Developing a Data Collection Platform to work offline with GIS Maps

[Mashiane]

Hi Fam

Im working on a data collection platform, more like google forms / microsoft forms / survey app. This however needs to work with gis and work offline. This means I need to have some kind of baseline map downloaded and available to use on the app.

I kindly request some good advise on this to anyone who has done it before. The implementation of offline base maps.

My app is a web app, the admin part (project > forms > questions designs) etc.

Data Collection - can work on mobile device via URL link.

Whilst I understand that GPS can work offline, the crux is having the base map accessible offline, being able to add markers, polylines, polygons etc.

If you have done something like this, kindly DM me, even if you have ideas on how it can be achieved.

Kind Regards

Thanks in advance.

Mashy.

 

[tchart]

Hey Mashy. I think I have something I wrote in B4A years ago. It also had GPS tracking from memory. I'll dig it up.

 

[tchart]

Here you go - 2012 so been a while since I looked at it!

From memory, it downloads the image tiles for a given extent.

 

[tchart]

Also, Mashy, instead of reinventing the wheel, please look into XLSForm - https://xlsform.org/en/

This is the industry standard for defining data collection forms (eg ArcGIS Survey 123 uses it). If possible you should use this as the way to define forms for your app.

 

[Peter Simpson]

This is the industry standard for defining data collection forms (eg ArcGIS Survey 123 uses it). If possible you should use this as the way to define forms for your app.

So for example, you design your form in excel (Google sheets), transfer that form onto let's say an android device (Google sheets is via the www), you can then use an app like ODK Collect etc to act as the middle man that takes the data you are entering onto your android device (phone, tablet, android power barcode scanner etc) and that data automatically ends up being inserted in the excel / Google sheets, where you can then do anything you like with the information?

I've come across that scenario before, but with a well known barcode scanner manufacturer integrating with Google sheets. Sadly I never got the chance to complete the work as the client needed it up and running withing a couple hours, so said no chance.

That's the closest I've come to today scenario, I need to look more into it though.

Can someone explain to me in plain English more about the advantages etc of this solution?

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread with this question...

 

[tchart]

Can someone explain to me in plain English more about the advantages etc of this solution?

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread with this question...

Not at all. To clarify, I think Mashiane is building something like ODK Collect.

I don't know ODK Collect, but I see they have a converter here from XLSForm to ODK https://getodk.org/xlsform/

As well as tutorials, so I guess they have some support? (I watched the tutorial, you can upload XLS Forms)

https://docs.getodk.org/tutorial-first-form

XLS Form isnt an app or solution, its a "standard" to define data collection forms. You use Excel to define what data (fields) you want to collect, how they behave (e.g., numeric, text, drop-down list) and any rules (eg if question 1 is "No" then skip question 2).

An example of an XLS Form

Its used by many data collection apps, including ODK Collect (according to the docs).

You would still need to

#1 render the form (the fields etc)
#2 Implement the logic dictated by the form definition
#2 have somewhere to save the data collected

I was suggesting to Mashiane to not invent a new form definition/format but rather to leverage an industry standard.

There are benefits such as existing GUIs to create forms outside of Excel (see below) that generate an XLS Form. Below is Survey 123 Connect which lets you drag and drop to create an XLS Form

 

[tchart]

Some AI info

Form Creation & Editing Tools​

These let you build or edit XLSForm spreadsheets (often in Excel/Sheets).

• Spreadsheet software – Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc (for manual XLSForm editing).
• XLSForm Builder – a web tool to create/edit XLSForms.

Tools for Conversion & Validation​

Before use in data-collection apps, XLSForms often need conversion to XForms:

• XLSForm Online – official ODK tool to convert/preview XLSForms.
• XLSForm Offline – standalone converter/validator for desktop (Windows/Mac) that creates ODK XForms compatible with many platforms.
• pyxform / xls2xform – underlying library used by many tools to convert .xlsx to .xml (XForm).

Data Collection & Management Platforms​

These systems import, use, or host XLSForm surveys:

• KoboToolbox – upload XLSForms for web/mobile data collection; download/export forms.
• Open Data Kit (ODK) ecosystem – includes ODK Collect, ODK Central (server) and the infrastructure that runs XLSForms.
• SurveyCTO – XLSForm-based commercial data collection platform.
• CommCare (Dimagi) – supports XLSForm upload and data collection.
• Survey123 for ArcGIS – XLSForm support often via import/translation.
• Ona – analytics and data platform that supports XLSForm surveys.
• Secure Data Kit (SDK) – supports XLSForm usage.
• Community Health Toolkit (CHT) – uses XLSForms for health surveys/workflows.
• ActivityInfo – can import XLSForms into its form/database system (beta).
• CyberTracker – supports XLSForm as an alternative mobile data collector linked to ODK-style backends.

Mobile Apps​

Mobile data collection apps (often linked to platforms above) that run forms created from XLSForm:

• ODK Collect – Android app for offline/online collection.
• KoboCollect – Android app tied to KoboToolbox (ODK-compatible).
• CommCare app – mobile data collection.
• Third-party mobile helpers (e.g., GIC XLSForm Creation/Recovery for iOS – forms compatible with ODK).