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Wiki wrote:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A radio button or option button is a type of graphical user interface element that allows the user to choose only one of a predefined set of options.

Radio buttons are arranged in groups of two or more and displayed on screen as, for example, a list of circular holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a dot (for selected). Adjacent to each radio button is normally shown a caption describing the choice that this radio button represents. When the user selects a radio button, any previously selected radio button in the same group becomes deselected. Selecting a radio button is done by clicking the mouse on the button, or the caption, or by using a keyboard shortcut.

It is possible that initially none of the radio buttons in a group are selected.
This state cannot be restored by interacting with the radio button widget (but it may be possible through other user interface elements). When used in an HTML form, if no button in a group is checked, then no name-value pair is passed when the form is submitted. For example, for a radio button group named Gender with the options Male and Female, the variable Gender would not be passed, even with a blank value.


Although I can't recall EVER seeing a form that was set up that way, I'd have to agree with Jo Ann that since it "is possible" it should "be possible". ;)
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Typically radio buttons are set up as an option group while check boxes are not. That normally defines which tool the programmer choices to use. One allows for a single selection and the other allows multiple selections.
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Yep we know that part Tom, but the issue is whether or not that selection should be chosen "for" the user or not on default. To me, regardless of whether it's a multiple or single option, it should be something we can have set to require and to do that the default selection needs to not be chosen automatically.
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We don't want to add features just to add them. So I task all of you here. Show us examples where this is used online and we will definitely consider it. Even the smallest feature takes time to add to the software.

We would rather invest that time in things l like images or multi-page forms. ;)
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Oh that was too easy.

http://www.statiatourism.com/survey.php #12

http://reference.infotoday.com/fsosurvey #1 #3

http://survey.confirmit.com/wix5/p1117158279.aspx

I'll stop there. :)
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Jo Ann wrote:
Yep we know that part Tom, but the issue is whether or not that selection should be chosen "for" the user or not on default.

If you know each tool has a specific purpose, there is no need to ask if one should "be chosen for you". Each has its own intended purpose and should be used in that manner.
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Well see that's just it. Like in the examples you show, the forms on those sites will most likely be requiring an answer for those radio buttons, yet if one is chosen, the person may or may not realize it, and that person's answers could be skewed or wrong because they missed that question as it was already answered for them.

Truly Scott, it's no different than a drop down or check box, if it's already checked, it's a possible wrong choice is how I see it.

Thanks for the examples Tom :)
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Scott Swedorski wrote:
Show me a few forms on the web that have this type of functionality and we will consider it Jo Ann. I cannot remember any form where a radio button was used and not having something automatically selected.


I agree with Scott. I don't recall ever seeing a radio group without an option pre-selected. Either your radio group has a default option selected or you're wrong.
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I have seen such forms where no radio button is selected (also surveys). It's not an important issue for me, but IF no radio button is selected, I read Phil's quotation from Wikipedia so that in such a case a Reset, or Cancel button will be required.

As I think further about this, my opinion is that if you have enough options for the radio buttons (e.g. not just 'yes' and 'no', but also 'perhaps' and 'dunno' etc. and as for gender: 'male' , 'female' and 'none of your business'), it would not be necessary to have all the options unselected, as there will always be an option that applies to the situation.

In surveys you also often have checkboxes and the caption says you are allowed to select up to a certain number of them, not all. That would be useful to have in the Form builder.
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David Sellers wrote:
I agree with Scott. I don't recall ever seeing a radio group without an option pre-selected. Either your radio group has a default option selected or you're wrong.


I thought so too David... UNTIL Tom went and posted those samples. Now I fully agree with Jo Ann and Tom. It makes sense to set it up this way.
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