Troubleshooting KoboCollect Android Application

Last updated: 15 Feb 2022

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Common error messages with troubleshooting guides:

Error: Message ‘Error getting form list’ after selecting ‘Get blank forms’

Troubleshooting: The most likely solutions for this problem is either

  1. Check your URL, you most likely have a small typo in the URL you entered into the settings. Refer to this article on setting up your android phone/tablet for data collection.

  2. Another possible explanation is that your phone wasn’t connected to the Internet when you selected Get blank forms, for example when you are connected to a WiFi network in a public place that requires you to sign in through your browser. This article discusses in greater detail how to connect your device with your account.

Error: Generic Exception: No peer certificate or Form listing failed. Error: javx.net.ssl.SSLPeerUnverifiedException…

This error appears when KoboCollect tries to communicate with the server but can’t establish a secure (SSL/HTTPS) connection.

Troubleshooting:

  1. Highly likely your device is using the wrong date. Check that the date is correct, then try again. Please refer to your phone/tablet manual on how to set the date. Android devices reset their dates to 2000 or another year if ever the battery goes to 0%, which is why this error can appear frequently if your team has a tendency to drain the battery all the way.

  2. You may also see this error message if you are using a WiFi hotspot that requires you to sign in after connecting.

Error: KoboCollect has crashed

Troubleshooting:

  1. If this occurs while you are trying to upload submissions or download a new form, then your device has a significant interruption in its Internet connection. Although it sounds alarming, it is harmless: Simply repeat the upload or download process.

  2. If this occurs while you are trying to open a new form in your phone, then the following possible reasons could help you resolve:

    • The form you are trying to open has errors either in the calculate, constraints or skip routines. This is rare since the system would have already checked for the errors.

    • The form your are trying to open is either too large or has numerous actions (calculations, large list of responses or other complex procedures) which cannot be handled by the memory capacity of your device. Kindly refer to this article on recommended devices.

Error: Unable to edit this blank form because the corresponding blank form is not present or was deleted

Troubleshooting:

This type of error message occurs when you try to edit your saved form when the corresponding blank form is not present or was deleted.

If this occurs, retrieve the corresponding blank form from your KoboToolbox account by clicking Get Blank Form on the home screen and then select the particular form which requires amendments.

Error: Unable to install KoboCollect android app in a device. Shows the following error message (can’t create directory/storage/sdcard0/odk)

Troubleshooting:

You see this error message when your device is out of storage space. To overcome this issue, free your device by uninstalling some unnecessary app and then try installing KoboCollect.