Changing an active survey

Changing an active survey

While a survey is active, it is not possible to add questions, remove questions or answers, or change the question type. However, it is still possible to:

• Modify the text of a question (for example to correct typos)
• Modify the attributes of a question (for example to include it in the public statistics or insist on a particular number of answers for a multiple options question).

To make more complicated changes, you need to use the import and export facilities described in the next section.

Changing an active survey by import and export

If you find you need to add or remove questions or answers or a combination of these, LimeSurvey has functions called "VV-Import" and "VV-Export" that can be used to move all the results from one survey across to another survey.

Exporting the survey structure is done in the survey toolbar. The VV-Import and VV-Export buttons are found on the main toolbar of the Responses page.

VV-Import and VV-Export can also be used to combine survey results when the same survey has been run on more than one server.

The method for using VV-Import and VV-Export is as follows:

• Create a new survey and copy the structure of the original one. If necessary, modify this new survey so it has the changes you want.
• Activate the new survey
• Perform a VV-Export from the _old_ survey
• Perform the VV-Import into the _new_ survey

Tricks

• When rearranging columns switch column ids (row 2) instead of all content columns (3-end)
• Rename vv files as .txt and excel will open them correctly (save as unicode and rename)
• To change the survey title, access the Text elements panel of your survey settings.