A :dfn:`blank form` is a .xml file containing a form definition consistent with the XForm specification. Blank forms can be created using ODK Build or :doc:`XLSForm <xlsform>`.
In order to fill out forms with survey participants, you must first load blank forms into the Collect App.
If you have :ref:`connected ODK Collect to a server <connecting-to-server>` or :ref:`Google Drive <connecting-to-google>`, use :guilabel:`Get blank forms` on the app home screen to browse available forms and download them to your device.
Note
Before downloading blank forms from Aggregate or Google Drive to Collect, those forms have to be uploaded to those locations.
You can load forms directly from a computer to your device via USB, using :doc:`Android Debug Bridge <collect-adb>`.
$ adb push path/to/form.xml /sdcard/odk/forms/form.xml
You can also download forms to your device via a web browser, and move them to the :file:`odk/forms/` directory, using the device's file manager (:menuselection:`Settings -> Storage & USB -> Explore`).
If a form :ref:`includes images or other media <image-options>`, those files have to be loaded to the device along with the form.
Media files should be placed in a folder labelled :file:`{form-name}-media`.
- When using ODK Aggregate, the form upload prompt includes instructions to upload the :file:`-media` folder. The files are downloaded automatically when :ref:`fetching forms from Aggregate <in-app-get-blank-forms>`.
- When using Google Drive, the :file:`-media` folder should be uploaded to the same location as the form.
- If :ref:`loading forms directly to your device <loading-forms-directly>`, the :file:`-media` folder needs to be placed in the :file:`sdcard/odk/forms` directory, alongside the form itself.
Once you have at least one form :ref:`loaded into ODK Collect <loading-forms-into-collect>`, you can fill out a form.
Select :guilabel:`Fill Blank Form` from the app home screen.
Select the form you would like to fill out from the form list.
Typically, you will :gesture:`swipe left` to advance forward through the question, and :gesture:`swipe right` to back up.
- You can switch from :gesture:`Swipe` navigation to Forward/Backward buttons in :menuselection:`⋮ -> General Settings -> User Interface`
- The
icon on the top right corner opens the jump menu. From the jump menu, you can go to any question or go to the beginning/ending of the form.
Note
Jump menu only shows the questions of a looped group once an actual record is created.
- Some questions will :ref:`auto-advance <autoadvance-widget>` after being answered.
- Required questions will not allow you to advance unless answered.
To remove a response, :gesture:`Long Press` on the :term:`question label`.
For a (mostly) complete guide to form question appearance, see :doc:`form-widgets`.
Once you have reached the end of a form, you will have the opportunity to Save and Exit the form. At this point, you may also:
The last form screen provides a default name for the form (defined by the form designer). You can rename it. This name only applies to that particular instance of a completed form (not to the blank form).
The Form Name identifies the form in lists throughout the app. For this reason, a meaningful name may be important to you. After you've saved the name, the form automatically moves to the :guilabel:`Send Finalized Form` section, from where you can send it.
Only :formstate:`Finalized` forms can be :ref:`uploaded to a server <uploading-forms>`.
- From the app home screen, select :guilabel:`Edit Saved Form`.
- From the form list, select a form by name.
This will reopen the form, which you are then free to edit.
Note
- :formstate:`Sent` forms will not appear in the :guilabel:`Edit Saved Forms` list.
- :formstate:`Sent` forms, will be available for viewing in :guilabel:`View Sent Forms` list, along with the details which cannot be edited.
- You may freely edit :formstate:`Saved` and :formstate:`Finalized` forms.
If you are connected to :ref:`an ODK Aggregate server <connecting-to-aggregate>` or :ref:`Google Drive Account <connecting-to-google>`, use :guilabel:`Send Finalized Forms` to upload :formstate:`Finalized` form instances.
For local form management, use :doc:`ODK Briefcase <briefcase-forms>` to pull :formstate:`Finalized` form instances to your local computer.
:formstate:`Sent` forms are no longer editable, but they remain viewable until they are deleted.
Note
Blank values in the form are sent to google sheets as cells with a space and not as empty cells. When you are testing for empty cells, you might not get the correct results. To make sure you get the correct results, you could:
- Use the TRIM function in the google sheets to remove the leading and trailing spaces from the cells.
- Define empty cell in your tests to be a cell that is either empty or contains a single space.
Note
- You can copy form instances from the device using :command:`adb`, however this will not update the state of the form to :formstate:`Sent`.
You can delete :formstate:`Saved`, :formstate:`Finalized`, :formstate:`Sent`, and :formstate:`Blank` forms by selecting :guilabel:`Delete Saved Form` on the app home screen. This page contains two tabs, :guilabel:`Saved Forms`, which contains the list of all form instances that are saved, finalized or sent, and :guilabel:`Blank Forms`.
You can also delete form instances directly with :command:`adb`. They are stored in :file:`sdcard/odk/instances`, with a directory for each instance.
Note
- Deleted Forms are listed, but cannot be viewed. They are indicated with the crossed-out eye icon.