Creating a Bar Chart custom question

WARNING: Please speak to your Surpass Account Manager if you are interested in using this functionality. The Custom Question ZIP files required to use this item type are not included in Surpass as standard.

The Bar Chart custom question type lets you create, configure, and input data on a bar chart.

This article explains how to create a Bar Chart question in Surpass.

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 Bar Chart custom question

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

The Bar Chart dialog contains the following tabs:

Setup User Interface.
Chart Settings.
Bar Settings.
Key Settings.

Setup user interface

Select Setup to open the Setup user interface tab.

You can configure which settings and tools candidates have access to using the Show to candidate checkboxes.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Setup user interface tab.

Section	Description
Chart	Enables candidates to configure settings in the Chart Settings tab.
Bar	Enables candidates to configure settings in the Bar Settings tab.
Key	Enables candidates to configure settings in the Key Settings tab.
Bar Values	Displays the value of each bar.
Bar Labels	Displays the label for each bar.
Axis Values	Displays the value of each axis.
Key Footer	Displays the key in the footer.
Max Decimals	Sets the maximum number of decimals points in a value.

Chart Settings

Select Chart to open the Chart Settings tab.

You can configure your bar chart’s grid and axes settings or label your bar chart in the Chart Settings tab.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Chart Settings tab.

Setting	Description
Margin (px)	Determines the size of the margin between the axis and the edge of the chart.
Size	Determines the height of the vertical axis.
Scale	Determines what multiple the intervals along axes increases by. NOTE: These values can be whole numbers or decimals.
Title	The title of the bar chart.
Horizontal axis label	The label for the horizontal axis.
Vertical axis label	The label for the vertical axis.
Show to candidate	Enables candidates to configure the selected setting.

TIP: You can enter the values for the Margin, Size, and Scale settings manually, or by using the and icons.

Bar Settings

Select Bar to open the Bar Settings tab.

You can configure which settings and tools candidates have access to using the Show to candidate checkboxes.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Setup user interface tab.

Setting	Description
Height	Determines the height of the bar.
Label	The label for each bar.
Colour	Enables users and candidates to assign a colour to each bar.
Edit	Enables candidates to configure the selected bar.
Move	Changes the order the bar will appear on the horizontal axis.
Delete	Deletes the bar.
Add Bar	Enables users and candidates to add another bar to the chart. NOTE: Each bar chart can have a maximum of 16 bars.

To add a new bar to the chart, select the Add Bar button.

Key Settings

Select Key to open the Key Settings tab.

You can configure your bar chart’s key settings in the Key Settings tab.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Key Settings tab.

Setting	Description
Label	The label for each element of the key.
Colour	Enables users and candidates to assign a colour to each element of the key.
Edit	Enables candidates to configure the selected element of the key.

6. Save your configuration

To save your configurations, select Close .

Select Save .

IMPORTANT: If you do not also select Save in the main Item Authoring screen of your item after saving your configuration, all configuration will be lost.

Removing custom question types

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

Select Remove Type to remove a Custom Question type.

IMPORTANT: If you remove a type, all configuration will be lost.

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.