Commands are instructions that will be carried out when FlowScript is executed. You can add one or more commands, with or without condition. Each command has to end with the “;” sign (semicolon).

The possible commands are:

• Function GoTo (skip)
• Function GoToRnd (random skip)
• Function Ot (out of target)
• Assign a value to a contact field 
• Assign responses
• SetVariable (assign contact fields and advanced responses).

GoTo

Jump to the specified page or question.

Example of a simple skip:

goto(P3);

skips to page P3.

Example of a skip with sequence:

goto(P3, P5, P10);

skips to page P3, then page P5, then page P10.

GoToRnd

It displays specific pages or questions randomly, always ending up with the page or question specified as last parameter.

For example:

gotornd(P5, P6, P10);

It will display pages P5 and P6 randomly, then it will end with page P10.

Ot

It sends the contact with the ongoing interview out of target.

Example out of target with condition:

if(Q1==1 && Q2==3) ot();

If on question Q1 answer with code 1 was selected and on question Q2 answer with code 3 was selected, you go out of target.

Assign value to contact field

It allows you to assign a value to any contact field.

Example:

{CarBrand} = Jaguar;

Assigns “Jaguar” to the contact field CarBrand.

Example with condition:

if (Q1==3 && Q2==1) {Subscription} = Netflix;

If on question Q1 answer with code 3 was selected and on question Q2 answer with code 1 was selected, it assigns “Netflix” to the contact field Subscription.

Assign response

It allows you to assign an answer to any question of the questionnaire.

Example response selection:

Q15 = 3;

It selects response with code 3 on question Q15.

Example multiple choice selection:

Q15 = '3,4,8';

It selects the responses with codes 3, 4 and 8 on question Q15.

Example populating an open-ended answer of a question:

[Q12] = 'I am very satisfied';

It populates the open-ended answer on question Q12.

Conditions will allow you to specify the case in which one or more commands need to be executed. A condition, in its simple form, it is composed by the instruction if and by a comparison expression. It is then followed by the command to execute if the condition is true.

if(Q1==1) ot();

If on question Q1 response with code 1 was selected, you go off target.

You can use different comparison symbols and logic operators to combine multiple conditions.

if(Q1>5 && Q2!=1) goto(P5);

If on question Q1 a response with code greater than 5 and on question Q2 response with code 1 was not selected, you are sent to page P5.

You can use expression with multiple factors to carry out algebraic calculation or to combine text of open-ended answers, contact fields and strings.

if([Q1]+[Q2]<100) goto(P5);

If the sum of the number entered on the open-ended answer on questions Q1 and Q2 is lower than 100, you are sent to page P1.

Let’s focus on all the topics necessary to create condition of any level of complexity:

• Comparison symbols
• Logic operators
• if…then (to specify the commands to execute on a true condition)
• if…then…else (to add commands to execute on a false condition)
• while (it executes command until the condition is true)
• List of functions to use on conditions

Comparison symbols

Comparison symbols to use within expressions of the conditions are:

• == equal
• != different
• < lower
• > greater
• <= lower or equal
• >= greater or equal

Logic operators

Conditions can be combined among them by using parenthesis and the usual logic operators:

• && and
• || or
• ! negation

Example:

( Q1==1 || Q1==2) && ( Q2==1||Q2==2 )

If on question Q1 option with code 1 or with code 2 was selected, and on question Q2 option with code 1 or code 2 was selected.

( !Q1==1 ) || ( (Q2== 1 || Q2==2) && (Q3==1||Q3==2) )

If the condition “Q1 equal 1” is not true, or if on question Q2 option with code 1 or code 2 was selected, and on Q3 option with code 1 or code 2 was selected.

If…then

The if…then instruction allows you to set the condition in which one or more commands have to be carried out.

if(condition) command;

If the condition is true, execute the command.

Example:

if(Q8==3 && [Q2]<18) ot();

If on question Q8 option with code 3 was selected and on the open-ended answer to question Q2 a value lower than 18 was entered, you are sent out of target.

