Embedded Files
Uploads to REDCap
Uploads to REDCap
Our install of REDCap supports file uploads to the following areas:
The file repository
Attached to data collection instruments at design time.
Attached to individual participant records during data entry.
You're welcome to use these capabilities, however our installation is configured with a size limit for each file. This should be enough for most documents but may not be sufficient for embedded media (video) or very large scanned documents. In any event, REDCap is not designed for streaming videos and may not work in all browsers.
Alternative File Space
Alternative File Space
For people wishing to store files online so that they can be "embedded" in REDCap forms or other research resources there are a few different options.
Every U of A CCID comes with 28GB of disk space and this can be used to create web pages and make files such as media files available online. This space is managed by IST. Details are here: Setting up a website in AFS.
Every UofA faculty member is entitled to a Digital Research Alliance (formerly Compute Canada) account. This includes access to the NextCloud service.
CCIDs also have access to Google Sites at https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca. Video files may be streamed directly from Google Drive provided file permissions are set correctly.
Embedding Video in REDCap Forms
Embedding Video in REDCap Forms
Note: This information was correct at time of writing but may be outdated by advances in browser technology or REDCap system upgrades.
Occasionally researchers wish to include a short video as part of their survey. This is possible given a few restrictions.
As mentioned above we are unable to host large files on our REDCap servers. Instead these files must be "hosted" elsewhere.
Videos can be embedded in REDCap using a descriptive text field. However, the ability to play an embedded file is browser dependent. For example:
Google Chrome will happily play MP4 files
FireFox may need a plugin to play MP4 files
Descriptive text fields can also contain HTML tags, including the <video> tag.
Given the points above it is usually better to use a third party tool to create html that can be used to display the video in whichever format is required by your end-user's browser. One such tool is EasyHtml5Video, which has a free version available for non-profit use.
Here's an example of a REDCap survey that uses these techniques.
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