Manage Global Dropdown Choices in EarthRanger Admin

In EarthRanger, Event Type dropdown menus allow users and administrators to classify activities in protected areas, such as species sightings, unauthorized activity, and environmental observations. EarthRanger administrators can adjust dropdown choices for Event fields to better reflect their site’s needs.Here is the detailed process for modifying these choices, including adding, reordering, and verifying dropdown options.
 

 

Understanding Events and Event Types

In EarthRanger:

  • Events are user-facing entries in the application where specific activities are logged and reviewed.
  • Event Types are administrative classifications that configure and organize these activities.
     

Changes to Event Types in the administration interface directly impact the dropdown choices users see when creating or editing Events.

 

Updating Dropdown Choices in Events

To adjust dropdown menu options in Events, you’ll update the schema for the associated Event Type in the EarthRanger Administration website. Follow these steps to make changes:
 

Step 1: Locate the Choice Field to Modify

  1. In the EarthRanger Administration website, navigate to Activity > Event Types.
  2. In the Display column, select the Event Type associated with the Event you want to modify (e.g., Human-Wildlife Contact).
  3. Within the schema for this Event Type, find the title of the dropdown menu field you wish to update (e.g., "Species").
  4. Locate the enumNames key, which will display the specific Choice Field value, such as:
        "enumNames": {{enum__hwrep_species__names}}  the value between enum and names is the identifier we will use in the next step. 

This identifier will be used to update dropdown options.

Step 2: Modify or Add Choices in the Dropdown Menu

To adjust the available dropdown options:

  1. In the Administration website, go to Choices > Choices.
  2. Use the Search box to enter the Choice Field identifier from Step 1 (e.g., "hwcrep_species") and select Search.
  3. Edit fields in the Display column to update names or adjust values in the Ordernum column to specify the display order for each choice.
     

Important Note:

  • Avoid updating the Values of existing choices. Doing so can cause breaking changes in past Events where this option was selected. Specifically:
    • If you update only the Display content of existing choices, the past Events in which this option is chosen will update their Display text accordingly.
    • If you update the Value, the system will no longer recognize the choice. Past Events using this option will display a blank field.
 

 

To add a new choice:

  1. Search for the relevant Choice Field on the Choices page.
  2. Select Add Choice to open the configuration page.
  3. Complete the fields as follows:
    1. Id: Accept the autogenerated value.
    2. Model: Enter activity.event.
    3. Field: Enter the Choice Field name from Step 1.
    4. Value: Enter a lowercase, no-spaces identifier for the new option (e.g., vervet_monkey).
    5. Display: Enter how you want the choice to appear in the dropdown.
    6. Ordernum: Specify a display order. Choices are listed alphabetically if no order is provided.
  4. Save the new entry.
     


Disabling Dropdown Choices

If you want to make a choice unavailable for new Events while retaining it in past Events, you can disable the option instead of removing or updating it.

  1. Search for the relevant Choice Field on the Choices page.
  2. Select the choice you want to disable.
  3. Change its Status to Disabled.
  4. Save the changes.
     

Disabled choices will no longer appear in the dropdown menu for new Events but will remain visible in past Events where they were selected.

 


Step 3: Verify the Dropdown Changes in Events

To confirm the changes in EarthRanger:

  1. Refresh the EarthRanger web application.
  2. Create a new Event of the type you modified (e.g., Human Wildlife Contact).
  3. Check the dropdown to confirm the new choices display as configured.
     

Following these steps allows administrators to customize Event dropdown choices to reflect site-specific classifications and improve usability for EarthRanger users.

 

 

 

 

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