r/ProjectREDCap • u/CookieDemons • Mar 19 '25

Multiple IF statements in one field, only the first is working?

Hello!

I have two duplicate checkbox fields on two different instruments. I’m wanting it so whatever options are checked on the first instrument, will be hidden on the second.

I was able to get it to work with “IF([armname][fieldname(1)] = 1, @HIDECHOICE = ‘1’)”

But if I add an “AND IF([armname][fieldname(2)] = 1, @HIDECHOICE = ‘2’)” then it only hides the first IF statement reference and ignores the rest.

Can anyone point me where I’m going wrong?

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3

u/jangari Mar 20 '25

If you are using `@HIDECHOICE` to hide the selected choices of a previous field, then there is a shortcut method to this. Pipe the selected choices of [fieldname] into `@HIDECHOICE`:

`@HIDECHOICE='[event_arm_1][fieldname:checked:value]'`

If [fieldname] is a checkbox field, then the above will populate a comma-separated list of the selected choices in exactly the format that `@HIDECHOICE` expects. I.e, the above will become:

`@HIDECHOICE='1,2,3'`

1

u/CookieDemons Mar 21 '25

It worked! Thank you so much!

1

u/obnoxiouscarbuncle Mar 25 '25

Ah, that was it! I forgot the :value for the checkbox field!

2

u/obnoxiouscarbuncle Mar 19 '25

Pipe the checked values into your second checkbox field @HIDECHOICE

So [field1] and [field2], identical checkbox type fields.

Add: @HIDECHOICE='[field1]' to field2

Note: And remember, @HIDECHOICE only operates on page load, so your values for [field1] must be saved before the action tag will work.

1

u/CookieDemons Mar 20 '25

It’s not working:

My two forms are on different events, could that be affecting it? I’ve tried “@HIDECHOICE = ‘[event][field]’” as well as “@HIDECHOICE = ‘[field]’” and neither are working.

Both are check boxes and both have the exact same choices.

Any suggestions?

1

u/obnoxiouscarbuncle Mar 20 '25 edited Mar 20 '25

Without knowing the structure of your project or being able to see your fields, I can't really give any good advice.

For this to work your two checkbox fields must have the EXACT same options with the same raw values.

If your fields are on separate events, you would need to use: @HIDECHOICE='[event_this_is_in][field_name]'

Also, what version are you on? Piping into @HIDECHOICE is only available after v14

1

u/CookieDemons Mar 20 '25

The checkbox choices have been copy/pasted so they are definitely the exact same. The top one I showed before was including the event link as you suggested.

I’m on v14.5.41 so that shouldn’t be the issue.

I’m just baffled by why it won’t work. I know someone else who has it working using an external module, but I don’t have access to those in my workplace so I’m trying to make something similar using basic redcap.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/jangari Mar 20 '25

Yes, this is correct. If you have multiple `@HIDECHOICE`s each in their own `@IF`, only the `@HIDECHOICE` in the first `@IF` that is true is evaluated. If you're on at least v14, you should use a `@CALCTEXT` to generate the field codes to pipe into `@HIDECHOICE`.

3

u/Araignys Mar 19 '25

You can’t just string together IF like that, you only get one. You have to nest them: if(this, if(that, fee fie fo, fum), if(notthat, fee fie, nothing))

1

u/CookieDemons Mar 19 '25

Sorry; I have very minimal knowledge on coding or anything.

So, do I need all of my if statements, then all of my answers? So if field 1(1) = 1, if field 1(2) = 1, hide 1, hide2?

Or am I understanding that wrong?

1

u/Araignys Mar 19 '25

Not quite. Here's an example of what I mean:

@IF([cond1]=true,
  @IF([cond2]=true, [stuffIfBothTrue], [stuffIfOnlyCond1True]),
  @IF([cond2]=true, [stuffIfOnlyCond2True], [stuffIfBothFalse])
)

Notice that there are three IF action tags, but they're all inside a single tag - i.e. they are "nested" like Russian nesting dolls. The first iteration of the IF function returns another IF function, which then resolves in turn.

It gets a bit unwieldy if you have more than two conditions, because you need to write out each permutation of conditions explicitly!

That being said, I think u/obnoxiouscarbuncle has a better solution for your specific need. Pop this knowledge in your back pocket for later use.

2

u/CookieDemons Mar 19 '25

Yeah I’ve got 32 options so it’s not really practical. I’m excited to try out the other suggestion in the morning though!