I am running Version 3.15.5+181115. I have a 'ranking' question where respondents select up to three options from a list. I have a follow-on 'ranking' question where they get to pick at most one from what they selected in the first question. I created the answer options for the second question using expressions similar to "{G2Q1_x.shown}".

Everything works fine from the respondents perspective but when I look at the submitted response, the answer to the second question contains the expression, rather the substituted text (see attachment). I am seeing this in 'Display responses' and when I export the data ('Full Answers').

Is there a way to get the submitted response text? I can work around the problem by post-processing the exported data but that could introduce errors.

Thanks, Norbert

Yes, but you need to create 3 equation question for this.

For the 1st rank ,create equation and put inside {RANK_1.shown}.

Hi Denis, I think I did that. The first 'ranking' question (G2Q1) has a bunch of static answer options. The second 'ranking' question has three answer options which reference the 0-3 options that the respondent selected. I attached a screenshot of the second question definition. When someone completes the survey, the resposne saved in the database is one of the expressions, rather than the question 1 options that the expressions point to.

I freely admit that I am very new to Expression Manager, so I may be missing something obvious.

Thanks, Norbert

I attached an export of a simple survey that demonstrates the issue. Everything looks fine when the respondent completes the survey, but the saved data for the second question is a pointer to the answers to the first question.

No, you don't

Hi Denis, thanks for the working survey example. I created a bunch of hidden questions of type Equation to resolve the computed answer options and the survey is going live shortly. I also found the section in the manual under the Expression Manager. I think the wording could be clarified and emphasised to avoid the LimeSurvey user from expecting that 'what you see is what you get'.

Hi Denis

I am using LS3 and I tried your example LSS file however I am getting the same result. The expressions are not being evaluated when exporting the responses.

I have uploaded an image when exported as a pdf but no matter what format or settings I used I get the same result.

For me the particular problem is that the response to a previous question is used as part of the question in a future question. Without the answer the question becomes confusing for the manager who has to review the responses. of course the respondent sees the correct question while filling in the survey.

There is a check box on the responses export page to enable expression manager however it appears to do nothing. no matter what I set it to (or any of the other settings) the result is the same.

Do you have any ideas. or do you know where I should start looking?

I just tested this in a fresh install of LS4 with the same result. for some types of surveys this is a showstopper

Export survey are not the same than Print answers.