Setting a valid area for geo questions

What is a valid area?

Setting a valid area adds a boundary limit for geospatial responses, ensuring that respondents only answer a question within a set area.

If a respondent tries to add a response (adding a pin, or a point on their line or polygon) outside the valid area they will be told that it is invalid and have to resubmit.

How to set a valid area

To set a valid map area (or areas) you must have already set up an online survey, created a mapping page, added a question and chosen the mapping component. For more information on how to do those things, read the following posts:

• Adding a mapping page to an online survey
• Adding a question to a mapping page

Once you have a mapping component saved, you can add a validation rule:

1. Select the Validation rules link on the mapping component, to open the /validation_rules menu.
2. Set the valid area by drawing an area or uploading a file (geojson or shapefile).
   1. To upload a file you need a GeoJSON or Shapefile.
   2. To draw a shape follow the instructions in the guide bubble to add your shape to the map.
   3. You can edit a drawn or uploaded shape by dragging or adding new points.
3. Update the Key Label to choose what you want the valid area to be called in the map key.
4. Select Save changes.

How to export a valid area

You can export a valid area from Citizen Space. This is particularly useful if you've either drawn an area from scratch, or uploaded an existing area file but then tweaked it in Citizen Space, and would like to be able to re-use the area in other activities.

To export a valid area:

1. Select the Validation rules link on the mapping component, to open the /validation_rules menu (where you set your valid area).
2. Select the Download link, which can be found directly underneath the map on the right-hand side if a valid area has been set.

The valid area will download as a GeoJSON file which can then be re-uploaded to other Citizen Space activities or to a separate GIS system.