Simple examples with the order tag

Use the '$' sign to anchor the final option in a list while randomizing the others. Alternatively, use the anchor: y decorator with the order tag, as shown in Q6A. Both methods achieve the same result.

6. Which of the following colors is your favorite?
type: radio
order: [*],$
1. Blue
2. Green
3. Red
4. Orange
5. Yellow
97. Other {autoother: y; size: 10}


6A. Which of the following colors is your favorite?
type: radio
order: [*]
1. Blue
2. Green
3. Red
4. Orange
5. Yellow
97. Other {autoother: y; size: 10} {anchor: y}

Use the '^' sign to anchor the first option in a list while randomizing the others. Alternatively, use the anchor: y decorator with the order tag, as shown in Q6C. Both methods achieve the same result.

6B. Which of the following colors is your favorite?
type: radio
order: ^,[*]
97. Other {autoother: y; size: 10}
1. Blue
2. Green
3. Red
4. Orange
5. Yellow

6C. Which of the following colors is your favorite?
type: radio
order: [*]
97. Other {autoother: y; size: 10} {anchor: y}
1. Blue
2. Green
3. Red
4. Orange
5. Yellow

The order tag can be used on a define sheet widget to set the order for a sheet for the entire survey or added to a list call to apply it to a single question.

In the example below, the define sheet widget applies a randomized order to the 'countries' sheet. Wherever this sheet is used, such as in Q1A, the specified order applies. However, in Q1B, the order tag is applied at the question-level, so randomization is only applied to the 'food' sheet in this specific instance.

define sheet: surveyID.countries
order:[*]

1A. What is your favorite country?
type: radio
optsfrom: surveyID.countries


1B. What is your favorite food?
type: radio
optsfrom: surveyID.food
order:[*]

Using order: <*> selects a random starting point in a list and then follows the list in sequential order.

3A. Please select your favorite letter of the alphabet.
type: radio
order:<*>
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
6. F
7. G

Building on the previous example, you can randomize a starting point while anchoring specific options at the end by specifying their positions. For example, the final option is always anchored with a dollar sign '$', the one before it with '$-1', and so on. In the example below, options 8 and 99 are added and will always be anchored at the end of the list.

3B. Please select your favorite letter of the alphabet.
type: radio
order:<*>,$-1,$
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
6. F
7. G
8. Z
99. None of these

The anchor: y decorator could also be used with order: <*> to anchor the last two options in place.

You can randomize a list while still anchoring specific options at the beginning by specifying their positions. Whereas the final list option is anchored with a '$', with preceding options specified by subtracting from it (e.g., '$-1', '$-2', etc.), the first option is anchored with a carat, '^', and subsequent options are specified by adding to it (e.g., '^+1', '^+2', etc.). 

In the example below, Q8 is fully randomized except for the first two anchored options.

8. Which of the following fruits is your favorite?
type: radio
order: ^,^+1,[*]
1. Apples
2. Oranges
3. Pears
4. Plums
5. Bananas
6. Strawberries
7. Peaches

Using order: AtoZ<*> selects a random starting point in an alphabetized list and then follows the list in alphabetical order.

5. Please select one.
type: radio
order: AtoZ<*>
1. time
2. person
3. year
4. way
5. day
6. thing
7. man
8. world
9. life