Arches Collector (Arches v4-6)

What was Arches Collector?

Arches Collector was the mobile data collection companion app for the Arches data management platform for Arches version 4-6. Arches Collector was a powerful app for data collection efforts, such as field surveys, and was used to input or edit data in the field and sync the data with your existing Arches instance.

Features

• Ran on iOS or Android (Android 11 or older) devices
• Offered full integration with an existing Arches v6 instance
• Supported data collection and temporary storage on devices when a network connection is not available
• Provided for synchronization of data (after offline activity) with your Arches instance
• Supported user permissions as defined in your Arches instance. This allowed your Arches administrator to define which users were permitted to add or update data using the Arches Collector
• Data collection and configuration within the Arches Collector app was managed through your Arches instance using the Arches Collector Manager. You will be able to define the start and end dates, geographic areas, data fields, and users for multiple data collection activities
• Collected information in the field by pinpointing map locations, capturing or uploading photos, selecting from pre-populated controlled lists or inputting text
• Data collected using Arches Collector could be flagged as “provisional data” to be reviewed before being published in an Arches instance, providing a controlled environment for volunteer and crowdsourcing activities

Arches Collector Video

Watch a video recording demonstrating a brief overview of the Arches Collector (v0.2.1) mobile app (August 15, 2019)

FAQ

Why is Arches Collector (Arches v4-6) no longer supported?
In 2022, we encountered some issues with Arches Collector. First, we discovered that part of the information architecture of Arches Collector was not supported by the latest versions of Android. Second, through community testing the new 2-way sync feature proved to be unreliable under certain conditions. In addition to these issues, the development of Arches Version 7, which included fully-integrated internationalization, required changes to the core Arches software that were incompatible with how Arches Collector (Arches v4-6) was developed.

Was Arches Collector open-source software?
Yes. Arches Collector was an open-source mobile app released under the same license as the Arches Platform (AGPL3).

Did Arches Collector work offline in the field, if a Wi-Fi or network connection was unavailable?
Yes. Data entered or edited on the app was stored on the device and could be synced when a connection was available. Arches Collector was purpose built for professionals who work in the field collecting data in remote places without a network connection.

Could Arches Collector be used as a stand-alone mobile app?
No. Arches Collector was a companion app for your existing Arches instance and was not deployable without first creating and activating a Project in Arches Collector Manager.

Was there a limit to the number of mobile app users?
No. There was no limit to the number of users. Arches Collector was capable of handling large numbers of users for crowdsourcing or large group purposes.

Could images be uploaded to Arches Collector?
Yes. The app had capabilities to both point and shoot directly from the app and upload an image from the device.

Privacy Notice:  The Arches Collector app was designed to be used with specific instances/implementations of the Arches platform.  Any data collected through the app was not shared with the app publisher, and was governed by the specific privacy policies of each instance’s owner; please consult that entity’s privacy policy.

Last updated:  January 2024