Enhancing TXGIS Day: Adding Submission Types To The Research Form

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Enhancing TXGIS Day: Adding Submission Types to the Research Form

Hey everyone! 👋 We're diving into a crucial update for the TXGIS Day website, specifically focusing on the "Submit Research" form. As you know, we've got three awesome categories for student submissions: Research Presentations, Research Posters, and Aggie Map Designs. The goal here is to make sure users can easily specify which type of submission they're submitting. Let's make this process super smooth and user-friendly, right? Let's get into the details of this improvement and how we can implement it.

The Need for Submission Type Selection

Okay, so why is this change so important? Currently, the "Submit Research" form doesn't give users a way to specify the type of submission they're making. This means we're relying on users to, hopefully, include this information somewhere in their submission details. But relying on free text fields can create a few problems. It's easy for users to forget, or they might not know how to phrase it, or there might be inconsistencies in how they describe the submission type. All of this can lead to headaches down the line during the review process and when we're organizing submissions. By adding a dropdown, we're making it crystal clear what type of submission is being made, which is super important for streamlining everything. We're creating a more structured and organized system, which benefits everyone involved.

Benefits of a Dropdown Menu

Adding a dropdown menu is a straightforward, yet incredibly effective solution. It provides a clear, concise way for users to indicate their submission type. The benefits are numerous:

  • Clarity: Users immediately understand what information is required. The dropdown clearly presents the options: Research Presentation, Research Poster, and Aggie Map Design. No guesswork involved.
  • Consistency: All submissions will have the type of submission clearly defined using the same terms, leading to a much more organized database and easier processing.
  • Ease of Use: It's simple for users to select an option, reducing the chances of errors or misunderstandings. No need to type anything; a simple click does the job.
  • Improved Data Organization: Having this data structured from the start makes organizing, categorizing, and filtering submissions much more efficient on the backend.
  • Reduced Errors: It eliminates the possibility of users forgetting to specify the submission type or using different terms for the same thing. This reduces the chance of misclassifying submissions, avoiding mix-ups.

Basically, by adding a dropdown, we're making the entire submission process more efficient and user-friendly. It improves the user experience and makes life easier for the organizers, too.

Implementation Details and Technical Considerations

Now, let's talk about how we can actually implement this change. The project is built using Angular, and we'll need to update the relevant components and templates to include the new dropdown. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Identify the Component

First, we need to locate the Angular component that renders the "Submit Research" form. In the context of the txgisday.org website, this is likely a component associated with the /account/submissions/add route. The specific component will handle the form's structure, input fields, and submission logic. The file structure is likely Tamu.GeoInnovation.js.monorepo.

2. Modify the Template (HTML)

Next, we'll modify the component's template (usually an HTML file). We'll add a <select> element (the dropdown) to the form. Within the <select> element, we'll add <option> elements for each of the three submission types: Research Presentation, Research Poster, and Aggie Map Design.

<label for="submissionType">Submission Type:</label>
<select id="submissionType" name="submissionType" [(ngModel)]="selectedSubmissionType">
  <option value="presentation">Research Presentation</option>
  <option value="poster">Research Poster</option>
  <option value="mapDesign">Aggie Map Design</option>
</select>
  • id and name: These attributes are important for identifying the dropdown. Use descriptive names.
  • [(ngModel)]: This is Angular's two-way data binding. It connects the selected value to a component property (selectedSubmissionType in this example), which we will use in our component.

3. Update the Component (TypeScript)

Now, we need to update the TypeScript file associated with the component. We'll add a property to hold the selected value from the dropdown (selectedSubmissionType), and we'll handle the submission logic to incorporate this value. Add these lines to the component's TypeScript file:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-submit-research-form',
  templateUrl: './submit-research-form.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['./submit-research-form.component.css']
})
export class SubmitResearchFormComponent {
  selectedSubmissionType: string = ''; // Initialize the property

  onSubmit() {
    // Access the selectedSubmissionType value here
    console.log('Selected Submission Type:', this.selectedSubmissionType);

    // You can now include the selectedSubmissionType when submitting the form data.
    // Example: this.submissionService.submit(this.formData, this.selectedSubmissionType);
  }
}
  • selectedSubmissionType property: This stores the value selected from the dropdown.
  • onSubmit() method: When the user submits the form, this method will be triggered, and we will get the value of selectedSubmissionType to be sent to the backend.

4. Integrate with Backend (API)

Finally, we need to integrate the selected submission type with our backend API. When the form is submitted, the selected value should be sent to the server along with the other form data. The API will then use this information to store the submission type in the database. For example, your API request could include a field like submissionType: this.selectedSubmissionType.

5. Testing and Validation

After implementing these changes, comprehensive testing is crucial. Make sure to test the following:

  • Dropdown Functionality: Verify the dropdown is displayed correctly.
  • Selection: Ensure you can select an option correctly.
  • Data Binding: Check that the selection is correctly bound to the selectedSubmissionType property in the component.
  • Submission: Submit the form and ensure the selected submission type is correctly sent to the backend.
  • Backend Storage: Confirm that the submission type is properly stored in the database.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Alright, guys! That's the overview of how we're going to enhance the "Submit Research" form on the TXGIS Day website. This seemingly small change can have a big impact by improving the clarity, consistency, and efficiency of the submission process. By adding a dropdown for selecting the submission type, we're making it easier for users and streamlining the workflow for everyone involved. The technical implementation, while not difficult, requires careful attention to the front-end (Angular) and back-end (API) integration to ensure everything works smoothly. Regular testing and validation at each step are essential to minimize errors and ensure a seamless user experience. By implementing this feature, we're taking a step towards a more organized and user-friendly system for managing student submissions. This is just one step in improving the platform for TXGIS Day. Thanks for sticking with me, and let's make this happen! If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments below! Let's work together to make the TXGIS Day website even better. Let's make this a success! 💪

I hope this explanation has been clear and comprehensive. Let me know if you have any questions, and let's get this implemented! This improvement will greatly enhance the user experience and the overall organization of the submissions. I'm excited to see it come to fruition!