Editing themes

Survey themes are composed of collections of template files. These files are arranged in a series of directories which all cascade from the base theme. To view and manipulate these files and directories, use the Files app to navigate to the theme directory. There are two folders in this directory:

• system
• theme (theme_name) — for example, theme (flex).

The system directory contains all survey template files arranged by theme name, and the theme (theme_name) directory shows just the template files defined in the current survey theme. When the survey webpages are rendered in a web browser, the files and directories in the current survey theme are used in place of files in the parent theme, and the parent theme is used to fill in gaps left in the current theme. All themes descend from another theme, except the base theme, which is the common ancestor to all themes. To see a theme's parent, use the Themes applet.

Because the Base theme is the oldest ancestor to all survey themes, it is helpful to review the files therein to learn all of the possible files/directories that can be used to create and customize themes.

Neither files in the system directory nor the theme (theme_name) directory can be edited directly. To make modifications, you must make a local copy of the file which will be used ahead of the theme or parent files. Fortunately, this process is as simple as clicking the “make local copy” button while the file is selected.

Doing so copies the file into the root theme directory, where it can be manipulated and saved.