Setting up Multiple-Language Studies in Survox Console

The Survox Console supports the ability to load and manage multiple language studies.

Users can upload, test and launch custom questionnaire spec files (.qpx) that include multiple languages, that is, studies that can be conducted in more than one language.

To use multiple language studies in the console, you can set up individual projects that include all language translations within the qpx.

For example: if you have an English language qpx, a Spanish qpx, and a French qpx, each one would need to be run as a separate project.

You can also run a project that uses include files (& files). This is more involved and is explained below in more detail.

To learn how to incorporate non-English survey language in your qpx, please visit the Survox Customer Service Solution Center to request information.

Note:

  • Survox studies supports all UTF-8 languages
  • Non-English studies cannot currently be created using the composer module

Individual Language Setup in Survox Console

We do NOT recommend this approach since each study will have a separate TR, fone, and quota file. The recommended approach is to use Include files so that all of your languages write and use the same files. 

While only English language surveys can be created using the composer module, console users may upload, test and launch surveys in other languages.

For non-English surveys in the console, the spec file must include all language translations within the qpx. And each one must run as a separate project. To upload a spec file go to Project Setup – Upload Files. Make sure that your correct study is chosen from the drop down menu. Once the spec file is uploaded and compiled then you should revise your template files and index file.

Revising Templates/Index Files With Translations

Users who are not providing their own theme or CSS files, i.e. those relying on the default survey themes provided in the console will need to first select a theme for their project, then go to Project Setup – Download Files to download the template (.tmpl) files and the index.php file from the websurvent or webCATI (live) directory.

Insert language-specific translations into the tmpl files and index.php file and add the following to the head tag found in the pagetop.tmpl:

<meta http-equiv=“content-type” content=“text/html;charset=utf-8” />

Upload the modified tmpl files and index.php into your project by going to Project Setup – Upload Files. Make sure that your correct study is chosen from the drop down menu.

Note: In Test Mode, you will not see your translated template files and you may see some characters that do not appear correctly. You will only see the correct characters and translated files once you go Live with your study.

Include File Language Setup in Survox Console

We recommend this approach for multiple language studies since all languages will write and use the same files. 

Multiple Language surveys that use include files can be run using the Survox Console.

The first step in creating a multiple language study with include files is to create the project by going to Project Creation – New Project.

After the project is created, the spec (qpx) and all include files will need to be uploaded using the console.

The include files will need an .QINC extension to upload properly.

Note: In Test Mode, you will see the English version of the survey only. Once you go live with your study then you will see your multiple languages.

Creating Index Pages for each Language

In order for the project to access all of your languages when using include files, you will need to modify the index page. Users who are not providing their own theme or CSS files, i.e. those relying on the default survey themes provided in the console will need to first select a theme for their project, then go to Project Setup – Download Files to download the index.php file from the websurvent or webCATI (live) directory.

Modifications/translations should be made in the downloaded files to preserve the theme you selected for the project. You will need multiple index pages to access all of your languages for your project. Use the index.php file downloaded from the console to create an index page for each needed language.

The Hidden language input will need to be added to each of these language specific index pages.

For Example: <input type=“hidden” name=“language” value=“sp”/>

Each language specific index page will need to be named with a 2-character language code attached.

For Example: indexsp.php for Spanish

These pages should point to the live project link and the hidden language input will bring up the correct language.

In addition to the language specific index pages, you’ll also need a main index page called index.php where the respondent can choose which language to use to take the survey. This index page should list all of the languages available and provide a link that points to each of the language specific index pages.

You must look at the documentation for Uploading Files to understand the path needed for the main index.php file.

Steps to Create Index Pages

  1. Click on the Project Setup tab
  2. Click on Download Files
  3. Click on the index.php file from the General Web directory
  4. Make copies of the downloaded index.php file for each needed language and rename the copies to the language specific index page with the 2-character language code attached
  5. Add the translations and the hidden language input for each language in each language specific index page
  6. In the downloaded MAIN index.php file, replace the login section with links to each of the language specific index files
  7. Click on the Project Setup tab
  8. Click on Upload Files
  9. Upload the revised index.php and all language specific index pages

Note: Uploading files are only applied to the Live project. In order to use these as test files, the project would need to be put into Test Mode and all of these files would need to be copied to the test area by command line. The paths to the language specific index pages would need to be edited to point to the test study.

Creating Template Files for each Language

In order for the project to access all of your languages when using include files, you will need to modify the template files. Users who are not providing their own theme or CSS files, i.e. those relying on the default survey themes provided in the console will need to first select a theme for their project, then go to Project Setup – Download Files to download the template (.tmpl) files from the websurvent or webCATI (live) directory. Modifications/translations should be made in the downloaded files to preserve the theme you selected for the project.

You will need a set of template files for each language set up in the index.php file.

In addition, you will also need to create a template directory for each language to hold the language specific template files. Directories should be named with the 2-character language code for each language in the index.php file. Template directories cannot be uploaded using the console and will need to be created by command line. The template directories need to be created under the theme or template directory. All language specific template files will need to be copied into the language theme directory.

For Example: If you choose the SSTONE look for a webSurvent project and you have Spanish translated template files, you would create the following directory:

/home/acme/cfmc/themes/sstone/ws_tmpl (or wc_tmpl)/sp

Steps to Create Template Files

  1. Click on the Project Setup tab
  2. Click on Download Files
  3. Click on the template files from the webSurvent/webCATI live directory
  4. Make copies of the downloaded template files for each needed language
  5. Put each set of language specific template files into their corresponding directory
  6. Add the translations to each template file

Once all files are modified and are copied to the correct places, test the Live version of the project to verify that the templates are working properly and look correct. You should be able to reset all files and begin running your study at this point.

Javascript Error Messages

Users fielding non-English language surveys will also want to review and edit the JavaScript error messages. You can now modify the cfmc_error_messages.js file with the language translations and rename it appending the 2-character language code to the end.

For Example: cfmc_error_messages_sp.js (Spanish)/cfmc_error_messages_de.js (German)

We also give a set of translated cfmc_error_messages.js files with each release for the most popular languages used, or you can find your JS files in your web area.

For Example: /var/www/html/cfmcweb/js/cfmc_error_messages.js

You will need to edit the pagetop.tmpl with the correct pathing for the cfmc_error_messages.js language files or use an html define to call the correct error message file. You can download your pagetop.tmpl file by going to Project Setup – Download Files. And once modified, go to Project Setup  – Upload Files to upload your changes.

Test the live version to verify that the templates and language characters are appearing correctly. You should be able to begin the study at this point.