP: Interesting Design Problem!?

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2 total messages Started by Joshua Lippiner Thu, 21 May 1998 00:00

#131

Author: Joshua Lippiner
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 00:00

24 lines
2426 bytes

To anyone who can figure this out;

I have an interesting problem.  I am trying to create a SQL database that
will be used for online surveys.  To do this, I will be creating a separate
table with the survey (online form) definitions such as name, value and
type.  This dB will be read and made into an online form.  That part is
background and fairly trivial.

Here's the problem;
I want to add something called a skip ruled.  What this will do is ask
different questions based on different responses to a specific question.
Example:  If you are male than which of these deodorants to you use.  The
choices would be different if the person was female.  The problem is that I
want all of the skip rules to be defined in the database somehow.  Meaning I
want my form creator to be able to read my SQL table and know which
questions to ask next if this response is given.

Does anyone have any idea how I should go about setting up this system?  I
know I can have a table with the survey structure but dont know how to
reference in the skip rule to specific responses.  Thanks for the help.
please reply directly to jlippiner@iname.com

Josh Lippiner

Re: HELP: Interesting Design Problem!?

#132

Author: John Douglas
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 00:00

56 lines
3436 bytes

Quite simple - each QQ stores info as to differential AA.
Some QQ will have no alternative paths for any AA
Some will have may be x2 paths - for Yes, No
Others will have xN paths for xM AA - some AA will NOT have an
alternative path.

Thus the main survey instrument will be composed of many QQ, each QQ
may have many AA, each AA may have an alternative path.

The order/path/route thru the survey instrument will be stored with
each QQ, if there are no alternative paths depending on the AA, or as
a default path for an AA with no alternative path.  

All this will allow the process to be dynamic, moving from QQ to QQ,
depending on the AA.

You can do this with a number of tables, or as a linked list.
NB will you have to support an undo function?

The best hierarchy I've used was
Survey - Section - QQ - AA

It won't be a simple form with SQL, but quite a bit of coding.

There are commercial products that support this!

Good luck

On Thu, 21 May 1998 12:38:02 -0400, "Joshua Lippiner"
<jlippiner@iname.com> wrote:

>To anyone who can figure this out;
>
>I have an interesting problem.  I am trying to create a SQL database that
>will be used for online surveys.  To do this, I will be creating a separate
>table with the survey (online form) definitions such as name, value and
>type.  This dB will be read and made into an online form.  That part is
>background and fairly trivial.
>
>Here's the problem;
>I want to add something called a skip ruled.  What this will do is ask
>different questions based on different responses to a specific question.
>Example:  If you are male than which of these deodorants to you use.  The
>choices would be different if the person was female.  The problem is that I
>want all of the skip rules to be defined in the database somehow.  Meaning I
>want my form creator to be able to read my SQL table and know which
>questions to ask next if this response is given.
>
>Does anyone have any idea how I should go about setting up this system?  I
>know I can have a table with the survey structure but dont know how to
>reference in the skip rule to specific responses.  Thanks for the help.
>please reply directly to jlippiner@iname.com
>
>Josh Lippiner
>

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