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The Android Input app is free to use. It needs an Input file (qpsmrinp) produced and distributed with a licensed Companion.
The same project can be used for Windows data input and Android data input.
Both handle the same questions including routing, randomisation, images and videos. They also can collect information about the interview including GPS location.
The Android Input app is designed to work on Android versions 6 through 12.
All files collected and used by the app are kept in its private storage area and are not available to other apps.
Install from the Google Play Store, search for companioninput (no space).
Next, go into the App Info (found in Settings>Apps>Companion Input) and click on [Permissions]. The two permissions that should be set on are Contacts and Location.
Contacts allows the app to get the device’s username. This information is only used for the data files to identify the interviewer who conducted the interview.
Location is used in interviews with GPS tracking entries. This will store the location where the interview was conducted in the data collected.
The app is now ready to be run.
Before creating an input file for interviewers, the project must have a short study name set and two FTP sites set, all in [Global Settings].
The study name is important because all collected interviews with the same study name will be assumed to be all for the same project.
The FTP distribution site is where input files are put for interviewers to download.
The FTP data collection site is used for collecting completed interviews.
The sites can be SFTP or FTPS.
When testing the two FTP sites can be the same, but for live interviewing we recommend using separate FTP sites, see Input FTP sites.
The interview should be tested before distribution using [Answers] [Test input data].
When the project is fully tested and ready for interviewing an input file is created using [Answers] [Create input file] and select "Immediate FTP upload (+Android)".
When you save the input file you will be asked if you want it uploaded to the distribution FTP site. The interview is then available for interviewers on the Android device.
IMPORTANT: The name of the Input file saved should start with the Study name.
The interview will be controlled by an Input file which will be available once the Android device has the distribution FTP site details.
To download an input file for use:
Select [FTP Account], followed by [Add FTP Account], then complete all the necessary details of the distribution site (which will be the same as those entered in Companion) and save. When you save you need internet access so that the app is able to check that the connection to the FTP site is working.
Once saved, select the new FTP account details shown and [Connect], the program will return to the home screen and be ready for the next steps.
You only need to Add the FTP site once. After that you can select [FTP account], select the FTP site, and [Connect].
Next select [Download] which will show a list of input files available on the FTP distribution site. Select the Input file that is required and it will start downloading.
Once downloaded, select [Start Interview], then the file that has been downloaded, to start the interview.
A downloaded Input file remains available and later interviews can be conducted by [Start interview] and selecting the Input file.
When an interview is finished, there will be a choice to start another interview or to return to the main screen. If return is chosen, the data will automatically be uploaded to the data collection FTP site if there is an internet connection.
If an internet connection is not available when interviewing stops, the file will be stored to be uploaded at a later time. When an internet connection becomes available the upload is started by selecting the [Upload] button on the Companion Input Home page. This will show a list of studies that are currently active on the device. Press on the study required, and this will upload all the files related to that study that have not previously been uploaded.
The second option is the [Upload Full Study] button. This follows the same procedure, except that it will upload all the files with a study even if they have been previously uploaded. This option is useful if data goes missing or if another copy of the data files is required.
The [Clear Directory] button can be used to remove files saved on the Companion Input system. When pressed there are two options, if the option to remove input files is used, then new input files will need to be downloaded before an interview is started.
The second option removes data files, but it is also possible to delete just data files. When these files are deleted, only the uploaded files are removed, preventing data loss.
FTP sites cannot be deleted in this way, they must be deleted inside the FTP account page and can only be deleted individually.
In Companion use [Answers] [Download all data for study] to retrieve all the data so far collected for the study. You will be asked for the name of the data file to be created.
As well as creating a new combined data file, all the individual files are stored in a sub-folder called Download_studyname. This folder must be left intact because it will be used to prevent the same records being included again.
Once the "all data" option has been used any data collected afterwards can be added to the combined file using [Answers] [Download new data for study]. This will add any new data files from interviewers to the combined file.
The individual data files and the combined data file will be CSV data files, UTF-8 encoded with BOM (byte order mark), which is the recommended way to store data in Companion programs.