Creating a Custom Drag and Drop custom question

The Custom Drag and Drop custom question type lets you create and edit a diagram on a canvas. Candidates can upload (or use pre-uploaded) symbols and add lines and text.

This article explains how to create a Custom Drag and Drop question in Surpass.

In this article

1. Choose your item type

In your subject, select Create New Item to open the Question Types menu. Choose Custom Question to create a blank Custom Question item and go to the Edit screen.

2. Name your item

Enter the item’s name in the Name field.

3. Enter your question text

Enter your question text in the question stem. Select Add text Area to add an additional question stem. You can have a maximum of five question stems per item.

Open Additional Options to add source material or assistive media to your question stem.

4. Add your custom question type

Select Select Type to open the Select Type dialog.

Select the ZIP file you want to add to your item.

Select Add to add your Custom Question type to the item.

Once added, the name and version number of the Custom Question type are detailed in the item.

Uploading custom question ZIP files to the Media Library

Custom Question type ZIP files must be uploaded to the Media Library.

5. Configure your Custom Drag and Drop custom question

Select Configure to open the custom ZIP file. This allows you to change how the item displays in delivery.

The Custom Drag and Drop dialog contains the following tools:

• Hand
• Pencil
• Text
• Symbols
• Zoom In
• Zoom Out
• Undo
• Redo
• Delete

Setting up the canvas

The toolbar can be used to select tools to use on the grid/canvas.

The Properties bar can be used to edit parts of your notation diagram further, including the line thickness, colour, and layering.

Settings & Tools allows you to select how the item is presented to the candidate.

Tool	Description
Hand	Selects a part of the diagram.
Pencil	Draws a line that is not straight or restricted in direction and size.
Text	Inserts text.
Symbols	Upload SVG symbols and drag and drop them on to the canvas.
Zoom In	Increases the scale of the diagram.
Zoom Out	Decreases the scale of the diagram.
Undo	Removes the most recent addition into the diagram.
Redo	Adds the most recent deletion back into the diagram.
Delete	Deletes a part of the diagram.

Adding symbols to the canvas

Select Symbols and then select Add Symbol from the properties panel.

In the Add Symbol dialog, select Please upload a SVG Icon file.

Upload a symbol, in SVG format.

Give your symbol a Name.

Select Add.

Your uploaded symbols appear in the Symbols properties panel.

Drag and drop the symbols on to the canvas.

To remove a symbol, select Remove.

Tools

Tools can be used to insert, delete, and change components of the diagram.

Hand

Select and drag the canvas to navigate around the diagram.

Select and drag to move individual parts of a diagram.

Pencil

Select and drag to draw freehand on to the canvas.

Text

Select to insert a text box. Highlight the question marks to begin inserting your text.

Symbols

Upload symbols in SVG format and drag and drop them on to the canvas. For more information, read ‘Adding symbols to the canvas’ section earlier in the article.

Maximise/Minimise

Select Maximise to zoom in on the canvas.

Select Minimise to zoom out of the canvas.

Undo/Redo

Select Undo to remove the most recent addition to the diagram.

Select Redo to reinstate the most recent undo action.

Delete

Select a component of the diagram and select Delete to remove it from the diagram.

Properties

You can further edit lines, text, and symbols using the Properties panel. This panel consists of several properties that can be changed depending on which tool is selected.

Size

Change the Width and Height values to change the size of the tool. Size properties are available to edit for Freehand lines.

Line Style

Change the thickness of the line by editing the Line Style value. Use the drop-down menu to change the border line pattern and select the colour palette to change the border colour. Line Style properties are available to edit for Freehand lines.

Layering

Change the layering of tools in the diagram by selecting either Move Up, Move Down, Bring To Front, or Send To Back. Layering properties are available to edit for Freehand lines and Text.

Colour

Change the colour of text using the Colour buttons. Use the slider tool to change the transparency of the colour. Colour properties are available for Text.

Font size

Change the value in the entry field to increase or decrease the font size. Font Size properties are only available for the Text tool.

Style

Use the bold, italic, and underline settings to change the style of the font. Style properties are only available in the Font tool.

Alignment

Change the alignment of fonts using the Align Left, Align Centre, and Align Right buttons. Alignment properties are only available in the Font tool.

Lock

Determine whether the component is locked or unlocked (and available to edit by candidates). The ability to lock/unlock is available for all tools.

Settings & Tools

Choose which settings and tools are available to candidates in delivery.

Settings/tools	Description
Language Settings	Configure the language used for this item. The available languages are English (also the default language) and Welsh. The selected language is applied to the Custom Drag and Drop question for both the item author and the candidate in test delivery. IMPORTANT: Candidates are not able to change the selected language in test delivery.
Freehand	Allow candidates to use Freehand.
Text	Allow candidates to use Text.
Show Side Panel	Allow candidates to access Symbols and any additional Properties panels. IMPORTANT: Disabling this setting removes the ability to choose from any pre-uploaded symbols, or upload new symbols, from candidates. Ensure you have added any necessary symbols to the canvas first.
Snap to grid	Allow candidates to snap points to the grid.
Allow candidates to toggle the grid	Allow candidates to toggle between the grid or plain background.
Display grid above background	Layers the grid over any background image uploaded into the diagram.
Background	Select Upload to insert an image as the background canvas of the diagram.
Default Values	Configure the default colour, size, and line type for each component.

6. Save your configuration

To save your configurations, select Close .

Select Save .

Removing custom question types

Once uploaded, Custom Question types can be removed from your item.

7. Set the question’s marks

Set the item’s total marks in the Mark field.

8. Select a workflow status

Set the item’s workflow status in the Status drop-down menu. Only items set to Live can be used in a test.

9. Saving and closing your item

Select Save  to save your item to your subject.

To see additional saving options, use the Save  arrow to open the Save Options menu. Select Save & Close  to save the item and return to the Subjects screen. Select Save & New  to save the item and create another Custom Question item.

Select Close  to leave the Edit screen. If you have unsaved changes, you are prompted to either save or discard them.