Example of condition with multiple commands:

if(Q2==3 && Q2!=1) { {Car_Owned}=none; ot(); }

If on question Q2 option with code 3 was selected and on question Q2 option 1 was not selected, the contact field “Car_Owned” will be populated with “none”, then you are sent out of target.

If…then…else

The instruction if…then…else extends the possibilities of the if…then instruction by allowing you to add commands to execute when the condition is false.

The syntax is the following:

if(condition) {command on true condition} else {command on false condition}

For example:

if(Q1==1) goto(P2); else goto(P5);

If on question Q1 answer option with code 1 was selected, you are sent to page P2, otherwise (if the condition is false) go to page P5.

While

While allows you to repeat one or more commands until the condition is true. With the while instruction you can create loops within the FlowScript. The use of this instruction is usually limited to particularly complex necessities. It is not to be confused with the section loops of the questionnaire.

The syntax is the following:

while(condition) command;

For example:

{j}=0; 
while ({j} <= {i})
	{
		{total}= {total}+[Q1][{j}];
		{j}++;
	}

It assigns value 0 to the j variable.

If the value of the variable j is lower than the value of the variable i, it populates the field “total” by adding the previous value of the field “total” to the amount entered on the open-ended question Q1 of j, therefore it increases field j of 1.

The following functions were developed in order to manage special exception and they can be used both within condition and commands. The use of these function is usually limited to specific complex requirements.

Shorthand if…then…else

In FlowScript you can use the instruction if…then…else even in the form known as “shorthand”. This forma is necessary to use the conditions within other commands or to enter the dynamic text in the body of the questionnaire. Technically, the if “shorthand” form allows you to add a condition within functions that only accept expressions. Despite the different syntax, the logic and functioning do not differ from the normal functioning of the if…then…else.

condition ? expression_condition_true : expression_condition_false

For example:

(Q1==1)?'private':'company'

If on question Q1 option with code 1 was selected, it gives back the string “private”, otherwise it gives “company”.

(Q1==1)?{social_security_number}:{vat_number}

If on question Q1 option with code 1 was selected, it gives back the value of the contact field named “social_security_number”, otherwise it gives “vat_number”.

([Q1]>1)?'how old are your sons':'how old is your son'

If on the open-ended question Q1 was entered a number greater than 1 (number of sons), the text of the question with the plural form will be displayed, otherwise the singular form will be displayed.

In the following example we will show how to create combined “shorthand” if else conditions.

( [Q1]>=4 ) ? 'positive' : ( [Q1]<=2 ) ? 'negative' : ( [Q1]==3 ) ? 'neutral' : ' '

If on the open-ended question Q1 a value greater or equal to 4 was entered, the system gives back the string “positive”, otherwise it checks if a value lower or equal to 2 was entered and in this case it gives back the string “negative”; otherwise it checks if value 3 was entered: in this case it will give back the string “neutral”, otherwise it will give back an empty string.

FlowScript gives priority to the programming speed and the simplicity of the expressions, at the expense of the language orthodoxy. This causes some peculiarities that may confuse an expert user of other programming languages.

String with or without single quotes, what are the differences?

The complete and correct syntax of the strings requires the use of single quotes. If the string only includes one word (that means without blanks), you can omit the single quotes.

Therefore, the syntax [D1]==Marco is equal to [D1]=='Marco'.

The condition [D1]=='very satisfied' can not be written without single quotes, since they are necessary in order to determine the beginning and the end of a string.

Comparisons asymmetry

The elements that are compared within conditions (the elements before and after the comparison operator) are NOT the same. The one that come after the comparison operato is always interpreted as a string, while the one preceding the operator, if a free string (without single quotes), is interpreted as a question code.

For example, the condition D1==1 “verify if on question with code D1 was given an answer with code 1”. If I reverse the order of the elements I will get the condition 1==D1 which means “verify if on question with code 1 was given an answer with code D1” which is completely different.

Therefore, please always keep in mind that comparisons are NOT, in general, invertible.