Uploading images: Photo Uploader widget

Analysts can use the Photo Uploader widget to upload images from an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. A user can choose to take a new photo to use as an image, use an existing image on his mobile device, or delete images.

For example, you can add the Store attribute to the widget's Grid/Graph, and then add a prompt to the document to allow users to select a store. Users can run the document, then select the store in which they are taking a picture with their mobile devices. When the image is uploaded, the name of the store is stored in the user's data source, along with the description of the image and the location in which the image is stored. For steps to create prompts, see Allowing users to filter data: prompts.

Prerequisites

You must have Transaction Services.
You must have the Web Configure Transaction privilege.
This procedure assumes you have already created attributes and metrics to place on the widget. The widget is used to store information about the images before they are uploaded and must contain a placeholder row of data for each image you want to upload. The data in these rows is updated when users upload images. The following attributes and metrics must be created:

One attribute that contains the following attribute forms:

The first attribute form is the location in which each image is saved. The values may be blank or placeholders, and are updated with new paths when users upload images.
The second attribute form contains a description of each image, as provided by the user.
The third attribute form (optional) contains a unique numeric ID of each image that the user uploads.

Note the following:

The number of placeholder rows in the widget determines the maximum number of images users can upload. For example, if you create a widget with 20 rows, users can upload a maximum of 20 images.

To choose the attribute forms displayed for an attribute in the widget, right-click the header of the attribute, point to Attribute Forms, then select the attribute forms to display.

Two metrics, as follows:

The first metric is used to indicate whether the image has been uploaded.
The second metric (optional) contains the sum of the values in the first metric, and is used to display the number of images the user has uploaded.

You can provide additional information about an uploaded image by placing additional attributes and metrics on the widget. For example, you can add the Store attribute to the widget, and then add a prompt to the document to allow users to select a store. Users can run the document, then select the store in which they are taking a picture with their mobile devices. When the image is uploaded, the name of the store is stored in the user's data source, along with the description of the image and the location in which the image is stored. For steps to create prompts, see Allowing users to filter data: prompts.
You can add objects from multiple datasets to the Grid/Graph containing the widget. You must have the correct privileges and the project must allow Grid/Graphs to use multiple datasets. For steps to allow Grid/Graphs to use multiple datasets, see the Adding Text and Data chapter of the Document Creation Help.

•

This procedure assumes you have created a Transaction Services report to link to the widget. There must be an attribute form or metric displayed in the widget (described above) for each input object in the Transaction Services report. For steps to create a Transaction Services report, see the Advanced Reporting Help.

To add a Photo Uploader widget to a document

Open the document in Design or Editable Mode.
From the Insert menu, point to Widgets, then point to Mobile. Select Photo Uploader.
Click in your document where you want to place the widget. A Grid/Graph containing the widget is added to the document.
Optionally, resize the widget by clicking and then dragging its handles.
From the Dataset Objects panel on the left, select attributes and metrics, and drag them on to the Grid/Graph, as described in the prerequisites above.
To specify the size and quality of images uploaded through the Photo Uploader, the camera used to take images, and other properties, right-click the widget and select Properties and Formatting, then click the gear icon next to Widget Properties.

You can specify the following options:

The quality of the images that are uploaded. From the Image Quality drop-down list, select High, Medium, or Low (default).
The size of the images uploaded. From the Image Size drop-down list, select Small, Medium (default), Large, or Actual.
Whether users can upload multiple images at one time. From the Allow Multiple Photos drop-down list, select Yes (default) or No.
Whether users can use photos already stored on their mobile device. From the Allow Existing Pictures drop-down list, select Yes (default) or No.
The camera used to take photos by default. Users can still switch between the cameras. From the Default Camera drop-down list, select Back (default) or Front.

To link the widget to the Transaction Services report, right-click the widget's Grid/Graph, then select Configure Transaction. The Configure Transactions dialog box opens.
Click … (the Browse button), then navigate to and select the Transaction Services report to link to.
A list of the attributes and metrics that can be modified in the Transaction Services report is displayed in the Transaction Input column. Perform the following steps for each input object:

From the Grid Object drop-down list, select the attribute form or metric to link to the input object.
You can choose whether users can edit the value of each input object. Do one of the following:

To allow users to edit the value of the input object, select the Editable check box.
To prevent users from editing the value of the input object, clear the Editable check box.

You must define the first metric on the columns of the widget to be editable. This metric indicates whether the image has been uploaded.

From the Transaction Input drop-down list, choose a control to display the input as, such as a text box, slider, and so on.

Repeat the appropriate steps above to define and format the control to display for each input object.
Click OK to save your changes and return to the document.
To create a button for users to submit a photo, from the Insert menu, point to Selector, then select Action Selector Button.
Click the section of the Layout area in which you want to place the selector. Right-click the selector, then select Properties and Formatting. The Properties and Formatting dialog box opens.
From the left, click General, then in the Display Text field, type the text you want to display on the button or link; for example, Submit.
By default, a descriptive title bar is displayed for the selector. You can determine whether to display the title bar. Do one of the following:

To display the title bar, select the Show Title Bar check box and type the title you want to display in the field.
To display the selector button or link without the title bar, clear the Show Title Bar check box.

From the left, click Selector. From the Action Type drop-down list, select Submit.
By default, the selector button or link targets each Grid/Graph and panel stack in the document section in which it is placed. You can choose the targets of the selector manually instead. To do so, click Click here, then use the right arrow to move the target Grid/Graph or panel stack from the Available list to the Selected list. For additional information on working with selectors, see the MicroStrategy Web Help.
Select the appropriate options to define the selector. For the full steps to define an action selector button, see the Document Creation Help.
Click OK to save your changes and return to the document.