Launch ODK Collect from mobile map view rather than by QR code

[ivangayton]

Launch ODK Collect with appropriate configuration from Intent

Ideally we want to launch a specific ODK form from the FMTM. Basically we want the field mapper to select an area/task on a Web map, and quickly end up within ODK with the relevant App User/form/map file cued up.

What works now

At the moment, a workflow that does the job is:

• The field mapper selects an area on a Web map. A popup appears with a QR code.
• If the web map is displayed on a separate device (a computer, or someone else's phone), the field mapper opens ODK Collect, scans it, and proceeds. However, generally speaking we don't expect field mappers to be carrying a laptop, or to have a colleague with another phone/device next to them. They are mostly likely looking at the Web map on the same phone/device that they are using to fill out the form using ODK Collect.
• From their own phone, they can:
  • Long-press on the QR code and select Download image
  • Open ODK Collect, hit the colored-circle-with-a-letter-in-it project button on the upper right, select Add project
  • Click the kebab menu on the upper right, select Import QR code (seems to be the only option in that menu)
• On the devices we've tested, the resulting dialogue defaults to displaying "Recent images," with the freshly-downloaded QR code as the first (upper left) option. Upon selecting it, ODK Collect switches immediately to the desired project and form.

Thats ok, but it's not awesome. There are two main drawbacks:

• From the "Add project" dialogue, it's not obvious that the kebab menu allows importation of a QR code that's locally saved as an image, and
• The whole process seems like a fair number of button presses.

What we'd like

It would be delightful if the field mapper could simply click on a Web map, see an ODK icon with a human-readable project ID, click it, get an Android notification along the lines of "Open this link with..." (with ODK Collect as an option, ideally the default or configurable as such) and rock on.

The Discussion in this thread on the ODK Forum suggests launching from form already found in the instances directory—this seems like something we could build upon. However, it seems like it has a few drawbacks:

• The form must already be present in the instances directory on the field mapper's phone
• I'm not sure if this handles other options, such as basemap (we want an OSM/Mapbox basemap rather than Google) that the QR code handles so admirably.

[spwoodcock]

Updated priority to 'must have', as we will rely on this feature going forward.

Note we also want to preselect the map feature if possible.

Link to ODK Forum post: https://forum.getodk.org/t/launch-odkcollect-from-a-browser-with-feature-pre-selected/43190

The discussion so far has made it clear that deep linking to a form should likely be possible.

As for preselecting data, this may clash with the development goals of ODK (they plan to improve their map view). Once deep linking is settled, we could consider an approach using 'entities' as described in the forum.

I still think we should aim to handle the map navigation etc in FMTM, to be as agile as possible. When ODCollect has developed further, we can reassess if we wish to forge our own path here, or just use inbuilt ODKCollect functionality.

Edit on reflection and discussion it may be best to implement deep linking directly to entities instead of forms. It requires less data to be passed in the URL and is more in line with the goals of ODK. See hotosm/osm-fieldwork#206

[spwoodcock]

Likely superseded by #1356
It would still be great to have this in addition, but not as essential now.