Form media updates in Collect with submissions in Central and Google Drive Sheets

[alios82]

1. What is the problem? Be very detailed.
Collect would update forms/media from Aggregate even if the submissions were made via Google Account to Google Drive. Forms hosted in central are not updating when I switch Server/Account to Google in Collect to submit data to Google Drive..

I have some forms hosted and published in ODK Central as well as few in Google Drive. I use the AppKey to submit data to Central and use my Google account to submit to Google Drive. Forms from both sources show in my Collect App simultaneously as expected and I'm able to submit data as well by switching server in General Settings of ODK Collect.

The problem is that my form data and media does not trigger a form update once I have switched Server to Google Account even through the Central forms still show. Previously with Aggregate the forms/media would still update even when I'd switched to my Google Drive/Account.
I'm happy to provide more information. Perhaps there's something I'm not doing correctly.

When I switch back to my Central in Collect Settings, the updates resume.
I also use some forms in Central that submit data to GoogleDrive as well. The central updates are affected in this case as well.

2. What app or server are you using and on what device and operating system? Include version numbers.
Collect: 1.30.0
Central: 1.1.2 hosted in DigitalOcean

3. What you have you tried to fix the problem?
Tried to change media and version of form hosted in central to see if form update is triggered.

4. What steps can we take to reproduce the problem?
Host an xlsform in Central e.g. formC.xml.
Host an xlsform in Google Drive e.g. formG.xml.
In Collect:
Setup Central Server settings in ODK Collect manually or via QR Code.
Set ODK Collect to automatically update form definitions and frequency of updates to 15 minutes.

Setup Google Drive using on screen options in Server settings by picking one of the Google accounts configured within the android phone.

Switch to Central Server/Account in Collect and download formC.
Switch to Google Server/Account in Collect and download formG.

Update formC hosted in Central and publish it with a new version. Wait for 15-30 minutes to see if the formC version updates in Fill Blank Form in Collect. Form will not update hence reproducing the problem.
If you switch the google account back to Central in Server settings in Collect. Then form update resumes as normally expected.

5. Anything else we should know or have? If you have a test form or screenshots or logs, attach below.
You're doing excellent development in bringing new ODK features to us and enriching roadmap. Thank you. I've also made a feature request to re-instate the expected behaviour in collect/central as food for thought. It's a major hassle/point of confusion for our teams/users.

Form+Media updates from central even when submission account is Google: Separate Server and Account Settings in Collect

In reference to an existing feature in recent past: This change may have affected the feature/flexibility. https://github.com/getodk/collect/commit/640ca84dc88cb0cb005267784912eda658b44b0c 1. What is the general goal of the feature? Re-Allow form and/or media updates if the form was sourced from Central/Aggregate even if current submission account is a Google Account/Drive in Collect. One way is to re-allow the updates in collect as they used to be prior to Aug 2020. An alternate could be to…

Google Drive auto-download not working

Hi there, I am using odk collect with forms in google drive. I have turned on "auto download updates" in Collect App settings and set frequency to 15 minutes. But the updated forms do not get auto-downloaded. Secondly, the CSVs referenced in the form are also updated in the media folder but they are also not auto-downloaded. The version number is also incremented in the submission sheet of the form to further encourage auto download. But no change. Currently i am having to manually download…

[Grzesiek2010]

Hi @alios82

ODK Collect works in that way that if you switch to google server then automatic updates are stopped.
I can't recall now but maybe in older versions, it didn't wasn't the case and that's why now you are confused.

So it's not your fault and unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change it.

[alios82]

Thanks Grzegorz @Grzesiek2010. You're 100% correct as this feature was an unsaid beauty in recent past.

I think that feature was very helpful. I've explained in this feature request of its benefits and request that it be brought back in some shape or form: Form+Media updates from central even when submission account is Google: Separate Server and Account Settings in Collect

I am really hoping we can re-enable that as ODK Collect is capable of hosting forms from Central that can submit to Google sheets. It's counter-intuitive to block form update flexibility while submissions are allowed. I am open to suggestions of reasons (other than purely technical) because it's a good part of the product portfolio. It's better let the user pick this as a preference in general settings. Either update based on form source or based on General Settings->Server
Appreciate if this can be shared within your team.

We've also done alot of development that relies on this flexibility. Really hope something can be done about it.

[Grzesiek2010]

I think @seadowg has implemented this change in https://github.com/getodk/collect/commit/640ca84dc88cb0cb005267784912eda658b44b0c
I'm sure it was on purpose but could you confirm?

[alios82]

Thanks for looping in @seadowg. It appears it's a change to Collect. Perhaps this could be reversed or modified in light of: Form+Media updates from central even when submission account is Google: Separate Server and Account Settings in Collect

Thought bubble: Better to let the user pick whether to use either Form Source or currently selected server General Settings->Server

[seadowg]

Yeah, this change was made intentionally. Before Collect would continue to run auto update on whatever Open Rosa server had been set up last. It's important to point out that as far as I understand this was never a "feature" of Collect but something that "happened" to work because auto update assumed you were using an Open Rosa server rather than Google Drive.

I think we should close this support thread (@alios82 if you mark this as the answer please) and we discuss this in your feature post.

[alios82]

Thanks Callum. Agreed with @seadowg to close this post if we can continue this in the feature request.